Craft and Business of Songwriting 3rd Edition (Craft & Business of Songwriting) for $10.71

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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

My review for this book is functionally the same as my review for another book "6 steps to Songwriting Success" by Jason Blume.

Essentially both books try to do the same thing, but in my opinion this one does a better job, and that's the reason I gave it 4 stars and gave the other 3 stars. If you're evaluating the two books and have cash for only one, go for this one instead.

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"Craft and Business of Songwriting 3rd Edition (Craft & Business of Songwriting)" Overview

Combines inspirational craft tips with practical business lessons
Features examples and career advice drawn from successful artists in a variety of genres, from country to hip-hop
Perfect for beginners who want an overview of the business

Writing great songs is only half the work of becoming a successful songwriter - you also have to manage your business. Perfect for beginners and working songwriters alike, The Craft & Business of Songwriting features dozens of exercises, examples, and anecdotes from successful songwriters including Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, and Paul McCartney. With all this and more, readers will find the insider secrets they need to make them more competitive in a crowded marketplace."

Outstanding Help to the Aspiring Songwriter - nzalu -
I can't say enough about this book, which I bought on recommendation from an industry veteran.

John Braheny's book has helped me immensely- not only is the content packed with all the information an aspiring songwriter needs to know, but each chapter is self-contained: you can easily refer back to sections coaching you through each part of the songwriting process.

I've kept this book 5 feet from my recording gear since the day I bought it and refer back to it three times weekly.

If you can't afford to have John Braheny sitting beside you, this book is the next best thing!

An Essential Part of the Songwriter's Library - J.B. Fillmore - NYC
For almost four decades, John Braheny has been focused on helping people understand the complexities of writing and marketing music. His book was one of the first to unravel these mysteries for the aspiring writer or artist, and it remains to day as an essential item for any songwriters bookshelf. No single book can completely cover the vast terrain of writing and marketing songs, so this book is best as part of a group of five, which together provide a potent arsenel of tools and techniques for any aspiring lyricist, composer, or performer. The natural partners for Braheny's book are: Songcrafters' Coloring Book: The Essential Guide to Effective and Successful Songwriting, The Craft of Lyric Writing, Writing Better Lyrics, and Melody in Songwriting: Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs. This set of songwriting references crosses all styles, and provides a range of techniques, choices, and knowledge that will enable your songs to be the best they can be.

The Definitive Songwriting Text - Carolyn Arends - Surrey, BC, Canada
It's been said that talking about music is like dancing to architecture, but of all the books that give it a go, Braheny's is by far the best. He manages to be both broad and in-depth, covering everything from the nature of creativity (one of my favorite and most-used parts of the book) to songcraft to business considerations.
The book excels in the area of lyric craft, but is a bit weaker on music creation, so you may want to supplement with a more theoretical book (Jai Josef's Writing Music For Hit Songs is quite helpful.)
Still, Braheny's book is excellent overall and is the text I use when I teach songwriting at a local college. I also refer to it incessantly at SONGVILLE (songwriting blog).

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Wednesday, September 8, 2010