Songwriting An Introduction

Welcome to Beginning Songwriting! We will be focusing on simple song construction techniques including Form, Rhythm and Chord Leading. It is possible to use various methods to write music, and we will try to explore several of them. We will start by analyzing a couple of familiar songs and then try to apply that knowledge to composing new songs using basic chord formulas and simple triads. For any of you who may have more advanced theory training you are welcome to use chord extensions, passing chords and any key you choose, but we will all learn the basic structural formulas explained in the key of C. During the course of the semester we will cover the elements of Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Form and Lyrics. You will be expected to complete a number of exercises to help you gain an understanding of all of the elements, and you will then use the information to compose songs for your class projects.

It is possible to write a song using one chord, two chords or many. We will start by using the chord leading formulas I IV V I and variations of 1 vi ii V as platforms to explore melody and harmony. While it is possible to avoid standard chord leading, this is the starting point for our class work. Feel free to do your own thing when writing your own non-class assigned songs. We will work using various methods including keyboards, guitars, drum machines and/or computer programs as available. Students may be paired up depending upon their musical abilities or the availability of instructional materials.

We are covering the basic math aspects of music, because once you have them on board you will find it easier to maneuver with your intuition. Many of these things you may naturally feel because of cultural familiarity, but this information will give you the skill to understand how you can connect your ideas, especially when you get stuck. Like riding a bike or driving a car; at first it requires all of your concentration and seems impossible to master, but with practice you gain the necessary skills and it becomes second nature, requiring very little conscious effort. Music is like that, once you have a solid set of skills you will find you can easily maneuver your way through the math of a piece with plenty of room left to focus the emotional aspects. “Craft” is the knowledge and intelligent use of technique and it is the major difference between a lucky amateur, who occasionally strikes gold, and a Master, who regularly does.

This class is structured to give you a foundation in the basic musical elements involved in song writing. These musicianship skills make it possible to write a song that can stand the test of time, as opposed to a piece of music that is so tied to a current sound or style that it sounds tired or dated when the style changes. Some songs are purely dance grooves, or reflect the musical flavor of the week. There is nothing at all wrong with that, there is, in fact a lot of money to be made if you can tap into a current trend. However, if you also have a solid set of music writing skills, you will be light years ahead of the pack, and much more likely to establish yourself as a unique creative artist.

Once you have learned the fundamentals, I encourage you to go out and write anything that speaks to you. I believe that with these skills as your foundation whatever you choose to do, including break the basic ground rules, will be much more interesting and solidly musical. There are a number of different ways to approach writing. Some people start with a melody, some with a lyric, or an idea for a hook or a riff, sometimes it all starts with an interesting rhythmic feel. We will briefly explore each of these possibilities in class so that you can get a feel for the various approaches. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Songwriting is a craft, not an accident. Anybody can write a catchy lick or phrase on occasion, it takes knowledge and talent to do it consistently. Good art is not an accident! The basics of song writing are: Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Form and Lyrics... Any of those elements can be used as a starting point. If you break the rules: Make it because you know and understand them and you make a choice to go against the grain for creative effect… not because you can’t help it. Formula & Familiar: Formula work can be good. Familiar can make it easy to relate to. But be creative, not trite or boring… Avoid the cliché whenever possible.

B4 You Begin ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS : 1.What style of song do you want to write? A rock song will generally have a different feel and harmonic structure than an R&B song or a Cabaret song. 2.How do you know what kind of song to write? What kind of music do you like? What do you listen to? What kind of music lights you up? Write what you like or relate to, it will make it easier and it will help you stick with it when the going gets rough… and it WILL get rough from time to time. 3.What about the lyrics? In general, write about what you know. It doesn’t need to be a literary masterpiece, but in general it should tell a story of some kind – A logical action arch or a beginning, middle & end- of course there are songs that are merely riffs and grooves, mostly dance music, but if you remove the arrangement and production there isn’t really much of a song there. 4.Who are you writing for? Is your audience mom & dad? Your Friends, Pop or Alternative Radio, Christians, Angry Teenaged Males, Perky Happy Girls, Angry Girls, Happy Guys, Political Rallies, Coffee Houses? Who might be interested in what you have to say? Do you want to make people dance, cry or think?

Dalai Lama Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly… to break them properly… Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly… to break them properly…