Chord Progressions For Songwriters [Paperback]

Richard Scott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 2003

Each chapter of Chord Progressions For Songwriters provides a comprehensive self-contained lesson on one of twenty-one popular chord progressions that every songwriter should know inside and out.Lessons cover ascending, basic (I-IV), blues, circle (VI-II-V-I), classic rock (I-bVII-IV), combination, descending, doo-wop (I-VIm-IV-V), ending, flamenco (Im-bVII-bVI-V), folk (I-V), introduction, jazz (IIm-V-I), minor blues, one-chord, pedal point, rock and roll (I-IV-V), standard (I-VIm-IIm-V), and turnaround progressions as well as rhythm and Coltrane changes.You will learn how key, duration, substitution, variation (adding or subtracting chords), and displacement (rearranged chord orders) are used to vary the sound of each progression. You will also take a look at the authors songwriters notebook and work through exercises to reinforce key chapter concepts and get you started building your own progressions.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Scott is a singer/songwriter with a degree in education. He is also the owner/webmaster of MoneyChords.com, a popular guitar lessons website. His prior books include Money Chords published in July 2000, a chord progression dictionary for songwriters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 510 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (January 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595263844
• ISBN-13: 978-0595263844
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Music
  • #32 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Popular
  • #53 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Reference

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have, September 14, 2009

By 

Sadek S (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chord Progressions For Songwriters (Paperback)

Harmonic progression is (often) the first thing that comes in the songwriting process. If it's not the first thing and if your song is not based on a riff, you'll have to put chords somewhere in the process anyway.

To me, this book has a big advantage on all others "chords progression" books : it puts each chord progression in one of the 21 kinds that are referenced. So you know all kinds of progressions, all the variations you can make and on what hits it has been used.
A great thing too : the book distingues the different inversions or pedal that are used on the progressions.
I am an arranger and building a interesting bass line over a progression can really refresh that classic progression that people already heard one million times.

You won't "discover THE music secret" thanks to this book or write hit songs just by using one of the chords progression (and if you think that a book like this exists, I have some very bad news for you :) ) but you will have all the basic material for harmony in songwriting, at the same place. There is nothing more to look at, it's all there.

I also bought this book just to give me new ideas and change my habits. Check yourself, you might always use the same progressions ... I did and this book teaches me new ones (no big discovery but even if I know these chords, I don't really use them in that order), and gives me a new approach on the harmonic analysis of the progressions I frequently use.

to finish with, sorry for my poor english ...

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Info, July 23, 2006

By 

Loves music and reading "Loves Music & Reading" (MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Chord Progressions For Songwriters (Paperback)

This book is packed with some great info and I find it most useful. I do however find the binding of the book to create a problem. It would be better served in a spiral binding. For instance, the book says 'pick up your guitar...and play these chords' but as soon as you play the chord the book snaps shut. It makes it difficult and frustrating and any type of clip to hold the page just makes more difficulty because I find myself flipping through a lot, therefor having to move the clip. Other than that the book is really useful and informative and I do love it, I would have preferred an online download to print and bind it myself under the circumstances. It really is great, well written, ,etc.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book WILL improve your craft, November 12, 2005

By 

Daniel James - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chord Progressions For Songwriters (Paperback)

If you are a songwriter, it is of crucial importance to have as many tools in your toolbelt as possible. This book is an aid to avoid being a one trick pony in terms of songwriting style, structure, or overall tone.

Looking to improve your improvisational skills? This book is a fantastic resource. "Chord Progressions" clearly defines the chord progressions used for various different styles of music. Regardless of whether or not you play jazz, or by the Nashville charts, understanding the lessons of this book are crucial to the art.

Regarding the above reviews, there was no promise that this is any way a fake book or "encyclopedia of chord progressions" as the first reviewer states (if you are looking for a great book that is in that area by this author, try Money Chords, or the website MoneyChords.com, as the second review mentioned). At the same time, I don't agree with the third reviewer either. If I could find a product that could do this, I would certainly be willing to pay more than $30 so I could collect my millions.

I hope this review helps sort out some issues, because this book is an essential tool and resource.

On a personal note, Amazon should disallow reviews from anyone who has not purchased the book directly from the site (especially to curb the effect of editorials not related directly to the work being reviewed).