Song Structure Generator & Song Length Calculator
Start from a genre template or generate a random structure, then change the sections and bar counts. You see how long every section and the whole song lasts at your tempo.
Bars to seconds calculator
Song structure templates by genre
| Genre | Typical structure | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Pop | Intro – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Outro | 88 bars at 110 BPM ≈ 3:12 |
| Hip-hop / rap | Intro – Hook – Verse – Hook – Verse – Hook – Outro | 64 bars at 90 BPM ≈ 2:50 |
| EDM | Intro – Verse – Build-up – Drop – Breakdown – Build-up – Drop – Outro | 112 bars at 126 BPM ≈ 3:33 |
| Rock | Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Solo – Chorus – Outro | 88 bars at 120 BPM ≈ 2:56 |
| Country | Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Outro | 72 bars at 100 BPM ≈ 2:52 |
| R&B | Intro – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Outro | 64 bars at 80 BPM ≈ 3:12 |
| K-pop | Intro – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Post-chorus – Verse – Pre-chorus – Chorus – Post-chorus – Bridge – Dance break – Chorus – Outro | 96 bars at 120 BPM ≈ 3:12 |
| Ballad | Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus – Outro | 56 bars at 72 BPM ≈ 3:06 |
Templates are common starting points, not rules. Read what each section does in Song Structure Explained.
The Chord Progression MIDI Pack
72 progressions from hit songs and moods, in all 12 keys: 864 MIDI files for any DAW. Plus The Songwriter's Cheat Sheet (PDF).
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Fill the structure with hooks that stick
SongwriterMap is an interactive guide to song structure, hook writing, melody shapes and lyric devices, with an exercise for every item. Writing K-pop? The K-pop Song Structure Cheat Sheet maps 12 song structures with bar counts and energy curves.
Quick answers
What is the most common song structure?
Verse – pre-chorus – chorus – verse – pre-chorus – chorus – bridge – chorus. Most pop, R&B, country and rock songs use this shape or a shorter version of it, without the pre-chorus or bridge.
How many bars is a verse?
Usually 8 or 16 bars. Rap verses are traditionally 16 bars; pop verses are often 8 bars repeated or 16 bars. Slower songs tend to use 8-bar verses.
How many bars is a chorus?
Usually 8 bars, sometimes 16 when the hook repeats. Rap hooks are typically 8 bars.
How do you calculate song length from bars and BPM?
Seconds = bars × beats per bar × 60 ÷ BPM. In 4/4, 8 bars at 120 BPM is 8 × 4 × 60 ÷ 120 = 16 seconds. The calculator on this page does it for every section.
How many bars is a 3-minute song?
In 4/4: bars = minutes × BPM ÷ 4. At 120 BPM, 3 minutes is 90 bars; at 90 BPM it is about 68 bars.