Song Refiners gold refinery gear logoSong Refiners
    Back to Noteworthy
    Songwriting Insights

    The Same Four Chords

    Keith MohrOctober 18, 2026
    Cover image for The Same Four Chords

    Play Bm, G, D, A. You know that progression. Everybody does.

    Ask an AI to write a song and you'll hear it again and again. Same structure: verse, pre, big chorus, bridge at the two-minute mark. Same chord loop. Same melody shape climbing into the hook. It's not wrong. It's just what you get when a machine averages out a million songs.

    Averages don't get remembered.

    Here's the thing: change one chord and the song starts to belong to you. Swap that D for an F, and the loop turns darker and a little unsettling. Now you've got something. Not because a tool gave it to you, but because you made a choice.

    The breath test

    There's another giveaway, and it's easy to hear. AI vocals almost never breathe.

    I heard a song this week where the singer went through the entire chorus without taking a breath. No human can do that. Your ear may not name it, but it knows something's off.

    If your song is mid or up-tempo, keep the lines short. Leave room to breathe. Sing every line out loud before you call it done. If you run out of air, so will your listener's belief in the song.

    Where Song Refiners comes in

    AI can give you a draft. It can't tell you where your song sounds like everyone else's. Song Refiners can. It shows you the generic spots in your structure, chords, melody, and lyrics, and helps you replace them with choices that are yours.

    That's the difference between a good song and an undeniable one.

    Ready to get honest feedback?

    Submit your song and get a detailed review with actionable insights.

    Related posts

    Cover image for The First 15 Seconds: What Publishers and Music Supervisors Actually Hear

    The First 15 Seconds: What Publishers and Music Supervisors Actually Hear

    Gatekeepers decide in seconds, not minutes. Here is what a publisher or music supervisor is really listening for in the first 15 seconds of your song, and why most intros fail the test.

    Cover image for Why Your Friends Lie About Your Songs (And Where to Get the Truth)

    Why Your Friends Lie About Your Songs (And Where to Get the Truth)

    Your friends say every song is great. The industry says nothing at all. Neither one helps you grow. Here is why honest feedback is so hard to find, and where to actually get it.

    Cover image for The Second Verse Curse: How to Keep Your Song's Momentum Going

    The Second Verse Curse: How to Keep Your Song's Momentum Going

    Your first verse sets the scene and your chorus lands the hook. Then verse two shows up with nothing to say. Here is how to beat the second verse curse and keep the story moving.

    Cover image for How to Know If Your Song Is Good Enough to Record

    How to Know If Your Song Is Good Enough to Record

    Before you book studio time or hire a demo singer, run your song through this checklist. Most songs that fail in the studio failed on the page first.

    Cover image for The First 15 Seconds: Why Publishers and Music Supervisors Skip Your Song

    The First 15 Seconds: Why Publishers and Music Supervisors Skip Your Song

    Gatekeepers listen to hundreds of songs a week and stop most of them in seconds. Here is what happens in that window and how to survive it.

    Cover image for How to Fix Generic AI Lyrics: Turning a Suno Draft Into Real Craft

    How to Fix Generic AI Lyrics: Turning a Suno Draft Into Real Craft

    AI-generated lyrics fail in predictable ways: borrowed images, symmetrical filler, and no stakes. Here is exactly what to cut and what to replace it with.