What’s A Bridge?
The bridge is the section that creates a major relief in the music – a different musical sound that connects song sections . It creates strong contrast to refresh the ear.
The easiest way to tell someone what a bridge is, is to listen to
Over the Rainbow Harburg And Arlen (Someday you’ll wish upon a star)
Notice the change to staccato notes from the sustained notes of the rest of the song.
Here’s a summary of what it does;
Musical relief from the melody.
A different angle.
A summation of the story.
A different time. Looking back or ahead.
A telescope and a microscope picture.
Adds a new dimension to the chorus and hook Rhyme scheme change
|
Length of line changes
Doesn’t include the title or hook
Go from specific to general or vice versa
Change the rhythm
May change range
May change person (I to she)
|
Song Form
Before we talk about how to create the bridge we need to understand song form
Here are some basic formulas
AAA Verse Verse Verse Typical of folk songs think Dylan
ABAB Verse Chorus Verse Chorus
AABA Verse Verse Bridge Verse
ABABCB Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bride Chous
ABC Verse Chorus Bridge Often used twice
This common lettering can be confusing . B and C can mean the Bridge or the Chorus depending on the form .
All the forms come from one master formula!
Master Formula Verse Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge (Verse) Chorus (the last verse is often omitted ) You can eliminate as many sections as you want but the rest must remain in order.
Bridge placement
Between the last two chorus’s
Verse 1 Chorus Verse 2 Chorus Bridge Chorus
AABA After two verses of 8 bars each an 8 bar bridge with different music and then the last 8 bar verse (often a repeat of verse 1)
Example of AABA: Smoke Gets In your Eyes
Now that you know where it goes:
Do you really need it? Not in every song. Don’t use it to lengthen the song. Use it when you have something else to say or if you feel you need the contrast.
Numbers
The numbers below refer to the position of the scale of the root of the chord. This is the basis of the Nashville number system. Nothing will help your ear to recognize chords more than this.
It’s easy. You’ve all heard musicians call out something like 4-5-1. Here’s what it means.
In the key of C for example C is the first note of the C scale so the C Chord is the 1 chord. F is the fourth note of the C scale so the F chord is the 4 chord. G is the 5th note of the C scale so it’s called the 5 chord in the key of C .
If you use a different key –you have to use the scale for that key to find its number.
The same number in any key always has the same function. For example the 5 chord in any key is dominant –creates tension and wants to go to the 1 Chord.
If you understand this number system you can easily transpose the following ideas to all keys!
Ideas
Start with a new Chord - Anything -and I mean anything -that hasn’t been used in the song before. Try some of these instead of the dreaded predictable 2 minor to 6 minor eg : Key of C Dm Am
3b 4 5 Key C : Eb F G Key G: Bb C D
3 4 1 Key C : E F G Key G: B7 C G
3m 7 6 Key C: Em7 A
5m KEY C: Gm
Parallel minor Key C Cm
Relative minor Key C: Am
2maj 4 Key C: D F
Have Fun ! Dan Rivers