Song Writing 101 - Summer Series
Over the course of 5 days you will learn the fundamentals of songwriting. Through daily exercises as well as group and individual “Foundation Challenges” you will discover with ease how simple yet satisfying writing your own song can be! By the end of day 5 of this course, each student will have successfully written and performed their own song!
Day 1
- Talk about chords, key signatures (Circle of Fifths), roman numeral analysis, popular chord progressions and finding melody.
- Foundation Challenge 1: Chorus - write a 4 chord refrain
- Homework: Add Melody and lyrics
Day 2
- Share refrain with lyrics from first foundation challenge
- Block chords vs rhythmic patters, song structure
- Foundation Challenge 2: 4x4 - write 4 bar 4 chord progression, 4 - 4 bar rhythms
- Homework: Pick your favorite rhythm/chord combo and build upon it, create a 15 second instrumental song with interesting/unique rhythm
- Share 15 second instrumental song
- Song writing on different instruments, considering vocal range of male vs female singers
- Foundation Challenge 3: Poetry in Motion - write a poem and turn it into the first verse of a song
- Homework: write two more verses
- Share verses for song
- Music genres, cross genre songs (classical to metal, country to rock n roll, etc...)
- Foundatioin Challenge 1: Telephone -pass the song. Sit in a circle, first person writes 4 chords, next person writes lyrics, next write 4 more chords, next adds more lyrics, etc.
- Homework: Continue working on your song from Day 3 homweork. Finalize and perpare to perform.
- Share finished songs
- Constructive criticism, help polish, finishing touches
- Performance! (Family and friends invited)
| Materials Included: | A Manuscript Book will be provided |
| Requirements: | Prerequisites for this course include: basic understanding of key signatures, chords and a fundamental knowledge of their instrument. |
| Instructor: | Emily McDermott |
| Instructor Bio: | Emily McDermott has been studying piano since 1995, and voice since 2004. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. Her love for music and performance has taken her on an incredible journey. Starting in Metro Detroit where she grew up and got her education, taking her to N.Y.C and Off Broadway, on to Westchester NY where she created and ran her own music department at a K-8 grammar school and taught piano/voice/acting at the Bennett Academy of Performing Arts, and finally landing her in Middletown CT with her husband and two children where she teaches privately as well as directs a choir and sings professionally on weekends. While she was in college Emily studied many different performance genres. She is well versed in anything from classical to contemporary (Opera, Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock n Roll, etc.) In her lessons she offers focus on sight-reading, improvisation, performance, theory and composition. Her goal as a teacher is to introduce and familiarize every student with the foundations in each musical subset or category to set them up for success in pursuing music they connect with. Music is such a powerful influence on our lives, Emily makes it a priority to guide her students and help them forge their own path to create a long lasting relationship with their music and instruments while at the same time providing them with a strong foundation and musical background. |
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Included Materials
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This class cannot be purchased online. Please contact the store for more information.