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Hooktheory II

Interactive Music Theory Book

Rated 4.80 out of 5
4.8 (73)

Hooktheory Book II picks up where Book I leaves off, diving deeper into the mechanics of writing compelling songs. Through clear explanations and interactive examples, it shows you how professional musicians use advanced chord progressions, melody writing techniques, and harmonic tricks to make music that connects.

Using real songs you know and love, the book goes beyond theory for theory’s sake—helping you see and hear how these concepts work in practice. Each chapter is designed to be approachable, fun, and directly applicable to your own songwriting, with Hooktheory’s interactive software bringing every example to life.

Whether you're looking to break free from the same four chords, craft melodies that grab attention, or understand the subtler moves that make songs memorable, Book II gives you the tools and confidence to level up your music writing.

Authors:
Dave Carlton, Ryan Miyakawa, Chris Anderson
Features:
228 audiovisual examples, 83 exercises
Release date:
October 1, 2016
Chapters:
Compatibility:
Web, iOS, Android
Level:
All levels. Required reading: Hooktheory I

Contents

Hooktheory II will teach you the essential intermediate and advanced techniques for crafting effective and compelling chord progressions and melodies.

Reading the Hooktheory e-book on a tablet

Featuring songs from:

The Beatles 1 Beatles 2 Elvis Presley Queen Adele Lady Gaga Bruno Mars Justin Timberlake Mariah Carey Billy Joel John Lennon ABBA Muse The Eagles Simon and Garfunkel Nickleback The Supremes Leonard Cohen Frankie Valli Earth wind and fire Fall out boy Kenny Chesney Colbie Caillat CeeLo Green Robin Thicke Alabama Shakes Woody Guthrie American Pie The Simpsons

Take a closer look

Learn the essential intermediate and advanced techniques for crafting effective and compelling chord progressions and melodies.

Read a Sample

Why Hooktheory?

Learn how to craft melodies and chord progressions like professional musicians, and discover an intuitive, deep understanding of how music works.

Hooktheory interactive keyboard and chord view

No sheet music knowledge required.

Hooktheory’s books are written in an easy-to-understand music format that emphasizes chord and melody function. If you don’t read sheet music, you’re not out of luck.

Audiovisual examples in the book

Interactive and audiovisual.

Dozens of audiovisual examples of real songs so you can apply concepts in real time, plus exercises to test your understanding throughout the book.

Popular music focus

Pop-Focused

Discover techniques used by popular artists from the past century through today. Together, we’ll dissect hundreds of pop songs to learn how the pros do it.

Hookpad sketchpad app

Put theory into practice.

Learn and immediately practice concepts with our accompanying musical sketchpad, Hookpad .

What people are saying:

Customer Reviews

Rated 4.82 out of 5
4.82 out of 5 stars
Based on 100 ratings · 43 reviews

Review data

5 star reviews
85%
4 star reviews
12%
3 star reviews
3%
2 star reviews
0%
1 star reviews
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Customers Say

Customers find this book and app to be an excellent and practical way to learn music theory, especially for songwriting and understanding popular music. They praise its clear explanations, real-world examples, and the ability to both see and hear concepts applied directly to songs. Many highlight that it fills gaps left by traditional theory resources, making complex ideas accessible, and that it has improved their confidence and creativity in composing. The interactive features and integration with Hookpad are also widely appreciated, helping learners immediately apply what they’ve read. Some note that the pacing can be fast or that certain topics are more challenging than in the first volume, and a few mention minor technical issues like app bugs or limited bookmarking. Overall, customers consider it one of the best resources available for learning and applying music theory, with strong recommendations for both beginners and experienced musicians.
Generated from the text of customer reviews using AI

