Songwriting Intermediate

I think it's best to take the big picture and plan in advance how each song on an album is going to be different. You can always change things later if they don't work out, but having variety planned in from the beginning will probably benefit most people. So, for arguments sake, you could define the parameters of your next album by saying The first tune will be in C Major the second rune will be in Db Dorian and the third tune will be in D Mixolydian and the fourth tune will be in Eb aeolian and the fifth tune will be in E minor pentatonic etc...

Then decide on variations in the form. IVCVCBCO, IVCVCBCO, IVRCVRCBRCO, IVCVRCBRCO, IVCVCBRCO, IVCTVCTBCO, IVCVCTBCO, IVCTVCBCO, I=intro, V-verse, C-chorus, R-rise, B-bridge, T-transition, O-outro

Then make a chart and plan variations in each section of the music, perhaps the first tune can have two four measure phrases in both the verse and chorus, then don't do that again on the rest of the album. Have an 8 measure phrase folowed by another 8 measure phrase, have an 8 measure phrase followed by a 4 measure phrase. Have a four measure phrase followed by 2 two measure phrases in one section and two four measure phrases in the second one.

Or a four measure phrase followed by a 3 measure phrase or a 5 measure phrase even. If something doesn't work then just fall back on the tried and true 8 or 16 bar section divided in half.

If you're running out of ideas is when you might want to start both the verse and chorus on the same note in one song and start the verse and chorus on the same beat in another song. (I don't recommend doing both but it might work for a special song perhaps with drone and sitar.) Or switch things up by having the verse start on the downbeat.

Anything is possible really but like my art teacher used to say, it's better to know what the "rules" are and why you're breaking them. (Variety is a good reason I think)

Then within the phrases you'll want to plan some variety in the RHYTHMIC scheme which the melody may or may not follow. Schemes like abaa abac abba abcb abca abcd aaab aaba abab abcc. Something my professor of composition recommends is to use at least three different rhythmic levels in the same instrument especially when an instrument first comes in, such as quarter notes, 2 eighths and 4 16ths for the sake of explanation.

This is something I haven't looked into yet as far as popular styles of music go, but it may have some bearing.

Another thing to try is to plan to start on a different chord in each song's Chorus

If all of you're songs are in CMajor, for the sake of example, then start the chorus in the first song on D minor, in the second song on E minor, in the third song on G Major, in the fourth song on A minor and the the fifth song on C Major. Even if you don't keep any of these or the previous schemes, it gives something to shoot for and starts people writing, which may lead to new and better ideas.