A songwriter is someone who is always refining their skills. They are aware of the abilities that need to be improved and are committed to improving them through education and training. They are aware of their surroundings and are constantly on the lookout for methods to transform a concept into a song.
They know what needs to be improved and are committed to improving them with education and practice over and over again, unlearning and relearning every bit and piece of the structure of songs. They are aware of their surroundings and are constantly on the lookout for methods to transform a concept into a song. A good songwriter has the desire to craft a song that will have an emotional impact on the listener.
Getting better at songwriting, like everything else, takes constant effort. You will have to get used to reading books, blogs, videos, talking to other songwriters, researching the structure of popular songs, and anything else that can help you advance your songwriting knowledge. Being a good songwriter entails more than just developing your songwriting skills. It’s also about how you promote it.
The initial objective is to write the perfect song. The remainder of your time will be spent figuring out how to get the right people to listen. The business aspect of songwriting includes anything from understanding how to format your lyrics to finding a publisher and submitting them. You may find a plethora of songwriting classes and programs online, which might be overwhelming.
So here are the top ten online songwriting courses and a gist of what each of them has to offer.
1. The Basics Of Pro Songwriting by Udemy
This video course will teach you how to write songs like the pros, whether you’ve never written a song before or have been composing for years and want to improve your skills. There are a plethora of books, videos, and workshops available to teach songwriting. What makes this course stand out is that, while all of these other resources can teach you how to compose a song, this course will teach you how to write a song professionally. This course, which has been taught by a professional and successful composer for over ten years, demonstrates the precise process they use to produce popular songs. They’ll also point out the most typical songwriting errors that turn off industry pros right away. This course covers songwriting with a focus on commercial songwriting, which refers to songs that make money or that you could hear on the radio. This course is designed for songwriters and singer/songwriters who wish to make songwriting a career.
2. The Roots – Foundational Course for Songwriting Study – Online & Fully Interactive by Songwriting School of Los Angeles
The Songwriting School of Los Angeles understands and strives to meet your individual requirements. You will not only have completed songs at the end of this course, but you will also have begun to build a personal, creative, and professional plan of action for a successful career composing appealing songs.
Current and former Major Label talent to those writing their first song; a Grammy- and Oscar-nominated songwriter to open mic regulars; those making their first EPs to those writing their first songs; from a Grammy-nominated artist on the 2014 ballot to a Grammy Winner and Nominee in 2017; from an acclaimed screenwriter to America’s Top Model have all graduated from this class. This combination of experience levels and backgrounds, as well as styles and passions, results in a lively and engaged group of creatives. Everyone applies the ideas in their own unique way.
You will be able to establish a strong foundation for a lifetime in your art and craft, as well as the confidence and abilities to produce songs that matter, in this positive, courteous, and demanding program.
3. The Singer Songwriter Specialization – Thaddeus Hogarth by Coursera
This particular Coursera course is fantastic because, because it is a specialization, it has many courses in one. It’s given and taught by Thaddeus Hogarth, a Berklee College of Music professor, so you know you can rely on it. Guitar for Beginners, Singing Popular Music, Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics, and Introduction to Ableton Live are the four courses that make up the specialty. While none of the four courses are explicitly geared at songwriting, they will all aid you in your songwriting endeavors in some manner. Because there are four courses to complete, it will take roughly five months to complete them all. This all-in-one specialty is a great approach to get your feet wet in a variety of areas so you can create songs and take care of the rest.
4. The New Songwriter’s Workshop – Oli Rockberger by Soundfly
This course is available through Soundfly.com for $39 per month, which is a great deal. The program is aimed at songwriters who are just getting started and want to advance their careers. Melody, harmony, and lyric methods are all laid out by the songwriting expert who is presenting the course. It’s a fantastic place to start, and Oli Rockberger, who has a remarkable history of working with famous musicians that include playing keys for John Mayer, teaches it. If you enjoy this course and want to take additional sound courses, you may purchase a subscription that comes with some great perks. You receive a personal Soundly mentor for $499 who will work with you and coach you through each course you take. You also get unrestricted access to all other courses for the rest of your life.
