SONGWRITING PROGRAM
There is a songwriter inside each and every one of us! Our songwriting program equips students with an efficient, effective process for writing songs that express ideas and emotions. The class focuses on providing a range of tools that revolve around concepts of matching lyrics and music to support your song’s message clearly and concisely.
After your song is written, you will learn how to polish and pre-produce your piece in preparation to record your demo at Rockdale Studios!
What You Will Learn:
Point of View
Who is talking? To whom? and Why? This is the best place to start your song idea.
Rhyme Types and Rhyme Scheme
We all know about “perfect” rhymes (i.e. cat and hat) – but how about assonance and consonance rhymes? You will learn ALL of the possible rhyming associations by the end of the course.
Common Chord Progressions
Basic chord theory and understanding of harmony and melody and how they relate to your song.
Stressed and Unstressed Syllables
By the end of this lesson, you will understand language rhythms and the difference between stressed and unstressed syllables and how to put rhythm in your lines, preparing them to join into the dance with musical rhythm.
Writing the Song
You will learn how to develop your song idea, so it creates an interesting journey from start to finish. You will understand your options developing the point of view of your song and will be introduced to the songwriter’s six best friends.
Pre-Production for Recording
Pre-production is a process whereby a recording artist or songwriter spends time creating and refining their musical ideas. The artist produces a song’s demo recording, or rough draft, in order to establish the song’s creative premise.
Weekly lessons to provide quality feedback and suggestions from a professional composer in real time.
Monthly songwriting workshops that gets students to share and listen to each others work/progress. Students can get feedback from their peers and help each other grow together.
Composers Masterclass where guest lecturers from University of Alberta are invited to get to listen to students’ works and provide insightful comments.
Recitals allows audiences to listen to students’ completed works on the big stage. Recitals are hosted 2-3 times every schoolyear calendar.
Music Festival Competitions gives students a chance to showcase their composition in a competitive setting. This is the opportunity for young bright composers to push themselves to their limits.
