Songwriting Lessons

Whether a songwriter starts writing a song–music-first or lyrics-first, the craft of popular music songwriting can be learned by anyone, but mastered by few. It is a fun way to express your thoughts and emotions, and to further your understanding of music and how different elements of music interact.

Students will learn how to write chord progressions, by way of example. In other words, harmonic analysis of songs and compositions in multiple musical genres, is absolutely fundamental when learning to write chord progressions. What better way to learn then studying songs from the masters?

Students will also learn how to write melodies and lyrics, and how to set the two together in a song. Learning how to construct lyrics that communicate to the listener effectively and poetically can be extremely rewarding.

In terms of song structure, students will learn how different parts of a song function as a whole. They will also learn how to combine these parts, in hopes of creating a piece of art that moves people physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

One of the most important elements of song writing is continuity; the ability to create a cohesive song that the listener can follow, without getting lost, as it changes. One of the main goals of our songwriting program is to help all our students achieve some sort of continuity with their songwriting. All students will learn how to create continuity through the development of their musical ideas by way of guided discovery.