The Songwriter's Workshop: Melody Book/Online Audio

by Jimmy Kachulis

Overview

(Berklee Press). Spark your imagination with hundreds of creative songwriting techniques! This hands-on guide provides lessons on how to write innovative songs, based on popular songwriting courses at Berklee College of Music. Whether you're a beginning songwriter who can't read a note of music, or an experienced professional looking for new ideas, this book will provide new insight into your craft; it teaches the fundamental techniques behind today's hit songs, together with easy-to-follow exercises so you can immediately apply these tools to your own art. This book comes with access to online audio recordings so you can practice your songs with accompaniment, even if you can't play an instrument.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780634026591
Publisher:	Hal Leonard Corporation
Publication date:	01/01/2003
Series:	Songwriting and Lyrics Series
Edition description:	Book & CD
Pages:	170
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 12.00(h) x 0.40(d)

Table of Contents

	CD Tracks	v
	Overview: The Songwriter's Workshop	ix
	Notes and Chords Used in This Book	xiii
Unit I.	Rhythm	1
A.	Ideas	2
Lesson 1.	Note Lengths	3
Lesson 2.	Phrase Lengths and Space	5
Lesson 3.	Phrase Beginnings and Stressed Words	8
Lesson 4.	Phrase Endings	11
Lesson 5.	Ending Titles on the Downbeat	13
B.	Song Sections	15
Lesson 6.	Exact Repetition	16
Lesson 7.	Varied Repetition	18
Lesson 8.	Internal Repetition	20
Lesson 9.	Contrasting Ideas	22
Lesson 10.	Number of Phrases	24
Lesson 11.	Contrasting Sections	29
Unit II.	Melody On Chords	33
A.	Ideas	34
Lesson 12.	One Chord Tone	35
Lesson 13.	Neighbor Notes	37
Lesson 14.	Two Chord Tones	40
Lesson 15.	Passing Notes	42
Lesson 16.	Arpeggios	44
Lesson 17.	Scales	47
B.	Song Sections	49
Lesson 18.	Keep the Rhythm, Change the Shape	50
Lesson 19.	Repetition	52
Lesson 20.	Sequence	54
Lesson 21.	Inversion	56
Lesson 22.	Shorten the Motive	58
Lesson 23.	Lengthen the Motive	60
Lesson 24.	Contrasting Sections	62
Unit III.	Melody Across Chord Changes	65
A.	Ideas	66
Lesson 25.	Connecting Chords	67
Lesson 26.	In-Sync Phrasing	69
Lesson 27.	Out-of-Sync Phrasing	71
Lesson 28.	Longer Melody Phrasing	73
Lesson 29.	Major Melodic Cadences	75
Lesson 30.	Minor Melodic Cadences	78
B.	Song Sections	80
Lesson 31.	Verse/Refrain Song Form	81
Lesson 32.	Verse/Chorus Song	83
Lesson 33.	Verse/Prechorus/Chorus Song	85
Unit IV.	Melody Over Chord Changes	89
A.	Ideas	90
Lesson 34.	Major Pentatonic on One Chord	91
Lesson 35.	Major Blues	94
Lesson 36.	Major Blues Over Progressions	97
Lesson 37.	Minor Pentatonic Scale	100
Lesson 38.	Minor Blues	103
Lesson 39.	Mixolydian Melody	106
Lesson 40.	Dorian Melody	109
B.	Song Sections	112
Lesson 41.	Major Blues Song	113
Lesson 42.	Mixolydian Song	117
Lesson 43.	Dorian Song	120
Unit V.	Melody Against Bass Lines and Riffs	123
A.	Ideas	124
Lesson 44.	Parallel Motion	125
Lesson 45.	Similar Motion	127
Lesson 46.	Oblique Motion	129
Lesson 47.	Contrary Motion Against a Bass Line	132
B.	Song Sections	134
Lesson 48.	Different Bass in Verse and Chorus	135
Lesson 49.	Same Bass in Verse and Chorus	137
Lesson 50.	Riff-Based Songs	139
Appendix	Scales	143
	What Next?	154