Songwriting: Writing the Music from Coursera

If your notebook is full of unused lyrics and you’re struggling to find inspiration for the music, this course is for you. Whether you are an experienced songwriter looking for new ideas or a beginning songwriter learning to read music, this course will lead you to a rich source of songwriting possibilities.

Led by award winning songwriter and Berklee College of Music professor Scarlet Keys, you’ll learn to construct strong, expressive melodies that your audience will remember as well as experiment with new chords to break out of any harmonic rut. Whether you are new to writing music or are looking for new ideas to change up your songs, this class will teach you how to make deliberate choices with your harmonies and melodies to best emulate the emotions you want your audience to feel. You will start by discovering common chord progression and tying specific emotions to each chords in a scale. Then you will practice changing the harmonic and melodic rhythm of a song to better highlight important lyrics. Finally, you will learn to create melodic hooks and simple techniques to help you generate new melodic ideas.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to Songwriting: Writing the Music

Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

Choosing Emotive Chords

In this first lesson, we will begin working with diatonic chords in a chosen key and learning how to borrow non-diatonic chords to create evocative harmonies for your songs. We will look at several popular chord progressions and begin experimenting with choosing the perfect chords to help you tell your lyrical story.

Creating Contrast with Harmonic Rhythm

In this lesson we will expand our knowledge of harmony to include 7th chords and added tensions. We will use these new chords to create more interesting harmonies for our lyrics and melodies. We will also practice changing the harmonic rhythm in our songs to better support our melodies and lyrics. Finally, we will use harmonic rhythm to show contrast between our song sections.

Developing Interesting Melodies

In this lesson we will begin to create better melodies for our lyrics. We will start by learning about different types and shapes of melodic lines. We will then practice creating melodic hooks and using stable and unstable tones in our melodies. We will also learn the importance of using melodic contrast between song sections.

Telling a Story with the Music

In this final lesson, we will begin to put everything together to help our lyrics tell their story. We will discover how to highlight our melodies by using chord tones and non-chord tones from our harmonies. We will also focus on setting our lyrics to the melody and harmony in a way that highlights the meaning we want to convey to the audience. Finally, we will practice creating melodies in minor keys.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches how to create strong, expressive melodies that will resonate with audiences

Develops learners' abilities to construct songs by guiding them to experiment with new chords

Enhances learners' ability to convey emotions through music by teaching how to use harmonies and melodies

Specifically designed for learners of all levels, whether they are just starting out or looking to refine their skills

Led by award-winning songwriter and Berklee College of Music professor Scarlet Keys

Reviews summary

Highly engaging songwriting course for beginners

Learners say this highly-rated songwriting course is engaging and great for beginners. Led by knowledgeable instructor Scarlet Keys, it guides learners through the fundamentals of chord selection, melodies, and lyrics. The course provides a solid foundation for creating emotional and effective songs. Important topics such as harmonic rhythm, chord progressions, and prosody are thoroughly covered. Students find the course challenging but rewarding, helping boost their confidence in songwriting. However, it is important to note that the course material is more geared towards piano and keyboard players.

Taught by Instructor Scarlet Keys

"5 star for the content of the lessons, by the stellar Scarlet Keys."

"She will help you raise your game in making your music express the emotions you wanted to convey."

Great course for beginners

"incredibly helpful! great starting point for aspiring musicians!"

"This course is exactly what I wanted to learn beyond what I was taught."

"Great course. You'll learn about which chords and melodies - along with the lyrics - invoke specific emotions."

More geared towards piano/keyboard players

"It really helped me understand how the music plays a part in a song, working with the lyrics. It encouraged me to try out stuff and write fearlessly."

"Great course. You'll learn about which chords and melodies - along with the lyrics - invoke specific emotions. I would say that the only downside is that it's more geared toward piano/keyboard players instead of other instruments."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Songwriting: Writing the Music with these activities:

Review Berklee Practice Method by Richard Boulanger

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Bolster your understanding of foundational music theory and practice techniques by reviewing Berklee's recommended practice method.

View The Art of Music Production: The Theory and... on Amazon

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Acquire the book and skim the introduction
Review the section on music fundamentals
Read about the practice techniques
Complete the practice exercises

Review Basic Music Theory Concepts

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Ensure a solid understanding of fundamental music theory concepts, such as scales, intervals, and chords, to enhance your songwriting abilities.

Browse courses on Music Theory

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Review a music theory textbook or online resources
Practice identifying scales and intervals using an instrument
Analyze simple chord progressions

Etude Practice

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Strengthen your technical proficiency by regularly practicing etudes that focus on scales, arpeggios, and intervals.

Browse courses on Technique

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Choose an etude book that aligns with your skill level
Select an etude and practice it slowly and accurately
Increase the tempo gradually as you improve

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Watch Music Theory Tutorials

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Supplement your course learning by exploring online tutorials that provide clear and engaging explanations of music theory concepts.

