Most songs written in the last fifty years follow a similar structure: verse – chorus – verse – chorus – bridge – chorus. We’re all used to hearing music like this. Sometimes I even think our brains have an innate affinity for an A-B-A-B-C-B structure (doesn’t this pattern show up all over the world independently?). But not all music follows that arrangement. Jazz fans are used to hearing a 64-bar improvisation in the middle of a song. And people who listen to jam bands are used to the whole, err, jammy-ness of them. Dance music is a little different, too.

At this point it’s probably better to distinguish between two different subsets of dance music: “songs” and “tracks.” The distinction is arbitrary, but I’ll use it for simplicity. Songs follow the same verse-chorus structure outlined above (but they’re got a BPM high enough to make the listener move). Dance tracks are structured something like this: intro, build, drop, bridge, build, drop, outro. They oscillate periodically and are built around escalation and release.

Tracks aren’t made for top 40 radio station, they’re made for DJs to mix into the middle of a set. That should explain 32 bars of drums at the beginning and end. The intro/outro makes blending one track into another much easier (especially if you’re using real vinyl). Sure, you can listen to tracks on their own; I always do. But most people don’t want thirty seconds of drums at the beginning of every song. That’s why there’s often a “Radio Version” on the b-side of a twelve inch. DJ’s use one side for mixing into a set, radio stations use the other. Form follows function.

So if you’re going to “get into” dance music you’ll have to re-train your ear for a different song structure. How do you do that? I’ll repeat: listen to a lot of dance music. And don’t fast-forward through those drums at the beginning. The intro is there for a reason.

This old house track from Phortune is a good example. It doesn’t have a verse or chorus. It’s just one catchy loop and some simple drums that periodically change. A variation on a theme, if you will. And it’s got an intro and an outro designed to facilitate a smooth crossfade.

Phortune – String Free

This track from Louis La Roche works, too. To visualize what I’m talking about, I’ve included a waveform graphic of the tracks’s first 36 bars. Try to “follow along” with the picture underneath while you listen. It’ll all make sense.

Louis La Roche – Sunshine Hotel (Original Mix)