Song Structures: Verse-Chorus vs AABA

In this episode of Showtuned, Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals) delve into the exploration of song structure and form, emphasizing the significance of verse-chorus and AABA forms in musical storytelling. They discuss the role of song structure in character development and story momentum, providing examples from classic and contemporary musical theater. It explores the importance of expectation, repetition and variation in engaging the audience. The concept of through-composed songs in musical theater is also discussed, emphasizing their rarity and the challenges they present.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:25 - My "I Want Song" for the Week
06:15 - Verse-Chorus Song Form
18:08 - AABA Song Form
33:00 - Through Composed Song Form

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/