Songwriting For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	How This Book Is Organized
		Part 1: So You Want to Be a Songwriter
		Part 2: Unleashing the Lyricist in You
		Part 3: Creating Memorable Music
		Part 4: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Community
		Part 5: Getting Down to Business
		Part 6: The Part of Tens
	Icons Used in This Book
	Where to Go from Here
	Beyond the Book
Part 1 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
			Creating the mood
		Drip, Drip, Drop: The Six-Step Process
		Pay Attention: Stop, Look, and Listen
			Finding the inspiration zone
			Coming up with concepts for songs
			Setting your antennae to listen for lyrics
			Making up music “dummy” style
		On-the-Go Tools of the Trade for Recording and Organizing
			Using a digital recording device
			Jotting down ideas in a notebook
		Practice Makes Perfect
	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
			Rock
			Pop
			R&B, urban, hip-hop, and rap
			Country
		Seeking a Road Less Travelled: Other Notable Genres
			Christian
			Gospel
			Blues and folk
			Jazz
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 3 Working It Out: Getting Your Song into Shape
		Talking Shop about Song Form
		Dealing with Verses
			The single-verse form
			The two-verse form
			The “Standard” Form
			Learning about the standard form
			Taking the standard form further
		The Verse-Chorus Form
			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
		Practice Makes Perfect
Part 2 Unleashing the Lyricist in You
	Chapter 4 Snagging Your Listeners with a Hook
		Stocking Your Tackle Box with Hooks
			The melodic hook
			The lyrical hook
			The musical hook
			The rhythmic hook
			The sound-effect hook
		The use of different types of hooks in one song
		Having the Right Mindset When Working with Hooks
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 5 Making an Impact with Lyrics
		Getting to Know the Different Lyric Types
			Concept-driven lyrics
			Storytelling Lyrics
			Love song lyrics
			Lyrics that make a statement
			Novelty and humorous lyrics
			Parody lyrics
			Inspirational lyrics
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 6 Finding Your Voice in the Lyrics
		Writing a Great Lyric
			Starting with a title
			Starting with an idea or concept
			Telling a story
			Using a melody that suggests a lyric
		Finding the Format for Your Lyrics
			Verse lyrics
			Pre-chorus lyrics
			Chorus lyrics
			Bridge lyrics
		Moving Beyond Format to Sound
			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
			Getting some perspective
			Tuning in to the lyric’s tone and style
		Using Poetic Devices in Lyrics
			Using repetition
			Examining poetic devices
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 7 Using Rhymes in Your Songs
		Identifying the Rhyme
			Getting the basics of rhyme structure
			Starting with the alternate line method
			Looking at other basic rhyming patterns
			Trying out trickier forms of rhyme
			Adding internal rhyme
		Using Other Rhyming Techniques in Your Song
			Working with perfect rhymes
			Getting it close with near rhymes
			Working backwards with rhyme
			Changing pronunciations to help rhyme
			Rhyming across verses
		To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?
			Looking at songs with little rhyme
			Bringing it all together
		Practice Makes Perfect
Part 3 Creating Memorable Music
	Chapter 8 Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Ride
		Looking at the Rhythm of Words
			Accented and unaccented syllables
			Syllable length
		Looking at the Meter of Music
			Placing beats in a bar
			Applying notes to common time
		Putting Rhythm and Meter to Use in Your Songs
		Songwriting with Syncopation
		Practice Makes Perfect
	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 your melody
		Making a Song More Memorable
			Finding a melody that fits the mood
			Finding a melody to fit the genre
			Finding the right melody for each section of the song
			Evaluating your melody magic
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 10 Using Chords in Songwriting
		Using Chords to Write Songs
			Getting started with chords
			Moving forward with chords
		Choosing Your Style of Chordal Instruments
			Picking the guitar
			Pecking at the keyboard
		Practice Makes Perfect
	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
			Need rhyming software?
