Customer Reviews

Six Steps to Songwriting Success, Revised Edition: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs

5 star:		(7)
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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
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If you're keen to get into the game of songwriting, it's a good book to read. It tries to provide details about the entire process involved in songwriting - from idea generation to marketing your songs. However, like any one book that tries to cover all bases in a very large and complex undertaking like the songwriting business it ends up lacking in detail in every area. Lots of topics are summarily treated, especially areas on writing lyrics and composing melodies.

The plus to the book are that it's got lots of great insights into the music business and is very matter of fact and brutally honest about the music industry and how it works and that helps in dispelling any rosy myths one might have when thinking of getting into it. That pushes you to realistically assess your talents and work harder to step up your game or decide if this career is one you really want to get into.

My advice though is that this one book will not be enough if you really want to learn everything you need to know about songwriting, especially the musical aspects of composing and writing great lyrics.

Some other books I found very very helpful as a companion to this were:

Shortcuts to Hit songwriting - Robin Frederick
The Craft and Business of Songwriting - John Braheny

Jason Blume has written a book for the lyrics-oriented songwriter, but it is disguised as a complete songwriter book. I think his approach is suitable for country and maybe ballads. But he disregards music theory and the importance of rhythm arrangement, harmonization and production. In fact, he makes a big point that you don't have to know how to play an instrument. That's like saying that your toolbox should contain a hammer, but not a saw.

This book was recommended to me by a well known songwriter in Nashville. I was skeptical at first, but I found the book very enlightening. It helps beginning songwriters who aren't sure just what publishers are looking for find a way to make their own music, and make it work. I would recommend this book, as well, to already established songwriters who just want to brush up or get a few more tips on what the 'big' people in the industry are looking for. It covers everything from lyrics, to music, to recording demos to pushing your own music. Its definitely a must read for anyone who seriously wants to pursue songwriting. The best part is, no musical instruments required!

Truly an insightful book into the craft of songwriting and also into the business of getting oen's songs published! Thank You Mr. Blume.

Anyone with ears can tell the difference between a top forty hit, and the screaming guttural music that comes from small clubs and never emerges from there. "6 Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs" is a complete and comprehensive study and guide to the hit songs of today and how songwriters produced these record-breaking records, and more. "6 Steps to Songwriting Success" is a must for any aspiring musician who wants advice on making their own breakout hit.

This book has been great help in my fledging song writing career. Very thorough and simple. Good for beginners and beyond.

It was suggested to me by a Nashville staff-writer to read this book. I have read it from front to back and it was time well spent! Before I read it, I had a million questions, all answered now. But don't expect to read it all in one sitting because it's extensive. If you have any desire to be a professional songwriter, this book is a must! It covers every aspect of dealing with the music industry and made me realize that I was a total greenhorn. However, it also gave me confidence that I could master this challenge and gave excellent guidelines for writing better songs. It covers the content and structure needed for commercial songs and it addresses how you can get your songs listened to once you have that "gem" and what level your product needs to be at before you submit it to the professionals and who the professionals are. It also covers Nashville etiquette/do's and don'ts. Best of luck!

This book was recommended to me by a friend who attended a songwriting workshop by the author, himself, and it is a really easy and accessible book that is very usable. Clear explanations about parts of songs and what they "usually" do in commercial songs is really helpful for a reference guide to songwriting. I've got several other songwriting books, and this is the one I've most easily dug into. Highly recommend it.

This book and the one of Mr. Braheny for me are the best about Songwriting. Also Songwriting for Dummies is very good.