Songwriting

IDEAS RELATING TO COURSE

 

SONGWRITING DAY ONLY COURSE

 

7hours – 45min lunch 2 x 15mins 5:45

 

SESSION 1 – 75mins

Writing a song straight off

 

Where do you start?

1. Vocal Melody
2. Lyrics
3. Chord sequence

 

Discuss the above and show it in live action. Build up the parts so it shows how you can think about production and arrangement. Showcase the simplicity of ad libbing a melody without thinking about what you are doing.

 

Use spinning wheel to decide the key, time signature and style. Add some lyric lines that they can choose from.

 

Set the class into groups and have them use the above information to start writing their own songs.

 

SESSION 2 – 75mins

Continue writing their songs ensuring that they have a verse and chorus. They perform where they’ve got to and we analyse this and show them how they can take it further.

 

We should discuss song structure

verse, bridge, chorus, middle 8, solo

 

Discuss song length, radio or album edits. Is it to long, what can you take out, is that solo really necessary.

 

Subject matter can determine the feel of the song. Your ability as a guitarist and singer will play a part in how effective the guitar playing and melody can be but it doesn’t determine how great the song can be. Think Mark Knopfler, he’s not a great singer but it’s totally perfect for his material.

 

SESSION 3 – 75mins

Re-arranging – show variety of style and techniques upon the guitar that can hugely change your songs feel and emotion. We could develop any of the songs below as a class.

1. U2’s – Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
2. Tom Petty – Free Falling
3. The Monkeys – I’m A Believer
4. Ben E King – Stand By Me
5. Bob Marley – Three Little Birds

 

They could then have a go themselves

 

SESSION 4

The Songwriters Grid = Show passing chords and none diatonic chords and how things can be developed. We can use the information used in the chord harmony courses.

 

1. Bobby Hebb – Sunny
2. Beatles – Something
3. Bob Dylan – Make You Feel My Love

 

 

GENERAL THINGS STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW PRIOR TO COMING ON THE COURSE

 

KEYS and the diatonic chords

C, A,  G,  E,   D

Am and Em

 

We will provide prep materials for the course to cover the above.

 

Capo’s to transpose

 

Write with your own abilities

 

Ed Sheeran songs – same chords (D major), different rhythms, feel:

Perfect

Castle of the hill,

Thinking out loud

*Bring a capo

 

Keys – CAGED

Open and barres

CAGED primer

Circle of 5ths

Major scale

Pentatonic shapes, Blues

Time signatures

Blank lead sheet

Verse, chorus, bridge, intro, outro

 

Hi

 

You should already have received the Joining Instructions. Let me know if haven’t.

 

I’d like to cover two subjects. Do not worry about any of this:

 

 

Your expectations

This is such a wide-ranging course and we want to make it as relevant as possible to everyone without bombarding you with lots of ‘theory’. So:

 

Are you a singer/player?

Yes

No – player only

 

Are you a strummer or fingerpicker

Both?

Strummer only?

Plectrum, fingers, both?

Fingerpicker only?

 

Are you a newcomer to songwriting?

• Yes – where do you like to start:
  • Lyrics
  • Melody
  • Chords
  • Groove
• No – what sort of songs do you write or arrange?

 

 

Can you play?

 

• Most open chords and change between them?
• Barre chords and change between them?
• Triads on the top three strings?
• Power chords on the bottom three strings?
• The C major scale? Open or closed position
• The A minor and major pentatonic scale (any pattern)?

 

Are you familiar with:

• Time signature e.g. 4:4, 3:4
• Chords in a key? E.g. C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am (I’m ignoring the Bdim) aka diatonic chords.
• What the I, IV and V chords in the keys of C, A, G, E and D?

 

 

Revise the basics

Let me know if you need any help with these beforehand.

