Outstanding resource for the frustrated songwriter
I was under the impression that, because I can write effectively for business, creative or simple communicative purposes, that I'd naturally be great at songwriting. After all, lyrics are the most important part (said my writer-brain). Nope.
After a year of filling notebooks with clever prose that was ultimately nowhere close to fitting any musical composition, I was ready to give up. And I would have, had I not been gifted this book. It starts off with a suggested course of progression through the lessons and the exercises, while assuring you it's not a formulaic method to crank out cookie-cutter songs. I had to laugh at one section's name: YOU DON'T SUCK, I PROMISE. Comical as that is, the author knows that of which he speaks. You not only learn what he teaches, you learn why you'll need it or find it helpful to know. For me personally, I rarely retain any new knowledge or skill without the "why".
The lessons are written and presented with the assumption that you are a complete beginner. This was also tremendously helpful, because all formal music training that I've ever had came before I graduated high school. (Without going into detail, this era was sometime Ice Age and the Reagan administration; I was basically starting fresh.) Back then, "grooves" were not even a musical concept yet.
The chapters cover building-block components such as melodies, hooks, chords, and mining for song ideas (included is a worksheet to refine those ideas once you have them). It also covers reading music, how to understand time signatures, intros & outros, and of course, tying it all together. Exercises along the way encourage creative thinking.
This book is packed with so much information, I bought the ebook last night so it can go with me when I need to travel lightly. (No better place than the road to mine for song ideas, right?)
If you're on the fence about which book will help you be most helpful to you as a budding musician and/or lyricist, I highly recommend this one.
