The document defines and describes various musical concepts used to analyze song structure, including motifs, question and answer phrases, sentences, sections, structural and compositional forms. It then discusses techniques for comparing these elements diachronically (through time), such as melodic repetition, rhythmic repetition, transposition, identical melody with changing harmony, and new answering phrases. Examples of popular songs that demonstrate each technique are provided.

2. Motif (M)- The smallest self contained unit that has
recognisable shape, or contour. Not always relevant in
some pieces.
 Question Phrase (QP)- A musical statement – Often 2
or 4 bars long – that usually requires completion.
 Answer Phrase (AP) - The 2nd phrase of the
‘Sentence’. Although not a ‘rule’, often sounds like it is
resolving. Sometimes called the ‘answer’.
 Sentence (s)- When the ‘Question Phrase’ and
‘Answering Phrase’ are connected they become a
‘Sentence’. Often 4 or 8 bars long.

3. 



Section (S)- Sentences are grouped together to
form ‘Sections’. The most obvious examples
being the A or B (Verse or Chorus) of a
standard song. Often 8 or 16 bars long.
Repetition in Macro form.
Structural Form (SF)- IE ABA, AB, AABA.
‘Popular Song Form’ is often 32 bars long.
Compositional Form (CF)
Enables us to analyse how repetition is used
and how interest is forged in the song.

5. 




The Lyric
The Harmony
Texture (Between Sections)
Melodic Contour/Shape
Rhythmic Variations and Repetitions between
Question – Answer etc

7. 







When examining a piece diachronically (through time),
there is a need to compare these factors, to ascertain
how they develop and interrelate.
For example –
How does the ‘Answer Phrase 1’ compare to the
‘Question Phrase 1’?
How does ‘Answer Phase 2’ relate to ‘Question Phase
2’?
How does Question Phrase 1 compare to Question
Phrase 2
How does ‘Sentence 1’ compare to ‘Sentence 2’?
How Does Section 1 compare to Section 2, etc.
Techniques could include:

8. 




Where the melody is different but the rhythm
is the same. This can be between question –
answer phrases or sentences. For Example
‘Good Stuff’ Donald Fagen
Black Chandelier: Buffy Clyro
Whitney Houston ‘Run to You’ (Chorus) 1:00
Note: Sometimes these repetitions are not exact
– if not you can label ‘near’ before the name. IE
‘Near Rhythmic Sequence’.

9. 






The rhythm and melody between question -answer
phrases or sentences are identical to earlier
material, but up or down a predetermined pitch.
Example:
This occurs at the level of the Sentence in –
Mozart: Theme from 40th Symphony!
The Kinks ‘You Really Got Me’
Antonio Carlos Jobim ‘Girl From Ipanema’
(Chorus) 0:38
Elbow ‘One Day Like This’

10. 




When the melody and rhythm of an answer
phrase is identical to the ‘question’, or between
sentences.
For example the first two phrases of the Blues
‘Lotus Flower’ Radiohead. (‘Near’ – in verse)
0:50
‘My Man Called Me’ Big Mamma Thornton
‘Off The Wall’ Lee Ranaldo

11. 



What the answering phrase is identical to the
question, but commences on a different beat.
This is a more advanced technique and is not
particularly common in popular music
See examples below Cannonball Adderly ‘Straight No Chaser’ and
‘Fascinating Rhythm’

12. Compare this….
To this
Or This
To This

13. 






When the melody is identical but the harmony
changes.
For example: The First 8 bars of most blues
songs –
‘Hound Dog’ Big Mamma Thornton
Antonio Carlos Jobim: ‘One Note Samba’
Antonia Carlos Jobim: ‘Girl From Ipanema’
(Verse)
The Police ‘Every Breath You Take’
Thin Lizzy ‘Whisky in the Jar’

14. 










Where the answering phrase consists of entirely
new material
The Beatles: ‘Hey Jude’
Bobby Vinton: ‘Blue Velvet’
Suzanne Vega ‘Luka’
Take That ‘A Million Love Songs’
No Audio – but also Joe Cocker ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’
Patsy Cline ‘Crazy’
Feist ‘The Water’
Whitney Houston ‘Run to You’ (Verse)
Sting ‘Dead Man’s Boots’

15. First Half of Hey Jude
QP1-AP1:New Material: Sentence 1
QP2 – AP2: New Material: Sentence 2 (Section 1/Verse1)
QP3-AP3:New Material: Sentence 3
QP4 – AP2: New Material: Sentence 4 (Section 2/Verse2)
QP5-AP5:New Material: Sentence 5
QP6 – AP6: New Material: Sentence 6 (Section 3/Bridge)
QP7-AP7:New Material: Sentence 7
QP8 – AP8: New Material: Sentence 8 (Section 4/Verse3)
QP9-AP9:New Material: Sentence 9
QP10 – AP10: New Material: Sentence 10 (Section 5/Verse4)
QP11-AP11:New Material: Sentence 11
QP12 – AP12: New Material: Sentence 12 (Section 3/Bridge)

16. S1
QP1--------------------------AP1----------------------------s1----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A
QP2--------------------------AP2-----------------------------s2-------------------------------------------------------------------------S2
QP3---------------------------
AP3----------------------------------------------
QP4------------------------------------------------Compositional Form????
B

18. 



Present examples on my web
site of indicative techniques I
have suggested (One Song
Only)
Can you suggest any others
Techniques that I have not
considered?
Download music software
from
http://variations.sourceforge.
net/vat/
You may also be interested in
downloading Sonic
Visualiserhttp://www.sonicvi
sualiser.org/ from