ELEMENTS OF MUSIC Form Form Form is how

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC Form

Form ■ Form is how a piece of music is organized. ■ Music occurs in big sections (8 measures long), these sections are what make up the form of a song. ■ Musicians call these sections the A section, B section, C section, and on.

Popular Song form ■ Introduction (intro): – Beginning of a song. – Sets the mood, tempo, and introduces the instruments of the song. Verse – A section – Often – repeated musical accompaniment, different words. Tells the story. Chorus – B section – Repeated words and musical accompaniment. – “Hook”

Popular Song form ■ Bridge – Break in the song between the verse/chorus. – C section – Change in the mood of the song. – Might be new music, instrumental solo, new words Outro – Ending! – Short ending, vamp (repeat over and over), fade into silence. OPTIONAL: Pre chorus: - Between the verse/chorus - Pumps the listener up for the chorus, adds excitement. - Repeated music and lyrics.

Common Popular Song form Introduction Verse 1 A (Pre-Chorus) optional Chorus B Verse 2 A (Pre-chorus) optional Chorus B Interlude/Bridge C Chorus B Outro

Superstition 1. Introduction – Drums, keyboard, guitar, bass 2. Verse 1: “very superstitious” – Stevie enters with the first vocal verse. 3. Chorus: “When you believe in things you don’t understand. . . ” - Change in mood, timbre of the instruments. Repetition of the words and music. 4. Verse 2: “Very superstitious, wash your face and hands. . . ” 5. Chorus: “When you believe in things you don’t understand. . ” 6. Bridge: short musical interlude played by the full band. 7. Verse 3: “Very superstitious, nothing more to say. . . ” 8. Chorus: “When you believe in things you don’t understand. . ” 9. Outro: Full band horns vamp until the ending fades.

Creedance Clearwater Revival “Proud Mary” 1. Introduction: Full band 2. Verse 1: “Left a good job in the city. . . ” - Full band vocals, music will repeat. Different words will be sung each verse. and 3. Chorus: “Big wheels keep on turnin’. . . ” – Full band, music will repeat words will repeat. 4. Verse 2: “Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis. . ” 5. Chorus: “Big wheels keep on turnin’. . . ” 6. Bridge: Instrumental, guitar solo 7. Chorus: “Rollin’ on the river. . . ” 8. Verse 3: “If you come down to the river. . . ” 9. Chorus: “Big wheels keep on turnin’. . . ”

Michael Jackson – “Thriller” 1. Introduction – bass, drums, guitar, piano 2. Verse 3. Chorus 4. Verse 5. Chorus 6. Bridge 7. Verse 8. Chorus 9. Outro

ABA Form/AABA Form ■ Three part song form 1. A section 2. B section (different music) 3. A section Example: “Twinkle, Little Star” A A B A form “Flintstones” A A B A form Flintstones Theme

12 Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star – W. A. Mozart A A B A song form A A Beginning of 12 variations on the melody of this French folk song. Mozart changed the rhythm, added pitch notes, and changed the tempo to vary this famous melody.

Flintstones A section – “Flintstones, meet the Flintstones” A section – “From the town of bedrock” B section – “Let’s ride with the family down the street. . “ A section – “When you’re with the Flintstones. . . “

Take the “A” Train – Duke Ellington ■ AABA form ■ Trumpet solos over the AABA form. ■ Can you hear the changes in the sections?