| AABA | Also called 32-bar form; common in jazz standards and Tin Pan Alley songs; each section is 8 bars; the ‘B’ section is often called the Bridge [def.3] or Middle 8 [def.2]. The Verse is usually 16 bars. Terminology for AABA form sounds the same as for pop songs, but often has different technical meanings. |
| Breakdown | Pared down musical texture, perhaps 4 bars, added at the end, before the Fade, to give the feel the song has ended, but then final Fade material adds a final kick for the listener |
| Bridge | 1) In pop songs, same as Climb, Lead-in, Lift, Pre-chorus or Ramp. 2) In pop songs, sometimes a term used synonymously (and confusingly) with Middle 8 [def. 1]. 3) In AABA, it is the ‘B’ section, occurring as the third 8 bar section of the Chorus; usually has contrasting melodic material and/or contrasting harmony, perhaps moving into minor (chord VI) if major originally, major (chord if minor (chord III) or subdominant (chord IV). |
| Chorus | 1) In pop songs, fewer lyric ideas than a Verse; the emotional message of the song; will often contain a Hook in it; commercially a very good idea to include the song title in the Chorus. 2) In AABA, often the main material of the song, and in jazz standards, Tin Pan Alley songs etc, often the only part performed (leaving out the Verse). |
| Climb | Same as Bridge [def.1], Lead-in, Lift, Pre-chorus, Ramp |
| Epilogue | A line or two after the final Chorus [def.1] (or Verse, if there is no Chorus), with their own new and distinctive lyric and musical material; same as Tag; not to be confused with Extension |
| Extension | A line or two after the final Chorus [def.1] (or Verse, if there is no Chorus), that uses exactly or virtually the same words or music from earlier in the song; not to be confused with Epilogue / Tag |
| Fade | A way for producers / recording studios to end a piece with repetition of final song material, gradually turning the volume down – commercially powerful psychologically, leaving the song in your mind, unfinished …. |
| Hook | Any musical idea that people typically instantly remember from a song, even after just one hearing. Could be a single cymbal crash in a silence between two melodic phrases, or might be a phrase of a few words with memorable melody; can appear in the Verse or Chorus; it may or may not be the song title; there may be more than one hook in a song. |
| Intro | Sets the scene and brings the listener into the specific emotional world of the song’s opening lyric idea; could be a single chord, 2, 4 or 8 bars; needs to catch the listener’s interest. |
| Lead-in | Same as Bridge [def.1], Climb, Lift, Pre-Chorus or Ramp |
| Lift | Same as Bridge [def. 1], Climb, Lead-in, Pre-chorus or Ramp |
| Lyric | All the words of the song, including Verse, Chorus, any Refrain, and Bridge. |
| Middle 8 | 1) In pop songs, an 8 bar section that has melodic and harmonic material distinctly different from the Verse or Chorus, though it may use a lyric line or melodic motif from these; takes the song into new emotional and verbal territory; gives musical relief from repetitions of just Verse and Chorus; also called Release and sometimes called (confusingly) the Bridge [def.2]. 2) In AABA, the third section of 8 bars; also called the Bridge [def. 3]. |
| Outro | Instrumental material at the end of the song, after the voice has finished; may have material reminiscent of the Intro, of from Verse or Chorus, or have something new, to leave the listener with a final surprise; may be a fade-out, or end on a chord other than the tonic (‘home’ note). |
| Pickup | A light, unstressed syllable or group of syllable starting a verbal phrase before a more heavily emphasised syllable, expressed as a light, unstressed note or group of notes at the end of a musical bar before the emphasised ‘downbeat’ at the start of a bar. |
| Pre-chorus | Can be the last 2 or 4 bars of the Verse, or can be 2-4 bars of transitional bars between the end of the Verse and start of the Chorus; same as Bridge [def.1], Climb, Lead-in, Lift, Ramp |
| Prologue | A few (or sometimes many) lines of lyric, setting the scene, before the first Verse |
| Ramp | Same as Bridge [def. 1], Climb, Lead-in, Lift or Pre-chorus |
| Refrain | Sometimes used synonymously with Chorus. In purist terms, more likely to be a single verbal-musical phrase that is not a full Chorus section in itself, but recurs frequently in the song, and may even be one element in a Chorus; tends to get the audience joining in. |
| Release | Same as Middle 8 [def. 1], or sometimes (confusingly) the Bridge [def.2] |
| Solo | Typically an instrumental section; can take the place of a Chorus, Middle 8 or 3rd Verse |
| Tag | Same as Epilogue; not to be confused with Extension |
| Turnaround | Last part of a Chorus that leads back into the Verse or Middle 8 [def.1] |
| Verse | Typically 8, 16 or 32 bars; the music stays the same each time, but the words are new for each successive Verse; sometimes the new words invite some rhythmic or melodic variation or improvisation to the main melody; each new Verse carries the narrative forward with new information. |
