When I first started writing songs, I didn’t realize that rhyme schemes are just as important as chord progressions. Without giving it any conscious thought, I relied on the same two rhyme schemes over and over for my first five years of songwriting: ABAB and–when I needed that thud-thud sense of finality at the end of a section–I’d use AA.
In retrospect, those two-scheme days seem like the Dark Ages to me now. What was I thinking?!
New schemes disrupt your usual habits and force you to express your ideas differently. And just like a chord progression, each rhyme scheme contains its own patterns of tension and resolution.
Below I’ve listed some four-line rhyme schemes for you to play with. Schemes you’re unfamiliar with may feel a bit strange at first, but stick with them–they can lead to real breakthroughs in your songwriting. Have fun!
abab
An interlocking rhyme scheme. Rhyme line 1 with line 3; also line 2 with line 4.
xaxa
This scheme’s less predictable than some of the others. Rhyme lines 2 and 4; make sure that lines 1 and 3 don’t rhyme. The two unrhymed lines will allow you some freedom–and save mileage on your rhyming dictionary.
aabb
This scheme divides a section of four lines into two rhymed couplets, making the first two lines and the last two lines sound separate and self-contained.
aaaa
This one’s tough to pull off. To relieve monotony, you might try making some of the lines much shorter than the others—varying line length will make it sound less predictable.
axaa
Line 2 is all alone, left hanging. This scheme contains a bit of tension–try it and see.
abba
A rhyming pair sandwiched inside of another rhyming pair.
axxa
Like XAXA above, AXXA is a wild card. The two middle lines are unpredictable; they rhyme with nothing. This one’s a personal favorite of mine; I like the way those two middle lines keep the audience in suspense. I also like the way the last line finally resolves the tension.
Exercise
Use one of the rhyme schemes above for the verse sections of your next song. Write the scheme at the top of the page and get started–if you need a song idea, you can free write until an interesting lyric premise falls out.
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About Nicholas Tozier
just printed this one off for further study. I suspect I’ve been using the same one over and over again!
Me too; for a long time all I did was instinctually rhyme couplets at the end of song sections to make it feel conclusive.
I’ve really come to love playing with different rhyme schemes.
It appears that a lot of rappers stick to one scheme (i.e. Drake, Big Sean, Kanye, etc). I think this happens because of the inability to keep up the flow with varied schemes. Eminem and Pharoahe Monch do an excellent job of switching up their schemes. This website is great…peace and blessings
Thanks, Praverb! Your site’s great too!
Yeah, it’s really hard to keep momentum with complex schemes sometimes. I’ve got to reach more. I’ve mostly been banging around inside of my little ABAB/AABB comfort zone…
i am 16, ive been writing lyrics for almost 3 years. Though I ccannot compose music instrumentally, (i wish i could but i dont have the patience to self-teach), i am a singer and lover of all art forms. Ive tried alot of different rhyme schemes in my lyrics and it does entirely change the complexity of a song. I do enjoy the challenge of trying to stay away from the ABAB crutch that i used for a long time. you are encouraging songwriters to get out of this shell and i appreciate that. Your lyrics evolve for the better when you try different schemes.
I try my hardest to vary my rhyme schemes, but I always come out with a seemingly free verse poem. It never seems to have any lyrical value.