5. How to Write Your First Song by The University of Sheffield
How to Write Your First Song, offered by the infamous University of Sheffield on the website Futurelearn.com, is a wonderfully inexpensive and fantastic place to start. It’s free for the first eight weeks, and you can upgrade to get more time and a few other perks for $69. Setting words to music, time and pitch, working with melody, chords and chord progressions, song forms, and arranging your songs are all covered in this course.
6. Songwriting and Composing Melodies – Lauren Buchter by SkillShare
Found on SkillShare and taught by a film composer, this is a quick 30-minute course that consists of 8 videos that dive into chord progressions, melodies, and lyrics, taught by composer Lauren Buchter. It’s a great one if you’re wanting a short, productive lesson. Through SkillShare, you can get your first month free and with premium, it costs $15 dollars a month or $99 paid upfront for the year. It’s a beginner-level course, but some prior knowledge of music and the ability to record is helpful for the final project. Furthermore, by the conclusion of the course, you will be able to: use the ideas of meter and scansion to put text to music, examine how songs may grow when various lines and instruments are added to the accompaniment, and define the many chord patterns and progressions utilized in popular songs, identify the components of a successful melody, describe the most frequent song forms and structures, and put these essential musical parts together to create a new song.
7. All Songwriting Courses by Berklee Online
Directly from the university professors, you can study Berklee’s acclaimed program through this online course. You will get direct access to the same training that is available on their physical campus through this course. The instructors are industry experts who have produced and engineered hundreds of artists and numerous award-winning projects, and their students have received Grammy nominations for their work. Their online students are from more than 140 different nations. Their origins are varied, despite their mutual passion for music. Members of the Dave Matthews Band, Nine Inch Nails, Sugarland, and Karmin are among the pupils, as are producers at major recording studios, executives at industry-leading technology and businesses, and more. Every online student has a Berklee-trained Academic Advisor assigned to them. Each Advisor is enthusiastic about music and educated about it, and they’re here to help you through your online journey. You may obtain free samples of the classes, printable degree handbooks, and online course catalogs through this course.
8. Online Classes by Songwriting School of Los Angeles
Through exceptional teaching, top-of-the-line services, and a network of mentorship and support, the Los Angeles Songwriting School aims to inspire, instruct, and allow you to create meaningful and valuable work. They provide songwriting, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and voice tuitions, as well as online classes and lessons, special guest events, master seminars, and a professional recording studio.
From aspiring writers who may not yet play an instrument to current or former major label artists, from working songwriters attempting to deepen their craft and expand their network to working actors looking to diversify and broaden their skills, the students here range from first-time writers to multiple Grammy-nominated songwriters. While many online events are free to attend, lessons are not. However, the dialogue to assist you in finding the best match for your artistic, personal, or professional goals is absolutely free for all.
9. How to Write a Song: A Powerful 10-Step Process by The Song Foundry
How to Compose a Song is one of the most in-depth and comprehensive songwriting courses available on the Internet, teaching you how to write your finest songs yet, beginning from scratch. The course covers all you need to know about writing amazing songs, including how to come up with fantastic song ideas, how to pick a great title, how to create lyrics fast and consistently, how to compose appealing melodies, how to come up with new chord progressions, and much more. Even if you’re a total novice, this course is excellent for anybody who wants to start composing – and finishing – new songs. You will receive the ultimate, beginner-proof songwriting course, which will cover the essential foundations, such as how to write lyrics, how to come up with amazing song ideas, how to compose chord progressions, how to write melodies, the principles of good song structure, and much more. This is a course that not only provides you with a wealth of useful tools and strategies for composing new songs but also demonstrates how to use those skills in a sample song. Furthermore, all you need to get started is some basic piano or guitar knowledge.
10. Online Songwriting Courses & Live Events by SongTown
Thousands of writers from all around the world attend SongTown’s online songwriting courses and events, which are conducted by renowned experts. These online Masterclasses, Crash Courses, and live “SongTown in YourTown Workshops” are meant to inspire your songwriting and provide you with the necessary skills to achieve your songwriting objectives. Although this is a beginner-level course, some prior music knowledge and the ability to record are beneficial for the final project. SongTown connects you with a creative community of aspiring co-writers and world-class professional mentors. We’re a songwriter’s support system, here to encourage and guide you. You’ll get access to hundreds of pro videos, monthly industry webinars, pro song analysis, and much more as a member.