Form is the design of the work.
Find a book on the subject of musical form and study it.
You should know the following: phrases – antecedent and consequent, ABA, Dance forms, sonatina, sonata, concerto, song form, strophic, theme and variation, etc.
Remember not just to study the book’s diagrams but also to study how the masters altered the common design.
Don’t forget the harmonic elements such cadences; Half and Full, strong and weak, and feminine as well.
Questions to answer?
1. What are the features and tools of a form?
2. What does it do?
3. Does a form have a special meaning?
Modeling form:
As before to work with and understand form, I use a technique that I call integrated modeling, which means that you compose both parts, treble and bass, melody and accompaniment, at once.
Copy out an antecedent phrase, bass and treble line (melody and accompaniment) from a chosen composition, then compose your own consequent phrase to answer it.
Continue and compare with the originals.
Some composers will choose a work as a model and then recompose the entire composition. This is an excellent way to transform an understand form but it is a major investment in time.
Not all form is based on design it can also be based on sound.
There can be form by design; that is sonata form, rondo, etc.
There can also be sonic or accumulative form, such as; arch form, wall paper music, wall of sound, incomprehensibility, static, etc.
Some times a work can include several of these.