Editing Song structure (section)

===Conclusion or outro===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
[[File:Jingle Bells outro Ab.png|thumb|300px|"Jingle Bells"'s outro {{audio|Jingle Bells outro Ab.mid|Play outro}} or {{audio|Jingle Bells full Ab.mid|full song}}]]
{{Main article|Outro (music)}}

The '''conclusion''' or (in popular-music terminology) '''outro''' of a song is a way of finishing or completing the song. It signals to the listeners that the song is nearing its close. The reason for having an outro is that if a song just ended at the last bar of a section, such as on the last verse or the last chorus, this might feel too abrupt for listeners. By using an outro, the songwriter signals that the song is, in fact, nearing its end. This gives the listeners a good sense of closure. For [[DJ]]s, the outro is a signal that they need to be ready to mix in their next song.

In general, songwriters and arrangers do not introduce any new melodies or riffs in the outro. However, a melody or riff used throughout the song may be re-used as part of an outro. Generally, the outro is a section where the energy of the song, broadly defined, dissipates. For example, many songs end with a [[Fade (audio engineering)|fade-out]], in which the song gets quieter and quieter. In many songs, the band does a [[ritardando]] during the outro, a process of gradually slowing down the tempo. Both the fade-out and the ritardando are ways of decreasing the intensity of a song and signalling that it is nearing its conclusion.

For an outro that fades out, the arranger or songwriter typically repeats a short section of the music over and over. This can be the chorus, for example. An [[audio engineer]] then uses the [[fader (audio engineering)|fader]] on the [[audio console|mixing board]] to gradually decrease the volume of the recording. When a band, especially a [[tribute band]], plays a [[cover song]] that, in the [[recording studio|recorded version]], ended with a fade-out, the live band might simulate that by playing progressively quieter. However, the live band will more likely invent an instrumental ending to definitively finish the song, which may be some standard closing cadence or perhaps a coda specifically patterned after the song's refrain.

Besides fading out, another way some pop and rock songs may end is with a [[Conclusion (music)|tag]]. There are two types of tags: the instrumental tag and the instrumental/vocal tag. With an instrumental tag, the vocalist no longer sings, and the band's [[rhythm section]] takes over the music to finish off the song. A tag is often a [[vamp (music)|vamp]] of a few chords that the band repeats. In a jazz song, this could be a standard [[Turnaround (music)|turnaround]], such as I–vi–ii–V<sup>7</sup> or a stock progression, such as ii–V<sup>7</sup>. If the tag includes the tonic chord, such as a vamp on I–IV, the bandleader typically cues the last time that the penultimate chord (a IV chord in this case) is played, leading to an ending on the I chord. If the tag does not include the tonic chord, such as with a ii–V<sup>7</sup> tag, the bandleader cues the band to do a [[cadence (music)|cadence]] that resolves onto the tonic (I) chord. With an instrumental and vocal tag, the band and vocalist typically repeat a section of the song, such as the chorus, to give emphasis to its message. In some cases, the vocalist may use only a few words from the chorus or even one word. Some bands have the guitar player do a [[guitar solo]] during the outro, but it is not the focus of the section; instead, it is more to add interesting improvisation. A guitar solo during an outro is typically mixed lower than a mid-song guitar solo.