Songwriting For Dummies®
Table of Contents
Part I: So You Want to Be a Songwriter
Part II: Unleashing the Lyricist in You
Part III: Creating Memorable Music
Part IV: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Community
Part V: Getting Down to Business
Part I: So You Want to Be a Songwriter
Chapter 1: Capturing That Solid-Gold Nugget
Ground Zero — Before You Write a Single Note
Is formal music training a must?
Being prepared when inspiration strikes
Finding you own inner voice and expression
Drip, Drip, Drop: The Six-Step Process
Pay Attention: Stop, Look, and Listen
Coming up with concepts for songs
Setting your antennae to listen for lyrics
On-the-Go Tools of the Trade for Recording and Organizing
Using a digital recording device
Jotting down ideas in a notebook
Chapter 2: Looking at the Genres: From Country to Rock and Everything in Between
Creating Your Own Style: The Singer-Songwriter
Looking for Mainstream Success: Commercial Appeal
R and B, urban, hip-hop, and rap
Seeking a Road Less Travelled: Other Notable Genres
Chapter 3: Working It Out: Getting Your Song into Shape
Learning about the standard form
Taking the standard form further
The verse-chorus form using a pre-chorus
The verse-chorus form using a bridge
The verse-chorus form using both a pre-chorus and a bridge
Part II: Unleashing the Lyricist in You
Chapter 4: Snagging Your Listeners with a Hook
Stocking Your Tackle Box with Hooks
The use of different types of hooks in one song
Having the Right Mindset When Working with Hooks
Chapter 5: Making an Impact with Lyrics
Getting to Know the Different Lyric Types
Chapter 6: Finding Your Voice in the Lyrics
Starting with an idea or concept
Using a melody that suggests a lyric
Finding the Format for Your Lyrics
Paying attention to the rhythm of the words
Paying attention to the sounds of words within a lyric
Noticing a lyric’s point of view
Tuning in to the lyric’s tone and style
Using Poetic Devices in Lyrics
Chapter 7: Using Rhymes in Your Songs
Getting the basics of rhyme structure
Starting with the alternate line method
Looking at other basic rhyming patterns
Trying out trickier forms of rhyme
Using Other Rhyming Techniques in Your Song
Getting it close with near rhymes
Changing pronunciations to help rhyme
Looking at songs with little rhyme
Part III: Creating Memorable Music
Chapter 8: Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Ride
Looking at the Rhythm of Words
Accented and unaccented syllables
Putting Rhythm and Meter to Use in Your Songs
Chapter 9: Making Melody Magic
Exploring the Basics of Melodies in Music
Knowing the power and emotion of a melody
Understanding the basics of a melody
Finding a melody that fits the mood
Finding a melody to fit the genre
Finding the right melody for each section of the song
Chapter 10: Using Chords in Songwriting
Choosing Your Style of Chordal Instruments
Chapter 11: The Cheating Side of Town: Shortcuts and Cool Technologies
Creating Songs Quicker, Better, Easier
Doing stuff quicker with gadgets
Becoming the expert . . . instantly
More tools for making life simpler
Discovering Songwriting Software
Other software and tracking tools
Recording in Your Own Home Studio
Creating commercial-sounding recordings
Part IV: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Community
Chapter 12: Bringing Talent Together: Collaboration and Networking
Finding Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Seeking the Chemistry of Collaborative Songwriting
Making sure you’re in harmony with your team
Collaborating with a band or an artist
Looking at Famous Songwriting Collaborations
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Hanging Out at Writers’ Nights
Joining Songwriting Organizations
Attending Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, and Symposiums
Chapter 13: Online Marketing and Social Networking for Songwriters
Taking advantage of other people’s sites
Locating resource, advice, and information sites
Finding Friends and Building Your Social Networking Community
All-in-one social media networks
Specialty social media networks
Social network sites for indie artists
Online downloading music sites
Putting “Social Skills” into Networking
Connecting to your fan base and others
Expanding your reach worldwide
Chapter 14: Writing for the Stage, Screen, Television, and More
Understanding the role of the music supervisor
Getting to the music supervisors
Understanding the creative side of songwriting for films
Knowing what songs work well in television
Recognizing the exposure value of television
Getting to television music supervisors
Getting your songs placed in commercials
Submitting your songs for musicals
Understanding the creative side of songwriting for musicals
Chapter 15: Getting Your Songs Heard: Making the Demo
Creating a “work tape” demo first
Defining the production components
Deciding what purpose the demo serves
Choosing the number and length of songs
Deciding whether to use musicians or machines
Requesting permission to send a demo
Getting your demo to the right people
Part V: Getting Down to Business
Chapter 16: Creating Goals and Meeting Deadlines
Getting set to write for the first time
Chapter 17: Ka-Ching: How Your Song Makes Money
Joining a Performing Rights Organization
Knowing What Happens When Your Songs Hit the Streets
Using Digital Distribution to Your Advantage
Music sharing sites and services
Using Your Songs to Sell Products
Having Video Games Pay to Play
Chapter 18: Introducing the Business Players
Putting Together Your Winning Team
First Things First: Getting an Attorney on Your Side
Seeing what a good music attorney can do for you
Weighing Your Publishing Options
Working with administration deals
Dealing with foreign sub-publishing
Considering an Independent Song Plugger
Putting a song plugger to work
Considering the advantages of a song plugger
What does an agent do for a songwriter?
You’re in the Money: Hiring an Accountant or a Business Manager
Knowing what a good music accountant or business manager can do for you
Hiring a music accountant or business manager
Chapter 19: Looking at the Legal End: Dealing with Paperwork
Legal Deals: Creating Win-Win Contracts
Understanding different kinds of contracts
Knowing when to put the pen to the paper
Protecting Your Songs with Copyrights
Filling in the Blanks and Being Organized
Using a prospects-and-contacts form
Creating a song-history tracking sheet
Keeping track of your copyright registrations
Chapter 20: Ten Songs You Should Know
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
Chapter 21: Ten Common Song-Related Contracts You Should Know
Exclusive Songwriting Agreement (ESA)