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Music vocabulary · Melody, Form and Songwriting

Verse

Meaning in music, with examples

/vɜːrs/nounCore term

In music, verse means: A section of a song that tells the story or develops the idea. Verses usually share the same melody but have different words each time.

In Turkish: kıta, bölüm

How it is used

A basic word of songwriting and band rehearsals. Songs are mapped as verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. People say 'the first verse', 'go back to the verse' or 'cut the second verse'.

Example sentences

  1. The second verse feels too long; let's cut four bars before the chorus.

  2. In the first verse, only piano and voice play, so keep it quiet.

Common collocations

  • first verse
  • second verse
  • verse-chorus structure
  • write a verse
  • back to the verse
  • chorusThe section of a song that repeats with the same words and melody, usually the catchiest part and the one that contains the song's main message or title.
  • bridgeA contrasting section of a song, usually heard once after the second chorus, that brings new chords or a new melody before the final chorus.
  • lyricsThe words of a song. The person who writes them is a lyricist, and the words are protected by copyright just like the music.
  • melodyA sequence of single notes that forms a recognisable musical line, often the part that people remember and sing along to.
  • arrangementA version of a piece that decides which instruments play which parts, how sections are ordered and how the song builds from start to finish.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Melody, Form and Songwriting

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