The Complete Rhyming Dictionary

One of the most valuable tools a songwriter should have, excuse me, must have is a Rhyming Dictionary. There has been more occasions where a stalled creative process gets back on track when a good rhyme falls into your lap. Now there are those who will say, “when the muse is upon you, the muse is upon you.” But as songwriters, why should we let the muse be in complete control over the creativity we count on to make our products. If a carpenter didn’t have a hammer, he could use a brick to drive the nail, but he could be more productive if he had the necessary tool.

That being said, there are many different rhyming dictionaries to choose from. My favorite is “The Complete Rhyming Dictionary” by Clement Wood. It is a well put together and easy to use reference for anyone who relies on words and phrases to make a quality finished product. The latest revision has added 10,000 new entries to make a listing of over 60,000 rhymes. Included are one, two, and three syllable rhymes, listed by vowel and consonant sounds. You could even find rhymes for proper names and modern day terms, or slang. If it is sounding like you need a bachelor’s degree to write a song, rest assured, a reference like this could help you find that word that fits your line or phrase, and you don’t need to wait till you graduate from college.

It is not just enough to own a rhyming dictionary, you need to know how to use it. How many times have you had to put your fun or project on hold while you spent time looking through the manuals. As a keyboardist, I’ve spent more than my share of time thumbing through pages trying to figure out how to edit sounds in my synths. That’s not fun. “The Complete Rhyming Dictionary” is easy to use, and only takes a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the dictionary’s set up. I guarantee you’ll find inspiration just flipping through the pages and seeing those handful of words you never thought would go together in a rhyme. When you start putting together those words, a story line is very likely to jump off the pages and into a tune.

“The Complete Rhyming Dictionary” has my vote, but any good rhyming dictionary is better than none. Don’t wait till your brick breaks from pounding a nail to buy a hammer.

Copyright Information

One of the first things I get asked when I tell an aspiring songwriter that I am a publisher, is “Do I need to copyright my song?”

The answer is both yes and no. The copyright law says that a copyright is applied to a body of work as it is being written. That means all those unfinished lyrics you have hidden in your desk drawer already have a copyright. The real question is Should I copyright my material. The answer to that is YES.

A registered copyright is the legal proof that the song was written by you. The key words are Legal Proof. The chances of anyone stealing your material are very slim. There are bigger chances of you hitting the Pick 6 Lotto. A copyright gives you the peace of mind needed when you start performing, and promoting your song. It is the only proof that will legally work if ever you are forced into court over copyright infringement. The cost is still low enough to be considered cheap insurance. If you have several songs, there are ways to minimize the cost to better fit your pocketbook.

You can contact the U.S. Copyright office at (202)707-9100, or download the forms to submit a song.

If you are not sure how to fill one in, we are always ready to help. It can get confusing sometimes. The hardest part is getting started.

We suggest you copyright your material before sending it to Sydney Skyler Music. If you become a contracted writer with us, we will assist you in getting the copyrights.