Product Description

Each chapter of Chord Progressions For Songwriters provides a comprehensive self-contained lesson on one of twenty-one popular chord progressions that every songwriter should know inside and out.

Lessons cover ascending, basic (I-IV), blues, circle (VI-II-V-I), classic rock (I-bVII-IV), combination, descending, doo-wop (I-VIm-IV-V), ending, flamenco (Im-bVII-bVI-V), folk (I-V), introduction, jazz (IIm-V-I), minor blues, one-chord, pedal point, rock and roll (I-IV-V), standard (I-VIm-IIm-V), and turnaround progressions as well as rhythm and Coltrane changes.

You will learn how key, duration, substitution, variation (adding or subtracting chords), and displacement (rearranged chord orders) are used to vary the sound of each progression. You will also take a look at the author’s songwriter’s notebook and work through exercises to reinforce key chapter concepts and get you started building your own progressions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #137812 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-30
• Released on: 2003-01-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 510 pages

About the Author
Richard Scott is a singer/songwriter with a degree in education. He is also the owner/webmaster of MoneyChords.com, a popular guitar lessons website. His prior books include Money Chords published in July 2000, a chord progression dictionary for songwriters.

Customer Reviews

Great Info
This book is packed with some great info and I find it most useful. I do however find the binding of the book to create a problem. It would be better served in a spiral binding. For instance, the book says 'pick up your guitar...and play these chords' but as soon as you play the chord the book snaps shut. It makes it difficult and frustrating and any type of clip to hold the page just makes more difficulty because I find myself flipping through a lot, therefor having to move the clip. Other than that the book is really useful and informative and I do love it, I would have preferred an online download to print and bind it myself under the circumstances. It really is great, well written, ,etc.

This book WILL improve your craft
If you are a songwriter, it is of crucial importance to have as many tools in your toolbelt as possible. This book is an aid to avoid being a one trick pony in terms of songwriting style, structure, or overall tone.

Looking to improve your improvisational skills? This book is a fantastic resource. "Chord Progressions" clearly defines the chord progressions used for various different styles of music. Regardless of whether or not you play jazz, or by the Nashville charts, understanding the lessons of this book are crucial to the art.

Regarding the above reviews, there was no promise that this is any way a fake book or "encyclopedia of chord progressions" as the first reviewer states (if you are looking for a great book that is in that area by this author, try Money Chords, or the website MoneyChords.com, as the second review mentioned). At the same time, I don't agree with the third reviewer either. If I could find a product that could do this, I would certainly be willing to pay more than $30 so I could collect my millions.

I hope this review helps sort out some issues, because this book is an essential tool and resource.

On a personal note, Amazon should disallow reviews from anyone who has not purchased the book directly from the site (especially to curb the effect of editorials not related directly to the work being reviewed).

Attention bass, guitar players, and musicians-BUY THIS BOOK!
If you play bass like I do, and study chord progressions, this is the best book I can recommend! The author has put together a compendium of chord progressions from dozens and dozens of songs from blues to rock n' roll to jazz to folk & popular music. In fact, there is 500 pages of chord progressions. Anyone who plays an instrument and knows chords will find this book invaluable. This is excellent in both content and technique. I use it together with Mel Bay's Complete Book of Chords by Dana Roth and I have really improved my understanding of music and also my playing. This is a highsierrabassplayer top choice!