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Since February 2020
Instructor since February 2020
The Secret of Writing Great Songs - Lyrics & Music
From 82.96 C$ /h
This is a hands-on surgical exploration into what great songs are and how to create them - from lyrics to music. Great songs are not merely popular songs, or catchy songs, or best-selling songs - great songs are enduring creations that stand the test of time, and which cross all boundaries of genre and style.
In order to create them, we need a unique combination of skills and sensitivities - the ability to execute our ideas effectively on an accompaniment instrument of our choice, whether piano, guitar, organ, harp or other almost always polyphonic (multiple sounding) instruments - but equally the ability to craft poetic and compelling lyrics that are neither cliche nor predictable, and not least, the ability to create effective rhyme patterns without compromising either the original intent or flow of the song.
In truth, creating a great song is as or more difficult than creating a great story, because it requires the meeting and melding of word and music in a mutually resonant way.
In this quest, the class will enlighten beginning as well as seasoned songwriters on harmonic vocabularies available to them, basic musical resources such as rhythmic figures and variation techniques, basic and advanced song structures, from Bach to the Beatles to Bernstein, and perfecting the art of lyric-writing.
Students will learn both fundamental notations so they may present their songs in a true musical format, as well as short cuts enabling them to sketch ideas in a simple form when in the heat of creation. Vocal ranges, transposing, vocal and instrumental ranges will be addressed so that students create songs capable of being sung by either professionals or amateurs.
In order to create them, we need a unique combination of skills and sensitivities - the ability to execute our ideas effectively on an accompaniment instrument of our choice, whether piano, guitar, organ, harp or other almost always polyphonic (multiple sounding) instruments - but equally the ability to craft poetic and compelling lyrics that are neither cliche nor predictable, and not least, the ability to create effective rhyme patterns without compromising either the original intent or flow of the song.
In truth, creating a great song is as or more difficult than creating a great story, because it requires the meeting and melding of word and music in a mutually resonant way.
In this quest, the class will enlighten beginning as well as seasoned songwriters on harmonic vocabularies available to them, basic musical resources such as rhythmic figures and variation techniques, basic and advanced song structures, from Bach to the Beatles to Bernstein, and perfecting the art of lyric-writing.
Students will learn both fundamental notations so they may present their songs in a true musical format, as well as short cuts enabling them to sketch ideas in a simple form when in the heat of creation. Vocal ranges, transposing, vocal and instrumental ranges will be addressed so that students create songs capable of being sung by either professionals or amateurs.
Extra information
Students should have at least a basic working knowledge of an accompaniment instrument - keyboard, guitar, harp, organ, etc., or else, if interested in creating unaccompanied songs, and ability to sing accurately and clearly.
Location
At teacher's location :
- Winchester Road, Northfield, MA, USA
Online from United States
About Me
A lifelong composer of concert & stage music, hundreds of songs, concertos, and a healer & author of 22 books on well-being & spirituality.
A fantastic mentor and teacher who knows how to get inside the mindset of various students in a way which enables them to make quantum progress in a relatively brief time period - whether it be instrumental or orchestral technique, theory, composition or songwriting.
And, amazingly, a nice guy and patient teacheras well.
A fantastic mentor and teacher who knows how to get inside the mindset of various students in a way which enables them to make quantum progress in a relatively brief time period - whether it be instrumental or orchestral technique, theory, composition or songwriting.
And, amazingly, a nice guy and patient teacheras well.
Education
B.M. Aaron Copland School of Music/Queens College NY
Master's Degree, Composition, University of Massachusetts
Private Study, Classical Guitar, Conservatory of Bologna Italy
Master's Degree, Composition, University of Massachusetts
Private Study, Classical Guitar, Conservatory of Bologna Italy
Experience / Qualifications
A highly effective professional, teaching over 50 years, Bachelor's & Master's Degrees & awards in composition, teacher of many other professional performers & composers; composer of documentary film scores, a dozen stage musicals, operas, a recently commissioned Violin Concerto by the Vermont Philharmonic, a skilled classical guitarist with 'Big Ears' that can transcribe virtually any music, classical or popular, direct from recording. . .And
Age
Teenagers (13-17 years old)
Adults (18-64 years old)
Seniors (65+ years old)
Student level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Duration
60 minutes
90 minutes
The class is taught in
English
Skills
Availability of a typical week
(GMT -05:00)
New York
At teacher's location and via webcam
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
00-04
04-08
08-12
12-16
16-20
20-24
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