Rock ‘N’ Jazz Clinic Grooving in Form Part 1: AABA Beats by Mike Johnstonb One of the first things you learn when you begin to play in bands is song form, and one of the most popular forms is AABA. Before we get into our lesson, let’s first define the traditional AABA structure. The A part is the main section of the song—often referred to as the verse—and is repeated. The two verses are followed by the B section, aka the bridge, which is musically different from the first section. The bridge gives the song contrast before transitioning back to the final A section. The B section often provides contrast in lyrics, melody, harmony, rhythm, or texture. It’s also known as the middle eight, in reference to its placement in the form and number of measures, or it’s sometimes called the release. It occurred to me years ago that the […]

July 2015 Issue