Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[billzoe]

I am just a simple musician-never took lessons, any knowledgeable folks out there willing to list typical song structures, so us non drummers can arrange ?

This is just example, please complete and arrange correctly:

Rock song;
-intro
-verse (2x)
-verse
-chorus
etc..

Folk (ex Ray Lamontagne-since some folk has no drums):
-Verse (4x')
-Chorus
etc.....


Reggeae:
....


I always played by intuition LIVE with bands (B3 Organ, Keys) and never wrote songs, but now i need to know these basics FIRST.

Also, what is diff between , Chorus and Bridge [in simple terms] ?


Also, Maybe some folk-rock drum patterns for J2 later?

Thanks!
BZ

[tombuur]

One typical song structure:

Intro
Verse
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Chorus
Bridge
Verse
Chorus
Chorus

Maybe a solo somewhere or an outro. There are lots of variations. But in pop music these days I find that the verse is almost always repeated before the first chorus. That way you get some more "information" before the chorus comes with the "conclusion" .... "I should have left her a long time ago ... ". The chorus sounds different from the verse, often sung in higher pitch, quicker tempo, louder etc.

The bridge is a part that sounds different from the rest of the song. It's function is to avoid so much repetition that the song becomes boring. I may be in a different key and often ends at a note creating tension so that you have to enter verse or chorus to reestablish piece. As to lyrics the bridge usually comes with some "new information".

So what is a prechorus? In some songs you have 1-2 lines of lyrics with a rising feeling before entering the chorus where the whole band joins in.

That's a quicky on this topic. I guess there are loads of information on the net searching for "song structure" gave this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verse_(popular_music)#Verse

try to google "song structure" yourself.

If you want to write popular music you have to know about this. Like you I used just to play along or compose without much concern. But I find that knowledge of song structure (and a lot of other things) gives you some tools that makes composing easier and better. Even as a musician you can use consciousness about the structure of the song to play better when you know what purpose the part serves.

[Doc]

You often find a different terminology for the terms referred to by tombuur, especially in English literature.

The term "Bridge" would be what is called Pre-Chorus by tombuur, because it connects Verse and Chorus.

The term "Middle 8" describes the function that tombuur refers to as "Bridge", as it brings a new texture and perspective to the song and is often (historically) 8 bars long.

I personally prefer the terms Bridge and Middle 8, but after all it´s only terminology. Everything else stated above is spot on.

[tombuur]

Basically I agree that terminology here is not uniform and sometimes confusing. Still, I think what I have written is the most common use of the terms in pop/rock music. My definitions of prechorus and bridge is in accordance with what you find in a widespread book like "Songwriting for Dummies" - which fits nicely with the title of the current thread.

This book says:
Bridge: The bridge, sometimes called the release or middle eight (referring to the eight musical measures that the bridge tends to occopy) comes after the second chorus in the majority of pop songs. It's not a necessity in all songs. It can either contail lyrics or be instrumental in nature. Whether the bridge contains words or not, its main function is to give the ear some fresh real estate to land on.


I have 5-7 books on songwriting and they largely use the definitions I have given here. On the other hand in a composition aid like Band in a Box, chorus suddenly refers to what we normally call a verse (perhaps including everything). Very confusing. I think I have maybe seen bridge described as what I would call prechorus in one book, but that's about it.

Whereas bridge is a broad term that can be used to describe many different transisitons, there is no doubt that prechorus means preceding chorus. Hence I use this for the transition between verse and chorus, if there is a sort of transition there.

[billzoe]

....this is VERY helpful! changes the way i view songs....wow they actually have some communication in them to me it was always JUST Sound and Energy, but i never paid attention to the way the content was arranged!

Please keep it up - any more ?

-Also, in Jamstix, is there a Part template for Verses, Chorus, Bridges? If not, what are the differences (in idiot terms please in beat-tempo ? Or do you just throw anything in there (no rules) , tempo wise?

If not maybe later this could be an addition (Ralph-hint) , to have "Part" templates?

[BoxOfSnoo]

[billzoe]

thanks !

I am re-reading all this and again ITIS VERY WELL DONE !

Thanks guys for summing it up in simple terms, i have a few books on it, but they are WAAAYYYY to technical for me, and the above is ON POINT !!