PATHS OF SONGWRITING

Start with a

Lyric
Develope the Hook

Start with a

Riff

Progression
Create a Section Add Rhythm & Groove

Start with a

Develop the Riff

Create a New Section

Add Rhythm & Groove

Connect Sections

Create the Story

Create Verse Section Add Rhythm & Groove Write Verse Lyrics & Melody Write Lyrics & Melody

Create a Bridge Tweak the Sections Create an Intro Create an Ending Outline the Song Form

Starting with a Lyric

CHECK LIST
Notes

Develop the Hook Create the Story Create Verse Section Add Rhythm & Groove Write Verse Lyrics & Melody Create a Bridge Tweak the Sections Create an Intro Create an Ending Outline the Song Form

Starting with a Riff

CHECK LIST
Notes

Develop the Riff Create a New Section Add Rhythm & Groove Create the Story Write Lyrics & Melody Create a Bridge Tweak the Sections Create an Intro Create an Ending Outline the Song Form

Starting with a Progression

Notes Create a Section Add Rhythm & Groove Create a New Section Add Rhythm & Groove Connect Sections Create the Story Write Lyrics & Melody Create a Bridge Tweak the Sections Create an Intro Create an Ending Outline the Song Form

CHECK LIST

Key Chart
The graph to the right outlines all twelve keys and depicts all chords within each key. Each line going across is a key. Roman numerals represent scale degrees and chord qualities when building chords on each scale tone within a key. Capital Roman numerals are Major and lower case are Minor or indicated as m. The chords under Roman numeral I are roots and identify key names (bold).

Primary
I (root)

Secondary V(7) G C F Bb Eb Ab Db F# B E A D G ii Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm Ebm Abm C#m F#m Bm Em Am Dm iii Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm vi Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm Ebm

Rare Repeated *vii B E A D G C F *I C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G C

IV F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb E A D G C F

C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G C

Example: the iii chord in the key of C is E minor (Em or E-), and the IV chord in the key of A is a D major (D).

Ive grouped them by primary and secondary because most songs include at least two primary chords of the key and then add secondary chords for interest and color.

D#m G#m A# G#m C#m D# C#m F#m Bm Em F#m Bm Em Am G# C# F# B

*Most popular music only uses chords I through vi. The last two columns have been faded but included in order to outline all chords within each key.

Bonus Theory for the Curious Mind: By beginning with C and advancing the keys by 4ths (the cycle of fourths or circle of fourths, which means repeatedly starting with the fourth note of the previous key), the order systematically adds flats and removes sharps one by one. If you read the chart from bottom to top, it advances in 5ths creating the circle of fifths adding sharps and removing flats one by one. By memorizing the circle of fourths, you can determine how many sharps or flats are in a particular key. Then, by memorizing the order of flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb, which spells the word bead followed by G-C-F) and the order of sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#, which can be remembered with the phrase fat cats get dizzy after eating butter), you will learn to recall which sharps or flats are in each key. For example, the key of Eb (E flat) is three steps below C. That means it has three flats, and if you use bead you know those flats are Bb, Eb, and Ab. Alternatively, the key of D is two steps above C, and using Fat cats tells you that those sharps are F# and C#.

Ravis Tasty Chords & Progressions

Asus2 X 0 2 1 0 0 Asus2/C# X 4 1 2 0 0 Dsus2 X X 0 1 3 0 Dsus2/G 2 X 0 1 3 0

Cadd9 X 1 2 0 3 4

G/B X 1 0 0 3 4

Am7 (or A-7) X 0 2 0 1 0

FMaj7sus2 X X 3 0 1 0

F#11 T 3 4 2 0 0

F#m7add11 T 3 4 1 0 0

Asus2/C# X 4 1 2 0 0

Esus4 0 2 3 4 0 0

D/F# T X 0 1 3 2

Dsus2/B X 1 0 2 3 0

Em9 0 X 3 0 2 0

A7sus4 X 0 2 0 3 0