M38N Q3 20 Song Writing I Wed 12-1:00 pm Feb 3,10,17,24 Mar 3,10 – Pat

Song Writing I
This course seeks to inspire musical creativity and direct its manifestation in the compositional form of The Song. A song is a short piece of music combining text with melody, rhythm and harmony.

Students will examine the work of popular songwriters such as Lennon and McCartney, Carol King, Gil Scott-Heron, and Cole Porter. Concepts such as word imagery, syllabic rhythms and placement, rhyme patterns, as well as melodic construction for singing applications, harmonic accompaniment, and song form will be included in this “hands-on” study. The role that various instruments can play in the construction of a vocal-driven song will also be considered.

Weekly exercises will be assigned, each exercise designed as a “building block” which can contribute to the realisation of a completed piece of music, performable by a vocalist and small accompanying ensemble.

Pre-Requisites:
A basic knowledge of music theory, including major/minor scale construction, major/minor triad construction, and the ability to notate rhythms within the most common time signatures, is strongly recommended. Practical facility with the “Musescore” notation platform, and a fundamental ability with piano, guitar, ukulele, or any chord-playing instrument will also be an asset to the songwriting student.