what is the verse and chorus

A verse is a group of sentences or words that tell a story or express through the song writing process. A chorus is repeated through the song at different moments. A bridge, just like the word meaning, is something that carries you from the last verse to the last chorus and maybe something extra added to the song.

Full Answer

What is a chorus and verse form in music?

Verse–chorus form is a musical form going back to the 1840s, in such songs as Oh! Susanna, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, and many others. It became passé in the early 1900s, with advent of the AABA (with verse) form in the Tin Pan Alley days.

How do you play with verse-verse-chorus-verse chorus-bridge-ch chorus structure?

There are many ways to play with this variant. Some songs have two verses in between choruses, or they repeat the bridge before launching into the final chorus. An example is Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which features a verse-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-bridge-chorus structure.

What is a verse in a song called?

A verse is a series of lyrics or musical notes if it’s an instrumental that expands on the main point of the story. A verse usually occurs twice in a song, and each time a verse would contain different lyrics. What is a chorus?

How do you write a chorus for a poem?

The rhymes for choruses should be in contrast to your verse, so the listener can tell them apart immediately. Therefore, the best way to contrast this is by using the opposite rhyming scheme. If the verse is using rhyming couplets, the chorus will most likely use rhyming alternates.

What is verse and chorus in a song?

One of the biggest distinctions between chorus and verse is that the verse utilizes primarily different lyrics, whereas a chorus will repeat lyrics with the same melody and rhythmic structure as showcased throughout the rest of the song.

What is verse in a song?

A verse is a repeated section of a song that typically features a new set of lyrics on each repetition. Compared to a chorus section, verses tend to vary more throughout the course of a song.

What is meant by chorus verse?

The verse-chorus form is a songwriting structure built around two repeating sections: a verse section and a chorus section. The chorus, which typically anchors the song, contains the song's signature melodic motifs along with lyrical refrains that tend to be the same throughout the tune.

What are the 3 parts of a song?

Most of today's hit song structures are made up of of three different sections: Verse, Chorus, and Bridge.

What are the 4 parts of a song?

Basic song structure consists of an intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus and bridge (many times, this is all tied together in an outro, too).

What is a verse example?

An example of verse is the blank verse poem 'As the Team's Head-Brass' by Edward Thomas. What is the meaning of verse in English? The word “verse” refers to various elements of a poem, or a piece of writing that uses poetic techniques and stanzas.

How many verses are in a song?

A song can have 4 verses. It can also have 2 or 1! It all depends on the needs of any particular track. A verse is designed to tell the story of a song, so it makes sense that there isn't necessarily a set length for these song sections.

What is chorus give example?

A chorus is a part of a song which is repeated after each verse. Everyone joined in the chorus. A chorus is a large group of people who sing together. The chorus was singing 'The Ode to Joy'.

How long is a verse in a song?

Verse or “A” Section: A song's verse is generally a recurring section— usually 16 or 32 bars in length—that serves as the main body of the song. In music with lyrics, the verse often tells the “story.” Chorus or “B” Section: The chorus is usually also recurring, and of comparable length to the verse.

What is the main line of a song called?

The terms chorus and refrain are often used interchangeably, both referring to a recurring part of a song. When a distinction is made, the chorus is the part that contains the hook or the "main idea" of a song's lyrics and music, and there is rarely variation from one repetition of the chorus to the next.

What is the end of a song called?

OutroOutro. This is the end of the song. An outro should signal clearly to the listener that the song is coming to an end. This can be done in a number of ways, but typically is achieved by doing the reverse of the intro—in other words, slowing down.

What is a line in a song called?

Verse. The verse is the part of the song that tells a story.

How many verses are in a song?

A song can have 4 verses. It can also have 2 or 1! It all depends on the needs of any particular track. A verse is designed to tell the story of a song, so it makes sense that there isn't necessarily a set length for these song sections.

How many lines is a verse in a song?

In many songs, each verse brings the story forward, and the chorus is often the same words repeated. Verses are typically 8 or 16 bars long (although not a rule). A relatively common practice is to have the first two verses longer than the last one. For example 16 bars for verse 1 and 2 and 8 bars for verse 3.

Is a verse a line?

A verse is formally a single metrical line in a poetic composition. However, verse has come to represent any grouping of lines in a poetic composition, with groupings traditionally having been referred to as stanzas.