			Other software and tracking tools
		Recording in Your Own Home Studio
			Creating commercial-sounding recordings
			Finding the deals and techies
		Old School vs. Home Schooled
			Instrument playing: 101
			Is it live or is it Memorex?
			Virtual song recordings
Part 4 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
			Finding strength in numbers
			Collaborating with a band or an artist
			Collaborating with a script
			Collaborating with yourself
		Dividing Up the Credits
			The Nashville method
			The honor system
			The Spinal Tap system
		Looking at Famous Songwriting Collaborations
			John Lennon and Paul McCartney
			Burt Bacharach and Hal David
			Bernie Taupin and Elton John
		Networking for Songwriters
			Hanging Out at Writers’ Nights
			Joining Songwriting Organizations
		Attending Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, and Symposiums
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 13 Online Marketing and Social Networking for Songwriters
		Playing Internet Roulette
			Creating your own website
			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
			Mobile device networking
		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
		Songwriting for Film
			Understanding the role of the music supervisor
			Getting to the music supervisors
			Understanding the creative side of songwriting for films
		Songwriting for Television
			Knowing what songs work well in television
			Recognizing the exposure value of television
			Getting to television music supervisors
		Songwriting for Commercials
			Writing jingles from scratch
			Getting your songs placed in commercials
		Songwriting for Video Games
		Songwriting for Musicals
			Submitting your songs for musicals
			Understanding the creative side of songwriting for musicals
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 15 Getting Your Songs Heard: Making the Demo
		Evaluating Your Options
			Creating a “work tape” demo first
			Defining the production components
			Deciding what purpose the demo serves
			Knowing the competition
		Paying Attention to Details
			Picking your format
			Choosing the number and length of songs
			Keeping it simple
		Picking the Players
			Deciding whether to use musicians or machines
			Deciding who is going to sing
		Making an Arrangement
			Creating a chart
			Using an arranger
		Recording the Demo
			Deciding where to record
			Paying for the demo
		Packaging the Demo
			Including contact information
			Requesting permission to send a demo
			Making a lyric sheet
		Sending that Baby Out!
			Getting your demo to the right people
			Following up
Part 5 Getting Down to Business
	Chapter 16 Creating Goals and Meeting Deadlines
		Creating Goals
			Getting set to write for the first time
			Venturing out with your songs
			Setting goals as a pro
		Meeting Deadlines
		Practice Makes Perfect
	Chapter 17 Ka-Ching: How Your Song Makes Money
		Forecasting Financials
			Sources of income
			Splittin’ up the pie
		Joining a Performing Rights Organization
			ASCAP
			BMI
			SESAC
		Knowing What Happens When Your Songs Hit the Streets
			Mechanical royalties
			The compulsory license
			Synchronization royalties
		Using Digital Distribution to Your Advantage
			Music sharing sites and services
			MobileTones and ringtones
		Using Your Songs to Sell Products
		Making Money in the Movies
		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
			Hiring your music attorney
		Weighing Your Publishing Options
			Co-publishing deals
			Being your own publisher
			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
		Using a Manager or an Agent
			Do I need a manager?
			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
			Finding resources in a hurry
		Protecting Your Songs with Copyrights
			Rounding up the right forms
			Filling out Form PA
			Using the copyright notice
		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
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 20 Ten Songs You Should Know
		“Hey Jude”
		“Bohemian Rhapsody”
		“What’s Going On”
		“Yesterday”
		“God Only Knows”
		“Imagine”
		“Satisfaction”
		“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
		“Like a Rolling Stone”
		“Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
	Chapter 21 Ten Common Song-Related Contracts You Should Know
		Single-Song Agreement
		Exclusive Songwriting Agreement (ESA)
		Copyright Assignment
		Co-Publishing Agreement
		Administration Agreement
		Sub-Publishing Agreement
		Performing Rights Society Affiliation Agreement
		Mechanical License
		Synchronization License
		Digital Licenses
Index
EULA