Idea To Song: A Step-By-Step Approach To Songwriting

ABOUT THE COURSE

Idea to song is an step-by-step guide created to help songwriters understand how to turning great ideas into equally great (and finished!) songs. The 8-module online course walks you through the process of writing a song, from the lyrics to the chord progression.​

The course is meant to save you time by simplifying songwriting and giving you a clear system to follow. Inside the course, I lay out all of the the songwriting strategies + music theory concepts you need to know in a clear and simple way.

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WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?

This course is for you if...​​

• You're a beginning songwriter (you've written less than 10 complete songs), OR you're an experienced songwriter who feels like you lack an understanding of the music theory and techniques of songwriting.

• You feel like you can't come up with enough content to write a whole song.

• You've written songs, but you're not happy with them and feel like they haven't turned out like you intended.

• You're having trouble with one particular area (melody, lyrics, chord progressions, etc.)

• ​Your songwriting process involves mostly trial + error and experimentation ...without much direction.

• You find it hard to stay focused on one song long enough to get it finished.

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS COURSE

Module 1: Mindset​

• What you should remind yourself when you're struggling with perfectionism

• Specific strategies for tackling writer’s block

• The reason why finishing your songs is so important

Module 2: Writing The Hook

• The 3 different types of hooks + how to write them

• Strategies for coming up with great hook ideas

• Why you shouldn't worry too much about having the perfect hook

Module 3: The Planning Stage

• How to brainstorm lyrics that will support your hook

• The function of each section of your song

• How to use the song structure as a guide for your lyrics

Module 4: Tempo & Rhythm

• How structure and tempo affect your lyrics

• A simple way to write and analyze your lyric rhythms (without learning music notation!)

• Understand the different time signatures

• How many measures each section of your song should be

Module 5: Writing The Lyrics

• How to keep your lyrics laser-focused on your theme

• When you should follow the rules of grammar + when you're allowed to break them

• How to use poetic devices to make your lyrics more interesting

• A system for finding rhymes and near rhymes

Module 6: Chord Progressions

• How to find all of the possible chords within your key

• How to label + choose chords strategically based on their function

• A technique for preventing your chord progression from clashing with your melody

• How to use chords outside of your key (without totally disorienting your listeners!)

Module 7: Writing The Melody

• ​How to write a melody that will fit your lyrics seamlessly

• Using the vocal range to your advantage

• When to use repetition in your melody

• A system for understanding your melodies

• The specific scale advanced songwriters use to write runs, harmony, + improvise

Module 8: Finishing Your Song

• An exercise to make sure your song flows well

• How to decide if you should re-write parts of your song

• What to title your song

• When to listen to feedback and when to ignore it

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What level of experience with music do I need to have?

​All the music theory concepts in this course are explained from zero, so you don't need to have any prior knowledge. There is no music notation in the course so you won't have to worry about being able to sight-read notes on a staff just to understand the examples. The only requirement is knowing how to play a few chords on any instrument (see below).

Do I need to be able to play an instrument?

​Because the chord progression is such an important part of songwriting, you will need to be able to play some basic chords on any instrument (I'd recommend piano or guitar, but any instrument that can play chords is fine!). I'm talking, three or four chords - you don't need to be a prodigy! If you don't play an instrument right now, you 'll need to teach your self how to play chords before you work through this course. But the good news is, there are TONS of great YouTube tutorials for that!

Is this a music theory course?

​Yes and no. It's not a traditional music theory course in that it's main purpose is to analyze music. BUT there are a lot of music theory concepts in the course because having a solid understanding of music can help immensely with songwriting. So think of it as a selective music theory course - I don't cover the parts that aren't relevant to songwriting (like music notation + Italian terms) and only cover the music theory that is useful to songwriters.

How long will it take to work through the course?

​It completely depends on what sort of time commitment you're willing to make! It could take anywhere from a week to several months to work through the program to finish a song. But the great thing is, the worksheets and exercises you'll learn in this course will apply even to advanced songwriting, so I have a feeling you'll be coming back to this course material over and over again!

I'm an experienced songwriter - will this course help me?

Absolutely! If you're an experienced songwriter looking for a more technical or structured approach (or maybe you've been writing for a while, but still feel like there is something you're missing in your songs), you'll probably get a lot out of this course.

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BONUS CONTENT

BONUS 1: Printable Worksheets + Reference Sheets

• Lyric Planning Worksheet: Plan out your lyrics ideas for the different sections of your song.

• Rhythm Analysis Worksheet: Use this to mark where your lyrics fall within the beat, lining each note up with its subdivisions.

• Rhyme Finder Worksheet: Use this worksheet to find both perfect rhymes and near rhymes for any word.

• Chord Finder Worksheet: Figure out what the 7 diatonic (within the key) chords in whatever key you're playing in.

• Chord Progression Planning Worksheet: Plan out the pace of your chord progression and mark however many measures and beats you will hold each chord out for.

• Melody Shaping Worksheet: Plan out melody visually by using the lyrics to guide your melodic shape.

• Solfege Ladder Worksheet: Analyze your melodies and where the notes fall within the scale by going up + down the solfege ladder as you sing.

• Song Proofreading Checklist Worksheet: Use this to review your songs and identify any spots that may need fixing or re-writing. (This is more of a general guide than a list of rules, though!)

• Key Signatures Reference Sheet: The number of sharps and flats in every major and minor key

• Guitar Chords Reference Sheet: Every major and minor chord on guitar

• Keyboard Chords Reference Sheet: Every major and minor chord on piano

• Music Terms Reference Sheet: Definitions + explanations for all the musical terms mentioned in the course.

BONUS 2: How To Arrange Your Songs for Piano

• A video lesson outlining how to create a piano arrangement, from the most basic arrangement to more advanced techniques.

BONUS 3: Resource Guide (Recommended tools & Resources)

• Songwriting Tools

• Songwriting Educational Resources

• Songwriting Blogs + Inspiration

• Singing Resources

• Releasing Your Music

• Learning the Music Business

• (The Best) Facebook Groups