Top Reviews from Goodreads

Max McKinnon
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
May 7, 2024

Outstanding. Better than every theory book due to the software that comes with it to play and hear. This has done more for my chord progressions and sense of energy control, deception, and artistic control than any other resource so far and has been like a gateway between connecting previous ear training to applied song understanding and my own song writing. I remember not that long ago being well aware of I IV V and hearing it in a classroom context easily. As well as I practiced enough ear training drills to be able to hear any melody and play it back without guessing (diatonic and modes I'm familiar with at least). However being able to hear I IV V in realtime while playing over it always eluded me for the most part, and I would resort to playing by ear in a not totally effective way that was disconnected from understanding what was going on and more of falling back to hunting for notes until I figured out the chord, then able to unlock my control of the melody again. The chord crush that comes along with this package was great for practicing that and beyond. Super solid combo of products I love. Thanks HookTheory/HookPad/ChordCrush for the amazingly solid educational material that puts to focus on in-context learning, a perfect case study of Make Learning Whole applied to music education. Can't thank you enough! Book 2 was great going into the modes. I loved the Simpsons and Zelda soundtrack examples there were as those songs have been permanently etched into my brain and made for good examples of where the chords stay in Ionian but the melody is Dorian, the inverse, phrygian, etc. Loved the extension of this book to more of songwriting which included more examples and breakdowns of energy control in a chord progression. Would be great to get even more of this high quality educational content, such as a focus on melody in the next book.

Outstanding. Better than every theory book due to the software that comes with it to play and hear. This has done more for my chord progressions and sense of energy control, deception, and artistic control than any other resource so far and has been like a gateway between connecting previous ear training to applied song understanding and my own song writing. I remember not that long ago being well aware of I IV V and hearing it in a classroom context easily. As well as I practiced enough ear training drills to be able to hear any melody and play it back without guessing (diatonic and modes I'm familiar with at least). However being able to hear I IV V in realtime while playing over it always eluded me for the most part, and I would resort to playing by ear in a not totally effective way that was disconnected from understanding what was going on and more of falling back to hunting for notes until I figured out the chord, then able to unlock my control of the melody again. The chord crush that comes along with this package was great for practicing that and beyond. Super solid combo of products I love. Thanks HookTheory/HookPad/ChordCrush for the amazingly solid educational material that puts to focus on in-context learning, a perfect case study of Make Learning Whole applied to music education. Can't thank you enough! Book 2 was great going into the modes. I loved the Simpsons and Zelda soundtrack examples there were as those songs have been permanently etched into my brain and made for good examples of where the chords stay in Ionian but the melody is Dorian, the inverse, phrygian, etc. Loved the extension of this book to more of songwriting which included more examples and breakdowns of energy control in a chord progression. Would be great to get even more of this high quality educational content, such as a focus on melody in the next book.

Brian Cyril
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
October 16, 2016

This is the best book I've found on chord progressions. I studied piano as a kid, but hated it. Later in my teens I got into making beats, and gradually learned basic chord progressions using my basic piano knowledge. Fast forward to my 30's, I'm making music again - electronic, hip hop, synthwave style stuff. And I wanted to really get a grasp on chord progressions. But all the conventional material out there is based on the old fashioned bass/treble clef notation and doesn't give modern examples. This book (and book 1) were FULL of examples of every single concept. The way they break down keys and chords, and how progressions and melody work in real songs is unique, comprehensive, and much easier to understand than traditional music theory teaching. It's easy enough to follow that you can get through it in a couple days, but it's deep enough that you will definitely go back and study as you evolve in your creative abilities. I've tossed out all the other music theory books I had on my shelf/kindle. No matter where you are at, this book will take you to the next level and have you creating legit compositions faster than any system out there.

This is the best book I've found on chord progressions. I studied piano as a kid, but hated it. Later in my teens I got into making beats, and gradually learned basic chord progressions using my basic piano knowledge. Fast forward to my 30's, I'm making music again - electronic, hip hop, synthwave style stuff. And I wanted to really get a grasp on chord progressions. But all the conventional material out there is based on the old fashioned bass/treble clef notation and doesn't give modern examples. This book (and book 1) were FULL of examples of every single concept. The way they break down keys and chords, and how progressions and melody work in real songs is unique, comprehensive, and much easier to understand than traditional music theory teaching. It's easy enough to follow that you can get through it in a couple days, but it's deep enough that you will definitely go back and study as you evolve in your creative abilities. I've tossed out all the other music theory books I had on my shelf/kindle. No matter where you are at, this book will take you to the next level and have you creating legit compositions faster than any system out there.

