In Case You’re Missing the Fundamentals, Introducing…

THE FUNDAMENTALS:

TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting10-eBookBundle

WrittenbyGaryEwer

GaryEwerisaformerseniorinstructorintheDepartmentofMusic,DalhousieUniversity.Forthepast12years,he’sbeenshowingsongwriters,throughhisblogandhiseBookBundle,howtowritebettersongs.

Beenwritingsongsbasedpurelyonyourinstincts?Youcouldbemissingsomeoftheimportantfundamentals.Youdon’tneedtobeabletoreadmusic–that’snotwhatwilltakeyoutothenextlevel.It’sactuallymorebasicthanthat.Youneedtodiscoverthefundamentals.

Ifyou’rereadytotakeyoursongwritingtoanewlevelofexcellence,Iwanttohelp!“TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting”10-eBookBundleismeanttoshowyoueverythingyouneedtobecomeconsistentlyexcellent.Takealookatthefollowingpages.TheycontaintheTableofContentsofalltheeBooksintheBundle.Readitthrough–you’llgettoknowexactlywhatyou’llbelearningasyoudiveintothematerials.

GaryEwer

PS-Ifyouknowyou’rereadytogetstarted,youcanbereadingthematerialsmomentsfromnow.$37USD

TheeBooksthatmakeup“TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting”10-eBookBundle:

1. TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting,3rdedition2. EssentialChordProgressions,2ndedition3. MoreEssentialChordProgressions,2ndedition4. HowtoHarmonizeaMelody5. ChordProgressionFormulas6. TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting9-LessonCourse7. FromAmateurtoAce:WritingSongsLikeaPro8. FixYourSongwritingProblems-NOW9. HooksandRiffs:HowTheyGrabAttention,MakeSongsMemorable,andBuildYourFanBase10. WritingaSongFromaChordProgression

Nowit’stimetolookateacheBook’stableofcontentstoseewhatthey’lldoforyoursongwritingskills…

BookNo.1:TheEssentialSecretsofSongwriting

TableofContents

Introductiontothe3rdEdition 11PREFACE 18TheDesiretobeCreative–It’sHuman…It’sYou 18WHENGOODSONGSGOBAD 23LISTEN! 26WHATISGOODMUSIC? 29CHAPTER1:AnINTRODUCTIONTOWRITINGMUSIC

TheSoundofMusic 37GoodMusicisGoodPartnership 39MAJORSONGCOMPONENTS 42Form 42TheChordsYouChoose 46WhyGreatMelodiesareGreat 47HowToSayWhatYouNeedToSay49HookingtheAudience 50IsThereaComposerinMe? 53WhatYouNeedToBeaGoodSongwriter 55Let’sGetStarted!59MakeaDemoRecording–Yes,already! 59GetItDone! 60Chapter1SUMMARY 63

CHAPTER2:YourMusicFromtheInside

TheSuccessofGreatWriters 65Form 68HowImportantisForm? 68GoodFormMeansGoodDesign 69GoodFormCan’tbeAccidental 71SongComponentsDefined 73Intro 73Verse 78Pre-Chorus 81Chorus 85Bridge 87Outro 90GettingtoKnowYourSong 92Chapter2SUMMARY 95

CHAPTER3:DesigningaSong

TheBlueprint:PuttingthePartsTogether 97

TheContrastPrincipleofComposition 98Energy–theForgottenFormalElement 115WhatSongFormIsDoingForYourSong 120Chapter3SUMMARY 123

CHAPTER4:CHORDPROGRESSIONS

SomeStraightTalkonChordProgressions 128I.ChordBasics 131TheBasicTriadsofAnyMajorKey 133HowWeRefertoChords 135II.HowOneChordMovestoAnotherChord 136TheV-IProgression 137WhySomeProgressionsWorkandOthersDon’t 137StrongProgressions–FragileProgressions 143TheChartofTwo-ChordProgressions 149WhenProgressionsSoundMuddled 150WhentoUseStrongProgressions,andWhentoUseFragileOnes 152WhatAboutMinorKeys? 156Lookingforthe“KillerChordProgression” 161HowLongShouldaChordProgressionBe? 163III.IntegratingBalanceWhenBuildingaLongerProgression 165BuildingLongerProgressions 167IncorporatingBalance 171IV.ExpandingYourChordVocabulary 177I.Addinga7thtoaV-Chord 178II.ModalMixtures 184III.SecondaryDominantChords 187IV.Suspensions 192V.Inversions 196KeyChanges 200Don’tGoChangin’…WithoutaReason 200Chapter4SUMMARY 206

CHAPTER5:MelodyandLyric

HowGoodMelodiesWork211TheMelodicJourney:How“Yesterday”Works 213WhenMelodyandLyricsAreAtCross-Purposes:Don’tWriteCounterintuitively 216WhatisFalsettoandTessitura? 218WritingGoodMelodies 221GettingNotesintheRightPlace 221SongSample:“YouBelongWithMe” 224ShapingaMelody 229WritingGoodSongLyrics 231TooManyWords232DevelopingBetterLyrics:TipsandTechniques 235CreatingaSongbyLayeringIdeas 239OtherWaystoCompose 248SongwritingDissatisfaction 250DissatisfactionIsNormal 252BalancingLyricsandMelody 254TheBalanceof“HotelCalifornia” 255DealingwithUnremarkableLyrics 256Don’tbeWeak 258TheMelodyandLyricsofaBridge 259ABridgeThatDiminishesSongEnergy 262MoreAboutBridgeMelodies 263WhenaBridgeIsn’tNecessary 265Chapter5SUMMARY 266

