Here at The Song Foundry I try to create content that challenges and inspires songwriters to dive deep into the fundamentals of songwriting and think in fresh and creative ways.
And that’s great if you already have the basics of songwriting and musicianship covered.
But if you don’t, here are five excellent songwriting courses you can use to master the basics so you can really start to play creatively from there.
How to Write a Song: A Powerful 10-Step Process
The Song Foundry
Who it’s ideal for: Anyone who wants to start writing – and finishing – new songs, even if you’re a complete beginner.
What you get: The ideal, beginner-proof course on songwriting, covering the absolute fundamentals, including how to write lyrics, how to find great song ideas, how to write chord progressions, how to write melodies, the basics of good song structure and much, much more.
Why it’s great: OK, I’m biased. This is our course. But hear me out – this is the only course I know about that not only gives you tons of powerful tools and techniques for writing new songs, but actually shows you exactly how to use those techniques in a demonstration song too. Plus, all you need to get started is some basic experience on piano or guitar – that’s it.
Songwriting: Writing The Lyrics
Pat Pattison
Who it’s for: Beginner songwriters
What you get: An comprehensive guide to writing song lyrics by Berklee College of Music professor and author of the classic book Writing Better Lyrics, Pat Pattison. Pat’s ideas around writing lyrics are incredibly detailed, so might not appeal to everyone, but if diving deep into how great lyrics work is your thing, this course won’t disappoint.
Why it’s great: You don’t need any prior experience to get a lot out of this songwriting course, and if you’re really detail-orientated in the way you create, you’ll really value the specific ideas and tools.
Music Production in Logic Pro X: The Complete Course
Tomas George
Who it’s for: Producers who are serious about creating professional-sounding tracks
What you get: One of the most comprehensive songwriting courses that dives deep into how to master Logic Pro X – one of the most popular professional-level Digital Audio Workstations – packed with hours and hours of lesson content.
Why it’s great: You get a detailed overview of the essential tools and techniques you need to start creating in Logic Pro X – recording, mixing, mastering, making beats, using MIDI and software instruments and more.
Songwriting and Music Production in GarageBand: A Total Guide
Dean Davis
Who it’s for: Beginner producers working on a lower budget or still testing the water
What you get: A complete but concise guide to producing music on GarageBand, Apple’s powerful entry-level Digital Audio Workstation which you’ll already have installed on your Mac. The course talks about MIDI instruments, Apple Loops, mastering, recording and panning.
Why it’s great: The course is focused on the basics of producing so you can get creating quickly with GarageBand.
Getting Started with Music Theory
Bruce Taggart
Who it’s for: Any musician interested in improving their theory skills
What you get: A high-quality guide to music theory covering scales, keys, intervals, rhythm, meter, triads and much more.
Why it’s great: With music theory it’s always a balance between diving deep enough into theoretical topics to be useful but not diving so deep things get dry and academic. This course is a great balance between the two.
Have you taken any of these songwriting courses? Do you have others to recommend? Let us know in the comments below.