Bridge (music)

In music, especially Western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section that prepares for the return of the original material section. In a piece in which the original material or melody is referred to as the "A" section, the bridge may be the third eight-bar phrase in a 32-bar form (the B in AABA), or may be used more loosely in verse-chorus form, or, in a compound AABA form, used as a contrast to a full AABA section.

This article is about bridges in musical composition. For the component of a musical instrument, see Bridge (instrument). For the benefit concerts organized by Neil Young and his wife, see Bridge School Benefit. For the bridge in the 32-bar form, see 32-bar form § Middle eight.
The ragtime progression (E7-A7-D7-G7) often appears in the bridge of jazz standards. The III7-VI7-II7-V7 (or V7/V/V/V–V7/V/V–V7/V–V7) leads back to C major (I) but is itself indefinite in key.

The bridge is often used to contrast with and prepare for the return of the verse and the chorus. "The b section of the popular song chorus is often called the bridge or release."

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