How long is a verse in a song?

Verse or “A” Section: A song's verse is generally a recurring section— usually 16 or 32 bars in length—that serves as the main body of the song. In music with lyrics, the verse often tells the “story.” Chorus or “B” Section: The chorus is usually also recurring, and of comparable length to the verse.

What is a chorus in a song?

What is a chorus? A chorus is probably the most important part of the song. It is your main point, your focal point of the song. It is constantly referred to throughout the song and is repeated between 2-4 times. Each chorus would contain the same lyrics with little or no variation in terms of melody.

Why is the rhythm of the verse and chorus the same?

That’s because the rhythm for the verse and chorus are virtually the same, with a few minor variations of course. Because rhythm ties in with the beat and the flow of the song, creating a major contrast between the two can make the song sound disjointed and uneasy, which would ultimately put the listener off.

How many rhyming couplets are there in a chorus?

Make a chorus using rhyming alternates, then 1 rhyming couplet (6 lines in total).

How to contrast rhymes in chorus?

Therefore, the best way to contrast this is by using the opposite rhyming scheme. If the verse is using rhyming couplets, the chorus will most likely use rhyming alternates.

How many lines are in a verse?

The structure of a verse. A verse can be anywhere between 4-8 lines of lyrics. However, depending on the genre of music this can be as long as 12-16. Most commonly verses come in groups of 4 lines. The length of the lyric lines can vary, but are usually in contrast to the chorus. The vocal range is also usually more limited in the verses.

Why are choruses interesting?

This is where choruses are interesting because they do tend to be different and more ‘variant’ when it comes to structure.

What does a verse add to a story?

A verse adds context to the story. You can add an event, a situation, or a feeling which gives more detail to the listener. Each verse would contain a different focal point based on the main story. For example, verse 1 could explain the situation and verse 2 could explain how it made the person feel.

What is the verse-chorus form?

The verse-chorus form appears in a variety of ways throughout popular music. Some songs consist only of verses and choruses, while other songs add additional sections, such as an intro, a coda, a pre-chorus, a bridge, and an instrumental section (such as a guitar solo). ABAB Form.

What is the purpose of a verse chorus?

Its purpose is to add variety to the song, but its ultimate function is to connect one chorus to another. Verse-chorus form plus instrumental sections. Some songs only feature two sections with sung lyrics—the verse and the chorus. But they feature other sections built around purely instrumental passages.

What is the bridge in a song?

The bridge is a section that is intentionally distinct from the rest of the song.

What is the perfect example of verse/chorus/bridge form and pattern?

Although an older song, James Ingram’s “Just Once” is a perfect example of classic verse/chorus/bridge form and pattern.

What is the pattern of a song?

The typical pattern in this song form is verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus. The first verse sets up the theme of the song, with the last line offering a natural progression to the chorus. The chorus contains the main message of the song. Then another verse reveals new details and is followed by the chorus again. Next comes the bridge, which is often, but not always, shorter than the verse. The bridge must be different from the verse, musically and lyrically, and offer a reason why the chorus should be repeated.

What is the purpose of a bridge in a song?

As a structural transition between choruses, a bridge breaks up the repetition of verse/chorus/verse and offers new information or a different perspective. It can also serve as an emotional shift.

How long should a song be?

While the verse/chorus/bridge form allows songwriters greater flexibility when exploring shifts in style and tone, it can present a challenge if the writer is shooting for a song length of about four minutes. This is the amount of time considered by industry professionals to be the maximum duration for radio-friendly and otherwise commercially successful songs. Of course, there are many exceptions to the rule ( “Stairway to Heaven,” to name just one), but most pop hits come in at or just a little over four minutes.

Is the bridge shorter than the verse?

Next comes the bridge, which is often, but not always, shorter than the verse. The bridge must be different from the verse, musically and lyrically, and offer a reason why the chorus should be repeated.

What is emotion in a chorus?

Emotion is a quality you find more in choruses than in verses. Chorus melodies use simpler rhythms. If you compare the rhythms of a verse melody to those of a chorus melody, you’ll find verses use more syncopation, quicker rhythms, and other rhythmic devices. Chorus melodies usually show a simplifying of rhythm.

Why do verse melodies move up and down?

