Sharing #1 Song Structure (Popular Music)

Forms of Popular Music:

1.Sectional (verse, chorus, bridge);

2.Thirty-two-bar form (AABA);

uses four sections, most often eight measures long each (4×8=32), two verses or A sections, a contrasting B section (the bridge or "middle-eight") and a return of the verse in one last A section (AABA)

3.Verse-chorus form (ABA);

Verse-chorus form or ABA form may be combined with AABA form, in compound AABA forms. Variations such as a1 and a2 can also be used.

4.Twelve bar blues;

The repetition of one chord progression may mark off the only section in a simple verse form such as the twelve bar blues.

5.Through-composed (rarely composed using different music for each stanza of the lyrics).

Structure of Popular Music:

1.Verse

- Primary element;

- Usually repeated throughout a song;

- Each verse usually has the same melody (possibly with some slight modifications);

- lyrics change for most verses.

2.Chorus/Refrain

- Primary element;

- Usually has a melodic phrase and a key lyrical line which is repeated;

- Usually repeated throughout a song.

3.Bridge

- A section which connects the verse and chorus at one or more points in the song;

- Tend to be used only once.

4.Intro

- Not essential to the identity of most songs;

- Tend to be used only once.

5.Outro (Coda)
- Not essential to the identity of most songs;

- Tend to be used only once.

6.Solo

- Rock or blues-influenced pop;

- One or more instruments play a melodic line which may be the melody used by the singer, or, in blues- or jazz-influenced pop;

- May be improvised based on the chord progression;

- Usually features a single instrumental performer (e.g., a guitarist or a harmonica player) or less commonly, more than one instrumentalist (e.g., a trumpeter and a sax player).

Adapted from Wikipedia