I'm supposed to teach a class in songwriting for nonmusicians this spring and I'm already beginning to stress about it.

Are there any teachers or songwriters out there who might have tips?

If you were a student, what would you want to know?

Thanks.

smile

I might structure the class into types of songs (folk, pop, musical comedy, country, stream of consciousness, etc.) and then go into rhyme (or not), meter, and how to work within the framework of a variety of chord progressions in each genre. Since they're non-musicians, I assume they'll have someone else to write the music? Or will actual music not enter into this at all?

For each genre, I'd bring in examples and analyze what makes them successful or not. Keep in mind that artistic and commercial success are often two completely different animals. What do they want to acheive?

Thanks Miss M. I'm not sure what the class will want which is what makes it so difficult. The more I think about it, the more I worry. I've written a lot of songs starting when I was 15, but I'm not sure how to teach it. I'm doing the class as a favor for a lady who is helping me with a project so I have to do it. Eeek.

It would be fun to incorporate the different musical styles, but there will be no musicians there and they are the ones who develop the style. The guys I work with can take a melody and arrange it any style I want.

I think I might focus on accessing the muse and try to teach the writers how to hear the melodies in words then use the beats in poetry to develop a song. I think that's the way I do it.

What do you think about that approach?
Anymore ideas?

smile

Do people hear the music first or write the words first? How does the "fit" work? Do you fit words to music or music to words? Are songs poems fit to music? What makes a song a song? How is it different or the same as a poem?

I'm, obviously, not a musician but I've always wondered how people write songs.

Thistle,

I think songwriting happens both ways. Music to fit words and words to fit music. For me it all comes at once. The words sing the melody to me.

Some musicians write the music and pay lyricists to write lyrics. For those who create only in the language of music, that probably works well. Some writers write the lyrics and pay musicians to create the melodies. I suppose for writers who think in words, that works well. I can't separate the two.

I'm trying to write a syllabus for this class and it's straining my brain. Never gave this so much thought before. Many of the most popular songs are written by non musicians so I thought there would more info, but not so far.

I thought this would be easy. Maybe not. I don't want to intellectualize it away.

smile

First day of class:
1. introduce yourself
2. state all your relevant credential blahblah. If it's a long list, speak quickly. If it's a very long list, distribute a handout and mention a few of the highlights.
3. maybe a very brief background on song writing ("Our first records of song writing go back to the ancient Babylonians etc. etc.") Research is not important. You want to make them feel like part of a great and noble tradition.
4. pass out the lyrics and perform one of your songs
5. in-class assignment (last 15 minutes): write a short essay on "why I took this class, what I've previously done in this field, and what I want to get out of the class."

You should have your work cut out for you. And sometime later in the course, you absolutely need to talk about copyrights.

Ms. M. Excellent!!! Huge help. I'll make a few changes to allow them to play around with the lyrics and see if they hear the music in the words, but great help. Organizing my chaotic brain.

Thanks!!!

smile

I've never attended a song writing class but I guess if like me the attendees were amateurs they would want to know about writing down their melodies - how to "get it down on paper" so they can share them with other people. Although I have studied music the notation always bogs me down...
Probably they have words and melodies in their heads but want ways of releasing them...

She's back. Hi Julie. How were your holidays?

You must check your post Gone Walkabout to see what smile thought you were up to!