Courses

This course will introduce you to a variety of techniques to help you strengthen your songwriting craft. Whether you’re a novice songwriter or someone with a number of songs under your belt already, this coursewill help you hone your skills by way of in-class discussions, in-depth analysis of popular song texts, and personal practice. We will explore craft topics such as how to build an effective song structure, how to use elements like point of view, humour, rhyme, and other poetic devices in a song lyric, and how to develop strategies for writing effective verses, and choruses. We will also touch on some practical tools that songwriters use to share their work with a wider audience. You will have a chance to test your muse through in-class writing exercises and you’ll be able to learn from your peers through sharing and discussing your work and giving and receiving feedback. In-class discussion is a key element to this class as is working and collaborating with others. Playing an instrument is not a prerequisite, though having a sense of musicality and a passion for songs will go a long way. In addition to submitting lyric sheets for workshopping, students will be expected to submit some form of audio recording for peer evaluation and grading.

This course will introduce you to a variety of techniques to help you strengthen your songwriting craft. Whether you’re a novice songwriter or someone with a number of songs under your belt already, this coursewill help you hone your skills by way of in-class discussions, in-depth analysis of popular song texts, and personal practice. We will explore craft topics such as how to build an effective song structure, how to use elements like point of view, humour, rhyme, and other poetic devices in a song lyric, and how to develop strategies for writing effective verses, and choruses. We will also touch on some practical tools that songwriters use to share their work with a wider audience. You will have a chance to test your muse through in-class writing exercises and you’ll be able to learn from your peers through sharing and discussing your work and giving and receiving feedback. In-class discussion is a key element to this class as is working and collaborating with others. Playing an instrument is not a prerequisite, though having a sense of musicality and a passion for songs will go a long way. In addition to submitting lyric sheets for workshopping, students will be expected to submit some form of audio recording for peer evaluation and grading.