SONGWRITING

Course Outline

Instructor:  Dr. Vicky V. Johnson

Email: vjohnson@tarleton.edu

Phone: Ext 9238

Week 1

Jan 11-15

• Syllabus

• Semester plans

• Use of technology

Attendance:  There are 41 class days.  Each will count for 2.5 points.  Tardies are one point.

Final Exam:  Regular final exam time (Monday, May 2 11:30-2:00) or afternoon/evening during finals?

Write these questions and the answers on a sheet of paper and give to me at the end of the class.

1.  Do you read lead sheets?

2.  What harmonic instrument do you play?

3.  How many chords can you play on that instrument?  If less than 10, list them.

4.  Do you sing?  In public?  For your friends?  With your friends?  In the shower?

Blooms Taxonomy

Critical thinking skills and journaling

Prosody - when everything works together

No decision is made that does not contribute to the whole

Example:  sad song, slow, minor

Words like 'rise' or 'high' with associated melodic line

There are no rules!!!

But, there are tools and there are strategies.

There are many forgettable songs.  Why are they forgettable?

Assignments due:

Week 2

Jan 18-22

No class on Monday:  MLK Day

Lyrics

Use the checklist below to evaluate your 3 Boxes Assignment:

Assignments due:

Lake Street Dive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHjLyWRfK1U&sns=em

Week 3

Jan 25-29

Song sections (form):

• verse - provides the basic story or basic feeling of the song

• chorus - part that is repeated; gives the central idea; the gem

• bridge - connects song sections; contrasting material; moves to a different level of information

Take the Stress Test

You may save the loops below:  right click, Save target as

Drum loops:

• 4/4

• 6/8

• hard rock

• shuffle

• slow shuffle

[Citron 96-128]

Assignments due:

Week 4

Feb 1-5

Melody

Assignments due:

Week 5

Feb 8-12

TMEA:  no class on Friday

[Citron 129-134]

http://www.tarleton.edu/anthology

Assignments due:

Week 6

Feb 15-19

Portfolio

Use Weebly:  http://www.weebly.com/#

Examples:

http://vvjohnson.weebly.com/

http://kjlport.weebly.com/

http://siteeportfolio.weebly.com/

[Citron 180-207]
 

Assignments due:

	Mon	Melody to Lyrics #1   Requirements: Add a melody to your complete lyrics from Lyrics #1.  You will sing your complete song for us in class.  Accompaniment is optional, but helpful Music majors must provide a written melody with words in Finale. Non-majors may supply a Word doc with the words to your chorus for display on the doc cam
	Wed	Critique cont.
	Fri	Finale practice in piano lab Bring revised melody/lyrics from Monday for formatting assistance.

Week 7

Feb 22-26

Harmony

Popular music harmonies

Classroom exercise: 

1. Make up 2 phrases that rhyme

2. Choose a popular music harmony

3. Improvise a melody to the lyrics

Melody is usually most important

Alternative:  harmonic progression similar to Time in a Bottle

Interactive Desktop Blues

Another blues loop

Assignments due:

Week 8

Feb 29-Mar4

Example Portfolios from a past semester:

http://tyesharenee.weebly.com

http://rmwilson.weebly.com/

http://dallasholston.weebly.com/

http://brehaley.weebly.com/

http://sethcantu.weebly.com/

http://tberman.weebly.com/

http://hadencappsmusic.weebly.com/

http://thefifthseason1989.weebly.com/​

http://coreywarthman.weebly.com/

http://songhive11.weebly.com/

http://ervinking.weebly.com/

http://tommy-tones.weebly.com/

Assignments due:

http://bethrugg.weebly.com

http://rebekahanthony.weebly.com/

http://bradleycolemckinney.weebly.com/

http://rosepiotrowski.weebly.com/

http://tygreentsu.weebly.com/

http://cadeschmutz.weebly.com/

http://www.brelillie.com/

  HAPPY SPRING BREAK! 

Week 9

Mar 14-18

Recording your songs

Feel free to use whatever recording medium you like.  If you are a newby, try Audacity.  It's free and easy to use.

Your final exam will be a performance of your songs on

Monday, May 2 at 7:30pm in the Theater

Assignments due:

Week 10

Mar 21-25

Uploading Your Recordings to Soundcloud

In order to submit your recordings, you will need to create a free account on the Soundcloud web site (http://www.soundcloud.com). You will upload your MP3 recordings to Soundcloud and then provide links to them in your assignments.

To upload a recording to Soundcloud, follow these steps:

1. Log into Soundcloud.

2. Click Upload in the top right corner of the site.

3. Click Choose files.

4. Select the file you want to upload from your computer.

5. As the file is uploading, choose the Private option under Settings, so that the recording is not publicly available on the Soundcloud web site.

