Terminology help
 

I'm kind of embarrassed to ask this but what the hell.

Will someone explain what the various terms are? What is a demo (I think I have a good idea of that one) and a session (recording session, I am guessing) an alt - that would be an alternate version of a song. What is a soundboard recording? What is an outtake?

I think there are other terms out there that have me scratching my head, but I cant remember them right now due to old age. I will try to find them.

Oh, what is the bridge of a song? I have NO music knowledge. Can someone name a song and tell me what the bridge of that particular song is?

Thanks in advance!

The bridge of a song usually occurs once, maybe 2/3 of the way through a song. It makes for variety, so that a song isn't just verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc.

verse in green
chorus in blue
bridge in red

If I Were You

Baby how much closer could we be
I swear you've become a part of me
You are with me everywhere I go
If you feel it I already know
Everything I say to you is true
I don't want to tell you what to do...

But if I were you
I would take the love I'm giving to you
Oh if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
If I were you
I would trust in me like I trusted in you
Oh, if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

I know what you're dreaming when you sleep
You have secrets I will always keep
And in every morning when we arise
I see my reflection in your eyes
Every boy must learn to be a man
Maybe I can help you, yes I can...

But if I were you
I would take the love I'm giving to you
Oh if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
If I were you
I would trust in me like I trusted in you
Oh, if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Well, I believe that love is a living thing
Born into our destinies
From a single moment of inspiration
And as it grows it changes your life forever!

But if I were you
I would take the love I'm giving to you
Oh if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
If I were you
I would trust in me like I trusted in you
Oh, if I were you
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh



Sometimes a bridge will be mostly instrumental or all instrumental, like in "Dreams".

Session is a recording session. You are right about, "alt," A soundboard recording, and correct me if I am wrong, but is a recording from a concert from where they are mixing the sound DURING the concert.... I am fairly certain of that. Now, an outtake is a portion of the song/film that did not make it to the final product- usually, a mistake or an additional uneeded portion of the song. I have had the same wuestions before and someone was nice enough to help me. I hope I paid it forward, lol.

Thank you both!! I really appreciate it!