The Billboard Guide to Writing and Producing Songs that Sell unveils the secrets to climbing the charts and reaching success in today’s ultracompetitive music industry. Eric Beall supplies his firsthand knowledge of today’s record business, as well as interviews with successful writers, producers, and executives from the worlds of pop, hip-hop, country, adult contemporary, and R&B. The result: a proven approach to constructing songs that open doors, create careers, and communicate to listeners around the world. Key areas explored include: •How does a song become a hit? •What makes a song a single? •Is there a formula for creating a hit? Fun and practical exercises provide opportunities to hone skills and expose specific talents, helping songwriters combine their unique voices to the demands of the commercial marketplace. Filled with fresh ideas that will spark beginners and veterans alike, this book will lead the way toward the industry’s ultimate challenge: the creation of that chart-topping hit song.

Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Marcia Ball, Tish Hinojosa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lyle Lovett...the list of popular songwriters from Texas just goes on and on. In this collection of thirty-four interviews with these and other songwriters, Kathleen Hudson pursues the stories behind the songs, letting the singers' own words describe where their songs come from and how the diverse, eclectic cultures, landscapes, and musical traditions of Texas inspire the creative process. Conducted in dance halls, dressing rooms, parking lots, clubs-wherever the musicians could take time to tell their stories-the interviews are refreshingly spontaneous and vivid. Hudson draws out the songwriters on such topics as the sources of their songs, the influence of other musicians on their work, the progress of their careers, and the nature of Texas music. Many common threads emerge from these stories, while the uniqueness of each songwriter becomes equally apparent. To round out the collection, Hudson interviews Larry McMurtry and Darrell Royal for their perspectives as longtime friends and fans of Texas musicians. She also includes a brief biography and discography of each songwriter.

A guidebook designed to inspire rock guitarists as they compose original music. Written in a straightforward, engaging style, the book aims to enhance creativity by both introducing traditional song structure and exploring the approach of rock innovators who adapt, bend, and disregard the "rules" as they see fit. Most important, each chapter provides a series of exercises designed to spark the imagination of players as they compose their own dynamic, inventive songs.

Finally—the first songwriting guide to the most popular music genre in history! Written by a professional songwriter, The Art of Writing Love Songs provides inspiration to anyone seeking to write captivating songs about the most enduring musical subject of all. Readers will discover how to express their feelings in lyrics, master a wide scope of emotions and moods, choose an appropriate musical style, and craft beautiful songs that will woo any audience. This user-friendly guide presents technical information with precision, yet wrapped in a conversational, personal tone that’s entertaining and easy to read. Packed with references to favorite hit songs, this must-have guide enables songwriters and musicians to understand and express love in a whole new way.

You want to write songs, and you want to write them on guitar. This updated twentieth-anniversary third edition of the bestselling songwriting handbook shows you how. Learn the techniques and tricks used in two thousand great songs by everyone from the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie to Kings of Leon, U2, Amy Winehouse, and Ed Sheeran. Explore and understand the four main elements of a song—melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics—and learn how to use them in exciting new ways. Master song structure, intros, bridges, chord sequences, and key changes. Make the most of your guitar, with innovative chords, scales, modes, tunings, and recording techniques. Use the skills and insights of the great songwriters to create better, more memorable songs. The book gives many examples of classic chord sequences that can be used straight off the page. It explains the basic architecture of most songs. It contains an effective two-part chord dictionary for guitar, providing a set of basic shapes. A second section provides some chords for altered tunings. There are some examples of finger-picking patterns and strumming rhythms. There are chapters on lyric writing, rhythm, melody, and making a demo recording. There are inspirational quotes from famous songwriters, and a gallery of thirty notable albums from which much can be learned. It is everything you need to get started.

Write Songs Right Now is a hands-on, step-by-step guide to creating original pop songs—an approach that has been road-tested by thousands of Alex’s students and coaching clients in New York City, some of whom have gone on to achieve great success. With insight, enthusiasm, and humor, Alex guides listeners through the process of brainstorming for ideas, crafting effective lyrics, and putting those lyrics to music. Whether you’ve written one song or one hundred, this audiobook will show you how to take your songwriting to new levels. Each chapter lays out the basics of a different element of songwriting, including song form, lyrics, melodies, chord construction, song dynamics, and the essential ingredients of a killer hook. There are lots of fun exercises to strengthen your songwriting muscles and increase your confidence. Alex also encourages up-and-coming writers to participate in songwriting communities locally and online, and makes a strong case for collaborating as a way to generate even better material.