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Chord Progressions For Songwriters

by Richard J. Scott

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A practical map of chord-progression building blocks

$23.25 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A practical map of chord-progression building blocks

Organized as 21 self-contained lessons, this songwriting guide examines widely used progression families—from I-IV, I-IV-V and blues patterns to doo-wop, folk, jazz ii-V-I, flamenco, pedal-point, and turnaround forms. It moves beyond naming chords to show how a progression can be reshaped through key changes, chord duration, substitutions, additions or omissions, and reordered chords. Exercises provide a framework for applying each chapter’s concepts, while pages from the author’s songwriting notebook connect the harmonic material to the process of developing original progressions. The emphasis is on understanding familiar harmonic patterns as flexible materials for songwriting.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Songwriters building a working vocabulary of common chord progressions
  • Guitarists interested in harmony for writing songs
  • Musicians who want exercises on varying and constructing progressions

Themes

Chord progressionsSongwritingHarmonyChord substitutionMusical variation

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

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.

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