What is a pre-chorus in a worship song?

The pre-chorus is a section between the verse and chorus that builds tension heading into the chorus.

Most worship songs don't have a pre-chorus. When a song has one, the purpose is to create momentum, musically and lyrically, as the song approaches the chorus. It raises the energy above the verse level without releasing into the full chorus yet.

The pre-chorus is typically short: two to four lines of lyrics and four to eight bars of music. The melody often literally moves upward in pitch as it pushes toward the chorus, building tension musically, but is unique enough that it isn't considered part of the chorus itself.

What to play

The pre-chorus is where you start building. If the verse was one strum per chord or sparse strumming, the pre-chorus is the the section to start building to the chorus. Here's a few techniques you can follow for playing during a pre-chorus:

• Add upstrokes. Move from down-only strums to a down-up pattern adds motion without jumping to full intensity.
• Slightly increase volume. The pre-chorus build doesn't need to be dramatic, and it probably shouldn't be. It should be deliberate and a noticeable difference between the verse and pre-chorus.
• Don't peak. The pre-chorus usually leads to a big chorus. If you play the pre-chorus at full intensity, the chorus may feel odd.

What to watch for

Some songs use a unique pre-chorus progression and others borrow from the verse.

Some pre-choruses use the same words every time. Others vary the lyric each time while keeping the same melody. The chords stay the same regardless. This is kind of like the chorus and second chorus variations.

Sometimes a pre-chorus section isn't labeled and you may just see a few lines of chords and lyrics between Verse 1 and Chorus 1. Compare it to the verse and chorus. If it's a distinct progression that resolves into the chorus, you can treat it as a pre-chorus.

Some songs include the pre-chorus after verse 1 and verse 2 but skip it on the choruses toward the end of the song. Follow the chord chart and listen to the recording to see how to play the sections for the smoothest flow between sections.

Related glossary terms

• Verse - the section before the pre-chorus
• Chorus - where the pre-chorus build to
• Song sections overview