How to Write a Funny Song: Musical Comedy Creation Video
One of the wonderful things about comedy is that your funny ideas are limited only by your imagination. In your standup routines or sketches, the President of the United States can belt out opera, Disney Princesses can rap, and Jennifer Lopez can actually sing..
Music gives your comedy an added dimension that enchants and delights an audience. In this video- Rob Seals from http://thesongwritingschool.com and Gerry Katzman from http://standupcomedyclass.com break down some valuable secrets of how to get laughs with music.
Comedy Song Secret #1: THE END RHYME.
In songs, the punch line is usually the end rhyme. But how to we create and “land” on a perfect end rhyme?
1) Work backwards. Instead of creating a funny intro line and having to come up with something brilliant to say after it, create the priceless ending-word first, and then place a rhyming word at the end of the verse before it.
How do you find a funny word to end a verse or chorus with?
2) Make lists. Take the topic of your song (aka your song’s “concept” – more about this in our next video) and make several lists about it. Some great categories for list-making include: names, places, people, events, clichés, opposites, words and catchphrases (watch the video to see how we do this). By allowing your brain to free-associate with lists, you’ll probably come up with some very funny words to end your rhymes with.
3) Rhyme with the funny word. Below (and in the video) we’ve isolated 3 ways to find a rhyme.
A) You can simply go through the alphabet in your head, pronouncing each letter before the word that you want to rhyme with (so for example- if you want to rhyme with the word “Rain,” by using this technique you would discover rhymes like “Brain,” Crane,” “Drain,” etc.)
B) Use a rhyming dictionary like Rhymezone.com and Rhymer.com.
C) Look for words and phrases that are imperfect, but close-sounding rhymes. (for example, words like “Gain” or “Insane” are not perfect rhymes for “Rain” (they don’t have an “R” sound) but can be close enough for an audience to still enjoy the rhyme.
So to review: 1) Brainstorm your concept by making lists which help you find the funny words to end your verses with. 2) Go through the rhyming techniques and place the rhyming word at the end of the verse before funny “ending” verse.
In our next video we’ll give away more secrets to writing comedy songs. Until then, visit us at http://thesongwritingschool.com and http://standupcomedyclass.com, ask us questions below the video, and please join our mailing lists! Thank you for visiting MasterTalentTeachers.com