6. Once the file has finished uploading, click Save at the bottom of the page.

7. Click the Share button on the page that loads with your recording.

8. In the popup box that appears, check Short next to Secret link.

9. Copy the shortened Secret link.

10. Paste the link in the discussion forum.

Assignments due:

	Mon	Song #1 Complete and uplinked to Soundcloud or YouTube See requirements and instructions below
	Fri	Bring Song #2 for final critiques and or Song #3 for first look

Requirements for Song #1

1. Complete song including all verses, chorus, etc.

2. Identify it as Song #1 under the song title

3. A complete rhyming worksheet (template)

4. Non-music majors supply a lyric sheet typed in a Word document

5. Music majors supply a lead sheet

6. Label each section of the song as Verse, Chorus, Break, Pre-chorus, etc.

Turn in to me (hard copy)

1. Rhyming worksheet

2. Lyric sheet (non-music majors) or lead sheet (music majors)

Note:  Here is the link for Audacity if you wish to use that software.  Alternatively, use your smart phone to record and upload to Soundcloud or YouTube.

Week 11

Mar 28-Apr1

Tools for Finishing More Songs
Written by Andrea Stolpe
https://blogs.online.berklee.edu/blog/2016/02/03/tools-for-finishing-more-songs/

One of the most frustrating problems we experience as songwriters is difficulty finishing songs. We might get stuck at the chorus, or maybe after the first chorus. Perhaps versus leave us feeling we didn’t quite capture our point. Maybe our song feels too short or too long and we don’t know where to cut. Whatever the problem, in the back of our minds we’re wondering why we can’t finish songs. I find a more useful question than ‘why’ we get stuck is ‘where.’

Understanding at what section in the song we lose momentum helps to decode what our problem is. Maybe we’re stuck at the end of a single verse, not knowing where to take the story or feeling as if we’ve said everything we want to say. The solution in this case is to take smaller steps. Instead of using so much ‘telling’ language or generalizing language in that first verse, we need to involve more sensory language. That first verse may serve us better as a chorus instead of the verse. Try choosing a specific moment or situation that exemplifies the point you’re making in the first verse and consider this situation or moment your new verse.

If our trouble is we come to the chorus and we don’t know what to say, we might ask ourselves what we want our listener to walk away knowing. What is the big point you want to make? What’s really important here? If you could summarize the song in one phrase or short sentence, what would that be? Now write down or record the words coming out of your mouth. Use them as they are as your title or first lines of your chorus. Consider repeating them rather than writing additional material to complete the course section.

Sometimes our trouble is that we are too judgmental. Constantly assessing the value of each line we write puts an impossible standard on a lyric writing. For this problem, I suggest reading the lyrics of some of the songs from your favorite artist. These may not be their most legendary songs, but ones you’ve dug down to grab that exemplify a nice cross-section of the body of work they created. Notice how the very same language you criticize in your own writing is the language your favorite artists keep.

Sometimes we get to the end of the first chorus and don’t know where to go with the next verse. In this case, consider that perhaps your first verse says too much, generalizing too much. Try moving your first verse into the second verse position and writing a new verse, generated by a specific instance that shows the truth of the statement you’re making in the chorus.

If you find that many of your songs are too short, try to use more sensory language, more storyline in your verses. It may be that there is a lot more to say on each statement or idea you introduce.

If your songs are too long, you may have trouble getting to the point. Examine how much of the lyric you can cut and boldly cross those lines out. Aim to use more repetition of single important ideas.

Finally, Challenge yourself to take 20 minutes to finish the song. Set a timer and when the timer goes off, put your pencil down. What you have written is the song. Record it, and listen again a week later and just feel the song. You may find that there our gems within that you hadn’t recognized before.
 

Assignments due:

	Mon	Song #2 Complete and uplinked to Soundcloud or YouTube See requirements and instructions below
	Fri	Bring Song #3 for critique

Requirements for Song #2

1. Complete song including all verses, chorus, etc.

2. Identify it as Song #1 under the song title

3. A complete rhyming worksheet (template)

4. Non-music majors supply a lyric sheet typed in a Word document

5. Music majors supply a lead sheet

6. Label each section of the song as Verse, Chorus, Break, Pre-chorus, etc.

Turn in to me (hard copy)

1. Rhyming worksheet

2. Lyric sheet (non-music majors) or lead sheet (music majors)

Notice the Important announcement for next week!!

Week 12

Apr 4-8

Important:  At the end of this week, I will input grades for all 3 songs based upon the lead sheets (hard copy) and SoundCloud links that I have.

