Songwriting The Words, the Music & the Money

by Weissman, Dick

• ISBN13: 9780634011603
• ISBN10: 063401160X
• Format: Package
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Hal Leonard

Summary

An excellent and essential primer for the aspiring tunesmith, Songwriting: The Words, the Music & Money offers authoritative tips on everything from basic song forms to the hard facts of succeeding in the music business. In between, veteran songwriter Dick Weissman shares his insights into composing effective lyrics, melodies and hooks, as well as detailed breakdowns of every musical style from folk to cabaret to hip hop. The first book on the topic to be accompanied by a CD covering all the musical concepts explored within, this is an invaluable resource for anyone engaged in the serious study of songwriting. No knowledge of musical notation is required.

Author Biography

Dick Weissman is an Associate Professor of Music Business Management at the University of Colorado at Denver, former National Education Coordinator of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, a free-lance composer, record producer, recording artist, and session musician

Table of Contents

Recorded Tracks	p. vi
Preface	p. vii
Introduction: Anyone Can Write a Song	p. viii
Getting Started
Which Comes First, the Words or the Music?	p. 1
Differences Between Songs and Poems	p. 2
Writing Alone or with Collaborators	p. 2
Who Does What in a Collaboration?	p. 3
Developing a Working Relationship with a Collaborator	p. 3
Chapter 1 Resources	p. 4
Form and a Bit of History
The Development of Popular Songs	p. 5
Tin Pan Alley	p. 6
On Broadway	p. 6
BMI, Rock 'n' Roll and the Rise of Country Music	p. 7
Songwriter-Recording Artists	p. 7
Chapter 2 Resources	p. 7
The Form of Popular Music
The A Form	p. 9
Pros and Cons of the A Form	p. 10
Modifications of the A Form: The Refrain and the Hook	p. 10
AB Form, Using the Same Melody for the Verse and Chorus	p. 11
AB Form with Different Melodies	p. 11
The Bridge	p. 12
When Do You Use a Bridge?	p. 12
The Pre-Hook or Climb	p. 13
The Prologue	p. 13
Other Forms: ABCD	p. 13
1 "Won't You Go with Me"	p. 14
Through-Composed Music	p. 14
Intros and Instrumental Hooks	p. 14
Choosing a Form for Your Song	p. 14
Chapter 3 Resources	p. 15
Writing Lyrics
Where Ideas Come From	p. 17
Other Sources	p. 17
Getting Started	p. 18
6 "The Coffee That You Made for Me Is Grounds for Divorce"	p. 19
Another Example of Webbing	p. 19
7 "Risin' Above"	p. 20
Pluses and Minuses of "Method Songwriting"	p. 20
Work Habits	p. 21
Song Types	p. 22
Ballads	p. 22
Power Ballads	p. 22
Story Songs	p. 22
Song Subjects	p. 22
Romance	p. 23
Rap Music Lyrics	p. 23
Rock 'n' Roll	p. 24
Broadway Songs and Standards	p. 24
Movie Songs	p. 24
Children's Songs	p. 25
Latin Music	p. 25
Novelty Songs	p. 25
Holiday and Special Event Songs	p. 25
Contemporary Folk Songs	p. 26
Country Music	p. 26
Jazz	p. 26
Gospel Music and the Christian Market	p. 27
The Influence of Bob Dylan and the Beatles	p. 27
Songs and the Artist's Image	p. 27
Generalizations and Rules	p. 28
Chapter 4 Resources	p. 28
Rhymes, Titles and Hooks
Rhymes	p. 29
2 "Blind Gary"	p. 30
3 "The Eye That Never Sleeps"	p. 30
Positive and Negative Aspects of Rhyme, and Using Rhyming Tools	p. 30
Titles and Hooks	p. 31
Chapter 5 Resources	p. 31
Melodic Invention
Types of Melodies	p. 33
Where Do Melodies Come From?	p. 34
Writing in Your Head, Away from an Musical Instrument	p. 34
Writing with a Musical Instrument	p. 34
Chord Progressions	p. 35
Rhythms	p. 35
What is a Melody, and How Do You Write One	p. 35
5 "On Top of Old Smoky"	p. 35
Other Ways of Inventing Melodies	p. 36
4 "Kentucky"	p. 36
6 "The Coffee That You Made for Me Is Grounds for Divorce"	p. 37
The Difference Between a Melody and an Arrangement	p. 39
7 "Risin' Above"	p. 40
How the Melody Relates to Song Form	p. 41
8 The C Major Scale	p. 42
Other Melody-Writing Devices	p. 42
Chords	p. 43
Chord Progressions and Melodies	p. 43
9 Chord Progression #1: I and V7	p. 43
10 Chord Progression #2: I and VI Minor	p. 44
Chapter 6 Resources	p. 44
Musical Styles and Songwriting
The Blues	p. 45
11 "C Blues Scale"	p. 45
12 "Lookin' for My Baby Blues"	p. 46
Determining Keys and Changing Them	p. 47
Key Identification Chart	p. 47
Keys with Sharps or Flats	p. 48
The Capo (For Guitar Players Only)	p. 48
Folk Songs	p. 49
13 The Modes	p. 49
14 "I Will Never See Her Again"	p. 51
Waltz Time	p. 52
15 "Take This Letter"	p. 52
The High Lonesome Sound	p. 52
16 "Little Maggie"	p. 52
Folk Rock	p. 52
Rock 'n' Roll	p. 53
Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music	p. 53
Soul Music	p. 54
Rap	p. 54
Pop Music	p. 54
Standards	p. 55
Children's Songs	p. 55
17 "Don't Whine"	p. 56
Jazz	p. 58
18 Dixieland Chord Progression	p. 59
Swing	p. 59
Bebop and Beyond	p. 59
Chord Use	p. 60
19 "Goin' Up the Country"	p. 60
Writing from Bass Lines	p. 62
20 "I Want to See You Soon"	p. 62
Power Chords and Partial Chords	p. 63
21 Power Chords	p. 63
Chapter 7 Resources	p. 64
You've Got Rhythm
Accents	p. 65
Cut Time	p. 65
Rhythmic Subtlety	p. 66
22 "Three Blind Mice"	p. 66
23 "Go Tell Aunt Rhody"	p. 66
Drummers and Bass Players	p. 66
Accents	p. 67
Relating Rhythms to Lyrics	p. 67
Relating Rhythms and Melodies	p. 67
24 Syncopation	p. 68
World Music	p. 68
Chapter 8 Resources	p. 68
Putting the Words and Music Together, and the Art of Collaboration
Strategies for Revision	p. 69
Collaboration	p. 70
Modern Collaboration	p. 70
Together or Separately	p. 70
The Business of Collaboration	p. 70
Demos	p. 71
Producers and Artists as Collaborators	p. 71
Band Collaborations	p. 71
Matters of Personal Style	p. 72
Chapter 9 Resources	p. 72
Keeping the Flame Alive
Doing Nothing	p. 73
Musical Changes	p. 73
Rethinking Lyrics	p. 74
Collaborators and Ruts	p. 74
Can You Do Anything if Nothing Works?	p. 74
Exercises, Rhyming Dictionaries, Using a Thesaurus	p. 74
Other Lyric-Writing Exercises	p. 75
Melody-Writing Exercises	p. 75
Goal Setting	p. 75
Listening to Others	p. 76
Chapter 10 Resources	p. 76
Instrumental Music: The Piano
Reading Music	p. 77
25 The Piano	p. 78
26 Chord Inversions	p. 79
The Purpose of Inversions	p. 80
The Left Hand	p. 80
27 Suspensions	p. 80
Suspended Seconds	p. 80
28 "Boogie-Woogie"	p. 81
Chords Without Thirds	p. 81
29 "Hollow Ground"	p. 81
New Age Music	p. 81
30 "Medium Age"	p. 82
Pedal Points	p. 83
31 Many Pedals	p. 83
Technology and Keyboards: Sequencers, Samplers, Drum Machines and MIDI	p. 84
Chapter 11 Resources	p. 84
Technology and MIDI
MIDI and the Songwriter	p. 85
Songwriting and Sequencers	p. 85
The Clock	p. 86
MIDI Tracks	p. 87
How Synthesizers Evolved	p. 87
Hard Disk Recording	p. 88
Music Notation Programs	p. 88
Technology and the Songwriter	p. 89
Chapter 12 Resources	p. 89
Songwriting and Melody Writing with the Guitar
Types of Guitars	p. 91
32 "Wide Open"	p. 92
Thumb Alone	p. 92
33 Thumb and the Index Finger	p. 92
Doubling the Index	p. 92
34 Bass Rumble	p. 92
35 The Arpeggio	p. 93
36 Travis Picking (Fingerpicking)	p. 93
37 Travising Light	p. 94
38 Latin American Styles	p. 95
Pick-Style Guitar	p. 95
39 "Green Scene"	p. 95
The Blues	p. 96
41 Tunings and Slide Guitar	p. 96
40 "Milwaukee Blues"	p. 96
42 Rock Guitar Improv	p. 97
43 Power Chords	p. 97
Improvising	p. 98
Chapter 13 Resources	p. 98
Putting It All Together: The Song and the Demo
Collaboration as the Glue to Bind a Song	p. 99
Writing for the Market	p. 100
Beware of the Editor and the Critic	p. 100
For and Against Editing	p. 100
Demos	p. 101
Making the Demo	p. 101
Budgets	p. 101
Chapter 14 Resources	p. 102
The Money: Sources of Income
Where the Money Comes From	p. 103
Mechanicals	p. 104
Performance Royalties	p. 104
How Performance Income Works	p. 105
Which Performing Rights Group Should I Join?	p. 105
Synchronization Rights	p. 106
Print Rights	p. 106
Grand Rights	p. 107
Etc.	p. 107
Chapter 15 Resources	p. 107
Music Publishers
What Publishers Do	p. 109
Do You Need a Publisher?	p. 110
Staff Deals	p. 110
Is There a Downside to Having a Publisher?	p. 110
Reversion Clauses	p. 111
The Bottom Line	p. 111
Finding a Publisher	p. 111
Song Sharks	p. 112
Copyrighting Your Song	p. 113
Are There Other Forms of Copyright?	p. 114
Can I Use a Tiny Bit of Another Song?	p. 114
Sampling	p. 114
Infringements and Lawsuits	p. 114
Copublishing	p. 114
Administering the Copyright	p. 115
Administration Deals	p. 115
What's the Best Deal?	p. 115
Chapter 16 Resources	p. 116
Operating Your Own Music Publishing Company
Where to Start	p. 117
Keeping Records	p. 117
How to Pitch Songs to an Artist or Producer	p. 118
Professionalism	p. 118
Company Names	p. 118
The Nature of Holds	p. 119
Matching Songs with Artists	p. 119
Attorneys	p. 119
Demos	p. 119
Vocal and Instrumental Performances	p. 120
Demo Services	p. 120
Demo Payments	p. 120
Do You Still Want to Do This?	p. 120
Chapter 17 Resources	p. 120
Putting It All Together
Combining the Words and the Music	p. 121
Combining Careers as a Writer and an Artist	p. 121
The Economic Imperative	p. 122
Another Strategy	p. 122
Other Advantages of Band Membership	p. 122
Cowriting as an Economic Imperative	p. 123
Points of View and the Question of Autobiography	p. 123
Creativity and Writing Style	p. 123
Eliminating Barriers	p. 124
Mood	p. 124
Coded Messages and Multi-Level Writing	p. 124
The Confusion of Artistry and Commerciality	p. 125
Taste and Cliches	p. 125
Chapter 18 Resources	p. 126
What Others Do: Developing Your Analytical Skills
Fake Books	p. 127
What Can You Learn?	p. 127
Country Music	p. 128
Pop Standards	p. 128
44 "Soon You Will Be Comin' Back to Me"	p. 129
Rock 'n' Roll	p. 130
45 "Cry Love"	p. 131
46 "Like You Never"	p. 131
Funk and Soul	p. 132
Folk	p. 132
Rap	p. 132
Unclassified	p. 133
The Intelligence Factor	p. 133
Instrumental Music	p. 133
47 "Pioneer Nights"	p. 134
Jazz	p. 134
Chapter 19 Resources	p. 134
More Opportunities and Resources for Songwriters
Songwriters' Organizations	p. 135
Song Critiques	p. 135
What to Expect	p. 135
Local Songwriting Organizations	p. 136
The Downside	p. 136
Regional Music Conferences	p. 137
Critiquing Services	p. 137
Songwriting Contests	p. 137
Is There an Upside?	p. 138
Decisions	p. 138
Other Opportunities for Songwriters	p. 138
Playing Opportunities	p. 138
Recording	p. 138
Jingles	p. 138
Division of Labor	p. 139
Video Games, Slide Shows, Library Music and Local Cable TV	p. 139
Record Production	p. 139
Movies	p. 140
Lawyers	p. 140
Seminars and Classes	p. 140
Chapter 20 Resources	p. 140
Chapter 21
Conclusion	p. 141
Chapter 21 Resources	p. 141
Appendix
A Brief Guide to Musical Notation	p. 143
The Musical Staff	p. 143
Sharps and Flats	p. 143
Rhythm	p. 144
48 Chord Progressions	p. 144
Other Musical Resources	p. 145
Poetry, Rhymes and Lyrics	p. 146
Poetry Books	p. 147
Rhyming Dictionaries	p. 147
The Business of Songwriting and Music Publishing	p. 147
Comprehensive Books About Songwriting	p. 148
History of Songwriting and Music Publishing	p. 149
Other Useful Books	p. 149
Additional Books About the Business of Songwriting	p. 149
Other Resources: Fake Books, Magazines, Etc.	p. 150
Performing Rights Organizations	p. 150
Index	p. 151
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