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Progressions: Songwriting

Section 1 -Getting Started

Songwriter in a songwriting process. A male composer write lyrics on a notebook while play

Week 1

"You write a hit the same way you write a flop" - Alan Jay Lerner

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025

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Thursday, February 6th, 2025

Tuesday - Introduction & Orientation

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  - How to navigate this course

      - Key chart

      - Rhyming dictionary

      - Presenting songs

      - Work-shopping

          - Giving good feedback

          - Receiving feedback

          - Asking for advice

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  - The Songwriting Process

  - The Audience

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Assignments -

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

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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

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

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

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

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

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Class Recordings

Tuesday

Passcode: g5$SN5^6

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Thursday

Passcode:

Week 2

"I started being a songwriter by pretending I could do it, and it turned out I could." - James Taylor

Tuesday, February 11th, 2025

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Thursday, February 13th, 2025

Tuesday -

Doing the work!

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Homework - Where are you writing? When?​

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Building your resource -

  1. Song Title List

  2. Idea List

  3. Develop your weakness

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  - Show up to the easel           

  - Your writing space

  - Obstacles

  - Reviewing your repertoire

     - what songs have you started? Finish those.

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- 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

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Assignments:

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

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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.

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

- Bring a song that is incomplete

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Class Recordings

Tuesday

Passcode: 8m.!TM#N

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Thursday

Passcode:

Week 3

“My advice for songwriters? Sit down and work at it! The more songs you write, the more good songs you’ll have." - Roger McGuinn

Tuesday, February 18th, 2025

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Thursday, February 20th, 2025

Tuesday - Form and Structure - Building a Worksheet

 

- The song forms

- Rhyme Schemes

- The Musical Alphabet

  - Chords, Voicings

  - Diatonic Triad Chart

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- Standard Chord progressions

- Charts

   - Sample Lyric Sheet

 

 

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

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  - Bring a completed song to share.

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Class Recordings

Tuesday
Passcode:

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Thursday

Passcode:

Week 4

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison

Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

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Thursday, February 27th, 2025

Tuesday - Finding Inspiration - Creation - Discussion class

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- Tips for Creativity

- Creativity Exercises

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Assignments -

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

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

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Thursday - [ONLINE] - Section 1 Workshop

Bring a song written from Section 1 writing prompts

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Class Recordings

Tuesday

Passcode:

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Thursday

Passcode: lk0#MH3G

Meeting ID: 837 5337 6615
Passcode: 415298

Resources

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