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Product Description
Product Description
Here are 126 Shortcuts that will take your songs from good to great! Discover the melody and lyric writing techniques of today's top songwriters and learn how you can use the very same secrets to give your songs the power and edge that will make listeners want to hear them over and over again. You'll learn... 38 proven strategies for creating powerful, unforgettable lyrics, 30 simple ways to make your melody fresh, exciting, and memorable, how to use hit songs as "ghost songs" to get quick results. Plus, there are 58 more Shortcuts to help you lay the groundwork, pick the perfect structure, and choose the chords that will give your songs even more hit potential. And there are more than 100 "Do It Now" exercises to get you started right away! "For people serious about writing great songs, it's got it all!" -- Kara DioGuardi, BMI "Songwriter of the Year," American Idol judge.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Really Good Book But a Bit Over Priced,
By
This review is from: Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell (Paperback)
I've read MANY songwriting books over the years. My thinking has been, if reading a book can inspire me or help me to write one "good" song then the time spent (or the cost to buy) was worth it. This book is very well written, easy to read, and definitely made me want to tweak some of my songs.
The focus of this book is writing songs for TODAY's market, and a strength of this book is that is cites so many hit songs from the past 10 years or so, from various popular genres. The author is not saying today's songs are better or more creative than in the past (I for one don't believe they are), she's just being realistic that if you want your songs to sell you have to write for a contemporary market audience. So, you're not going to learn anything about chord substitutions here! My own criticisms of the book (which may not apply to anyone else) are as follows: 1) It was considerably more expensive than many or most other songwriting books, even though it is not a very thick book; 2) There's so much repetition that there's nowhere near 126 techniques (probably only about 40, and they can all be found in most other books); 3) The book starts off too simple and takes quite a while to get to the "meat and potatoes" parts. On the other hand: 1) It is rather concise compared to other books, and it does a good job of weeding out a lot of useless stuff or theorizing and keeping it down to practical stuff only; 2) It does a better job than most books in explaining those same techniques, keeping it short and inspiring/convincing the reader to use the techniques right away; 3) Most people reading/buying this book will be writing simple songs anyways, nothing too jazzy, no song cycles, etc. so the simple parts may be more beneficial to them. There's a lot of personal opinion here. Overall, I'd say that if I only kept 1 book on songwriting from all those I've read or owned, this one would be the one (so far).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (57 customer reviews) 25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The BEST book on songwriting!,
By Brad Stewart - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell (Paperback)
I've read a lot of songwriting books and I learned more in this one than all the other ones combined. The author has a knack for explaining things really clearly, and she breaks down the craft of songwriting into digestible "shortcuts." What really sets this songwriting book apart are the "Do it Now" exercises at the end of each section, where you get to try a real hands-on application of what you just read. It's a fun read too...the author manages to be entertaining and funny while teaching you everything you need to know to write a hit song. If you're a songwriter or want to be one, this is a must-read!
89 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ignores pertinent reality,
By J. C. "Buggyhair" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell (Paperback)
I don't have a huge problem with this book if it's useful to you and you have some fun playing with it. The real problem I have with it is that it sweeps under the rug the realities of the current state of the major labels and radio. Both are dying industries that are on life support because they've long ignored the needs and desires of their audience. They've evolved from being businesses built by music people for music fans into corporations run by accountants and lawyers for stockholders, where the "product" is treated no differently than mass-produced widgets.
Books like this are all about pleasing the accountants and lawyers who pay off radio conglomerates to play whatever they're peddling this minute, and not pleasing the real audience who hungers for quality music of the kind they're not getting from the rusty dinosaurs who run the traditional music business. You have other options now. If you write great songs and you can get them in front of audiences, no matter how small you start out, you can make a living in music without ever getting on the radio. Thousands of people are doing it. Only a few are doing it the old-fashioned, traditional way that's being described in this book and other books like it. And if country or pre-adolescent pop isn't your genre, your chances of being a "hit" songwriter with a sustainable career in the traditional music business is worse than your chance of being hit by lightning. I'm not here to rain on anyone's dream. Just the opposite. I'm telling you there are actually more ways to make a living writing music now than there were when the corporate gatekeepers held all the cards. If you're reading this book to "get rich" in songwriting, you're barking up the wrong tree. Concentrate on writing great songs, not "hit" songs. Do something you can be proud of AND that pays the bills, not spinning your wheels and shortening your career by rewriting the latest Ke$ha song that will be irrelevant 5 minutes from now. Above all, write for people who love music and want to hear great songs and get those songs out to any audience you can find. If your songs are truly special, that audience will grow and find you. That's the way all of the greats have done it, and still do, not by pandering to the lowest common denominator on the radio. Read this book for the tips and the exercises, and keep in mind that you can succeed in the new reality, but not by chasing "hits" in a world that doesn't exist anymore. 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take your songs to the next level!,
By Allen De Somer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell (Paperback)
Here's a good question: why buy a book on songwriting? I'm willing to bet that most of your answers will fall into one of two categories: 1) you're a beginner who wants to learn where to start, or 2) you are a songwriter who strives to improve their craft. Regardless of your answer, this book is for you! With 126 practical songwriting tips and loads of valuable exercises, Robin Frederick has succeeded in creating a powerful book designed to help you achieve your songwriting goals.
This inspiring and informative book is not meant to stay on the bookshelf. It is an efficient, fun to use tool that is meant to be used-used-used! You'll learn techniques used by successful songwriters, and Robin's writing style is so enthusiastic you'll believe you can do it too. What's more, throughout the book you'll be encouraged to "Do It Now"! A unique feature of the book is that it can be read in any order. Reading forward, backward, or inside out, you can quickly find something to improve and energize your songwriting skills. This book was truly written and organized with the creative mind in mind. Because the information is so on-the-mark, it is easy to feel confident that Robin Frederick knows what she's talking about, and this trust factor really helps the learning process. And speaking of easy: I tell my friends this book is so user-friendly you can feel the life jumping off the page! I predict that it'll be hard to resist the urge to write a song after holding this book in your hands for only a few minutes. I can't speak more highly of this honest, straight-shooting book. If you dive in with real determination, you'll come out soaked with all the ideas, skills, and energy you need to take your songs to the next level. |
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