MP-102 Lecture 3: Elements of Song Form and Arranging

Why use form? Organization Power tools Make larger works from smaller pieces Instantly familiar

Types of Song Form Strophic –Form repeats –No “chorus” –Blues; 32-bar song forms tend to be strophic Verse/Chorus –Simple: verse and chorus have the same chord progession –Contrasting: verse and chorus have different chord progressions 32-bar “Song Form” –Organized into 8-bar phrases –AABA –ABAB –Etc.

Parts of a song Things that an integral part of the identity of a song: Melody Lyric Chord Progression Verse Pre-Chorus (maybe) Chorus Hook –i.e. a melodic or lyrical hook

Two distinct things The Song: the core melody, harmony, and lyrics The Arrangement: how you “dress” the song – instrumentation, sections (intro, bridge, solo, coda), musical genre Anything that the song “cannot live without” is part of the song. Anything that could be changed or stripped away is part of the arrangement

What is an arrangement? “The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as ‘the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form… [arranging] involves adding compositional techniques, such as new thematic material for introductions, transitions, or modulations, and endings...Arranging is the art of giving an existing melody musical variety’” (Corozine).American Federation of Musiciansmodulations An arrangement may specify or vary some or all of: Harmonies, including parts Instrumentation Style, dynamics and other instrumentation to the players Sequence, including the order and number of repeats, sections, verses, and choruses, and provision of sections to be improvised by instrumentalists Introduction, coda, modulations and other variations

Parts of an Arrangement Intro Pre-Verse Pre-Chorus (maybe) Bridge Hook –If it’s added after the fact –If it’s not an integral part of the song Riff Modulation Solo Vamp Coda Outro

Stylistic Devices You can take almost any song and arrange it in different musical styles Certain styles have their “calling cards” –Rhythmic devices –Tempo –Orchestration –Mixing effects