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ABA
Form and Variations
The ABA form of organizing information allows for visual relationships
that are built on a framework of repetition and contrast (Carter,
Day, and Meggs 62-65). People familiar with musical composition
and theory - in particular jazz and blues composition - may recognize
the ABA form. The ABA form is utilized in musical composition
the same way as in visual composition - as a method of "advancing
our understanding" of the organizational structure of a piece
or composition (Carter, Day, Meggs 62).
The letters "A, B, A," represent a three part form, defined as
the statement (A), the departure (B), and the return (A). The
beginning and end components (A) function as the repetition in
the statement and the middle element (B) acts as the contrast
between the two (Carter, Day, Meggs 62).
This method of organization provides a viewer with a way of connecting
the elements within a composition and helps establish a framework
of expectations for the composition as a whole. However, just
as in music, the real benefit of this method of organization is
that it allows for variations in its own structure. This variation
can provide a visual composition with the same sense of spontaneity
or improvisation that can be achieved in a music, allowing the
viewer to be surprised and interested by the composition as it
breaks from its established patterns.
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Systems | ABA Form and Variations
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