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Have you ever heard a song on the radio and thought, "I'd really like to write my own song?" Well, you can. Let our expert songwriter and teacher, Athena Reich, teach you how in this free music video series.
There are 21 videos in this series:
Stream of consciousness can help you discover a theme for your song. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Conversational, specific lyrics are often the best idea for your song. Who are you going to talk to? Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Write your song ideas down or tape record them so that they are not lost. Don't judge yourself, just get those ideas down. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Mix those high, low and middle notes together to make the melody of your song. Don't worry if some of your combinations sound bad at first. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
It's OK to break the rules of songwriting, but know the structure of a song first so that you can break the rules intelligently. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Should you write the music or lyrics first when composing your song? Try either, or write both at the same time. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Feel out the chord progression that matches the mood of your song's lyrics. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Maintain the emotional integrity of your song as you improvise the melody. Try to find the structure of your song. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Mix repetition with variation in your song's verses for emphasis and surprise. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
You want your song's lyrics to be somewhat close to the way you speak in real life. Edit them appropriately. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
You want the chord progression of your chorus to be distinct from that of the verses so that your song has the proper variance. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
As your song comes together, match your chorus chords with a melody that is also distinct from the verses. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Keep your song's themes present in the chorus lyrics, or your song might lose focus. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
You can depart a little from the sound of your verses and chorus in the song's bridge. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Remember repetition and variance as you add the melody to your song's bridge. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
You can use the emotional direction or the actual words of your chorus to link it with the song's bridge. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Some ways to end your song are using a tag, by slowing it down or by ending on an up note. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Classes or songwriting groups can be very helpful in your editing process. Is there a point in the song where the listener is bored? Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
After your song is edited, different instruments may dramatically change the sound of your song. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
The Library of Congress (US) provides the easiest way to copyright your song. There are also songwriters' unions that you may want to join. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
When performing your song, notice how all the elements that you have been working on come together as a whole. Learn how to write a song in this free music video.
Some call it an art and others a science, but most agree that music is an organized set of sounds and rests between sounds. No one knows how long it has existed but the earliest record of written music dates back four thousand years. However, in Iran, there are five thousand year-old figurines holding musical instruments. Given that humans have so much experience with music, the average person is often mystified when it comes to the nuts and bolts of songwriting.
Learn to write songs from professional musician Athena Reich as she teaches songwriting for beginners in this free video series. Athena has has shared the stage with Sara McLachlan and has taught at Oregon State University. She covers such topics as theme, lyrics, melody, structure, repetition and variance, chord progression, editing, copyrighting and more.
Athena Reich Athena Reich is a professional musician, actress, artist, singer, songwriter and coach for all of the above. She is based in New York City. Reich has released four CDs, toured internationally and has shared the stage with Sara McLachlan, Jim Carrey, Stephen Schwartz, Lisa Loeb and others. She is a member of the Actors Equity Association and has taught at Oregon State University, the Brooklyn Museum and the Manhattan New Music Project.dkdk
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