Learning to write songs by reading a book is like learning how to hit a curveball without ever having picked up a bat. It's a huge leap, and until you have your knees buckled by a hardball thrown directly at you, you'll never do it. Same with songwriting. The only way to learn how to write a song is to write a song.
But it certainly can be beneficial to understand some of the do's and the don'ts and to have a general understanding of the rules and formats. If you pick up no other book, open up this one. The author is a published songwriter and knows of what he speaks.
Jason Blume breaks down the songwriting process into six sections:
- Developing successful song structures
- Writing effective lyrics
- Composing memorable melodies
- Producing successful demos
- Taking care of business
- Developing persistence
These are huge overviews, of course, but if you read what he has to say, you'll have a wonderful working knowledge of what it takes to be a writer of songs. Knowing what it takes and having what it takes are two completely different elements - the first part you can learn here; the second part may never be uncovered. But there are terrific guides here about finding catchy song titles, rhyme schemes, changing up rhythm patterns, key words, payoff lines, and tapping into your own creativity.
On paper, writing a song seems as easy as breathing. It's probably one of the most difficult art forms in the world, and only a rare few ever master it. But reading this book is a terrific place to start, and who knows? You may be one of the chosen few.