Song form
Recognise the sections of a song and what the bass usually does in each.
A song is not a stream of chords. It is a set of sections that come back, and a bass player who knows which section is coming knows what the song needs.
Sections
Most songs are made of sections that repeat. The names below are common; usage varies between musicians.
| Section | What it is |
|---|---|
| Intro | instrumental opening, sometimes a variation of another section |
| Verse | same music, different lyrics each time; tells the story |
| Pre-chorus | short build-up leading into the chorus |
| Chorus | same music and lyrics each time; the main hook |
| Bridge (middle eight) | a contrasting section, usually once, often starting on a different chord (IV, vi, iii) |
| Solo | instrumental section, often over verse or chorus chords |
| Outro / coda | ending section; may fade out or end on a final chord |
Forms
- verse–chorus: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. The most common in pop and rock;
- 12-bar blues: one 12-bar pattern repeated (Module 12);
- AABA, the “32-bar song form”: four 8-bar sections, B being the bridge. Common in older popular songs and jazz standards.
A hook is the catchy phrase, musical or lyrical, that listeners remember. A refrain is a line that returns at the end of each verse.
What the bass does in each section
The bass shapes the energy of each section. Common tendencies, not rules: simpler or sparser in verses, fuller or busier in choruses; a different register or rhythm in the bridge; fills at the ends of sections to signal what comes next.
Tension and release work at song level too: a pre-chorus builds tension, the chorus releases it. Chord function (lesson 8.4) and dynamics act together.
Choose a song you know well and write down its form (for example Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Outro), counting the bars of each section while listening.