Sound Samples 1 - 16 from

"The Essential Secrets of Songwriting"

 

by Gary Ewer
(For sound samples 17 - 32, click here)


Sound samples are MP3 files, and will play through your browser. (Please allow several seconds for sound files to load.)

The page numbers for the 1st edition (red cover) are in black. The page numbers for the 2nd edition of the book (green cover) are in green.



Sample Number

Description
Sample 1, p. 76/81:

C major scale.
Sample 2, p. 78/83:

 Triads based on C major scale.
Sample 3, p. 80/85:

 G major chord moving to a C major chord, with the common tone 'G' emphasized.
Sample 4, p. 87/93:

 Basic chords for "Without you" (chords have been simplified for instructional purposes: added 9ths removed).
Sample 5, p. 88/95:

 Triads based on the C minor scale.
Sample 6, p. 90/97:

 Minor key progression.
Sample 7, p. 91/98:

 Four minor key progressions (short pause between each one). NOTE: In the book, there is an error in the second progression: The Bm chord should actually be Bdim.
Sample 8, p. 94/104:

 A progression that  starts out  as a cirle-of-fifths , then  leaps out of that pattern to bring the progression to a close.
Sample 9, p. 96/106:

 Two progressions that demonstrates the importance of symmetry within a progression.
Sample 10, p. 100/111:

 A G7 chord. Demonstrates the increased drive to the C major chord. In this sound sample, you hear the G7 followed by a C major chord.
Sample 11, p. 101/112:

 A three-chord version of "This Land is Your Land," using only the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords.
Sample 12, p. 102/113:

 Showing how a ii-chord can take the place of a IV-chord. The common tones are emphasized.
Sample 13, p. 102/113:

 Showing how a vi-chord can take the place of a I-chord. The common tones are emphasized.
Sample 14, p. 102/114:

 "This Land is Your Land," with chord substitutions.
Sample 15, p. 104/115:

 Chord progression that uses a "borrowed chord."
Sample 16, p. 106/117:

 Three more chord progressions that uses borrowed chords.

SAMPLES 17 - 32