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Updated in [August 13th, 2023]
Skills and Knowledge Acquired:
By taking this course, students will acquire a variety of skills and knowledge related to songwriting. They will learn about the tools available to them, such as prosody, and how to use them to enhance their message. They will also learn how to work lyrically and musically, even if they do not read music or play an instrument. Additionally, they will gain experience in peer review and have the opportunity to practice writing and recording their own songs.
Contribution to Professional Growth:
This course provides an opportunity for professional growth by teaching an efficient and effective process for writing lyrics. It covers the essential concept of prosody and provides tools to enhance the message of the song. It also encourages participants to work both lyrically and musically, whether they read music or play an instrument or not. Through assignments and peer review, participants will be able to hone their songwriting skills and gain valuable feedback. Ultimately, this course will help participants to develop their inner songwriter and have fun in the process.
Suitability for Further Education:
This course is suitable for preparing further education as it provides an efficient and effective process for tailoring songs to express ideas and emotions. It covers both lyrical and musical aspects, and does not require the student to read music or play an instrument. Assignments will ask the student to post something for peer review, and the course is focused on writing rather than performing.
Course Syllabus
Welcome to Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics
Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.The Journey of the Song
By the end of this lesson, you will see how to develop your song idea so it creates an interesting journey from start to finish. You’ll understand your options developing the point of view of your song and will be introduced to the songwriter’s six best friends.Stopping and Going
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the concept of prosody as it relates to the number of lines/musical phrases in a section and to line lengths/musical phrases. You’ll create both stable and unstable line/musical groupings, using an odd or even number of lines and musical phrases. Using these tools, you’ll write a verse and chorus.Sonic GPS—Mapping Your Song with Rhyme
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the relationship of rhyme schemes to prosody. You’ll create both stable and unstable sections, using various rhyme schemes to show your ear the way to go home. Using these tools, you’ll write a new verse and chorus.Making It Move
By the end of this lesson, you will understand language rhythms—the difference between stressed and unstressed syllables and how to put rhythm in your lines, preparing them to join into the dance with musical rhythm. Using these tools, you’ll put last week’s verse and chorus to music.