So you’ll find that verse melodies move up and down in a bid to generate or diminish vocal energy to match the ups and downs of that story. Verse melodies tend to be lower in pitch than chorus melodies. That’s because as a voice moves higher, it generates more emotional energy. Emotion is a quality you find more in choruses than in verses.

Why do verse melodies work?

Verse melodies often work their way upward as they reach the chorus. A verse melody will do this to facilitate the connection to the chorus , which is often pitched higher. Chorus melodies are built around an important hook that often incorporates the song title.

Do verses have hooks?

That’s certainly not to say that verses don’t use hooks, but it’s during the chorus that the hook serves its most useful purpose. (Hand-in-hand with the hook is the fact that chorus chord progressions also become much simpler and tonally stronger than what you often see with a verse.)

Is a meandering verse melody good?

In songs that use verse and chorus structure, a meandering verse melody that uses many notes and has several twists and turns, is fine, as long as the chorus melo dy tightens up, uses a good amount of repetition, and is catchy and fun to sing.

What are some examples of chorus melodies?

Chorus melodies use repetition to a greater degree. Ellie Goulding’s “Lights” is a good example of this. Verse melodies will of course use repeating melodic shapes, but you often find those repeating cells starting on different notes, all moving harmonically toward the start of the chorus.

When all is said and done, the chorus melody is the one that absolutely needs to be memorable?

When all is said an done, the chorus melody is the one that absolutely needs to be memorable. While verse melodies need to naturally lead to a chorus, the chorus melody should be a self-contained unit that could be sung over and over again.

Why are chorus melodies higher in pitch?

Chorus melodies sit higher in pitch than verse melodies. As a voice moves upward, it naturally generates more vocal energy. And since it’s an important principle of songwriting that energy will usually increase as a song proceeds, it makes it normal that chorus melodies will be written more toward the upper range of the singer. Almost any song you can think of will be a good demonstrator of this concept.

How to test a song's chorus melody?

When you’ve written your song, test your chorus melody by singing it without the verse. It should sound catchy, repeatable, and fun to sing.

What note does the chorus use in the song "We Are Young"?

Chorus melodies usually treat the tonic note and chord with greater importance than the verse. “ We Are Young “, by fun ft. Janelle Monáe demonstrates this concept quite well. The song is in F major, but the verse melody avoids that note to a large degree, moving mainly between the dominant note (C) and the A below it. The chorus, however, starts on the tonic note (F), and moves away from and back to it frequently, with the tonic chord featuring prominently throughout.

What is the meaning of the verse in a song?

Verse. The verse is what establishes the theme of the song, or tells the story. A song usually has at least two verses; the verses can have the same melody, but different lyrics. However, if you want some variation, you can also change the melody up a bit for the verses.

What is the structure of a song?

Structure of a Song. The structure of a song refers to the way a songwriter arranges their composition. They use a combination of different sections, varying them depending on what works best. A typical commercial song usually has a duration of 3–4 minutes, and the different sections fill up this space.

What Are the Different Song Structures?

We normally label song structures with capital letters, using the following legend:

What is strophic form in music?

Strophic Form or AAA (Verse – Verse – Verse) This type of song structure does not have a clear chorus, and instead uses a series of verses that typically have the same melody. Hymns are known for using the strophic form: they typically focus on different things in each verse, but the melody remains the same.

What is the first part of a song?

Intro. This is the first part of any song, and it sets the listener’s expectations by establishing important elements like the tempo, key, rhythm, and even the “feel” of the song. Usually, the intro is made up of the same chord pattern as the chorus or verse, but without any lyrics sung over it.

What is the standard form of a song?

Standard Form or ABABCB ( Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus) Many hit songs and pop songs follow this structure, also known as the Standard Form. It is essentially a variation of the verse-chorus song structure that has an added bridge. Popular songs using this structure include: “Girl” by The Beatles.

How many bars are in a song?

It is also known as the ballad form and the 32-bar-form, because each verse and chorus typically comes with 8 bars each, giving you a total of 32 bars. The 1950s and ‘60s rock songs also relied greatly on this song structure. Some popular songs using this structure are: “Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland.

Overview

Contrasting verse–chorus form

Songs that use different music for the verse and chorus are in contrasting verse–chorus form. Examples include:
• "That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly (1957)
• "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes (1963)
• "California Girls" by The Beach Boys (1965)

Simple verse–chorus form

Simple verse form

See also