32-BAR CUTS
“32 bars” used to be about math. Now it’s about time. If you treat it like a rigid measurement instead of a storytelling window, you’re missing the point of the audition entirely.
WHY “32 BARS” STILL EXISTS
Actors hear “16 bars” or “32 bars” and immediately start counting measures.
I’m a Broadway audition coach, and that language comes from a very specific era of songwriting — the Tin Pan Alley and Golden Age standard known as the 32-bar form.
Four sections. Eight measures each. Clean. Predictable. Uniform.
But most contemporary songwriting doesn’t follow that structure anymore.
THE PROBLEM WITH COUNTING MEASURES
Not all bars are created equal.
A slow ballad can stretch one measure across several seconds, while an up-tempo piece can fly through multiple measures in the same amount of time.
So two “32-bar cuts” can feel completely different in length, pacing, and impact.
That inconsistency makes bar-counting a weak metric.
WHAT THEY’RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR
When a team says “32 bars,” they’re not asking for a specific number of measures.
They’re asking for a reasonable amount of time.
They want to see enough of your work to understand your voice, your acting, and your storytelling — without losing the flow of the audition.
A MORE USEFUL FRAMEWORK
Think in time, not measures.
A “32-bar cut” is roughly 60–90 seconds.
A “16-bar cut” is roughly 45–60 seconds.
An “8-bar cut” is roughly 20–30 seconds.
A “brief selection” is around 1.5–2 minutes.
A “full song” means just that.
These are guidelines, not exact rules — but they’re far more consistent than counting bars.
BUILD A COMPLETE ARC
The goal isn’t to hit a number. It’s to tell a story.
Your cut should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. A shift. A discovery. A sense of progression.
If you’re cramming yourself into an arbitrary measure count, you risk losing that arc.
RESPECT TIME WITHOUT SHRINKING THE WORK
Yes, you need to be concise. But concise doesn’t mean incomplete.
Your job is to deliver a fully realized moment within the time you’ve been given.
That’s the skill they’re actually assessing.
🥜 IN A NUTSHELL
“32 bars” is shorthand for time, not math. Focus on telling a complete story within the window, not squeezing your work into a number.
