Creating Intros & Turnarounds

Click on sample images to view larger pages.
Sample pages may appear faded, cropped, or partially obscured. Purchased and downloaded copies do not include these imperfections.

Creating Intros and Turnarounds

Intros are a composed or improvised piece of music that introduces a song or composition. An introduction or intro for short, is used in all types of music. For the purposes of this UkuleleLesson focuses on contemporary music which includes pop, rock, blues, country, folk and jazz styles.

Intros are a composed or improvised piece of music that introduces—sets the stage for— a song or composition. Introductions, or intro for short, are used in all types of music. In this UkuleleLesson, the focus is on introductions in contemporary pop, rock, blues, country, folk and jazz styles.

Intros can be various lengths but are typically four measures long and mainly harmonic in nature, using chords only. Single notes and intervals can be added for melodic color.

Intros can be any of the following:

• Derived from an existing section of the song.
• Separately composed and part of the song, (e.g., Brown Eyed Girl, Margritaville, Sunshine of Your Life, Black Orpheus)
• Rubato, lacking a defined tempo.
• A vamp or a repeated figure. (e.g., Wave, Moondance)

Turnarounds are similar to intros but half the number of measures, typically two measures in length. Sometimes called “turnbacks,” these musical passages “turn” you back to a previous section of music just played.

The complete lesson is in the downladable PDF file…

Video Examples

Here are a few of the examples in the lessons. Also, check out my videos page as most of the songs I perform have intros that I created or are part of the song.

I VI II V, key of C

I Idim7 II V, key of C

Hawaiian Turnaround, key of C

Related Lessons

Visit www.CurtShelller.com/lessons/uke/chords/index.shtml for Learning Chords, Chord Progressions and a "little" Chord Theory on How Chords Work.