Customer Reviews
Sincerest flattery - I've "borrowed" some progressions for my own songs 
2008-06-26
I've been playing guitar forever, and writing songs for years, but like most other writers I get stuck in ruts from time to time. Now, whenever I need some new ideas, whether an entire song, a verse, a chorus, a bridge, or a lift, I just look through this book. Even a basic I-IV-V can be made more interesting by advancing or delaying a change. I also like that he relates the CD examples to particular musical styles, which provides a good template for writing to that style.
As with Rooksby's other books, the material is presented with great clarity and is well edited. A songwriter could do a lot worse than build a library of his books.
Insight, Inspiring and Suprising 2008-04-07
I have over last two years developed into a real fan of Rikky's books. This one really surprised me for progressive depth in the structure of each chapter. Each chapter builds on the next. And sandwiched between the 'tips' are these gems of compositions that helps broaden and deepen the constructive elements of songwriting. The book is focused more on chord progression in songs and then the composition of the song's components, verse, chorus, bridge, etc. The great surprise, and I think, and real beauty of the book is the way he uses the CD with the last chapter. He records 12 or so songs, and then in that chapter, he breaks them down in to their component structure, and tells you why he made the choices he did. A really GREAT book. Worth the price!
A Must for Songwriters 2008-02-13
This book taught me so much about songwriting, it's scary. I'm not a novice, either! It teaches you about chord theory better than any other book I've read.
my chord refernce book 2007-05-19
man, this book has really really come in handy for me, expeically early chapter, good thing i have this. some of the think in here i have never seen or heard on the internet before, this book seems rare with its information.
Awesome Tool 2007-01-12
Sparks my creative thoughts and brings me back to the love of writing music with passion.
Just what I was looking for 2006-12-23
Complementing Rikky Rooksby's bestselling How to Write Songs on Guitar (00330574), this easy-to-use reference book will teach you how to write better songs. It analyzes important issues including writing harmonies, melodies and lyrics, and how to improve your songs by redrafting. The reference section includes sequences from a variety of diverse songs, outlining 20 songwriting moments, recommended listening for songwriters, and quotes about songwriting from professional songwriters. The enclosed CD features examples of chords, chord progressions and harmonies featured in the book, with a case history illustrating how to develop a song.
A Real Winner 2006-11-10
This is a great book to learn from. You can pick a chapter and start from there. It will help you with writers block, if you have it....
I would recommend this to my friends.
Excellent 2006-03-13
Excellent source of material to take your songs up a notch. The author provides clear examples. The book is extremely well organized.
CD is a gem! 2006-02-03
I didn't touch the cd until after I had read the book. My reasoning wasn't to save the best for last. I just didn't expect to hear anything useful since I would be playing the examples on my keyboard while reading through the topics. I was completely satisfied with what the book alone did for me. I'd been writing for a while and knew much of the information presented already, but what Rooksby did was organize my tool drawer. It's mainly a book on the use of chords as the basis for writing popular songs in any genre, from the most basic to the most colorful. He shows us the resource we have in these chords and how popular songs have used them and will continue to use them. By the end of the book you really feel like writing, because much of the mystery about the craft has been resolved.
Then you pop in the cd and listen to no less than "20" beautifully recorded pop tracks(sans vocals) written in various styles which apply the book's teachings. But you aren't just listening. You're following along with the cd section of the book, which shows every chord used and an accounting of every measure in every track recorded, along with comments on the most significant events.
I came away with a much greater appreciation of popular song and its potential.
Useful and inspiring book to have on your shelf. 2005-09-07
I am finding this to be a very useful book. It is packed full of information about chords and chord sequences. It is well laid out, and in a useful format. It actually lays flat on the table (or music stand) while you have your guitar in your hands. The text and graphics are well "spaced" so that the pages aren't cluttered. I don't feel overwhelmed when I'm working with the book, and I feel it is easy to scan the chapters and find useful tidbits of information. I have worked through several chapters, and so far the information is presented in a logical sequence. Best of all, I have found some inspiring stuff to work with, which is the whole point. This book may not be for everyone, but it works for me.
