From the course: Music Theory for Songwriters: The Fundamentals

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The elements of song form

The elements of song form

From the course: Music Theory for Songwriters: The Fundamentals

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The elements of song form

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- Before we can discuss the forms of songs, we need to have an understanding of the parts of songs. A lot of the confusion that arises when discussing song form comes from the terminology. I've been writing songs for 20 years, and I still get disoriented at times during writing sessions. Terms like breaks and drops are becoming just as prevalent as verses and choruses. The words we use to discuss songs are evolving right alongside popular music. That said, there is a core terminology used when talking about the parts of a song and that's what I'm going to describe right now, the proper use of the terms. Let's take a look at some of the most common components or parts of songs. I'll also discuss some of the history of each component in addition to their function. I won't be playing you any examples right now so that we can focus on the lexicon, but do check out the songs I reference throughout, as they'll help you better…

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