I’ve noticed something: If you’ve purchased my 10-eBook Bundle recently, it’s possible that you’ve actually received two free eBooks. I’ve been offering “Use Your Words! Developing a Lyrics-First Songwriting Process” as a free add-on to the bundle of songwriting eBooks for quite a while now, but for some of you recent purchasers, you may have noticed that another eBook found its way into that bundle package.
Back in 2016 I wrote an eBook called “Creative Chord Progressions.” The purpose of the eBook was to show songwriters how more creative, complex progressions can add to the innovative nature of their songs.
It was something I included as a free add-on to “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle back at the time. But as I say, some recent purchasers will notice it in their list of eBooks. So for at least the next week, I’ll make it official:
For the week Tuesday, March 15 to Tuesday March 22, I’ll keep it as an additional freebie to that bundle, which means purchasing the 10-eBook bundle will actually give you twelve songwriting eBooks.
If you’re not familiar with it, here’s a short excerpt from the eBook:
I find that I keep coming back to an observation that I’ve been making almost since I ever started working with songwriters. It’s a point I make in my other eBooks, and it’s something I strongly feel: don’t overly obsess over the creative nature of your chord progressions. It’s possible to worry far too much about this aspect of your writing. Creativity is important of course, but most listeners, whether they know it or not, will have a more positive reaction to creative melodies and creative lyrics than they will to creative progressions. The best characteristic to aim for with regard to chords is that they unobtrusively support those melodies and lyrics.
The best way to become creative in any aspect of music is to listen to a lot of music, and to try to branch out from the genres you listen to the most. The more you listen, the more you experience the musical solutions that other composers have dreamed up, and your own creativity increases. There is nothing worse in the arts than trying to write anything that doesn’t come naturally and somewhat effortlessly.
So by all means, work to increase your sense of creativity and innovation. Experiment with chords to find progressions that support your melodies and lyrics. But don’t feel that creative chords are a must for good music. The best music, as you will hopefully discover, comes from the successful partnership of melodies, lyrics and chords.
The eBook offers lots of chord examples to try, including ones that use pedal point, added tones and different key centres.
This week you’ll get this eBook along with eleven others when you purchase the 10-eBook Bundle. If over the past few years you made your purchase of the bundle but didn’t get this freebie, please write me and I’d be happy to send it along.
Written by Gary Ewer. Follow Gary on Twitter.
Thousands of songwriters are using “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting 10-eBook Bundle” to polish their songwriting technique. Discover the secrets to writing great melodies, lyrics, chords, and more.