Inexperienced writers often feel that the perfect way to set the stage for their first verse is to tease the listener with a long, intricate instrumental section designed to create a feeling of anticipation.
WRONG!
If you’re trying to write a song with commercial potential, it’s important to under- stand how little time you have to attract the listener’s attention at the beginning of the song. A short dynamic intro that leads quickly into the first verse is the key to pulling the listener in.
An intro that is too long will simply take up valuable time and slow down the listener’s journey to the all-important first chorus. Remember, for maximum impact, you need to take the listener through the first verse and into the first chorus within 45-60 seconds.
So how long should an intro be?
An analysis of today’s hit songs shows that introductions are usually either four bars or eight bars long, and, on average, last for about 10 seconds. That’s only fractionally shorter than the intros of many chart hits in the 1970’s. So the intro element of pop song structure has barely changed in over 40 years.
Of course, some intros are longer than 10 seconds, but few last for more than 17-20 seconds and most songs reach the first verse before the 15-second mark.
If you’re a singer-songwriter, or writing for your own band, you will be able to get away with much longer intros when playing your songs live on stage. But when submitting songs to music publishers, A&R reps or record producers, it is best to limit the intros on your demo to 10 seconds or less—so that those who are judging your talent can get to the substance of each song as quickly as possible.
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