Musical form is the study of how pieces of music are put together.
When composing, we have an almost infinite amount of choices we could make about what to do in our music. This thought can be invigorating at some moments, and paralyzing at others. But it doesn’t change the fact that we have to make sense of these possible choices. Musical form gives us a framework for making these choices.
The Building Blocks of Musical Form
Sonata form, Concerto form, Rondo form… these are all important large scale forms. But they are the equivalent of writing novels, or at least very long stories for music.
Instead, let’s focus on the small elements of form that you can start composing right now.
- Basic Idea
- Sentence
- Period
- Small Ternary
- Small Binary
Let’s examine them.
Different Musical Forms
The Basic Idea
A basic idea is a 2-bar phrase that accomplishes several critical musical goals using three main techniques:
- Establishing the tonality by prolonging tonic harmony.
- Presenting the basic melodic-motivic material.
- Creating interest with unique musical content.
Practice writing your basic ideas in one harmony at first. Once you feel comfortable with that, then move more complicated progressions with two or three different chords. See how many you can fit in. Experiment with transformations.
Here is an example of a melody with a two measure basic idea from my old trumpet method book, The Arban Method!
After the upbeat, notice the two measure basic idea. The basic idea is also a short but complete musical thought. This usually means it has some kind of short rest or breath at the end, and often a feeling of opening or closing. Notice this opening up from D4 up an octave to D5, and then back down to F#4.
It also has several unique motives.
Motives
A motive or motif is a unique melodic or harmonic idea, commonly put together with several other motives.
Even though the motive is smaller than the basic idea, and feels more fundamental, using two bar basic ideas allows multiple motives in one basic idea, and will give you the ability to fragment them later, while staying unified and organic.
Sentences and Periods
The next step up is the sentence and the period. Both are typically 8-bar themes, start with a basic idea, and develop it in different ways.
The Sentence
The sentence has two main phrases called the presentation and continuation:
- The Presentation Phrase: This presents the basic idea and repeats it. It’s main purpose is to prolong the tonic harmony that the basic idea presents, confirming the key of the composition.
- The Continuation Phrase: This repeats fragments of the basic idea, usually with increased harmonic rhythm, ending in a cadence, to confirm the key. Sometimes this ends with a modulation, to confirm a new key. The main purpose of the continuation phrase is to give the theme a feeling of forward movement, in contrast with presentation phrase.
A cadence ends a phrase, and confirms a tonality. It does this by playing the V chord and then the I chord in succession.
The Period
The period also has two distinct phrases called the antecedent and consequent.
- The Antecedent Phrase presents the basic idea, and then a contrasting idea, ending in a weak cadence.
- The Consequent Phrase repeats the basic idea, and then has another contrasting idea, which ends in a stronger cadence, usually a Perfect Authentic Cadence.
Small Ternary and Small Binary Form
I’ve talked a little about the small ternary and small binary forms in previous articles on this site. What;s great about the way form works, is that you can mix and match smaller theme types to create interest.
Frequently you’ll see a small ternary form start with a period, then have a contrasting middle section with sentence. It will end with a recapitulation using the original period, but this time without the first contrasting idea and ending in a cadence. That’s exactly what happens here.
Learn to Use Musical Forms in Your Composing
Larger musical forms include Sonata, Rondo, Concerto, and Variation forms. All of these forms give you, the composer, a guide for developing your composition to its fullest potential. Some do this by varying the tonal center, as in the Sonata or by alternating the main theme with varying contrasting sections, as in the Rondo.
I would recommend checking out my course on the Fundamentals of Composition to learn more about these topics.
I can sing but cannot compose music
Pls I like music but I found it difficult to form it
Elo! I am talented i can part music but can not decipher my thoughts, feelings and imagination into music pls wat can i do abt it
As long as you can read music, you can learn to write down the music. Transcribing is a great skill (listening to music and attempting to write down what you hear). What you gain the skill of audiation. This is the ability to comprehend the music that you hear in your head.
Hey Jon,
I was wondering if you have ever thought of writing an article about sonatina form. I am interested in it but the info I have found online isn’t really clear. From what I understand, it’s a small simple sonata. It seems like this would be a great way to practice musical form.
Thanks!
Johnathan
Johnathan,
I will add that to the list. Sonatina form, for the most part, is actually sonata form. It just tends to be shorter and simpler. If you are interested in the subject, you’ll probably enjoy my course on sonata form.
Be sure also to check out the podcast episode on form as well, because you can apply all of the concepts I talk about in relation to sonata form directly to sonatina form.
AOC Podcast Episode 8 – Understanding Musical Form
hi jon
i also have won studio i iam comporsing music but difficult make tone of instruments. pls any idea about that . make tone of instruments..
Imthi,
I am not quite sure what your question is. If you are referring to how to emulate the sound of natural instruments, then sample libraries are able to do that. There are some really amazing ones out there but they come with a price. Hope that helps.
Hi Jon,
For me, writing a nice melody has never been a problem, and I also have a good understanding of harmony and form, but my question is How can I take my theme and develop it, lest I end up repeating the same material over and over again?
That is where a deep understanding of longer forms like sonata form come in very handy. There are plenty of tools to help you do that. I am actually working right now on a very in depth course in sonata form, which covers the topic of developing your themes quite extensively. Should be out in the next couple months.
Hello Jon, thanks alot for these articles. Do you have the course on sonata form available.
https://www.artofcomposing.com/courses/music-composition-201-sonata-form
Failure is necessary, if you are to overcome your mistakes/weaknesses. If you don’t fail, you can never learn. Talent in my view is non-existent. Too many people base their conceptions of their own ability purely on ‘Natural Aptitude’. No one is born a composer, scientist or engineer. It is very simply down to individual effort and support from those around you. Most of the great composers, such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, were raised in highly musical families/environments.
To tell yourself you are not talented, thus have no hope or chance in achieving your desired goal, is simply a cop-out. This is often limited view is heavily influenced by failure. Mental strength and support from mentors is in my view, highly important, if you are to persist beyond self-negativity.
True. And believe me, I have failed many times.
Hi Jon,
I have attempted composition several times, but I ultimately fail due to my own self-critisism. Could you help me to overcome that? Also, I like opera a lot, but can never find the right melodies. How do “find the music within” so to speak?
Thanks so much,
Augustus
Augustus, I am not going to lie, sometimes self-criticism can get the best of us. I myself suffer from this quite a bit, but, never fear. Self-criticism, while on the surface bad, can actually be a sign of something good. It means that you probably have good taste. The realization that you must have, is that you have a level in your mind of what you should be writing, compared to what you are actually writing. You cannot, I repeat, cannot get frustrated with yourself that you are not writing at the “ideal” level, meaning the ideal you have set in your mind. If you can come to grips with that, and force yourself to write “bad” music (I use that term in the softest sense), if you can do this you will improve.
Good luck, and I hope this site helps you.
Thank you so much for your helpful advice, and your quick response!
Augustus