The Songwriting Sourcebook

The Songwriting Sourcebook. (How to Turn Chords into Great Songs Fully Updated and Expanded Edition). Reference. Softcover. 240 pages. Published by Backbeat Books.

Originally published in 2003, and now revised and updated, The Songwriting Source book is the third entry in Rikky Rooksby's bestselling How to Write Songs series. This easy-to-use book will help you write better songs by explaining the art of writing effective chord sequences. It shows:

• How three and four chords can lay the foundation for a simple song, and how to move on to progressions using five and six chords

• How to give your chord sequences additional color by adding chords that are not strictly in key, including blues chords

• How to write chord sequences for songs in minor keys as well as major keys, and how to take progressions into new territories by changing key

• How to fine-tune the color of your chords by understanding the emotional potential of sevenths, sixths and ninths

All examples come with easy-to-read guitar chord boxes, and the accompanying 20-track audio CD features original recordings that illustrate some of the points made in the book.