Browse courses on Music Theory

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Identify reputable music theory channels on platforms like YouTube
Choose tutorials that cover topics relevant to your course
Watch the tutorials and take notes

Form a Study Group

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Connect with peers and engage in collaborative learning by forming a study group where you can share ideas, provide feedback, and motivate each other.

Browse courses on Collaborative Learning

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Identify classmates who share similar interests and goals
Establish regular meeting times and locations
Set goals for each session and prepare materials
Take turns presenting your work and providing feedback

Connect with Songwriting Professionals

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Accelerate your songwriting journey by seeking guidance from experienced songwriters who can provide invaluable insights, feedback, and support.

Browse courses on Mentorship

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Attend songwriting workshops and events
Join online songwriting communities
Reach out to songwriters whose work inspires you

Attend a Songwriting Camp

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Immerse yourself in a songwriting environment at a dedicated camp where you can connect with other songwriters, receive expert feedback, and enhance your craft.

Browse courses on Songwriting

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Research and select a songwriting camp that aligns with your goals
Prepare your songs and materials
Actively participate in songwriting exercises and workshops
Seek feedback from instructors and fellow participants

Compose a Song Inspired by a Poem

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Foster your songwriting skills by selecting a poem that resonates with you and composing a song based on its themes and emotions.

Browse courses on Songwriting

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Choose a poem that inspires you
Identify the poem's central themes and emotions
Craft a melody that complements the poem's rhythm and mood
Write lyrics that capture the essence of the poem

Career center

Learners who complete Songwriting: Writing the Music will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Songwriter

As a Songwriter, you will create original songs. This may involve writing lyrics, melodies, and harmonies. This course is an excellent way to develop your songwriting skills. It will teach you how to create strong melodies, experiment with different chords, and write lyrics that resonate with listeners.

See salaries and explore the career path for Songwriter

Music Composer

As a Music Composer, you will create original music for a variety of purposes, such as film, television, and video games. This may involve writing melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to be a successful music composer. It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to compose music for different purposes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Composer

Music Professor

As a Music Professor, you will teach music at a college or university. This may involve teaching music theory, history, and composition. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to be a successful music educator. It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to teach music at the college level.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Professor

Musician

As a Musician, you will perform music on one or more instruments. This may involve playing in a band, orchestra, or other musical ensemble. This course may be useful in helping you to develop your songwriting skills. It will also equip you with the musical knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful musician.

See salaries and explore the career path for Musician

Record Producer

As a Record Producer, you will oversee the recording and production of music. This may involve working with musicians, engineers, and other professionals to create a final product. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful record producer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Record Producer

Music Producer

As a Music Producer, you will oversee the recording and production of music. This may involve working with musicians, engineers, and other professionals to create a final product. This course may be useful in helping you to better understand the songwriting process. It will also equip you with the skills necessary to create high-quality music.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Music Arranger

As a Music Arranger, you will create arrangements of music for different instruments and ensembles. This may involve writing new parts, transposing music, and adapting music for different purposes. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful music arranger.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Arranger

Music Director

As a Music Director, you will oversee the musical aspects of a production, such as a play, film, or television show. This may include composing, arranging, and conducting music. This course may be useful in strengthening your foundational knowledge of songwriting. It will help you to better understand how to create strong melodies and harmonies that support the emotional content of a production.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Director

Music Therapist

As a Music Therapist, you will use music to help people improve their physical, emotional, and cognitive health. This may involve working with individuals or groups in a variety of settings. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better serve your clients. It will also equip you with the musical knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful music therapist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Therapist

Singer

As a Singer, you will perform music vocally. This may involve singing in a choir, band, or other musical ensemble. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the vocal skills necessary to be a successful singer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Singer

Music Journalist

As a Music Journalist, you will write about music for newspapers, magazines, and other publications. This may involve reviewing concerts, interviewing musicians, and writing feature articles. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the writing skills necessary to be a successful music journalist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Journalist

Music Critic

As a Music Critic, you will write reviews and critiques of music for newspapers, magazines, and other publications. This may involve attending concerts, listening to recordings, and interviewing musicians. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the writing skills necessary to be a successful music critic.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Critic

Music Teacher

As a Music Teacher, you will lead instruction and plan music lessons for students of varying ages and skill levels. You may also lead a school's band or choir. This course may be useful in helping you develop the songwriting skills necessary to better teach your students. It will equip you to teach students how to create expressive melodies and experiment with different chords to convey emotions through music.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Teacher

Music Librarian

As a Music Librarian, you will manage and organize music collections in libraries and other institutions. This may involve cataloging music, providing reference services, and developing educational programs. This course may be useful in helping you to develop the songwriting skills necessary to better understand the music industry. It will also equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a successful music librarian.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Librarian