Note: You find the Songwriting Document and the Links, Apps and Websites mentioned in the class to your right under Class Resources. The 15 minute songwriting videos can be found in the class projects or on youtube here and here.

Your project for this class is to write a song. We will follow simple yet detailed steps for you to easily create your project. Remember to create a project for this class where you can upload the progress of your songwriting.

To get started, grab a copy of the songwriting document to help you plan and organize your song.

Lesson 1: Choose an Instrument

Choose an instrument or download a free music creation app remixlive to your ipad.

Lesson 2: Create a Workspace

Set up your computer and recording devices in the space where you will write your song. Tell everyone in the room to please vacate the premises for the next hour or two. Create a google document and put in today's date and your name.

Lesson 3: Choose Chords

Generate chords you want to use by typing chord generator on google. Give the chords a try to see you can play them comfortably. Put the chords in to your google document

Lesson 4: Song Structure

Lesson 5: Create a Melody

Record ideas for melody for the verse and chorus on your ipad or phone. Try to get one recording of the verse and one of the chorus that you can listen back to while writing your lyrics.

Lesson 6: Lyric Writing

Open your google doc, close your eyes & point somewhere. Put in the name of what you're pointing at as the title of your song in the document. Listen to your recording and try to fit in words that fit to the title. Find rhymes on rhymezone.com. If words are missing you can repeat a line or two that you already wrote. Start filling out the document and add the chords to your lyrics to make it easier to play and sing.

Lesson 7: Put Song Together

Try to play the song with the new words and tweak if you find better words for your flow. Practice the song a few times.

Lesson 8: Finish and Record

Set up your phone somewhere where you can see your hands playing the song and record. It is nice to have a recording to see how you were playing the song, chords, rhythms & hand patterns.

Now you have written, finished and recorded a song! You do not need to show anyone what you have created, but now you have a song that you can listen to and be proud of yourself!

If you post your song or songwriting process on social media, please tag me so I can give you feedback, share and cheer you on!

Michael Star

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