The Elements of Song Craft

An effective new songwriting vocabulary supported by ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. The Elements Of Song Craft does for songwriters what William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements Of Style did for English language students and writers alike; gives an all-in-one definitive manifesto for contemporary songwriters in every genre to organize, understand, and practice the rules, principles, definitions, forms, and song craft needed to create good songs, songs of undeniable creative power and beauty, songs that last.

The Elements of Song Craft beelines directly to the most important aspect of writing good songs—identifying the key emotion living at the heart of the song—then offers a step-by-step process to harnessing that singular emotional power. Additionally, a dozen other strategies, formulas, perspectives, and exercises are offered in the book.

The Elements of Song Craft introduces, for the first time to a general songwriting audience, an effective new songwriting vocabulary utilized by songwriters taught in the SONG ARTS ACADEMY method and supported by ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, the world’s leading Performance Rights Organizations at the heart of the songwriting business, as well as at NYU Steinhardt’s and The New School’s songwriting programs, for over sixteen years. Thousands of song arts participants, including hit songwriters and The Voice and American Idol contestants, have been trained in this method.

BILLY SEIDMAN’S (New York) songwriting career includes staff positions in both New York and Nashville at RCA music publishing, Warner Chappell Music Publishing, SONY/ATV Tree Music Publishing/Nashville, Carlin America Music Publishing, and Criterion Music Publishin companies. Songwriters he’s trained include Bebe Rexha, Rachel Platten, Grammy Winner Carlos Escalona (Marc Anthony), and Grammy Nominee Chris McClenney (KHALID), as well as major labels artists, The Voice, American Idol contestants, and over a thousand songwriters, producers, and artists. He’s worked extensively as a studio musician, guitarist, music producer on countless records, film scores, commercials, and Broadway shows. He’s a member of the songwriting faculty at NYU, Steinhardt Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and a consultant for Berklee NYC / The Power Station. He lives in New York City.