This book is a guide to the art of popular song-writing. It covers finding a song concept, distilling the beat, choosing a form, writing lyrics, rhyming, constructing a melody, adding harmony and selecting rhythm. The appendix gives information on copyright, notation, recording and selling the song. Stephen Citron teaches songwriting at his Carnegie Hall studio and Trinity College of Music in London. He trained at the Juilliard School in New York and at one time worked as Edith Piaf's accompanist.