Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38630 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Synopsis
The prolific songwriter offers novices advice on creating melodies, harmonies, and lyrics, as well as tips for marketing compositions and dealing with the music industry.

Customer Reviews

The best book on songwriting
As a teacher of songwriting to Popular Music degree students, I use this book as required reading for the course. Webb's take on the art and craft of writing is at times opinionated, but his understanding of the imperatives of the form is second to none. Highlights include his extended and frequent analogy of 'building' the song like a house with solid foundations (form), different 'rooms' (sections/verses) and an impermeable roof (melody); he also builds an entire song from nothing more than a title right through to a finished product. The book is not flawless by any means; at times (such as when he discusses melodic form) he is clearly speaking to the absolute beginner; at others (such as when he attempts to cover the whole of music theory in around 25 pages!) he makes assumptions about the reader. In my experience only around 20% of wannabe songwriters actually read music notation; still fewer have a strong grasp of diatonic harmony.
That said, there are many gems of information and inspiration in this book from a true master of the craft. Skip the middle bit about music theory, and you'll find much in here to hone your songwriting to the highest level.
For those who are really serious writers, the other excellent book about songwriting worth having is Sheila Davis' 'Successful Lyric Writing' - it's another one that we use as a key text for our songwriting modules.

A wonderful biography and songwriting resource
I had not heard much about Jimmy Webb before buying this book, but now I wan to know more about him, about songwriting, about music theory and construction, I bought this book with the idea that I would learn a little of what it was to be a songwriter (which I have been trying to be for either too long or too short a time depending on your point of view) and how to write songs and melodies easily and freely. Jimmy Webb goes through every aspect of the songwriting experience, even as far as to write a song in the book - 'Problem Child'. You get to see HIS methods, but more importantly the tools he uses to overcome problems. These tools are applicable to all songs and can be used by all songwriters to improve their art. I missed getting to see Jimmy when he played in Dublin recently, I won't miss him again.

fascinating but flawed journey into the world of songwriting
Jimmy Webb is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of pop music. He does his fans a great honor here by inviting them to sit beside him on the piano bench as he talks about the creative process. Because I am not a professional musician, however, I found that I really enjoyed about two-thirds of this book. Those are the parts of the book that deal with the world of a songwriter, how he gets inspiration for his songs, Webb's own career and his dealings with some of the major figures of pop music. I found myself skimming over long, extremely detailed passages about the intricacies of writing melodies and lyrics. I felt some of this material belongs in a textbook for music students. This may be an unfair criticism on my part, criticizing something because I didn't understand it. But as a reader, that's how I felt. I also would have like to learn a lot more about Jim's personal life, his family, etc.