Quotes, Books, & Articles
Quotes
"I count myself lucky and proud to have studied with Mr. Pattison. I would not be the writer I am today without his teaching and his unique and comprehensive understanding of language, rhyme, rhythm, and structure."
- 3-time Grammy winner Gillian Welch
"Pat Pattison does the impossible. He takes the mystery out of songwriting without taking the heart out of it."
- David Wilcox
"I took a class with a great teacher named Pat Pattison... I learned a lot in that class...and I still read that book, Writing Better Lyrics. I think it's great."
- John Mayer
"This was the best 2 days a songwriter could spend. By lunchtime Saturday, after two and a half hours, I learned more than I had in 35 years of playing and writing music. And it just kept getting better."
- Brian Ralston
"Working with Pat on my songs has been an essential part of my songwriting process. Pat is a master at asking the right questions to pinpoint what may seem like small tweaks, but in the end, are huge revelations, taking my songs to a whole new level. I honestly believe that Pat is the best songwriting teacher out there. Working with him has made me a much better writer, performer, and singer. I'm always afraid to bring him new material, because I know something I think is done, once put to the Pat test, just needs a bit more work. But in the end, the SONG is better for it. He is an essential mentor for me."
- Amy Speace
"Last year, I read a book called “Writing Better Lyrics” by Pat Pattison that completely reshaped the way I look at songwriting. (Please do yourself a favor and Amazon Prime it ASAP!) Just as an athlete prepares for a game with a proper warm-up, I’ve learned to start my day with writing. I picked up a black Moleskine notebook and began writing freely without worrying about meter or rhyme scheme as a way to reflect on my thoughts or my day. Not only has this practice allowed me to get the creative juices flowing each morning, but I now have a notebook full of memories to look back on…"
- Madison Kozak
Songwriting Without Boundaries
Writer's Digest Books, 2011
Writing Better Lyrics
Writer's Digest Books, 2nd Edition, 2009
1st Edition, October, 1995
The Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure
Formerly known as: Managing Lyric Structure
Berklee Press, distributed by Hal Leonard, January, 1992
The Essential Guide to Rhyming
Formerly known as: Rhyming Techniques and Strategies
Berklee Press, distributed by Hal Leonard January, 1992
Books
Students
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Gillian Welch: 3-time Grammy winner
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John Mayer: 7-time Grammy winner
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Tom Hambridge: 2-time Grammy winner
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Imagine Dragons
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Karmin: Epic Records recording artist
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American Authors: Island Records recording artist
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Liz Longley: Sugar Hill Records recording artist
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Charlie Worsham: Warner Brothers recording artist
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Betty Who: RCA Records recording artist
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Justin Tranter: Janelle Monae, Rihanna
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Kami Lyle: MCA recording artist
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Joe Doyle: Number 1 songwriter, BMG
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Holly Palmer: Reprise recording artist
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Scarlet Keys: Warner Chappell
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Dillon Dixon: Warner Chappell
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Andrea Stolpe: Almo Irving
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Greg Becker: Almo Irving
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Tim Jenkins: BMG
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Neil Diercks: A&R at Warner Chappell Music
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Ben Groff: A&R, EMI LA
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Ted Lowe: A&R Sony, LA
...and many more working in bands, as professional pluggers and managers, and on the staffs of major publishing houses and record labels.
American Songwriter Magazine
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Americana: Uncharted Territory
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Berkleemusic's Pat Pattison Takes Songwriters to School
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Co-Writing: The No-Free Zone
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"Down The Rabbit Hole": How to Improve Phrasing in Your Songwriting
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Knitting A Sonic Fabric, Part 1
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Knitting A Sonic Fabric, Part 2
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Motion Creates E-Motion in Songwriting
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Rhyme Schemes: Same Song, Different Journeys
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Rusty's Collar
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Sense-Bound Language: Fiery Rain and Meteors
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Size Matters: A Study in Prosody
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Surviving Rhyme: Meeting the Family
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The Prosody of Mystery in Mystery Train
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Tools, Not Rules
Home And Studio Recording Magazine:
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Better Rhymes with less pain (Part One)
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Better Rhymes with less pain (Part Two)
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Put All Your Verses to Work
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Hook Placement and Focus
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Making Metaphors
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Writing for Singers
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The Great Balancing Act
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Object Writing: The Art of the Diver
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Learning to Say No: Developing Worksheets
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Verse Development and Power Positions
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The Sleeping Puppy
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Saying What You Mean
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Verse Development: Travelogues
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Form Follows Function: Building the Perfect Beast
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Neutralizing Repetition
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Looking for the Perfect Match, Part I
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Looking for the Perfect Match, Part II
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Point of View: Second Person and the Hangman
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Point of View: Second Person as Narrative
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Dialogue and Point of View
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Something in Common
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Song Forms: (Im)potent Packages
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Song Forms: (Im)potent Packages II
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Process, Part 1
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Process, Part 2
Performing Songwriter Magazine:
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Verse Development and Power Positions
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The Sleeping Puppy (A Case Study)
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Form Follows Function: Building the Perfect Beast
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Saying What You Mean
LASS Musepaper:
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Surviving Rhyme, Part 1
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Surviving Rhyme Part 2