Benjamin Bond
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
December 18, 2016

This book is wonderful! I have reread it 3 times already. By far the best book on songwriting I have ever read. It has a huge amount of information in it, and it's all explained really well. There are also many examples using pop music, And they are right there in the text. All the other songwriting books I've read use music classical music examples, which is useless to me. Hook theory I and II are way more valuable to me than the $200 music theory textbook I read, and they are so much less expensive. after reading the music theory textbook (twice) I was still very confused, but then I read hook theory and now I understand everything much better.

This book is wonderful! I have reread it 3 times already. By far the best book on songwriting I have ever read. It has a huge amount of information in it, and it's all explained really well. There are also many examples using pop music, And they are right there in the text. All the other songwriting books I've read use music classical music examples, which is useless to me. Hook theory I and II are way more valuable to me than the $200 music theory textbook I read, and they are so much less expensive. after reading the music theory textbook (twice) I was still very confused, but then I read hook theory and now I understand everything much better.

Geir Breimo
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
February 11, 2023

So starting to learn music theory a couple of years ago I saw this but avoided buying theese books because it looked too much like an easy way out and I thought it coulden't possibly deliver what it promised. So I took other online classes and read other books. Getting to a level of collage music theory second semester I was frustrated that I still couldent analyze a pop song and understand what was going on and why the composer has choosed to do what he/she had done. Someone then advised this book and the Music Theory I book and I have to say it delivered bigtime. Maybe prior knowledge made it easier for me but I read both books in a couple of weeks and two years of knowledge suddenly fell into place in a logical manner. Theese books are not a shortcut to writing a hit song that many books seems to be. They are thorogh music theory books but written in an extreamly pedagogic and innovative way so that learning gets very easy. I highly reccomend theese. By the way you do not have to buy the hookpad software to benefit from theese books. If you have a DAW you will instantly be able to use the same methods in your own compositions. If you plan to write traditionally on staff paper it might be harder to brigde the knowledge but you will get there. Highly reccomended.

So starting to learn music theory a couple of years ago I saw this but avoided buying theese books because it looked too much like an easy way out and I thought it coulden't possibly deliver what it promised. So I took other online classes and read other books. Getting to a level of collage music theory second semester I was frustrated that I still couldent analyze a pop song and understand what was going on and why the composer has choosed to do what he/she had done. Someone then advised this book and the Music Theory I book and I have to say it delivered bigtime. Maybe prior knowledge made it easier for me but I read both books in a couple of weeks and two years of knowledge suddenly fell into place in a logical manner. Theese books are not a shortcut to writing a hit song that many books seems to be. They are thorogh music theory books but written in an extreamly pedagogic and innovative way so that learning gets very easy. I highly reccomend theese. By the way you do not have to buy the hookpad software to benefit from theese books. If you have a DAW you will instantly be able to use the same methods in your own compositions. If you plan to write traditionally on staff paper it might be harder to brigde the knowledge but you will get there. Highly reccomended.

Matthew Sims
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
December 6, 2016

This book and tool (Hookpad) are exceptionally clear and simple. If you've tried to dig into music theory and hit a wall, or if you've been given music theory rules without examples, than this book is that missing piece of the puzzle. I promise that if you read both of these and start applying their guidelines you'll be writing more powerfully. What I mean is that you'll have simple rules that you can follow or break. Rather than unconsciously write the same chord progressions over and over, you'll understand why you're pulled to a certain chord, how to avoid common, boring movements, and more most importantly: How a melody can sit or clash over chord progressions. Don't hesitate to pick this up and read it. It's filled in a lot of annoying gaps as a musician that no one else could explain simply like these authors have.

This book and tool (Hookpad) are exceptionally clear and simple. If you've tried to dig into music theory and hit a wall, or if you've been given music theory rules without examples, than this book is that missing piece of the puzzle. I promise that if you read both of these and start applying their guidelines you'll be writing more powerfully. What I mean is that you'll have simple rules that you can follow or break. Rather than unconsciously write the same chord progressions over and over, you'll understand why you're pulled to a certain chord, how to avoid common, boring movements, and more most importantly: How a melody can sit or clash over chord progressions. Don't hesitate to pick this up and read it. It's filled in a lot of annoying gaps as a musician that no one else could explain simply like these authors have.

