The Songwriting Sourcebook: How to Turn Chords Into Great Songs [With CD]

I didn't touch the cd until after I had read the book. My reasoning wasn't to save the best for last. I just didn't expect to hear anything useful since I would be playing the examples on my keyboard while reading through the topics. I was completely satisfied with what the book alone did for me. I'd been writing for a while and knew much of the information presented already, but what Rooksby did was organize my tool drawer. It's mainly a book on the use of chords as the basis for writing popular songs in any genre, from the most basic to the most colorful. He shows us the resource we have in these chords and how popular songs have used them and will continue to use them. By the end of the book you really feel like writing, because much of the mystery about the craft has been resolved. Then you pop in the cd and listen to no less than "20" beautifully recorded pop tracks(sans vocals) written in various styles which apply the book's teachings. But you aren't just listening. You're following along with the cd section of the book, which shows every chord used and an accounting of every measure in every track recorded, along with comments on the most significant events. I came away with a much greater appreciation of popular song and its potential.

This is the best book I've read on using chords in songs. Without knowing much about chord progressions and harmony, I went to a music teacher for a while who taught me what the basic chords were, but this book really put into place exactly how those chords can be used in a song. This book uses I, IV, V chord type of notation, with the note (like G, F, etc.) written underneath it. I use keyboard and not guitar so the basic chords were fine but some of the notation was a bit more geared for guitar (I think guitar tends to use G where as keyboard is oriented at middle C). Possibly it would have been clearer if they'd had a version of the book geared specifically for keyboard. But none-the-less, this book has been a godsend. I'd been looking for a book like this for a long time, one that explicitly shows you the techniques that popular music has been using for years, techniques that someone like me, who does not come from a musical background, can try out and run with. Again, if you have questions like, what is harmony, what is a relative minor/major, you may want to find out the basics first, but once you know a tiny bit about chords, this book could very well give you a new "aha!" every time you study from it.

If you're using Apple's new (and wonderful) GarageBand, buy this (equally wonderful) book. Rooksby shows virtually every set of chord changes imaginable, explaining when and how you might use them to create your own music. So instead of thrashing around trying to get something that sounds right, you can read Rooksby and understand-and immediately try out-the ideas behind chord changes.With a program like GarageBand, you can, for example, insert a set of loops (like piano, bass, guitar, drums, etc); you then break these loops into bars and transpose each bar so that the loops create a backing of chord changes for a song. (GarageBand makes this about a 10-second task.) Then plug in your guitar or midi keyboard and go nuts playing lead. You'll have a rock solid and very patient backup group behind you.The Roman numeral notation Rooksby uses (and other musical pros also use ) is no longer a bunch of abstractions but real music. And not only is the book's content solid, the writing is clear as a Mile Davis solo. A great job, all around.If you're a musician who doesn't use GarageBand, buy this book anyway if you have the slightest interest in writing songs.

i can't praise rikky's books enough. i have all of them (at least the ones that are still in print). he knows his stuff. get this book, and its companion "how to write songs on guitar", and you're well on your way to making great music. he cites The Smiths and other great bands, in all of his books. now any author who uses the Smiths as an example of songwriting technique is aces in my book. seriously, the amount of knowledge you will get from his books (this one especially) is priceless. you'll never get writer's block again. GET HIS BOOKS. no others come close. -chris