CHAPTER6:TheHookandtheMotif

HookandMotif 273TheDangeroftheHook 276

AHook’sMainCharacteristics 277TheVariousTypesofHooks 2791.TheChorusHook 2802.TheIntroHook2803.TheInstrumentalBackgroundHook 281TheHookasaBasisforYourSong 282TheSubtleHook 283TheMythoftheHook 284TheHook’sMainResponsibility 286Chapter6SUMMARY 288

CHAPTER7:Inspiration

TheRoleofInspiration 290MisunderstandingInspiration 291TheStepstoHoningYourSongwritingCraft 296StartingWithoutInspiration 298Chapter7SUMMARY 300

Chapter8:TheWorldBeyondComposing–NowWhat?

TheMostImportantPrincipleofAll301Andnow…what?303GettingYourSongReady:ABriefTutorial 304Copyright 304PublishingandOtherMatters 311CreatingYourOwnPublishing“Company” 311MechanicalRights 313PerformingRightsOrganizations 313InConclusion 314Chapter8SUMMARY 316

BookNo.2:EssentialChordProgressionsTABLEOFCONTENTS

ELIMINATINGCHORDMUDDLE5Aboutthechordsinthisbooklet6

SowhyamIsuggestingthesechords?7

ACompanionText8SomeTerminology9

PRINTINGSUGGESTION–SAVINGINKANDPAPER11

PART1-MAJORKEYPROGRESSIONS12Key:CMAJOR13Simpleprogressions.13SimpleProgressionswithAdded7ths.13EndingonaDifferentChord14Diminished7thChords.15LongerSimpleProgressions.16InvertedChords17PedalTones18SecondaryDominantChords19ModalMixtures20Key:Gmajor21Key:Dmajor25Key:Fmajor29Key:Bbmajor33PART2-MINORKEYPROGRESSIONS37Abriefdescription38AbouttheRomanNumerals39

PART3–PROGRESSIONSFORCHANGINGKEY43PART4-MISCELLANEOUSPROGRESSIONS48Thisisn’teverychordprogression…52

BookNo.3:MoreEssentialChordProgressions TABLEOFCONTENTS Description5Suggestions6THECHORDPROGRESSIONS8MinorKeyProgressions9HowLongDoesaChordProgressionHavetoBe11StartingandEndinginaDifferentKey12UsingSuspensions13DominantChordProgressionFormulas14InvertedPedalPoint16HowtoFindtheChordsthatBelongtoaKey17CircleofFifths19ChordPlaning20THEARTICLES21WhatMakesaGoodChordProgression22WhichShouldComeFirst–ChordsorMelody?24HowInnovativeShouldChordProgressionsBe?26TheOne-ChordSong,and…Make-up?!28GettingGoodSongwritingAdvice30

BookNo.4:HowtoHarmonizeaMelody

TABLEofCONTENTSINTRODUCTION4WhatisHarmonizing?6WhichFirst–MelodyorChords?7ContouringaMelody9HARMONIZINGaMELODY16THEI-CHORD20THEV-CHORD21THEIV-CHORD21THEvi-CHORD22APPLYINGCHORDS25HARMONICRHYTHM26CHOOSINGTHECHORDS28Rootmovement33WHATNOW?35ExtendingYourVocabulary36GoingNameless38LetYourEarBeYourGuide39

BookNo.5:ChordProgressionFormulas

TABLEOFCONTENTSTheChordProgressionDilemma4

It’sNotMagic!4YouNeedFormulas5

TheChordProgressionFormulasandRomanNumerals5HowtoUsetheChordProgressionFormulas6

WhataretheProgressionExtensionsattheBottomoftheMajorKeyProgressionFormulas?7

SomeRemindersandPointers7IfMyChordProgressionDoesn’tFollowaFormula,isitWrong?8

TheChordProgressionFormulas9Appendix12SampleChordProgressions13

MajorProgressions13UsingtheKeyofCmajor13

MinorProgressions15UsingtheKeyofCminor15

MiscellaneousProgressions18SecondaryDominantChords18ModalMixtureChords18

AFinalWord19

BookNo.6:The9-LessonCourse

TableofContentsINTRODUCTION4Howthiscourseworks4LESSON1-FocusingYourLyrics10ACTIVITIESforFOCUSINGYOURLYRICS13LESSON2-WRITINGCREATIVELYRICS16ACTIVITIESforWRITINGCREATIVELYRICS23LESSON3-WRITING"FAMILIAR"LYRICS27ACTIVITIESforWRITING"FAMILIAR"LYRICS30LESSON4-WRITINGMELODIESTHATWORK34ACTIVITIESforUNDERSTANDINGMELODIES38LESSON5-STRUCTURINGMELODIES40ACTIVITIESforSTRUCTURINGMELODIES43LESSON6-INTEGRATINGLYRICSwithMELODIES45ACTIVITIESforINTEGRATINGLYRICSandMELODIES48LESSON7-CHOOSINGTHERIGHTCHORD51ACTIVITIESforCHORDSUBSTITUTIONS54LESSON8-MIXINGSTRONGANDFRAGILEPROGRESSIONS56ACTIVITIESforHELPINGTOCHOOSETHERIGHTCHORD59LESSON9-ConsideringForm62ACTIVITIESforCONSIDERINGFORM66SomeFinalIdeas69