Jonathan
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
April 1, 2024

This is the best music theory book I've read. I feel like I am actually beginning to understand music in a way that allows me to enjoy it more deeply, analyze it more accurately, and learn from everything I hear. The audio examples given are all excellent, and this is the next best thing to having a private music tutor.

This is the best music theory book I've read. I feel like I am actually beginning to understand music in a way that allows me to enjoy it more deeply, analyze it more accurately, and learn from everything I hear. The audio examples given are all excellent, and this is the next best thing to having a private music tutor.

Brent
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
October 1, 2017

This picks up where Hooktheory I left off, and is every bit as good. It has incredibly concise, clear, and focused coverage of the theory behind the chord progressions and melodies of contemporary songs, and I can't recommend it highly enough for songwriters. It's not completely comprehensive (where are the dim7 chords?), but what it does cover - and it covers a lot! - it covers extremely well. The audio/video examples made possible by the ebook format make this a resource far superior to any hardcopy book.

This picks up where Hooktheory I left off, and is every bit as good. It has incredibly concise, clear, and focused coverage of the theory behind the chord progressions and melodies of contemporary songs, and I can't recommend it highly enough for songwriters. It's not completely comprehensive (where are the dim7 chords?), but what it does cover - and it covers a lot! - it covers extremely well. The audio/video examples made possible by the ebook format make this a resource far superior to any hardcopy book.

Wmike1503
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
December 12, 2023

As a 66yr old piano learner (with some guitar experience). This book, together with Book I is an excellent method of learning how songs are structured. Combined with HookPad, I have made some serious progress. One, technical, observation. These are eBooks, therefore they really should have the ability to bookmark pages - they don't. Irritating, but not enough to drop any stars. Highly recommended.

As a 66yr old piano learner (with some guitar experience). This book, together with Book I is an excellent method of learning how songs are structured. Combined with HookPad, I have made some serious progress. One, technical, observation. These are eBooks, therefore they really should have the ability to bookmark pages - they don't. Irritating, but not enough to drop any stars. Highly recommended.

Ti-Fred Torres
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
August 28, 2022

This is a great book. It explains music theory step by step, using the right mix of concepts, examples, practice, quizzes, and reviews. It has a simple, straightforward style -- but it doesn't feel "dumbed down" or oversimplified. No other websites/blogs/books I had found (and I looked at lot) came close.

This is a great book. It explains music theory step by step, using the right mix of concepts, examples, practice, quizzes, and reviews. It has a simple, straightforward style -- but it doesn't feel "dumbed down" or oversimplified. No other websites/blogs/books I had found (and I looked at lot) came close.

Mai Thanh
Rated 5.00 out of 5
5/5
March 26, 2020

So, I've finished reading Hooktheory II and it definitely has more theories and illustrations and demonstrations than Hooktheory I. This book requires much more time to invest in and I advise not to read it all at once but focus one chapter at a time and spend your time on it as much as you need in order to fully grasp its content. This book would prompt you to work with Hookpad as it touches on melodies more so it's good to practice not only on the melodies but also on chord progressions and the relationships between them. Notations are usually very helpful but I'd only stick to one kind of coloring of chords because it got too confusing for me after the coloring notation changed at the end of the book. All in all, not disappointed and also would recommend reading Hooktheory I first before jumping on this one as there are a few references from the first book.

So, I've finished reading Hooktheory II and it definitely has more theories and illustrations and demonstrations than Hooktheory I. This book requires much more time to invest in and I advise not to read it all at once but focus one chapter at a time and spend your time on it as much as you need in order to fully grasp its content. This book would prompt you to work with Hookpad as it touches on melodies more so it's good to practice not only on the melodies but also on chord progressions and the relationships between them. Notations are usually very helpful but I'd only stick to one kind of coloring of chords because it got too confusing for me after the coloring notation changed at the end of the book. All in all, not disappointed and also would recommend reading Hooktheory I first before jumping on this one as there are a few references from the first book.

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