by Danlee Mitchell and Jack Logan, Ph.D.

Form in music refers to large and small sectional patterns resulting from a basic model. There are basic approaches to form in music found in cultures around the world. Throughout a given composition a composer may:

1. Present a melody and continually repeat it (A-A-A-A-A-A etc.),
2. Present a melody and continually vary it (A A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 etc.),
3. Present a series of different melodies (A-B-C-D-E-F-G etc.),
4. Alternate a repeating melody with other melodies (A-B-A-C-A-D-A-E-A etc.),
5. Present a melody and expand and/or modify it.

A specific musical form implies an overall sectional pattern that is normally associated with it. This association of form and large sectional pattern is the result of hundreds of years of music tradition in the West. Examples of forms in music follow below.

1. Song ­ A&shyB; A&shyB&shyA (for solo singer with or without accompaniment),
2. Rondo ­ A&shyB&shyA&shyC-&shyA&shyD&shyA&shyE&shyA&shyet al,
3. Sonata-Allegro ­ A&shyB&shyA (A form that "develops" the beginning melodic "ideas").