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What is a refrain in music?

A refrain is a line or a short phrase that comes back in the same place each time, often at the end of every verse. Unlike a chorus, it is not a section of its own: it closes the verse. Many people use the two words for the same thing.

Usually 2 bars · 1 to 4 bars, a line or two

Where the refrain goes

At the end, or sometimes the start, of every verse. Songs with no chorus, one verse after another, often have one.

How long is a refrain?

A refrain usually runs 2 bars (1 to 4 bars, a line or two). In seconds, that depends on the tempo:

How long a refrain of 2 bars is at three tempos
Tempo2 bars4 bars
90 BPM5 s11 s
110 BPM4 s9 s
128 BPM4 s8 s

How to make a refrain

  • Make it the line the song is about, often its title.
  • Keep its words and melody the same every time it comes back.
  • Let the verse lead into it, so it lands like a punchline.

Questions about the refrain

What is the difference between a refrain and a chorus?

A chorus is a whole section, with its own chords and melody. A refrain is a repeated line, usually at the end of each verse. In everyday speech, many people call a chorus a refrain.

Can a song have a refrain and a chorus?

Yes. A song can end each verse on the same line and still have a separate chorus, though most songs with a chorus do without one.

Other parts of a song

IntroVersePre-chorusChorusPost-chorusHookBridgeBreakdownDropOutro

Map out a song

The free editor opens with a pop beat laid out as a whole song, a marker at each section. Change any part, add one, or take one away.

Open a song mapSong structure

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