Tuesday - Introduction & Orientation

​

  - How to navigate this course

      - Key chart

      - Rhyming dictionary

      - Presenting songs

      - Work-shopping

          - Giving good feedback

          - Receiving feedback

          - Asking for advice

​

  - The Songwriting Process

  - The Audience

​

Assignments -

1. Get a notebook! Or set up a digital place to keep ideas and work in for the course...or get both!

​

2. Find a song and break it down. Write a short description of the song thinking about form, chords, rhyme scheme, imagery, etc. Tell me why you like it, and why you don't

​

3. Explore the rhyming dictionary as well as the resource section in this progressions course.

​

4. Find a time and a place to write. Be prepared to share that with the group next Tuesday!

​

______________________________________

​

Thursday - [IN-PERSON @ SHMA] - Workshop #1

​

You must bring a song or a partial song to share with the class.

​

Tuesday -

Doing the work!

​​

Homework - Where are you writing? When?​

​

Building your resource -

  1. Song Title List

  2. Idea List

  3. Develop your weakness

​​

  - Show up to the easel           

  - Your writing space

  - Obstacles

  - Reviewing your repertoire

     - what songs have you started? Finish those.

​​

- Habits to develop

     - Carry a notebook

     - Observe and listen

     - Ask questions and be in your head

     - Write, write, write!

     - Read lots of books

     - Make decisions

     - Power through or let it rest

​

Assignments:

​

1. Find at least one song that is unfinished, either in your mind or in your writings and finish it this weekend.

​

2. Notebook - Somewhere near the front of your notebook, make a list of songwriting topics you can draw on. (It is helpful to have this list in a Google Doc as well where you can access it from anywhere.) You need ten topics/ideas.

 

3. Somewhere in your notebook make list of titles that you can draw from for this class. (also helpful to have in Google Docs) Make a list of 20 titles.

​

​

​

Thursday - [IN-PERSON @ SHMA] Workshop #2

- Bring a song that is incomplete

​

Tuesday - Form and Structure - Building a Worksheet

 

- The song forms

- Rhyme Schemes

- The Musical Alphabet

  - Chords, Voicings

  - Diatonic Triad Chart

​

- Standard Chord progressions

- Charts

   - Sample Lyric Sheet

 

 

-----------------------

​

​

​

Thursday - [IN-PERSON @ SHMA] - Workshop #3

​

  - Bring a completed song to share.

​

Tuesday - Finding Inspiration - Creation - Discussion class

​

- Tips for Creativity

- Creativity Exercises

​

Assignments -

​

1. Free write for ten minutes using your non-dominant hand. 

​

Assignment - Make a list of five things that make you feel creative.

​

-----------------

​

​

​

Thursday - [ONLINE] - Section 1 Workshop

Bring a song written from Section 1 writing prompts

​