What Is A Song?

Each song section serves a storytelling purpose:

• Verse: detail and development
• Chorus: emotional summary and memorability
• Bridge: contrast and perspective shift

Section	Purpose	Common Length	Notes
Intro	Set up key, groove, vibe	4–8 bars	May include instrumental hook
Verse	Story detail	8–16 bars	Simpler musically
Pre-Chorus	Build tension	4–8 bars	Optional
Chorus	Emotional core	8–16 bars	Repeats; biggest sound
Bridge	Contrast / reset	4–8 bars	New chords or feel
Outro	Wrap-up	4–8 bars	Can fade or end abruptly

🎶 General Order of a Song

Songs are made up of sections that repeat and contrast to build momentum and emotional shape. A very broad outline looks like this:

Intro → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus → Outro

…but there are many variations.

🧩 1. Classic Pop Structure

Formula:

Intro → Verse 1 → Chorus → Verse 2 → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus → Outro

Typical Bar Lengths (in 4/4 time):

Section	Bars	Notes
Intro	4–8	Sets mood; may preview chorus chord progression
Verse	8–16	Story and lyrical details
Chorus	8	Hook, emotional core
Bridge	4–8	Contrast—new chords or key
Outro	4–8	Fade or final chord

Total length: ~48–64 bars (roughly 3–4 minutes at moderate tempo)

🧩 2. Verse–Chorus–Verse (No Bridge)

Formula:

Intro → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Outro

Typical Bar Lengths:

Section	Bars	Notes
Intro	4–8	Often instrumental
Verse	8–16	Narrative or detail
Chorus	8–16	Main hook; might double later
Outro	4–8	Usually repeats chorus riff or hook

Total length: ~40–56 bars

Usage: Common in folk, country, early rock, or modern indie pop. Example: “Wonderwall” – Oasis

🧩 3. AABA (Classic Tin Pan Alley / Jazz / Beatles Style)

Formula:

A (Verse) → A (Verse) → B (Bridge) → A (Verse)

Typical Bar Lengths:

Section	Bars	Notes
A	8	Verse with same melody, different lyrics
A	8	Repeat
B	8	Bridge (contrast section, different chords/key)
A	8	Return, often with lyrical twist

Total length: 32 bars — extremely compact structure

Usage: Common in jazz standards, early pop, Beatles (“Yesterday”, “Something”)

⏱️ Bar-Length Guidelines

• Most modern songs are structured in 8-bar multiples.
• Verses often last 8 or 16 bars.
• Choruses are typically 8 bars, sometimes doubled (16 bars) for emphasis.
• Bridges range 4–8 bars.
• Intros/Outros are flexible (usually 4–8 bars).

🧩 1. The Chorus

• The chorus is the catchiest, most memorable section—sometimes called a refrain or hook.
• It’s repeated and provides a musical and emotional identity for the song.
• Its purpose is memorability — it’s what listeners sing along with and recall later.
• Artistically, it’s a summary of the song’s emotional message rather than specific details.

• Musically, the chorus often:

• Gets bigger and louder

• Adds more instruments or vocals
• Features wider ranges and stronger melodies
• The name “chorus” originally came from the background singers who joined in during this section.

📖 2. The Verse

• The verse provides the narrative detail—the story that supports the emotional statement of the chorus.
• Because lyrics are more complex here, the music is usually simpler to keep focus on the story.

• Characteristics:

• Quieter, more restrained melodies

• Simpler accompaniment
• Opportunity for subtle background lines or harmonies (kept secondary)
• Common mistake: reusing identical music for every verse → makes the song repetitive.
• To fix this, songwriters should add small variations (new instruments, altered melodies, etc.) to create forward motion.

🌉 3. The Bridge

• The bridge breaks monotony after repeated verses and choruses.

• It’s musically and lyrically distinct—often introducing:

• New chords, melodies, instruments, or even key changes

• Purpose:

• Introduce new musical ideas for contrast.

• Recontextualize the story—offering a fresh perspective, time jump, or emotional shift.
• If a bridge just feels like another verse, it’s a missed opportunity.

