bars in an R&B beat

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headphone

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someone was just talking about a rap/hiphop beat with this formula, well typically. at 4/4..

Intro - 8 bars
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Bridge - 6
Verse - 8
Chorus - 8
Chorus - 8

now TYPICALLY, what are the standards for an RnB song?

Thanks in advance.
 
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usally the same, except there might be a pre chorus, so insted of 16 bars on the verse you might have 8 then 8 for the pre or 8 verse then 4 for the pre chorus.

Standard pop stuff is allways pretty much the same, it really just moves with what the music feels.
It can also depend on the format AAA or ABA.
 
There isn't a format just do whatever you feel is right but obviously take into account common structures by listening to mainstream music.
 
^^ I feel the same way, i just wanted to make sure that if for whatever reason i dont use a beat i made, atleast the the songs structure is universal enough for someone else to sing on it.

insted of 16 bars on the verse you might have 8 then 8 for the pre or 8 verse then 4 for the pre chorus.
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soo..
verse - 8
pre? - 8
verse - 8
pre chorus 4
??
kinda hard to follow

how bout those of you guys who are used to making, or atleast hearing R&B. whats the normal typical way you know.
 
8 bar intro/8V/8C/8V/8B/8C/8C/


it depends on the arranger at the end of the day.
 
headphone said:
^^ I feel the same way, i just wanted to make sure that if for whatever reason i dont use a beat i made, atleast the the songs structure is universal enough for someone else to sing on it.


soo..
verse - 8
pre? - 8
verse - 8
pre chorus 4
??
kinda hard to follow

how bout those of you guys who are used to making, or atleast hearing R&B. whats the normal typical way you know.
Click to expand...

yeah, what is a Pre chorus?

have any examples?
 
"soo..
verse - 8
pre? - 8
verse - 8
pre chorus 4
??
kinda hard to follow"

I was going off what you had said from your format.

this was yours.
Intro - 8 bars
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Bridge - 6
Verse - 8
Chorus - 8
Chorus - 8


Now what i mean is

Intro 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
bridge 8 bars
double chorus end

Now insted of having the pre chorus go for 8 bars it could be 4 insted, sometimes you will find the pre chorus to be shorter than the verse or chorus or sometimes the same length.

Here for example, ( i have acually gone through a lot of songs and taken down arrangments for refference, something you should look at doing you if want your answer to satisfaction.)

Mario Let me love ( hope this is what you mean when you say rnb )

Intro 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
instrumental 4 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
bridge 8 bars
double chorus 16 bars ( 2 chorus 8 bars each )
double chorus end first double chours extra add libs last double corus fade out.

Now what i mean with the song will show you how it goes is where they put in the instrumental in let me love you helps make the transition back into the verse a lot smoother and not rushed in.

"yeah, what is a Pre chorus?

have any examples?"

Let me love by mario,
the part after the verse is the pre chorus it starts with "if i was your man baby you". In this track mario keeps the same words for the both pre chorus's sometimes you will find the pre chorus will change up the words but it keeps the same melody, and you allways find it before the chorus hence the name pre chorus, its a lead up to go into the chorus.
 
houseofthesun said:
"soo..
verse - 8
pre? - 8
verse - 8
pre chorus 4
??
kinda hard to follow"

I was going off what you had said from your format.

this was yours.
Intro - 8 bars
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Verse - 16
Chorus - 8
Bridge - 6
Verse - 8
Chorus - 8
Chorus - 8


Now what i mean is

Intro 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
bridge 8 bars
double chorus end

Now insted of having the pre chorus go for 8 bars it could be 4 insted, sometimes you will find the pre chorus to be shorter than the verse or chorus or sometimes the same length.

Here for example, ( i have acually gone through a lot of songs and taken down arrangments for refference, something you should look at doing you if want your answer to satisfaction.)

Mario Let me love ( hope this is what you mean when you say rnb )

Intro 8 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
instrumental 4 bars
verse 8 bars
pre chorus 8 bars
chorus 8 bars
bridge 8 bars
double chorus 16 bars ( 2 chorus 8 bars each )
double chorus end first double chours extra add libs last double corus fade out.

Now what i mean with the song will show you how it goes is where they put in the instrumental in let me love you helps make the transition back into the verse a lot smoother and not rushed in.

"yeah, what is a Pre chorus?

have any examples?"

Let me love by mario,
the part after the verse is the pre chorus it starts with "if i was your man baby you". In this track mario keeps the same words for the both pre chorus's sometimes you will find the pre chorus will change up the words but it keeps the same melody, and you allways find it before the chorus hence the name pre chorus, its a lead up to go into the chorus.
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Great Example, its also known as a Climb, Channel or lift. Be sure to listen to Step in the Name of Love, that also has a climb in it.
 
Aye houseofthesun, good lookin out man, thanks for taking the time to break all that down. You too JSL. peace
 
shoot for a maximum programme time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds. modify your format to adhere to that time constraint. if you want yoru music on the radio tho. they dont play 5 minute songs anymore.
 
^^ too right!

and some mainstream record labels also require you to make the first chorus / hook entering anywhere within the vicinity of 01:00min. i think it has to do with the average audience's attention span or sumthin.
 
j-traxx said:
shoot for a maximum programme time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds. modify your format to adhere to that time constraint. if you want yoru music on the radio tho. they dont play 5 minute songs anymore.
Click to expand...

Really says a lot about its audience, doesn't it? And the "artists" who keep it overly simple just for popularity's sake.

I long for the days when radio played stuff like Bat out of Hell (9 minutes) without a second thought.

On the other hand, I never listen to radio anymore, so I guess it makes no difference, right? :p
 
heh. i spose... but think of it this way, depending on your target audience (i'm sure EVERYBODY has a target audience - nobody makes music for no one to listen to), these factors such as song length is purely dependent on just that - target audience, i think.

obviously if you're a contemporary hiphop producer, the lesser the chances your audience are gonna appreciate your new 23-minute opus. that said, if you're a trance producer, those kids in the club are not gonna appreciate something that goes on for 43 seconds either.

...the occasional radio is good tho. sumtimes, those bad records just inspire you to wanna make better music. heh!
 
avex said:
i'm sure EVERYBODY has a target audience - nobody makes music for no one to listen to
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Agreed, but I won't let anyone dictate what I make just to satisfy them. I create music to express myself, not the desires of others.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with having admirers. :)

those bad records just inspire you to wanna make better music. heh!
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Well there you go then! Never let it be said that bad music is useless. :D
 
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