Music Theory Handbook

Songwriting

Melody, form and turning theory into songs.

Songwriting

Common Song Forms Explained: Verse, Chorus, AABA and 12-Bar Blues

A practical guide to common song forms: verse-chorus, AABA, 12-bar blues and binary structures, with how each section works and where the bridge fits.

5 min read
Songwriting

How Melodic Contour Shapes a Tune: Arch, Wave and Climax

Melodic contour is the overall rise and fall of a tune. Learn the main shapes, where the climax belongs, and how steps and leaps shape a melody.

5 min read