Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 285 views

    Forms in Popular Music

    Uploaded by

    AlwynBaloCruz
    Verse-chorus form is the most common song structure in popular music, with verses alternating with choruses. 32-bar form, popular in early 20th century songs, has four sections typically with 8 bars each, without a chorus. Verse-chorus form with a bridge combines these forms, with verses, choruses, and a contrasting bridge section in between, and is now the most common in modern popular music.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Forms in Popular Music

    Uploaded by

    AlwynBaloCruz
    285 views3 pages
    Verse-chorus form is the most common song structure in popular music, with verses alternating with choruses. 32-bar form, popular in early 20th century songs, has four sections typically with 8 bars each, without a chorus. Verse-chorus form with a bridge combines these forms, with verses, choruses, and a contrasting bridge section in between, and is now the most common in modern popular music.

    Original Description:

    Forms in popular music

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Verse-chorus form is the most common song structure in popular music, with verses alternating with choruses. 32-bar form, popular in early 20th century songs, has four sections typically with 8 bars each, without a chorus. Verse-chorus form with a bridge combines these forms, with verses, choruses, and a contrasting bridge section in between, and is now the most common in modern popular music.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    285 views3 pages

    Forms in Popular Music

    Uploaded by

    AlwynBaloCruz
    Verse-chorus form is the most common song structure in popular music, with verses alternating with choruses. 32-bar form, popular in early 20th century songs, has four sections typically with 8 bars each, without a chorus. Verse-chorus form with a bridge combines these forms, with verses, choruses, and a contrasting bridge section in between, and is now the most common in modern popular music.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 3

    Form in Popular Music

    Like all music, popular music relies on repetition, contrast, and


    variation. Repetition is especially critical in music that is designed to be
    memorable (like advertising jingles) or music that must be predictable
    (like dance music). Given the importance of repetition in popular music,
    it is no surprise that there are not many songs in the popular sphere
    that are through-composed (although a few examples were mentioned
    in Form Archetypes) or that follow a theme and variations form.

    Popular music is dominated by songs with instrumental


    accompaniment. Over time, specialized terminology has developed to
    discuss song forms. Here are the important terms:

    Verse – same music, different lyrics


    Chorus (Refrain) – same music, same words
    Bridge – contrasting material that connects two sections (usually
    falls between choruses)
    Break – instrumental interlude
    Introduction (Intro) - opening material
    Coda (Outro) - closing material

    Verse-Chorus Form

    Verse-chorus form is often used in classic rock of the '60s and '70s,
    but appears in a variety of popular sub-genres. Examples include "Get
    Back" by the Beatles (1969), "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater
    Revival (1969), and the "Hotel California" by the Eagles (1977). In this
    form, verses simply alternate with choruses for as many repetitions as
    the composer (songwriter) chooses. Thus, it is actually a variation of

    http://www.musiccrashcourses.com/lessons/form_popular.html 1/19/17, 8;07 PM


    Page 1 of 3
    strophic form.

    A A A ...
    Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Verse Chorus ...

    32-bar Form

    32-bar form was particularly popular in the American songs of Tin Pan
    Alley and movie musicals of the '30s and '40s. "Somewhere Over the
    Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz (1939) is an example of this form. 32-
    bar form gets its name because each of the four sections typically
    contains 8 bars (measures), making a total of 32 bars for the whole
    song. There is no chorus in this form. Instead, there is a verse that is
    repeated (with different lyrics), which is followed by a contrasting
    bridge, and the piece is concluded with a final verse. This form is a
    variation on the ternary archetype.

    A A B A
    Verse Verse Bridge Verse

    Verse-Chorus Form with Bridge

    Combining verse-chorus form and 32-bar form results in verse-


    chorus form with a bridge. This is the most common form in modern
    popular music. Examples include "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" by
    Death Cab for Cutie (2005) and "Poker Face" by Lady GaGa (2008).
    The final A section may have both a verse and chorus, but usually
    consists of only the chorus, which may be repeated several times.

    A A B A1

    http://www.musiccrashcourses.com/lessons/form_popular.html 1/19/17, 8;07 PM


    Page 2 of 3
    Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Verse (often Chorus (often
    omitted) repeated)

    http://www.musiccrashcourses.com/lessons/form_popular.html 1/19/17, 8;07 PM


    Page 3 of 3

    You might also like