Guide · Glossary
Songwriting glossary
A short glossary of the words songwriters use, in plain language: what they mean and where to read more.
Updated 20 Oct 2026
A to H
- Bar (measure): a short, equal chunk of music with a fixed number of beats. More.
- BPM: beats per minute, the tempo. Tap tempo tool.
- Bridge: a contrasting section, often after the second chorus. More.
- Capo: a clamp on the guitar neck that raises the pitch of every string, so the same chord shapes sound in a higher key. Capo chart.
- Chord: three or more notes played together.
- Chorus: the repeated main section with the main idea. More.
- Co-write: to write a song with someone else. More.
- Demo: a rough recording that shows a song. More.
- Hook: the catchiest part of a song. More.
I to R
- Key: the home note and scale a song is built around. More.
- Lead sheet: a simple written form of a song with melody, lyrics and chords.
- Master: the finished, mixed and mastered recording. More.
- Melody: the tune of a song. More.
- Middle eight: a bridge, traditionally eight bars long.
- Outro: the ending section of a song.
- Pre-chorus: a short build before the chorus. More.
- Refrain: a line or phrase that repeats in each verse, usually at the end, such as a title line.
- Relative minor: the minor key that uses the same notes as a major key, starting on its sixth note (A minor is the relative of C major). More.
S to Z
- Split sheet: a written record of who wrote a song and each writer's share. More.
- Stem: a grouped track (such as all the vocals or all the drums) exported from a mix.
- Strophic: a form where every verse uses the same music. More.
- Tempo: the speed of a song, in BPM.
- Time signature: how many beats are in a bar and which note gets one beat.
- Verse: the part of a song that tells the story. More.
- Work tape: a rough recording of a song, kept to work from.
Keep it all in one place
In songdrafts every take of a song stacks on one card, in the order you add them, with the lyrics, key and tempo on the same song.
Common questions
What is a hook in a song?
The catchiest part, often the title line in the chorus.
What is a bar?
A short chunk of music with a fixed number of beats.
What is a stem?
An individual track bounced from a session.
What is a demo?
A rough recording that shows a song.
What is a split sheet?
A written record of who wrote a song and what share each writer owns.
Want this done for you? songdrafts is a board for your voice memos: every take stacked on one card, songs that move across stages, merging half songs, and one share link with comments pinned to the second. Works offline, and nothing you upload trains AI. What is songdrafts?