152 !!Chapter 7
throughout the jingle; this is called a ‘‘hook.’’ If the audience cannot
remember the hook, the jingle will probably not impact the audience. A
composer must be certain that the musical focal point of a jingle is the
product name. If a lyric writer does not repeat the name of the product
often enough to help create an image, suggest that the name be added
more often. Sometimes the best solution is to revise the jingle and seek
approval from the creatives. Several problems can occur when writing jin-
gles:
- The commercial may be too long if a portion of the original lyric is
not deleted. - It may not be acceptable to delete certain sections of the lyric. The
client might insist that particular ideas remain in the lyric. Experi-
mentation aids in reaching acceptable solutions.
Melodic simplicity. Amemorablejingleisusuallysimpleand
‘‘catchy.’’ Since commercials are short, try to make the entire jingle a hook.
The goal should be that the audience remembers the entire jingle. (Some-
times this is not possible because of the structure of the lyric.)
The song should not have a wide range, unless there is musical justifi-
cation. Keep the notes within singing range of the average person so they
can sing along. Most of the time, the use of conjunctive motion makes a
melody more memorable.
There are exceptions to this general rule.The creatives might ask for
a jazz jingle or operatic aria. This indicates that they are expecting a well-
written piece of music, and the music does not necessarily have to be
memorable in the traditional sense. When an agency is expecting to hear
a catchy jingle, they will usually tell the composer. If the assignment is to
write a traditional jingle, make it catchy; otherwise, justmake it good.
Donuts.Most jingles have ‘‘donuts’’ (music without lyrics), primarily
in the middle of the jingle. This space, or donut, is typically used for the
actors or announcer to deliver a message. During the donut, play the vocal
melody instrumentally so that the audience hears the main theme music
during the dialogue. The strategy is to aid the audience in remembering
the melody and lyric, which in turn helps them recall the product name.
Harmony.Most jingles are harmonically simple. This does not mean
that the song has to sound trite or redundant. Many of the most popular
songs have simple chord structures. If the melody is interesting and mem-
orable, the song will most likely make an impression with the audience.
Arrangement and orchestration.Since the style of music will be pre-
determined, the arrangement and orchestration should sound authentic.
Hire an arranger who is familiar with the style. If the genre is rock and
roll, use a rock-and-roll rhythm section and not a full orchestra playing
nontraditional parts. The arrangement should be interesting and creative.
Since most advertising jingles mirror contemporary songs, listen to and