What is Unity

A second superpower: all the parts of this song working in the same direction.

Let's rewind to a musical rendezvous in the heart of Nashville, where I found myself caught up in the magic of a song critique. Picture this: a luminary in CCM music publishing, dropping wisdom bombs on one of my pal's tunes. The recurring chorus of advice? 

"Your song needs more unity." 

Cue the collective eyebrow raise and the inevitable question, 

"Wait, what's unity in a song, anyway?" 

Then, I learned how she could spin this superpower on my friend’s song, using the critiqued song as her canvas. Who knew songwriting seminars could be this intriguing?

What is Unity?

I’ve already talked about several of these elements when I was talking about writing in 3D and in my first book Song Maps, with three elements I’m talking about here: 

• Title (or theme)

• Structure

• Plot development 

Deciding on each of these are incredibly important and helps write a song in 3D using these three elements. However, there are several other elements in songwriting that could usefully be remembered when writing a song. 

Unity is like a second superpower, simply adding cohesive and interconnected elements within a song that create a sense of completeness and harmony in three other ways – 

• Musically

• Lyrically, and 

• All together. 

It’s all about listening to your song and asking one key question: 

Are all the parts of this song working in the same direction?

Unity ensures that various musical and lyrical components work together to convey a unified message or emotional impact. Achieving unity in songwriting is essential for creating a polished and well-crafted work.

How to use unity 

Here are seven suggested ways that it might be worth asking about when listening with different ears:

1. Melodic Unity: Consistent melodic motifs or themes throughout the song can contribute to unity. Repeating melodic elements or using variations of a central melody can tie the song together.

2. Harmonic Unity: The chords and harmonic progressions should complement the melody and lyrics. Creating a consistent harmonic palette can contribute to the overall coherence of the song.

3. Lyrical Unity: The lyrics should have a consistent theme or message. Maintaining a cohesive narrative or emotional tone throughout the song helps to unify the lyrical content.

4. Rhythmic Unity: The rhythm and groove of the song should be consistent and support the overall feel. Repetition of rhythmic patterns can contribute to unity.

5. Structural Unity: The song structure, such as verse-chorus arrangements or other forms, should probably flow logically and contribute to the overall coherence of the composition. This is linked to the plot or Song Maps.

6. Instrumental Unity: If multiple instruments are in the arrangement, they should complement each other and work together to serve the song. Instrumentation choices should align with the overall sound and mood.

7. Dynamic Unity: The dynamics (volume variations) in the song should be intentional and contribute to the overall expression. Sudden or unexpected changes should be purposeful and fit the song's context.

By carefully considering and crafting these elements, a songwriter can achieve unity, creating a more compelling and memorable musical piece. Unity doesn't mean complete uniformity; it's about ensuring that the diverse elements of a song come together to form a cohesive and satisfying whole.

Why use Unity?

Sure, it’s possible to ignore unity in songwriting, and some songs are written like that, although they are less likely to get cut. After all, these are all tools, not rules. However, using unity throughout, the final product is much better than without.

• Coherence - everyone knows what you're getting across in your lyrics and your music, which both work in the right direction. 

• Memorability - repeating melodic motifs, lyrical themes, rhythmic patterns, and both.

• Polished - whether in terms of a finished lyric, well-thought-out music, overall refined and intentional, attention to detail, and well-balanced and well-crafted. 

Questions

Here are a few ways you might find helpful for your own songwriting process:

1. Try using your own unity superpower: When looking at your best songs, ask yourself, "Are all parts of this song moving in the same direction?" Unleash unity's magic in your composition.

2. Unity in 3D: Elevate your song by exploring unity's impact on three key elements—Title (or theme), Structure, and Plot development. How can unity enhance your 3D songwriting?

3. Listening Differently– The Seven Ways to Unity: how about taking yourself on a sonic journey, discovering unity through melodic, harmonic, lyrical, rhythmic, structural, instrumental, and dynamic elements? Listening with fresh ears like this can sometimes transform a draft song into a compelling masterpiece.

Hope this helps!

Simon.

www.simonhawkins.com