DJ Tips: 2 Music Structures Every DJ Needs to Know
One big mistake almost every new DJ makes is not paying attention to the structure of a track. Being able to recognise how each track is built is an important skill that helps anyone pursuing DJing make smooth transitions at exactly the right moment.
The good news is that almost all songs and tracks follow one of these two key structures. So once you understand them in depth, you'll be able to picture each track as you save it straight into your music library for when you play festivals, clubs, parties and so on.
Muse INC. runs through the two key music structures that almost every DJ needs to know before getting started!
Structure one – the song
Every song in genres outside electronic music, including hip-hop, pop, ballads…, is divided into sections such as:
- Intro
- Verse one
- Chorus
- Verse two
- Chorus
- Bridge
- Verse three
- Chorus
- Outro
These sections have standard lengths: for example, a song's intro runs 4 to 8 bars, a verse 16 bars, and the chorus is usually longer than 8 bars. A bridge (the transitional section near the end of the song) is typically around 8 bars, and finally the outro mirrors the intro (4 to 8 bars).
Structure two – the trackTracks, mostly electronic music of all kinds from progressive house and big room to future house…, are divided into key sections such as:
- Intro
- Build-up
- Breakdown
- Drop
- Outro
Most sections of a track run 16 to 32 bars, depending on the genre. These sections can sound very alike, but as long as they don't differ too much, their length will help you recognise a track's structure as you play, compared with the structure of a song.
Source: Digital DJ Tips
Want to practise this with a teacher? The beginner DJ course (Level 1) takes you from the gear to your first set in three weeks, on the school's CDJs and controllers.
