• From: Stockton-on-Tees UK
  • Registered: 2010-07-22
  • Posts: 146

Topic: Song Intros

Hi

I have now managed to learn half a dozen songs but when I sing them it seems like there is something missing.  Just wondered if somebody can give me a few pointers.  Most of the songs on rhe forum do not include intros with them.  Is there a formula for working out what intro would work with a particular chord progression or should I just use that chord progression as an intro?  The same goes for an outro although I am fairly certain I should generally end on the same chord the song began with.  If it makes a difference most of the time I use a fingerpicking style.

Thanks in advance for your assistance

Ian

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  • tandm3
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Florida Panhandle
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 421

Re: Song Intros

Hi Ian,

I'll usually play whatever the chords are in the verse and go right into singing from there.  Sometimes I'll play through the chords of the chorus and then go into to the verse.  Its pretty much up to you.  If you're trying to make it sound like the original version, sit down with it and listen to it over and over until you figure out what the original artist did.  Sometimes, just a few strums  or a couple of finger picked notes of one chord will do it.  Good Luck!

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  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: Song Intros

Unless the song specifically shows an intro, and some do, I just do the same as tandm3.  Just go through the chords in the verse and then start singing.  The chords start speaking for themselves as you are singing.

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  • Registered: 2009-11-16
  • Posts: 605

Re: Song Intros

Dito w/ that if you want to streach the song out do the verse and then the bridge cords then a line or two of the verse and start into the song, EXPERIMENT!!

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Song Intros

I generally look for a 4 bar (measure) intro so very often the chords for the last line of the verse or chorus will work. For an outro I will use just a bar, or sometimes two of the finishing chord otherwise a change to the fourth and back to the first will do (i.e. in G go from G to C and back to G, in C from C, to F, to C).

Roger

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