Embedded Files
Objectives
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Explain the difference between AABA, Strophic, and Verse-Chorus forms and cite at least one example of a song in each category.
Aurally identify and diagram the phrase structure and form of a song in AABA and strophic form.
Define the following terms as they relate to strophic and AABA form: strophe, refrain, auxiliary section, bridge, lyric-invariant and lyric-variant.
Compose a chord progression for a simple song in AABA and Stropic form.
Preparation for Class
Preparation for Class
Read:
Read:
AABA Form and Strophic Form (Hughes & Lavengood, OMT)
Other Song Forms: Strophic & AABA (Trevor de Clercq, The Practice of Popular Music, pp. 314–321) - Available online through the library
In-Class Activities
In-Class Activities
Discussion
Discussion
Defining AABA & Strophic: What is AABA form as compared to Verse-Chorus? How many measures is a standard AABA form? How does Strophic (or "Simple Verse") form compare to AABA and Verse-Chorus. What period of music, artists, or musical styles do you associate with each song form type?
Can you think of a few examples of songs that fit the strophic or AABA form type that weren't discussed in the reading? Listen to them together and see if your intuitions are correct.
Refrain vs. Chorus: Consider the example provided in the reading, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the The Beatles. (See the lyrics here.) The text "I want to hold your hand...." repeats several times throughout. Open Music Theory refers to this material as a refrain rather than a chorus. Why? Compare and contrast refrains and choruses. What are the similarities? How do they differ? What are some of the specific characteristics you associate with a chorus (what makes a chorus really sound like a chorus)?
"Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan (in the anthology) provides another example with refrains for discussion.
Activities
Activities
Form ID Practice: Work through the worksheet here to practice identifying and diagraming forms and phrase structures.
Form Analysis: Work through examples in the anthology. Identify the type of form used and diagram the form and phrase structure in Briformer. (See the how-to video for using Briformer in Lesson 1-2). Identify the types of phrase structure used and chord schema, where appropriate.
Chord Composition: Compose the chord progression for a simple AABA and strophic song. Each should be in a different key and use at least one of the chord schemata discussed in Unit 3. Notate the chords using both Roman numerals and lead sheet notation. Indicate harmonic rhythm (e.g. | I IV | V | I IV | V | ). Then, compose a chordal accompaniment. Compose the harmony in a 3- or 4-part texture, applying voice leading guidelines from Unit 2. Add a rhythmic accompaniment; use one of the accompanimental patterns here (PDF | MuseScore) or create your own. If there's time, also compose a simple melody for your progression that uses only chord tones.
Practice Worksheet (Open Music Theory): Create form diagrams of songs in AABA or Strophic form using Briformer.
AABA, Strophic, and Verse-Chorus: Worksheet 1 (Finding Your Own Examples) and Worksheet 2 (Verse-Chorus examples only)
Repertoire for Practice
Repertoire for Practice
Song Form Analysis: This page includes songs in Strophic, AABA, and Verse-Chorus for practice identifying the form and diagraming the form and phrase structure.
Want to learn more?
Want to learn more?
Adams, Kyle. "Musical Texture and Formal Instability in Post-Millennial Popular Music: Two Case Studies." Intégral 33 (2019): 33–46.
Covach, John. 2005. “Form in Rock Music: A Primer.” In Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis, edited by Deborah Stein, 65–76. New York: Oxford University Press.
De Clercq, Trevor Owen. "AABA Form," Section 4.4 in Sections and Successions in Successful Songs: A Prototype Approach to Form in Rock Music, pp. 178–211. Ph.D Dissertation (University of Rochester, 2012).
Hudson, Stephen S. "Compound AABA form and style distinction in heavy metal." Music Theory Online 27, no. 1 (2021).
Summach, Jay. 2011. “The Structure, Function, and Genesis of the Prechorus.” Music Theory Online 17 (3). [OMT’s Reading Guide]
Temperley, David. "Form." In The Musical Language of Rock. Oxford (2018).
von Appen, Ralf. "Analyzing and Interpreting Song Forms," pp. 91– 106. In The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rock Music Research. Edited by Paul Carr and Allan Moore, 2020.
Practice
Practice
Auralia: Forms: Level 5a
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