Songwriting is the basis of all modern popular music, and is a skill that can bring financial rewards as well as the development of creativity and social confidence.
Best of all, students need little or no musical knowledge to get started with songwriting.
There are three main areas in songwriting that you can introduce to your children/group:
1. Lyric Writing
2. Form & Musicality
3. Style & Presentation
Some things you can get your students started on before a songwriting workshop are:
• Thinking About Lyric Writing
• Titles are a great starting block for songwriting. The title provides an essential summary of what the song is about, and a reference point to work to throughout the songwriting process.
Perhaps you could suggest one or two of the title ideas below to your students.
• Raise some curiosity with your title, by asking a question, or leaving something unsaid. Examples are; When I Come Around, When I Fall In Love, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Can You Feel the Love Tonight,
• Capture a moment with your title that every body knows and put it into words, or say something old in a new way. Examples are; Don't Speak, How You Remind Me.
• Opposites attract - Perhaps find two words for your title that are opposite from each other that sound good together, this most often creates lyrical tension and interest. Examples are; I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good, Tears in Heaven, Beauty and the Beast, Sheep Go to Heaven - Goats Go to Hell.
• Places are a great start point for a title. You can take story line in almost any direction from there. Examples are; Hotel California, Georgia, Echo Beach.
• Affirmations make good titles. They can interest the listener by saying something the listener wants to say. Examples are; I Will Survive, Live while I'm Alive - Sleep When I'm Dead, It's Gonna Be Me (Nsync).
• Impossibilities make good titles. This can be a metaphoric draw card to pique the listeners interest. Examples are; Return to Innocence, If I Could Turn Back Time, Walking On the Sun.
• Imagery is a potent starting point for a title. Music really is about creating a picture in the mind through the ears, and using imagery does that well. Examples are; Genie In a Bottle, With Arms Wide Open, Beautiful Day, I'm Like a Bird, Moon River.
• Poetic Hooks make great titles, and can often be a complete statement on their own. and can become very memorable as a result. Examples are; No woman No cry, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me.
• Themes are a good way to unify class groups in order to maximise workshop time. If the individuals in the group are all working on one theme, this can facilitate the writing process. It is good to note that lack of a theme is a workable theme in itself, and to have two opposing themes, or different viewpoints can also add interest to the songwriting process.
• Syllable Counting - Simply being able to recognise syllables is all that is required on this point.
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• Thinking About Form & Musicality
• Form is simply moulding the lyric and/or music into a shape that most effectively creates a dynamic delivery and captures the listener.
Highs and lows are important for contrast, and it is by contrast that each element of a song has an impact.
• Words that are often used in shaping song forms are
| Term |
Definition |
| Intro |
Introductory Section (usually short) |
| Verse |
Often where the lyrics start |
| Sub-Chorus / Pre Chorus |
A section to lead into the chorus |
| Hook Line |
Fundamental lyric line - often the title |
| Chorus |
Usually the bit that everybody knows |
| Bridge / Middle Eight |
An 8 bar alternative perspective |
| Tag |
A short addition to close a section |
| Outro |
Clearly the final part of the song |
| Turnaround |
A tense section needing to resolve |
| Chorus Repeat |
Usually implies higher dynamic repeat |
| Key Change |
Moving away from the set key |
| Solo / Lead Break |
Usually an instrumental section |
| Dropout / Rhythm Break |
A lowering of the dynamic for dramatic effect |
| Part A |
First part of a multi-part song |
| Part B |
Second part of a multi-part song |
| Part C |
Third part of a multi-part song |
