The Essence of a Ballad

i have recently decided to try and arrange a song that I really like into a show choir ballad. I was trying to figure out what I would need to do. At first it seemed simple, I would need to know the stuff that I had learned in AP Music Theory. But as I began to analyze it I found that it would probably not be that easy. I broke it down into these seven features: 1. Big key changes 2. 8-12 part harmonies 3. Melody > Harmony > " OO"s 4. Clashes 5. Meshing overlap 6. Climax and 7. A tenor solo.

Key changes are always in songs and they help lead to the climax which is usually accented with the biggest key change in the song. The more parts there are in a song the more meshing there tends to be which sounds amazing. clashing adds to the ominous feel that a ballad sometimes has and oos and aws are always there as back up in the beginning of the song. and Finally, I have always lovved tenor solos and would love to get to sing a ballad solo someday so I have to put one in.

Now that I had all of the points I wanted to focus on I went to look for inspiration. and what better place to look but at a show choir in my own school with a long history of great ballads: Happiness inc. So I went out and found some of there greatest ballads and I was fully inspired. I am sure you will understand why.













My idea for a ballad (if you have advice please comment)