How to Write Chord Sequences: A Harmony Sourcebook for Songwriters

by Rikky Rooksby

Overview

Originally published in 2003, the revised and updated third edition of The Songwriting Sourcebook is the third entry in Rikky Rooksby's bestselling How to Write Songs series. This easy-to-use book will help you write better songs by explaining the art of writing effective chord sequences. It shows:

• How three and four chords can lay the foundation for a simple song, and how to move on to progressions using five and six chords

• How to give your chord sequences additional color by adding chords that are not strictly in key, including blues chords

• How to write chord sequences for songs in minor keys as well as major keys, and how to take progressions into new territories by changing key

• How to fine-tune the color of your chords by understanding the emotional potential of sevenths, sixths and ninths

All examples come with easy-to-read guitar chord boxes, and the accompanying tracks feature original recordings that illustrate key points made in the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493065387
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/01/2022
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Rikky Rooksby is a composer, songwriter, guitar teacher, and writer. He is the author of Backbeat’s bestselling How to Write Songs series, which includes How to Write Songs on Guitar, Riffs, and Chordmaster, along with many other books about popular music.

Table of Contents

Preface to the third edition 7

How to use this book 9

Introduction 11

Section 1 The three-chord song 22

Section 2 The four-chord song 51

Section 3 Songs with five and six chords 84

Section 4 Adding flat-degree chords 92

Section 5 Reverse polarity-playing with majors and minors 110

Section 6 Songs in minor keys 119

Section 7 Chord types and expression 133

Section 8 Writing songs that change key 154

Section 9 A miscellany of techniques 174

Section 10 A guide to the audio material 197

Appendix 1 Guitar chord dictionary 215

Appendix 2 Reference tables 223

Appendix 3 Twenty song structures 226

Appendix 4 Checklist of techniques 227

Appendix 5 Glossary of terms 228

Acknowledgments 232