Musical Forms for Music Composition

In composing music, you follow certain rhythm forms. These musical forms outline placement for accented and unaccented beats that form a pattern for a passage or for a whole piece. The following list offers a handy guide to the different parts in different types of compositions:

• One part form: A, AA, AAA, and so on

  
  



• Binary form: AB, AABB

  
  



• Ternary/tertiary form: ABA, AABA

  
  



• Arch form: ABCBA

  
  



• Sonata: ABA

  
  



• Rondo: ABACADAEAF

  
  



• 8-bar blues: I, IV, I, VI, ii, V, I, V/I (turnaround)

  
  



• 12-bar blues: I, I, I, I, IV, IV, I, I, V, IV, I, V/I (turnaround)

  
  



• 16-bar blues: I, I, I, I, IV, IV, I, I, V, IV, V, IV, V, IV, I, V/I (turnaround)

  
  



• 24-bar blues: 8xI, 4xIV, Ix4, V, V, IV, IV, I, I, I, V/I (turnaround)

  
  



• Verse-chorus form (pop music): Intro ABACBCB

  
  

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