Do you understand which Song Form
best delivers your song?

A good songwriter knows which SONG FORM delivers the feeling of a song most effectively.

Imagine walking into McDonalds and the first room you enter is the bathroom... what happened???

The builder used the wrong FORM or BLUEPRINT. Yes, every McDonalds does have a bathroom, but it SHOULD NOT AND WILL NOT be the first room you step into.

Likewise, a song shouldn't introduce itself to the listener with the wrong section heard first.

This is what SONG FORM is all about.

Since McDonalds has sold a few burgers over the years, they understand the "BIG PICTURE" of selling fast food:

GETTING OUR ATTENTION (introducing), CREATING or STATING A CONFLICT (our need for food) and RESOLVING THE CONFLICT (burger, fries & coke).

In other words:

• They get our attention. (with advertising)

• They REMIND you that your stomach is growling. (a problem)

• They are available, on every corner, to SELL to anyone. (the problem is fixed)

a) The INTRODUCTION gets our attention.

b) The VERSE(S) creates a conflict/tension.

c) The CHORUS delivers the answer/resolution.

OPTIONAL material:

d) The BRIDGE takes us somewhere for additional information or closure.

e) TAGS, SOLOS, VAMPS, BREAKDOWNS, REPEAT TILL FADE, etc. are icing on the cake, add-ons for arranging and production enhancement.

A great song works like a Novel or Movie, but in 3 - 4 minutes.

We are INTRODUCED to the main characters... (WHO)

we HEAR the story with verses... (WHAT AND WHERE)

and get it RESOLVED with the chorus, and maybe a bridge... (the WHEN & WHY)

All in a singable, danceable, memorable song.

3 & 1/2 - 4 minutes is all it takes.

One Form is no better than another, but there is most likely one that will help deliver the feel and emotional impact MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN THE OTHERS.

Tip #2. Song FORM is usually THE RESULT - NOT THE INSPIRATION for a song.

All of the popular song forms have strengths and weaknesses. Early rock n' roll, (Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis) could express itself best from the mold known as 12-bar blues. That form is still valid today, but may not be as effective with other songs.

Diane Warren, probably the most successful songwriter of the past 20 years, said this in an interview when asked about Form:

"I usually write with verse, chorus, verse, bridge and chorus. Sometimes the structure of my song changes according to the feel of the song".

The feel or vibe should dictate the form!

How do you pick the best form for your song?

Answer: All song Forms CAN work...

The FORM THAT BEST MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE SONG is your best choice.

Tip #3. Song FORM helps the listener PROCESS THE DETAILS OF THE STORY.

If I pull up to the drive-through at McDonalds and an employee runs outside to the car and hands me a fish sandwich and a chocolate shake... how would I respond? I've not had time to make up my mind and choose what I want, etc. Timing is Everything!

My tiny brain needs to see the menu and process my order.

There is a reason that the outside menu has big pictures of the food, not just the name & price.

It is possible to begin a song with the Chorus, but it's usually more effective AFTER we've been given some details that lead up to it. Then, it comes as a payoff, not a slap in the face.

The best way to learn about Form is to listen to the professionals. Learn to analyze and understand the Form of your favorite songs. I'll bet you already understand song form just from listening to popular music.

FORM will usually fall into one of the following categories or labels:

1) 12-Bar Blues

2) ABA

3) AABA

4) 1-part, 2-part, 3-part

5) Verse/Chorus

6)Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge

I would argue that several of these labels actually have identical meanings, but different composers refer to them in the terminology they have grown up hearing.

For example, I refer to a "channel" while others would call it a "pre-chorus". It is and does absolutely the same thing... it transitions you away from the verse and sets up the chorus.

Some would call this PRE-CHORUS a separate section, others would say it is part of the verse. Others would obviously call it part of the chorus... So what???

You can call it a "TRANSITIONALICIOUSMAXIMUS" if you want... as long as it delivers some musical and emotional impact.

Again, the needs of the song should dictate a song's Form, not the other way around. You don't enter McDonalds through the kitchen, even though the food is why you're there. You don't place your order in the manager's office, even though he runs the show.

The McDonalds design works to MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMER. You enter, you head toward the menu, you see the options, you choose, you order, you eat... call it blueprint, marketing, feng-shui, FORM...whatever, It works!

In songwriting, we should MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LISTENER. They are our CUSTOMERS.

And, for better or worse, the "customer is always right". They don't care about song Form, but they feel it when it isn't right.

For the beginning songwriter, the principles of song Form may seem like old-fashioned rules that aren't very practical. But make no mistake, writing music without using the various song forms is like writing poetry without the alphabet... it's impossible.

There are already many online articles & lessons about FORM in songwriting. Instead of explaining the mechanics for you with a music theory approach, (you SHOULD understand the mechanics), I've tried to give you an EMOTIONAL concept instead.

The wrong song form confuses the listener. Using a form that works delivers the "Happy Meal" to your audience.