song theory and 16 bars quests.

Hello i have been searching for my answer for a while and connot find it. I have seen it on this site b4 I have reason 2.5 and an mpc 1000 can anyone answer these question? What is the basic structure of a song? I would like to know h0w long is a basic intro, verse, bridge, hook? I'm a newbie beat maker and would love to get the basic ideas down. Also when rappers say "spit 16 bars" how long is that? On the mpc and in reason 2.5. would that be 16 bars long in the sequencer of reason? and how many steps is one bar on a 16 step drum machine anyhelp is much appreciated. TY

I made this tutorial for guys just like you

http://www.hiphopproduction.com/main.php?pageid=article&articleid=91cbh234bgtmb234&menu=4

well a TYPICAL song (in my opinion):

Intro (no more then 8 bars long and its up to you wether you want an intro or not)
Hook (8 bars)
verse (16 bars)
Hook (8 bars)
verse (16 bars)
Hook (8 bars)
Bridge (maybe 4 maybe 8 bars)
verse (8/16 bars)
hook (16 bars to fade out)

or something similar to that....

but its all up to you and how you want the song to go. depends on your idea for the track

yeah, do that, but don't forget to divide by three.

yeah, do that, but don't forget to divide by three. You jokin' right arctec?!?

Anyway, there's really no such thing as a standard music structure unless it's pop music or sum'n. With rap tracks 8 bar intro, 16 bar verses, and 8 bar hooks are pretty common. If it's R & B you may add a bridge after the second verse or hook if that's what the track calls for. A lot of producers and MC's I know are hooked on the usual-- intro-16-8-16-8-16-8-outro-- type deal with the 16's being verses and the 8's being hooks, pretty much like Smooth03 broke it down. For radio nonsense, looooooooooooong intro with hook 2 verses and a looooooooooong outro. Sh** what ever you feel at the time really main..........

not entirely.

Music with regular bars/structre can often sound staid and predictable-here comes the verse...

If you add the threes in there at the right time, or the twos of course, then you can throw the listener for a second, gaining interest.

take a one bar drop after the second verse into the second chorus... perhaps with a repeated vocal phrase... it can work wonders. (but that would prpbably make a five (not divisable by 3)

All I am saying is try mincing with the 4s, 8s and 16s a little someitmes.