Music Information

How to Compose Using ABA Form


ABA form is like a musical sandwich. You have the 2 slices of bread with the contrasting meat and cheese on the inside. Instead of bread and meat, you use musical materials. Perhaps an 8-bar phrase for the A section followed by a 4 or 8-bar phrase for the B section. A nice little musical sandwich.

A piece of music made from ABA form can last anywhere from 45 seconds to 5-6 minutes or longer DEPENDING ON HOW THE COMPOSER UTILIZES THE TOOLS OF REPETITION AND CONTRAST!

For example, I can take an 8-bar phrase, repeat that twice, play another 8 bars for the B section, then back to the A section again for another repeat (with variations of course). Now, how long will that last? It depends on tempo or how fast the piece moves through time. Most small ABA sections don't last longer than 2-3 minutes. Why? Because if they were repeated for longer periods of time, the music would become dull and repetitious.

BUT, if we create another section of music - the C section, it provides the relief the ear is searching for and we can then repeat the entire thing again so the form would look like this: ABACABA. This form extends ABA and provides the necessary contrast to create longer pieces.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!


MORE RESOURCES:

Music Note romps in Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park
The Canadian Press, NEW YORK - 8 hours ago
NEW YORK — Music Note turned in a dazzling performance, beating entrymate Little Belle by 11 lengths Saturday in the US$300000 Coaching Club American Oaks ...
Music Note delivers loud and clear CBSSports.com
Music Note dazzles in Coaching Club Brisnet.com
Music Note Crushes CCA Oaks Rivals BloodHorse
Thoroughbred Times
all 24 news articles


Telegraph.co.uk

Music, co-op games the dominant trends at E3
CNET News, CA - Jul 18, 2008
Among the dominant trends at E3 in Los Angeles this week was music games. Everywhere you looked, publishers were announcing new ones and players were ...
Nintendo unveils a Wii music game Oneindia
Nintendo E3 Cliff's Notes! Mygamer.com
Nintendo Ready To Rock With Wii Music After Big E3 ChattahBox
dBTechno - bit-tech.net
all 367 news articles


Olympic champ Carly Patterson finds a new passion: music
Dallas Morning News, TX - 2 hours ago
There's more to life than just gymnastics, and I had other goals, obviously, with the music and stuff." Ms. Patterson's budding music career, however, ...


Fresh thoughts on new music
Detroit Free Press, United States - 52 minutes ago
(Buddy Guy opens for George Thorogood & the Destroyers at the Meadow Brook Music Festival on Aug. 21.) The reputation of the legendary Los Angeles band Love ...


Kid Rock returns in style Saturday night at DTE Energy Music Theatre
Detroit Free Press, United States - 2 hours ago
... a welcomed return to metro Detroit Saturday night for Kid Rock and his Rock and Roll Revival -- in the first of four shows at DTE Energy Music Theatre. ...


Mom fights music giant
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 23 hours ago
"The music companies are just going to keep doing this to people. I think it's my responsibility to stand up to them and say, 'That's enough. ...
Mom fights music giant over DMCA takedown notice Afterdawn.com
Fair use claimed in YouTube row Calgary Herald
Mom continues to chase Prince on Free Use issue CNET News
CBS 5 - Wired News
all 24 news articles


MLive.com

Long-lost friends reunite in marriage, music
MLive.com, MI - 13 hours ago
BISMARCK, ND -- Music was the force that brought them together in 1936, shortly before their lives took separate, yet musical, paths. ...


Music retailer thrives serving captive audience
Reuters - 4 hours ago
NEW YORK (Billboard) - As music retailers struggle to stay in business, a Los Angeles firm is doing nicely targeting a demographic that gets bigger every ...


Rocky Mountain News

Event deserves a bow, music tries to keep up
Denver Post, CO - 1 hour ago
By Ricardo Baca It was a fine debut for the Mile High Music Festival, which opened Saturday on the outer grounds of Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce ...
Mile High Music Festival winds down Rocky Mountain News
Mile High Music Festival opens cw2.com
Mile High Music Fest - too much going on Rocky Mountain News
Rocky Mountain News - Rocky Mountain News
all 22 news articles


Bono weaves Spider-Man a web of music
Times Online, UK - 8 hours ago
Having composed the music for the forthcoming Broadway production of Spider-Man, Bono and the Edge will release a U2 album based on their musical adaptation ...

Music - Google News

home | site map

Visit our other sites:
GamesBlog | GamingDepot | GimmeaRide | GimmeNetwork | Golf Biz | HotorNotGame | I Want Computers | I Want Games | I Want Hosting | I Want Music | I Want Security | JokeBox | ScriptShock | Wantedfonts | Webalize
© 2006