Resource list: Songwriting for beginners (live lesson)

Please see below for all resources mentioned and demoed in today's live lesson, plus many more to explore on your own! 

'Songwriting for beginners' resource list:

Rhyming:

Examples of slant rhymes: https://examples.yourdictionary.com/slant-rhyme-examples-in-poetry.html

Rhyming dictionary: https://www.rhymezone.com/

Rhyme schemes (patterns): https://literarydevices.net/rhyme-scheme/

 

Chords + scales:

Chords within each key: http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/chords-by-key.html

Scales (pitches) within each key: http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/piano-music-scales.html

 

Chord progressions:

 

Chordbot Lite (free version of Chordbot app) for iOS + Android: https://chordbot.com/

https://mixedinkey.com/captain-plugins/wiki/best-chord-progressions/

https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/want-write-masterpiece-here-are-some-chord-progressions-get-you

https://www.secretsofsongwriting.com/2011/02/21/7-chord-progressions-that-work-all-the-time/

 

Randomized progression generators:

https://autochords.com/

https://chordchord.com/

https://producergrind.com/blogs/blog/best-free-random-chord-generators-online-chord-progression-maker

 

Virtual instruments:

Virtual keyboard: https://www.apronus.com/music/flashpiano.htm

Virtual guitar + piano (plus chords): https://www.apronus.com/music/onlineguitar.htm 

Online recording + editing software: https://www.bandlab.com/ 

 

Music theory lessons + exercises (free to use online)

https://www.musictheory.net/ 

 

Songwriting apps:

iOS: https://flypaper.soundfly.com/write/our-top-ten-ios-apps-songwriters/

Android: https://www.androidpit.com/best-android-apps-for-songwriters

iOS and Android: https://www.easytechtrick.org/songwriting-apps/

 

Books on creativity + writing (Camille’s picks):

The War of Art (Steven Pressfield)

The Artist’s Way (Julia Cameron)

Letters to a young poet (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Bird by bird (Anne Lamott)

On writing (Stephen King)

 

Books on songwriting (The internet’s picks):

Writing down the bones (Natalie Goldberg)

Writing better lyrics (Pat Pattison)

Songwriters on songwriting (Paul Zollo)

Tunesmith: Inside the art of songwriting (Jimmy Webb)

Song building: Mastering lyric writing (Bill O’Hanlon and Marty Dodson)

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman)

The songwriter’s guide to mastering co-writing: Real pros sharing real techniques (Marty Dodson, Clay Mills, Bill O’Hanlon)

 

Podcasts on songwriting:

https://thesongfoundry.com/songwriting-podcasts/

Creative exercises + ways to get started

 

Reharmonize an existing song 

Start with a poem 

Listen to an existing song or melody and use it as inspiration (ex: write an “Adele” melody; write a “John Legend” melody; use that as a jumping off point)

Write in a character's voice (or to/about/inspired by a character from literature, film, tv)

Capture a feeling (musically) 

Describe a scene, person, memory (in words)

Thank you for showing us these resources Camille :) 

Im not sure if this was already covered but I was wondering about recreating backing tracks of songs on apps/software like garageband etc maybe when we might want to switch the piano instrument with a harp etc. 

Is there a good way to figure out what instruments that are used in a song? 

I have also noticed with apps even if we cant actually play the intrument we can select an instrument on the app e.g guitar and then use the keyboard to add the notes which would play out guitar sound effects.

 

I would like to refer to the first 30 secs of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5DBroBtE3Q 

 For this I am particularly wondering because I roughly know the melody for the guitar part but how do I go about figuring the notes that make up this melody? (if its not already on YT :)) - which were Bb D A D C D A for the first few secs if im right.

even if the notes were for e.g C Bb D A D C D  how do we figure out whether it is a middle C or higher C etc? 

 

Thank you

Mai

Hi, Mai!

Good question - I don't know of any good way to determine which instruments were used in the making of a track, other than googling it and seeing if someone with a trained ear has already figured that out. A lot of pop music uses synthesizers and electronic instruments that are much more difficult to "define" or pinpoint than acoustic instruments.

As for dictating melody lines, you'll need to apply a lot of music theory and ear training! Where's your current skill level with piano or ear training? If you can read music, the easiest thing would be searching for the sheet music to the song. 

Hi Camille, 

 

Oh I see :)

Currently, I can tell that this key is a C or A etc but am still fairly new to music theory and ear training. 

 

Thank you :D

 

Hi again, Mai! The video you sent looks like the key of Dm (or F) to me! That's 1 flat: D E F G A Bb C D (D minor scale) or F G A Bb C D E F (F major scale). 

Hi Camille,

Thank you for this! :) I'll try to also improve on my music theory.

Mai

Good plan, Mai! https://www.musictheory.net/ is the best, and the website is free to use (only the apps are paid). 

You can also determine the key of a song by looking up the chords. Usually the key will be listed! I use https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ but there are plenty of chord sites if you find another one you like. 

Hi Camille,

 

I think you recommended an app for checking your intonation/ singing pitch but can't find it here.  If you have one you recommend will you please let me know!

Yes, I'm sure I did! Here you go:

You can use https://www.harpkit.com/online-tuner for reference pitches and https://tuner.ninja/ for a chromatic tuner. 

• Pitch apps: http://singtrue.co/ for a well thought out system; also check out https://www.guidingtech.com/55792/wonderful-ios-apps-musicians/
  
• Two similar apps (free to download and use most features - I wouldn't pay for the upgrade, though): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/learn-to-sing-perfect-pitch/id1409450884 & https://www.singsharpapp.com/
• For songs: use https://www.smule.com/ or a similar karaoke app that analyzes your pitch in real-time.