Page 51 - Song Maps - A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics - Simon Hawkins

Map 1 - Tension/Response
Tension/Response is the Swiss Army knife of Song Maps because it is by far the simplest and most intuitive to understand. It's also the simplest to apply, being the most common and the most adaptable. When I'm teaching my class I usually say,
"If you go away from this class and try just one Map or strategy, I suggest you make it this one."
It's a great way to start using Song Maps–once you have got to grips with this one, the others are much easier to use because you are familiar with how Maps work.
I love Tension/Response because it is so effective in helping to move a lyric forward. Specifically, it enables us to incorporate contrasts, which are often seen in a lyric in the form of dark and light, low and high, problem and solution (similar to, but not to be confused with, the second Map, Problem/Declaration).
It's particularly helpful to have in your tool kit because it lends itself to virtually any lyrically driven genre– Pop, Country, basically any genre of love song, Christian Contemporary, Southern Gospel, Musicals and Jazz and all songs that seek to move people. Love in the face of adversity.
Another strength is that it helps us use a powerful lyric writing technique: "Show, don't tell." This is because in the first Verse we don't describe what the tension IS, but we are describing how it's SENSED.
For example, consider the difference between:
"I'm going to get on a bus and find myself a better life" And,
"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly, I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky."
What does Tension/Response look like?
Tension/Response can be represented as follows: