Songwriting for Dummies | 
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| Authors: Jim Peterik, Dave Austin, Mary Ellen Bickford
Publisher: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $21.99
Buy New: $11.74
You Save: $10.25 (47%)
New (49) Used (12) Collectible (1) from $11.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 28572
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 360
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9
ISBN: 0764554042
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.4213
UPC: 785555086364
EAN: 9780764554049
ASIN: 0764554042
Publication Date: August 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new, never opened, in stock in our warehouse, and ships right now.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Want to know how to make it as a songwriter? Songwriting For Dummies gives you a chance to learn from the best. Performer, songwriter Jim Peterik is a 35-year veteran in the business and author of dozens of top-40 hits, including “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You” “Rocking Into the Night,” “High On You,” “I Can’t Hold Back,” “Is This Love,” “Burning Heart,” and “The Search is Over.” Dave Austin is CEO of Transcension Music Group. He’s produced and promoted some of the greatest talent in the industry, including Carlos Santana, Eddie Money, REO Speedwagon, and Queen. And Mary Ellen Bickford has been involved in music and film production for more than two decades. Whether you’re a first-time songwriter or songwriting vet looking for a fast-track into the recording industry, this friendly, easy-to-follow guide is the source for you. Using well-known tunes as examples, the authors walk you through everything you need to know to: - Choose a musical style
- Develop a song idea
- Compose high-impact lyrics
- Create melodies that are memorable
- Use rhyme and rhythm
- Understand song from, from blues to jingles
- Create a demo and shop it around
- Find an agent and publisher
- Find and work with collaborators
From assessing your strengths and weaknesses as a songwriter to signing contracts, Songwriting For Dummies covers all the bases. Among other key topics, you’ll explore: - Various song forms, including the AABA form and various ABAB forms
- Snagging your listeners with a lyrical, melodic, musical, rhythmic, or sound-effect hook, or a combination of hooks
- Concept-driven, story-telling, parody, love and other types of lyrics
- Using rhythm, melody, and chords in writing songs
- Rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, and many other song styles
- Writing songs for stage, screen and TV
- The business end—from putting together a business team to getting a lawyer and an accountant to finding a publisher
Whether you want to know how to compose a love song for that special someone, or you’re looking break into the industry, big-time, Songwriting For Dummies is a gold mine of inspiration and how-to information.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Song Writing for Dummies November 9, 2006
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
It's okay for lyric writing, but it is not really what I had hoped for. It's okay, but not the best reference for music students.
 A Book Written by Dummies November 2, 2006
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
This book should have been entitled how to sell your song writing professionally. This book has little to do with creating or writing music. The title is very misleading and I feel like I just flushed a wad of hard earned money down the toilet. About the only thing useful in this book is some of the information on how to get your music noticed and circulated, which doesn't interest me since I have no ambition to become a professional musician.
Nice book. August 9, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you write any type of music, get this, sit down with pen & pad, and enjoy yourself. There are helpful tips and lessons to keep you absorbed and hungry for more.
 Very useful book September 26, 2005
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
Interesting, useful, well done. If you are iterested in songwriting this is an indispensable tool; doesn't matter if you know nothing about music theory. Don't miss it.
Smart Book for the Songwriting 'Dummie' December 9, 2004
27 out of 29 found this review helpful
I bought this book when a musician friend recommended it to me. As someone who writes lyrics and who doesn't have even the most basic knowledge of musical terminology, I was looking for something that wasn't too technical and something that wouldn't completely confuse me when I tried to read it. This book definitely fit the bill.
Songwriting for Dummies isn't perfect. It could have done without all the self-promotion of Survivor and 38 Special and it could have done with more late '60s, early '70s music. I was disappointed to find that Stevie Nicks was mentioned in connection with "Bootylicious." Plus, the more technical explanations of writing music caused me to skim over a couple of the chapters. But the overall package gave me what I was looking for.
Despite going through a long period when I would start reading a book, put it down and then forget about it, I concentrated on reading this book and finished it in a matter of days. I enjoyed picking it up and reading it and going back over certain chapters again when necessary.
If you want to find a book that covers chord progressions in great detail, this book isn't for you, but if you want something that touches on the basics of lyrics and melodies, plus gives you an example of the kind of artist rights issues many songwriters face, this is a good reference.
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