 

Essential open chords covering major, minor, dom7 ( 7), minor 7, major7 in CAGED

• A, Am, A7, Am7, Amaj7
• B, B7                                                                       (if you can manage the full A barre shape then Bm, Bm7)
• C, C7, Cmaj7                                                          (if you can manage the full A barre shape then Cm, Cm7)
• D, Dm, D7, Dm7, Dmaj7
• E, Em, E7, Em7, Emaj7
• F, Fmaj7                                                                  (if you can manage the full/half E shape then F and Fm, Fm7)
• G, G7, Dmaj7                                                          (if you can mange the E shape full barre then Gm)

 

 

Changing between chords

• Write out a series of chord combinations from the chord groups e.g. A, A7, Am and practise changing cleanly using a metronome set at 60 bpm. If it’s too fast then slow the metronome down to a comfortable tempo

 

• Same again for barre chords as above. Do what you can do, don’t worry about anything you can’t do.

 

• Now do the same for chords in a key
• Same approach as above but write out your chord combinations using the chords in a particular key e.g. in C major we have: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am (and Bdim). Let’s say you choose C, Am, F, G as your practice combination. Make sure they’re clean with no dead or buzzing notes!

 

 

Essential barre chords (don’t worry if you can’t)

Same as for the open chords.

 

 

CAGED and using a CAPO

Example – if you play in C major (i.e. using C, F and G chords) and want to move it to the key of D major you can place the capo on fret 2 and play the same C, F and G shape as it the capo is the new nut; you’re actually playing the chords D, G and A!

Try the same song but using the chord shapes from the key of A (i.e. A, D and E). Place the capo down at the relevant fret and use the chord shapes.

 

 

Bring along

Basic gear outlined in the Joining Instructions – let me know if you’ll need mains power for your gear (e.g. electro-acoustic or electric guitar).

 

Also, it might be useful to bring along:

 

• Some words we can use a lyrics that you’d like to put to music: your own thoughts or a poem or literary piece (just a sentence is fine)
• Any chord progressions you like to play and would love to write a song around
• Even a complete piece of your own (we’ll need early visibility of it to see if it’s suitable for the group)

 

 

Prep Sheets

I don’t want to push loads of sheets through to you as it might be too much and we want to day to layer the ideas rather than hitting you with the works from the outset. We’ll take it a steady pace. You’ll be writing songs to your music and playing ability level (even though you’ll undoubtedly pick some new stuff during the day).

 

Overall, don’t worry about any of it – all will be explained.

 

 

 

See you a  few weeks’ time

Andy and I look forward to seeing in a couple of weeks on Saturday 28 Oct at the DeVere Horsley Estate in Surrey.

 

It’ll be a fun day with lots to pick up. Any questions – just fire them over.

 

Ronnie

 

 

What to bring

Best advice is to come along as self-contained as possible; as if you were going to perform at an Open Mic Night.

Guitar and related gear: guitar(s), spare strings, strap and foot stool (if needed), plectrum(s), capo, electronic tuner, guitar stand, music stand, pen and paper, recording device (your Smart Phone will do). I can help with some of these items if you let me know in advance.

Amp/pedals/other electronic gear: Mains extension lead, amp and pedals mains leads, guitar cable, interconnect cables for pedals, etc. Basically – remember your cables!

 

*Let me know if you’ll be need mains power for any of your gear – this helps me avoid bringing too much gear!

 

 

What to swot up on

There shouldn’t be any surprises here:

 

1. Open chords in the keys of C, A, G, E and D and changing between them.
2. Basic barre chords (major, minor, dom7 or 7 and min7) and changing between them.
3. Revise your major scale (and, if possible, pentatonic and blues scales).
4. Practice strumming and picking against 4:4, 3:4 time signatures.

 

 

Materials

I’ll be sending out a Dropbox link a couple of day before the course. More instructions then. Any recordings, flip charts, videos taken during the course will be uploaded after the course.

 

 

Emergency contact details

I’ve never needed to use this information but it’s useful to have in case of an emergency (Name, best telephone number)

 

 

Holiday Insurance

It’s always worth checking if your holiday/travel insurance covers you for cancellations. It’s a holiday (but with your guitar in tow!).

 

 

Final point

Don’t worry about the Day – we generally get a lovely bunch of people who are all slightly apprehensive at the beginning; you’ll settle in within an hour or so. We’ll take it at a nice pace to suit the group as a whole. Be patient with yourself, and with others; remember that we’re all at different points in the journey and learn at different speeds and in different ways. Above all, enjoy yourself.

 

 

If you have any questions, just email or call me.

 

 

Ronnie

07887 558955