I have a listening quiz tomorrow, and im new to everything about music. I understand that a ‘simple verse chorus form’ is just like a normal song – but my prof wants me to identify a simple verse form just by listening to it.
am I suppose to be paying attention to the lyrics? or the melody?
this may be so obvious but help im lost!!!
In: 3
The verse-chorus form goes verse-chorus-verse-chorus (however many times it needs). Each verse has the same melody, and each chorus has the same melody.
The simple verse-chorus form does this, plus it uses the same chord progression in the verse and in the chorus.
So listen to the lyrics and the chord progression, and you’ll find out if it’s simple or not. Also, if there’s a bridge, or anything else that breaks the pattern, it’s not simple.
I learned this here, just now: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-verse-chorus-form-examples-of-verse-chorus-form-in-pop-folk-and-hip-hop
Pay attention to the melody, not the lyrics.
Most ‘popular’ music uses what we can the ABAB structure. The As are your verses, they all have the same melodies as each other, but the lyrics usually change every time. The Bs are your choruses and they usually keep the same lyrics and melody each time, but the melody is *different* from the verse.
Are you familiar with “Island in the Sun” by Weezer? That’s a simple one.
The opening 4 chord with the “Hip Hip”s are the same melody and 4 chord structure as the verse. So that’s A.
Then the guitars shift to distortion and play a totally different 2 chord melody “We’ll run away together…” Then it goes back to the 4 chord “Hip hip” part.
Going back and forth between those two elements is your Simple Verse Chorus form.
Many popular songs will use ABABCB, two verses, two choruses, then a section of something refreshing and different like a guitar solo, then back to close the song with final run through the chorus.
Chorus lyrics tend to be repetitive–the same words each time it’s sung although there may be a slight variation in some songs. Verses may also repeat occasionally, but generally consist of different words.
Choruses also tend to be more compact with a more “catchy” melody.
Latest Answers