How To Write A Hook: Catchy Melodies Explained

What is a hook in music? A hook is a musical idea that stays with a listener long after they’ve listened to music. In this video you’ll learn more about what a hook is, and how to create them in your music.

00:00 Intro
00:24 What is a hook?
00:58 How to write a hook
01:57 Looping chords
02:49 Improvising ideas
03:59 Refining ideas
04:57 Brainstorming Lyrics
08:52 Refining Lyrics
11:47 Outro

A hook can be anything. It can be a vocal melody, a guitar riff, or a catchy drum rhythm. The best hooks come from a workflow that nurtures improvisation. In this video you’ll learn about the workflow I use when I come up with hooks.

Writing hooks comes from trial and error. I like to capture a bunch of ideas, pick one that makes me feel something, and refine it. When I’m capturing ideas, I try to keep it simple and use repetition.

My workflow is set up in a way that allows me to become vulnerable and creative. I’ll be demonstrating how I use it by looping a chord progression and improvising with my voice.

After capturing some ideas, I’ll review them and pick one to work with and refine further. After I have a great melodic hook, I’ll begin brainstorming lyrics that will fit with my hook.

I’ll take it further by improvising the lyrics that I have, and try to connect the dots to finish the phrase of my hook.

------------------

--------------------
#songwriting
#melody
#writethehook
#pop
#musicproduction
#landr
#beats
#indiepop
#gettingstarted

[LANDRmusic]

Isabelle is super rad, we hope you like her too! What's the one hook you can't get out of your head?

[kyleadamsdrums]

Seeing videos like this is great. It's validating to see a process similar to my own where you record the gibberish/scatting and use that to form the vocal rhythm and phrasing for lyrics. Its definitely a vulnerable and semi-embarrassing process, but if you embrace that in the form of quasi-confidence, it'll take you to another level.

[emilykingsland]

This did the trick because now this is stuck in my head :)

[Kpm]

This was incredibly inspiring to watch. That's for having the guts to be vulnerable for other people's benefit. Even as someone who has written a lot of songs, and often in this exact way, sometimes insecurity can make you forget what tools are already available to you. It was nice to be reminded. I went ahead and wrote another song immediately after watching and it felt easy so long as I focused on the process you showed in your video. Seriously, thanks.

[mantaanafm]

I love the way you’re being vulnerable. That’s what people buy

[ibanezguitars]

dude so i just tried to write vox for the first time in like 13 years. guitar is my main but ive always been a relativley good singer. I recorded and listen to myself and actually want to vomit. I dont have a strong idea yet for a melody. It feels debilitating. So props to you for having the nuts to do it on camera. I salute you.

[dominicco]

Really amazing to watch this creative process! I came to this page sort of by accident, with no intent of writing music. As a non musician, the idea of writing a song is daunting, but this actually makes it feel possible.

[hankhomaomes]

"When you're with me I am Home, When you're NOT here, i m all -Ah-lone...."

[TheAmirSheidaei]

I LOVE Isabelle's teaching! I feel like she's one of the content creators that make me feel comfortable to be myself while pursing my goals 👌👌👌

[bkool]

The melody actually got stuck in my head 😂 great video!

[evanwalters]

The contrast in pitch and duration are great. Short duration patterns followed by long duration or vice versa and shifting back and forth in pitch. However, lyric wise I'd suggest taking a boring phrase and rewording it in a poetic way.

For example "when you're with me" means the same thing as together but together sounds less typical. I used to use metaphors of spiritual and/or intense things to represent situations or feelings about something that I was writing about - usually a relationship.

For example I had a bridge in a goth song I wrote about my ex girlfriend's friends and family who thought I wasn't good enough for her telling her she should break up with me. Instead of saying that outright, I wrote "angels here surround me now, worn, perverse and proud, war with mighty force against me, for you I walk miles, your eyes still closed to this, no gift of pain can ease them softly wide"

It simply means your friends and family think they are "holy" ie better than me and they fight me but I go the extra mile for you even though you don't realize it and no amount of suffering on my part will make you realize it.

I used the word "angels" sarcastically but you wouldn't realize it right off the bat unless you thought about the lyrics a bit. Using spiritual metaphors also gives the story an ominous feel which conveys the emotional impact the situation had on me as I loved her deeply.

[kweenah.dknight]

First of all - I love your energy! Second, thank you for getting weird and being vulnerable so that we can learn from you. Third, now I have that hook stuck in my head! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[dianahickman]

Wow, thank you so much for doing this! It was captivating to see you with the "intimacy of the process". I really appreciate it!

[michaelmaxtedharvey]

This was really great. Thank you for your vulnerability!

[MeettheTings]

Came here to learn how to write a hook...ended up writing an entire song using your process! Thanks!

[dxncyqw]

Really helpful I am loving your teaching

[ramesh]

Excellent tutorial Isabelle. Good job. Thank you

[blahblah]

I can fake it on most instruments but whistle? I thought I was the only one. Every once in awhile I'll accidentally whistle exhaling. I get all excited. I try to recreate it. Nope.

[Sound-Lord]

Very good video. I like her. Thank You.

[powermetallistic]

Wow, you are so vulnerable, yet so powerful in this video, I love it.