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UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC STRUCTURE & VARIOUS PARTS OF A SONG
For the songwriter, it is important to understand the basic structure of a song to make a mesmerizing one. The basic structure of the song is the skeleton of a complete song with all the music and all the highs and lows of it.
Knowledge about the structure of a song will speed up the music production process as well as your writing. You can make decisions to include and exclude the pieces of what you want to convey through the song when you have the basic structure.
In this blog, we have covered the basic structure of a song and helps the music producers to speed up their work. Here are some of the basic terms used while deciding on the song structure.
Terminologies of a Song structure
1. INTRO
Intro is the first and foremost part of the song. It sets the impression of the song in the listener’s mind and subconsciously depends on the listener whether the song is impactful or not.
One of the examples of the intro part is that the song starts with the main chord progression without any drums or percussion. This is a classic way to start a song and popularly used by budding music producers and students in music production schools.
2. VERSE
As the name suggests, it is the moment where the lyrics of the song start and the story begins. The scenes, story, and imagery of the song is introduced to the listener in this section.
The verse part of the song generally stands lyrically and musically in contrast with the chorus. It is important to make the verse unique and stands out when the chorus begins. The synchronization between verse and chorus plays an integral part in the song structure.
3. PRE-CHORUS (LIFT)
Also known as ‘lift’ in recent times, the pre-chorus sets the stage for the chorus to get introduced in the song. It is the footstep to the chorus and plays a crucial role in keeping the listener engaged with the song.
Usually, the pre-chorus uses a changed chord progression as compared to what is used throughout the song. In the music production process, the volume of the pre-chorus is slightly reduced to create anticipation for the chorus.
4. CHORUS
The chorus is the main body of the song where the message/essence of the song is delivered. The chorus is generally repeated once on the same chord progression. This is the part which people generally remember about the song and it attracts them to listen to it again.
Many songwriters begin the song with a chorus and this practice is getting more and more common in today’s world since the chorus is considered to be the main part of the song.
5. BRIDGE
The bridge as its name works as the bridge between the chorus and the end of the song. The connecting chorus is high and the second part is the bridge.
Generally, something new is added to the bridge to keep the listener engaged to the song after the chorus’s usual track and chords. That’s why, many times, the bridge is in contrast to the chorus. It prepares the listener for the final part of the song.
6. OUTRO
The conclusion of the song is called outro. Music producers who have just begun with learning usually try the fade-out technique to give a proper closure to the song and end at a perfect place.
Usually, the outro is the opposite of the intro. It means that when you are creating the excitement of the song by pulling up the strings, you loosen up the final part to release the tension and get it relaxed with a lower-pitched ending.
Common Song Structures
Here are some of the commonly used song structures.
Verse >> Verse >> Verse
This is a type of structure where only verses are present in the song and it is made up of only one section.
Verse >> Chorus >> Verse
The above-mentioned structure includes a chorus in the middle of the song. And again the chorus is followed by the verse.
Many songwriters use different variations to come up with unique combinations of sections to create a melodious song. Since there are many combinations available, it is a great skill if you know as much of the song structures that are possible to learn.
Learning music production also helps when you know the right kind of music that is needed to fit with the basic structure of a song.
Here are some other structures of a song.
Verse >> Chorus >> Verse >> Chorus
Verse >> Chorus >> Verse >> Chorus >> Bridge >> Chorus
Verse >> Chorus >> Verse >> Chorus >> Bridge >> Verse >> Chorus
Verse >> Chorus >> Verse >> Chorus >> Bridge >> Chorus >> Verse >> Chorus
CONCLUSION
Learning the basics about the song structure will get you started and there’s nothing to stop you when it comes to the strong will to brush your skills and explore.
The best approach as a song producer is to learn as much as you can about the various structures of the song. When you get to know about the structures, you start to learn about the arrangements that’ll be needed for music production.
Also, learning music production is a major positive, and getting better at it adds to the skill of trying out various song structures. School of Bollywood Music is one such music school in Mumbai that focuses on the basics of music theory and skillsets. Expert faculties at the School of Bollywood Music provide music production and sound engineering courses at affordable rates.