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3. EDM-style structure

1 Your typical EDM song is structured so that the energy ebbs and flows dynamically. To keep the dancefloor full, you get high peaks and deep troughs in the form of builds and breakdowns, with high-energy, full-on drops sandwiched between. This equates to a format that can be shown by the letters ABCD. 2 The A section is an intro of suitable length for a DJ to mix into – usually 16 bars or so – after which would come a breakdown or B section, which could be a stripped-down container for a verse vocal, say. Following this, you might have a longish build, represented here by the letter C, ramping up the tension before… 3 …the drop, shown by the letter D. The EDM equivalent of the chorus, the drop, is where the beat ‘drops’ and the infectious hook kicks in. This completes the ABCD segment, the last three sections of which may be repeated again, before the song rounds off with a DJ-friendly repeat of the intro serving as the outro.