Send the Soundcloud links to me at vjohnson@tarleton.edu

Turn in hard copies to me by Friday for all 3 songs.

Assignments due:

Requirements for Song #3

1. Complete song including all verses, chorus, etc.

2. Identify it as Song #1 under the song title

3. A complete rhyming worksheet (template)

4. Non-music majors supply a lyric sheet typed in a Word document

5. Music majors supply a lead sheet

6. Label each section of the song as Verse, Chorus, Break, Pre-chorus, etc.

Turn in to me (hard copy)

1. Rhyming worksheet

2. Lyric sheet (non-music majors) or lead sheet (music majors)

Week 13

Apr 11-15

Final Exam Production Template

Rehearsals

Heads up:  Final Reflection, ePortfolio due next week for ALE credit. 

https://soundcloud.com/bradley-mckinney-730350769

http://soundcloud.com/cadeschmutz

https://soundcloud.com/bre-lillie/voice_161-m4a

https://soundcloud.com/bre-lillie/voice_162-m4a

https://soundcloud.com/bre-lillie/voice_171-m4a

http://rebekahanthony.weebly.com/

https://m.soundcloud.com/user-678516701

Beth

Assignments due:

Need volunteers to produce a performance poster.

Week 14

Apr 18-22

Rehearsals

Final Reflection

Include in your Final Reflection the following:

• Students will analyze how this applied learning experience enabled them to apply what they learned from their courses, both in major and core curriculum areas, and from their extracurricular experiences to the real world.

• Students will evaluate how the applied learning experience expanded their views of academic, political, social, cultural, and/or economic environments and prepared them to contribute more meaningfully to a global society.

Also include your own personal thoughts, opinions regarding anything else you found to be significant about the experience.

Requirements:  Double spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman in a Word document, 3-5 pages

Refer to the Reflection Rubric for grading criteria

Assignments due:

Final ePortfolio must include:

1. Final Reflection

2. Three songs (the three complete ones uploaded to Blackboard) including lyrics (non-music majors), lead sheets (music majors) and links to Soundcloud audio files

3. "About me" page (separate from home page) that includes contact information

4. A video of a performance of one of your original songs

Extra credit for including additional video(s) and songs.

Week 15

Apr 25-27

Last day of classes is Wed., Apr 27

Your final exam will be a performance of your songs on

Monday, May 2 at 7:30pm in the Theater

Invite your friends!

Set-up and rehearsal:  Sunday, May 1, 5:00pm

Link to recording:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wx5r5b71csz7m6g/AAAI5s60YlL-NB7NhsZnaSG9a?dl=0

Assignments due:

Best of luck in all your Songwriting projects, and don't forget me at the Grammys!!!!

Song Rubric

Performance indicators will be completed by students as an individual assignment and then revised as a group activity.

Reflection Rubric

Discussion Rubric

 

Criteria	Performance Indicators
	Failing	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Original Post	No song submission	Incomplete song submission or submitted more than one week late	Song submitted one week late, complete, all requirements met	Song submitted one day late, complete, all requirements met	Song submitted on time, complete, all requirements met
	0 points	30 points	35 points	40 points	50 points
Responses	No responses including “good job” responses with no helpful feedback	One response missing or one response is an “good job” response with no helpful feedback	One or more responses is less than 3 sentences long or 3 responses that add little feedback	3 complete responses that include helpful feedback	More than 3 complete responses that include helpful feedback
	0 points	35 points	40 points	45 points	50 points
Total points

Writing

Poetry assignment

One set of song lyrics (poetry form) will be submitted to the TSU Anthology

MidTerm reflection (free form)

Final reflection

From the syllabus: 

	Articulate how they have applied learning from music, political science, history, sociology, psychology, and writing in writing songs
	Evaluate how this applied learning experience has expanded their views of academic, political, social, cultural, and/or economic environments and prepared them to contribute more meaningfully to a global society.

Compositions

Compositions in progress may be in any written form:

	Finale files
	Lyrics with lead sheet symbols
	Hand-written

The final product, however, must be converted to PDF for inclusion in the ePortfolio.

Students will employ a constructivist approach in setting criteria by which their compositions will be judged.

Performances

	Each song-writer will put together and rehearse the performer/performers for his/her song.  The song-writer must participate in at least one performance of his/her compositions.
	Performances will be critiqued by the class and again, students will use a constructivist approach in setting criteria for evaluation.
	Videos are required for each composition performed to be included in the ePortfolio.  Videos do not have to be of the performance itself, but may be made 'in studio.'

ePortfolio

Software, Tools, and Resources for Digital Portfolios