🪄 4. Other Song Parts (briefly mentioned)

• intros
• breakdowns
• solos
• pre-choruses
• interludes

🎵 Song Structure Timelines (Common Pop Formats)

Below are three standard song structures visualized as timelines, showing section order and approximate bar counts (in 4/4 time). Each block represents a section’s typical length and function.

1. Classic Pop Structure (Verse–Chorus–Bridge)

🎧 Example: Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone

| Intro (4–8) | Verse 1 (8–16) | Chorus (8) | Verse 2 (8–16) | Chorus (8) | Bridge (4–8) | Chorus (8–16) | Outro (4–8) |

🪶 Flow: Builds steadily through verse storytelling → peaks at chorus → contrast bridge → final energetic chorus and fade.

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2. Verse–Chorus Repeating (No Bridge)

🎧 Example: Oasis – Wonderwall

| Intro (4–8) | Verse 1 (8–16) | Chorus (8–16) | Verse 2 (8–16) | Chorus (8–16) | Outro (4–8) |

🪶 Flow: Alternation of tension (verse) and release (chorus). Keeps emotional pacing tight and repetitive.

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3. AABA (Classic Jazz / Beatles Form) 32 bars total

🎧 Example: The Beatles – Yesterday

| A1 (8) | A2 (8) | B (Bridge – 8) | A3 (8) |

🪶 Flow: Two familiar verses → a new contrasting section → final return. Compact and balanced.

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💡 Notes:

• Most modern songs use 8-bar multiples.
• Verse: tells the story (lyrical focus)
• Chorus: delivers the emotional hook (memorable, powerful)
• Bridge: provides contrast and freshness
• Outro: resolves or fades the song

BPM

Lets talk about those beats, beats, beats, beats...

Genre	Typical BPM Range	Feel / Notes	Examples
Pop	100–130	Catchy, upbeat but not rushed; great for danceability and vocals	Dua Lipa – Levitating (103 BPM), Taylor Swift – Shake It Off (160 BPM, double-time feel)
Rock	110–140	Energetic but flexible; slower for ballads, faster for punk	Foo Fighters – Everlong (158 BPM), U2 – With or Without You (110 BPM)
Indie / Alternative	90–120	Mid-tempo grooves emphasizing texture or mood	Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know? (85 BPM), Tame Impala – The Less I Know the Better (118 BPM)
Ballad / Slow Pop	60–90	Emotional, spacious; slower for storytelling and dynamics	Adele – Someone Like You (67 BPM)
EDM (House / Dance)	120–130	Strong 4/4 pulse for clubs; “sweet spot” around 124 BPM	Calvin Harris – Summer (128 BPM)
Techno	125–135	Steady driving beat; minimal, hypnotic	Carl Cox – I Want You (130 BPM)
Trance	130–145	Euphoric, flowing, continuous energy	Tiësto – Adagio for Strings (136 BPM)
Drum & Bass	160–180	Very fast breakbeats with half-time melodies	Pendulum – Witchcraft (174 BPM)
Dubstep	135–145 (Half-time feel ~70)	Heavy bass, slower rhythmic feel though fast tempo	Skrillex – Bangarang (110–140 BPM depending on interpretation)
Hip-Hop / Trap	70–110	Usually half-time beats; modern trap leans slower	Travis Scott – Goosebumps (130 BPM but half-time 65 BPM feel)
R&B / Soul	70–100	Smooth, groove-focused; tempo shaped by vocal phrasing	The Weeknd – Earned It (84 BPM)
Reggae	60–90	Relaxed offbeat rhythm; syncopated feel	Bob Marley – Three Little Birds (76 BPM)
Country	100–130	Narrative-driven with a steady pulse	Luke Combs – Beer Never Broke My Heart (120 BPM)
Metal	120–180	Intense energy, often double-kick drums	Metallica – Master of Puppets (212 BPM double-time)
Punk	160–200	Fast, aggressive, minimal breaks	The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop (176 BPM)
Jazz (Swing)	120–160	Medium swing feel; can range 60–300 depending on style	Miles Davis – So What (138 BPM)
Blues	70–120	Groove-based; mid-tempo “shuffle” feel common	B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone (89 BPM)