Product Description

Pattison presents a unique, in-depth approach to the process of lyric writing. Apprentice songwriters will examine 17 extraordinary songs and learn the distinct elements that make them so effective. Pattison then presents more than 30 lyric-writing exercises designed to help them achieve the same results. From generating lyric ideas and managing repetition to developing verses, it's all here. Songwriters will:

* find warm-up exercises that revolutionize songwriting imagery
* use a rhyming dictionary and a thesaurus to generate ideas and find snappy rhymes
* create meaningful metaphors and similes while avoiding clichés
* develop verses by using or by breaking conventional rules
* experiment with point of view in every lyric to make a song stand out

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53904 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-15
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Pat Pattison is a professor of music and songwriting at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he developed the curriculum for their degree in songwriting--the first of its kind anywhere. He was a regular contributor to Home and Studio Recording Magazine. He lives in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

Customer Reviews

An invaluable resource
This book is a gem. Any songwriter who wishes to improve their lyric writing will find techniques and tools which are immediately applicable and which can also be referred to time and time again.

As far as insights and tools to aid your own writing process this book is by far the best I have read.

I have had this book two years now and I still have "aha" moments when I read it today.

SO useful
I'm a serious student of songwriting. This book was recommended to me by a multi-award winning songwriter and I can see why. The exercises and presentation of concepts are extremely valuable. A must-have book.

Very thorough..a bit too much for me
In short, I feel this book is focussed too strong on technique and excercises that require a LOT of time to grasp. It is written for people who have a mission in life to WRITE and have a lot of time on their hands trying to learn and practice. I feel the writer sometimes confuses poetry with lyrics, but coming from a Berklee Professor that is probably fair...