How to Write Songs on Guitar: A Guitar-Playing and Songwriting Course

by Rikky Rooksby

(Book). Now anyone can write and play their own songs on the guitar with no prior training! This inspirational handbook teaches readers how to play guitar, while providing a solid foundation in songwriting techniques, using well-known songs as examples, easy-to-follow text, and graphics that explain and demonstrate lyrics, melody, harmony and rhythm. This book's straightforward style will have even those who've never played a guitar or written a song making music with ease.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Writing, Reference

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Brodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book interested me less as a guitar player and more as a general fan of rock music. It makes you listen to songs differently and think about the structure of songs and what separates songs that work from songs that don't.

For every point, the author lists 5 or 6 songs that exemplify it, which helped me understand the lessons better than anything else. Usually, I was familiar with at least one song on the list and could replay the relevant part in my head. The only funny thing was that these lists obviously reflect the author's personal (and very British) music collection. If you didn't know better, you'd think the pinnacle of western music was Kate Bush and the Arctic Monkeys.

[Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. It has lots of useful information to help you to understand and appreciate a song as a composer, instead of just a guitar player.

I now understand a song much better from an overall perspective, not just as a guitar player. Love it!

[Yongi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a guitar player who wants to write songs, this is the book to start with.

[AP]

I tried to slog through another book by Prof Rooksby. But the inane listing of chord progressions, in many popular rock songs, without much context or insight, just bored me. Imagine a mechanic showing you every nut and bolt under the hood, without telling you much about how everything combines to make a beautifully built car that is a dream to drive. This book dissected songwriting in this horribly dry and mechanical fashion. I just could not continue this book and was baffled by the positive reviews. I am a classically trained musician who knows classical & jazz music theory, can teach myself how to play most rock songs by ear, but this book drained any delight from the art & craft of songwriting.

[Daniel Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pretty much contains all of the essentials needed to get your song writing mojo on. It's changed my approach to guitar playing and songwriting in general. As a resource I have been going back to it over and over again since I picked it up last year. I can imagine parts being of it being a bit of a handful for new players/writers but still well worth picking up.

[Carlos Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reference for guitar composers, more leaning towards rhythm guitar since it focuses more on chords, or so I believe (since I am a rhythm guitarrist myself).
In all, a good reference, specially if beginning. At some point, the nomenclature used in this book is a little confusing, but it gets clear with the examples used.

[Thomas Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ongoing reference book. It very useful in my effort to craft songs. A lifelong hobby, and one of many pursuits.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are very few music/guitar books that I can whole-heartedly recommend. This is one of the few! This book is fantastic if you have any interest in writing songs on the guitar.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable resource! A must read for any musician or wannabe!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!