BookNo.7:FromAmateurtoAce:WritingSongsLikeaPro

TableofContentsPreface:HowDoIBecomeaProfessionalInThisBusinessAnyway?4Chapter1:HowDoIFindtheKillerChordProgression7Chapter2:HowDoIChooseaKeyForMySong?14Chapter3:HowDoIKeepGoingAftertheFirst8BarsofMusic?19Chapter4:HowDoIUseChordInversions?25Chapter5:HowDoIWriteSongsWhenIDon’tFeelInspired?32Chapter6:HowDoICreateaGoodSongMelody?38Chapter7:HowDoIWriteGoodVocalHarmonies?44Chapter8:HowDoILearntoWriteBetterLyrics?51Chapter9:HowDoIWriteaBetterSongIntro?58Chapter10:HowDoIWriteaHookForMySong?63Chapter11:HowDoIProtectMySongs?68Chapter12:HowDoISellorMarketMySongs??76AboutGaryEwer?83

BookNo.8:FixYourSongwritingProblems–NOW!

TableofContentsDoesSongwritingMakeYouHappySoWhat’stheProblem?SolvingYourSongwritingProblems:Error1:FORMISSUESError2:SHAPELESSMELODIESError3:WANDERINGCHORDSError4:STRONG&FRAGILECONFUSIONError5:ELEMENTSWORKINGATCROSS-PURPOSESError6:MISUSEOFTHEHOOKError7:WAITINGFORINSPIRATIONAreThosetheOnlyProblems?

BookNo.9:HooksandRiffs:HowTheyGrabAttention,MakeSongsMemorable,andBuildYourFanBase

TableofContentsTheBasicsofaGoodHook3It’sHardtoResistFreeFood4WhataGoodDeliOwnerKnows5GrabbingAttention6MakingMemories7Defining“Hook”8TwoImportantHookCharacteristics10TheManyWaystoHookAnAudience11WavingtheFlag14The3ComponentsofMostSongHooks15SunshineOfYourLove16SummarizingtheFiveStandardCharacteristicsofSongHooks19IsThataHook…OraMotif?19LayeringofHooks25GreatHookExamples27WritingaSongHook–ThreeStep---By---StepProcedures37ComposingaHook,MelodyFirst40ComposingaHook,RhythmFirst43ComposingaHook,ChordsFirst45SomeConcludingThoughts47TheBrevityofaGoodHook47AddingAHooktoaFinishedSong48DealingWithWriter’sBlock50

BookNo.10:WritingaSongFromaChordProgression

TABLEOFCONTENTSCHAPTER1:TheBenefitsandProblemsofChords-FirstSongwriting3Introduction4Songwriting:HowtoGettheProcessGoing5TheThreeMainWaystoStartaSong6WhyWeLikeStartingWithChords8WeNeedaSystem10CHAPTER2:FindingaMelodyWithinaChordProgression12ChoosingaGoodChordProgression13GeneratingMelodies–What’saGoodOne?15CHAPTER3:WritingaGoodSongMelody,Using“Stitches”(ShawnMendes)asaModel20AbouttheMelodicDesignof“Stitches”22STEP1:THEVERSEMELODY25STEP2:THEPRE-CHORUSMELODY26STEP3:THECHORUSMELODY27STEP4:THEBRIDGEMELODY30STEP5:CREATEALYRIC31CONCLUDINGTHOUGHTS32

TODAY’SFREEDEAL:“CreativeChordProgressions”

TableofContentsINTRODUCTION4BEINGCREATIVEWITHCHORDS6

ChordProgressionBasics7GETTINGCREATIVE9INVERSIONS10

Description10ExampleProgressionstoTry10

PEDALPOINT11Description11ExampleProgressionstoTry11

INVERTEDPEDALPOINT12ExampleProgressionstoTry13

CHORDPLANING14Description14ExampleProgressionstoTry15

DIFFERENTKEYCENTRES16Description16ExampleProgressionstoTry16

NON-CHORDTONES18Description18ExampleProgressionstoTry18

MODALMIXTURES19Description19ExampleProgressionstoTry:19

OTHERMISCELLANEOUSTECHNIQUES21PALINDROMICCHORDPROGRESSIONS21

Description21ExampleProgressionstoTry22

POLYTONALCHORDPROGRESSIONS22Description22ExampleProgressionstoTry23MiscellaneousProgressions24ExampleProgressionstoTry24

CONCLUSION25ABOUTGARYEWER26

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