Most of John Philip Sousa's compositions fall under a relatively standard march form:
| Introduction | A brief and energetic introduction. Chromaticism is common here as the key is established. |
| First Strain | This is the first of three "strains," or verses, each with a different melody. It is often played soft the first time and loud the second time. |
| Second Strain | The second verse of the march. |
| Trio | The "trio" usually refers to thinning of the texture to three parts, creating a concertino within the ensemble. The trio is usually very soft. There is almost always a key change here, moving up a fourth. |
| Third Strain | The third strain is often in binary form with a fanfare introduction and then a main melody, which is usually performed soft the first time and strong the second time. |
Marches often end with a repetition of the final chord, called a "stinger."
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