Structure and Form

Just as how in music, we use smaller musical ideas to build into larger ones, we should apply the same strategy when working with our charts. In order to do this, we need to first understand how the music is structured.

Phrasing

A phrase in music refers to a melodic line whose function is analogous to a sentence clause in the context of a written work. Depending on the song, it can be difficult to define what constitutes a phrase. But by thinking of it as a section with some kind of structural "completeness" and using the sentence clause analogy, one can get a good enough sense of the concept to apply these ideas. Typically, especially in certain genres of music like most pop music, a song will be split into 4 measure phrases. Of course, every song is different, and should be treated case by case.

The underlying concept is simple: your chart construction should reflect these musical phrases in both structural "completeness" and generally using the same patterns and techniques for the same ideas in the music. Why is phrasing important in the context of a notechart? Just as phrasing splits a song into many smaller musical ideas, phrasing will split your chart into smaller sections that can utilize patterns and themes in an organized manner. It helps to shape the direction you want to take your chart, and keep your ideas consistent. Does a phrase mostly repeat itself but with small variations? Make sure your notes reflect that: largely the same structural patterns and ideas.

Form

Now that we understand phrasing, we can build up to form larger musical ideas, and better define things like the form of the song. Once again, the form of each song will vary, but a reference to the familiar pop song form should suffice to explain the general idea. In a pop song, you have large sections of the song that can be defined as the verse, the refrain or chorus, the bridge, etc.

The form of your chart should also be reflected by the form of the song, just as your phrases do. For example, if a song follows the form AABA, so should your chart. The main ideas and patterns you choose to use for the A sections should be consistent. The most important ideas you choose for a section define the player's interpretation, so that should remain consistent when that section is played again. Another example is the verse/chorus format. While there usually can be more variations in the verse, it should still be consistent in its general themes and ideas. The chorus is more memorable, and should be more consistent each time it appears, as it is in the music.

These different sections help shape and define the dramatic structure of a song, things like the exposition, rising action, climax, and falling action. Effective application of reflecting form in your charts will create a more satisfying, "complete" experience for the player. Do note that some songs have more irregular structures, and so will be a bit tricker to handle. As a tip, try to understand what "story" the music is trying to tell, and craft that same "story" with the patterns you choose.

However, sometimes this structure might still be a bit too repetitive, or fails to highlight everything you wanted to bring out in the music. Deviating from your form a little bit can sometimes help, and that is part of the beauty of the notecharting medium, that you can take some creative liberties here. For example, an extended verse could have a section with instrument A, followed by a section with instrument B. You could introduce a concept to incorporate instrument A, but choose a different concept entirely to incorporate instrument B, even if both sections are not too consistent with each other. Just make sure that the transition between these two sections is as unambiguous as possible.

Deciding whether to stick to following song structure or to deviate is a little bit tricky at first, and no doubt varies depending on the song. If you have your own interpretation of the general form of the music, you can get a feel for how you want to represent this through your patterns, and plan the structure accordingly. Remember to maintain a balance between repetition and variety while sticking to the form and main ideas.