Section 4: Song Structure

Just like in literature and in poetry, there are structures to songs. If you have ever studied poetry, you may remember sentence structure, (e.g. ABABA), that defined the structure of a poem. Music is no different in that aspect. Let us take a closer look. Common musical structure can be defined and identified by named sections. They are the intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and ending, (See Definitions).

If you were to name each section, (with the exception of the intro and ending), by letter, you will begin to understand the structure for arranging music.

For example, if you name the verse letter A, and the chorus letter B, you can easily identify many songs that you know using the ABAB structure. Simply it is the verse, chorus, verse, chorus, all the way to the end.

More complex songs include a bridge, or an additional section that usually serves to peak the listener's emotion and build interest. If you were to name the bridge letter C, a common use in structure would be ABABCB, or verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, verse.

Some general characteristics of the bridge is that they appear only once in a song. It follows that they are usually placed after a chorus and the next verse, or after the chorus and another chorus before the ending of a song.

It is also important to note that the ABAB structure is not the only structure for songwriting. Many songs have the format AABAAB, where there are two verses followed by the chorus. It is important to note here that there are unusual musical structures as well. Songs like "Hey Jude," (Paul McCartney), and "Isn't She Lovely," (Stevie Wonder), have structures that stray from conventional form.

Songs like these often implement instrumental choruses, verses that are sung ac cappella, (just vocals), and verses that are instrumental. The instrumental version of the chorus, we can assign B2 and verses that are ac cappella, we will use A2. The instrumental verse is called an interlude, and you will often find two in a song.

Exercise:

Here is a fun exercise that will help you to recognize different song structures.

1. Turn on you radio and listen to four or five songs, (yes. right now).
2. With each song, using the techniques that we just outlined, try and identify the patterns to the songs.
3. If you have a pen and paper handy, try and identify the intro and endings as well. Remember that verses are A, choruses are B, bridges are C, instrumental choruses are B2, ac cappella verses are A2, and instrumental verses are interludes.

See if you can identify standard and unusual structures.