Top 11 Online Songwriting Courses for Beginners and Pros
As someone who’s been strumming away on my guitar for a while now, I’ve recently found myself itching to create my own music. There’s something magical about crafting a song from scratch – pouring your emotions into lyrics and finding the perfect melody to match. But let’s be honest, songwriting can be pretty daunting when you’re just starting out. That’s why I’ve been on the hunt for the best songwriting courses out there.
Whether you’re a fellow guitar enthusiast or a budding musician on any instrument, these courses can help turn those musical ideas floating around in your head into fully-fledged songs.
I’ve done the legwork and compiled a list of the 11 best songwriting courses that cater to various skill levels and aspects of songwriting.
1. The Lyric Writer’s Workroom – Songcraft
This course by Songcraft focuses specifically on the craft of lyric writing. It provides a wealth of articles and resources that delve into various aspects of creating compelling lyrics, from mastering different rhyme schemes to finding fresh song ideas. The course encourages songwriters to capture inspiration from their surroundings and transform those ideas into powerful lyrics. It offers practical tips on writing memorable choruses and melodies, making it valuable for anyone looking to deepen their lyric writing skills.
2. Lyrics Writing Course by Jacob Carter
The Lyrics Writing Course by Jacob Carter is a comprehensive online program designed to help aspiring songwriters and lyricists hone their craft. With over 10 years of experience in the music industry, Carter offers valuable insights and practical techniques to enhance students’ lyric writing skills. The course is structured into six modules, covering essential topics such as finding inspiration, understanding lyrical structure and style, and developing songwriting depth.
Throughout the course, students are exposed to various creative writing methods, analysis of famous song lyrics, and genre-specific knowledge. You can also read how Jacob Carter analyzes the lyrics meaning of hundreds of songs. Carter emphasizes the importance of mastering literary tools like imagery, metaphor, and characterization to create unique and memorable lyrics. The program also includes lessons on collaboration skills, preparing students for co-writing opportunities in the music industry.
Priced at $997, the course offers lifetime access to all materials, including future updates. Students can expect to gain a deeper understanding of lyric writing, develop effective strategies for crafting polished lyrics in various genres, and build confidence in expressing themselves through song.
3. Songwriting: Lyric Writing – Elevate with ICMP
Priced at £20, this focused online course from ICMP is dedicated entirely to lyric writing. Over 6 modules, students explore every element of the lyric-writing process, including structure, rhyming schemes, genre conventions, and storytelling techniques. The course analyzes influential lyrics while helping students develop their own unique voice through immersive tasks and exercises. It’s designed to be flexible, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Upon completion, students receive a certificate, with the option for additional one-on-one mentoring.
4. How to Write Your First Song – The University of Sheffield
This free 6-week online course provides a practical introduction to songwriting basics. Each week builds on specially commissioned lyrics to construct a song, with world-renowned musician Martin Simpson offering guidance throughout the process. The curriculum covers key topics like setting words to music, working with melody, chord progressions, song forms, and arranging. While aimed at complete beginners, it’s also suitable for more experienced songwriters looking to brush up on fundamentals. The course requires 3-4 hours of study per week and can be completed using just your voice or free music software.
5. Songwriting: Writing, Arranging, and Producing Music (Berklee College of Music)
This comprehensive specialization offered by Berklee College of Music on Coursera consists of four courses covering different aspects of songwriting. The program starts with lyric writing, then moves on to composing melodies and music. Students also learn about arranging songs and producing demos using Ableton Live. Taught by Berklee’s award-winning faculty, this specialization provides aspiring and established songwriters with strategies to develop hit songs. The courses cover topics like generating lyrical ideas, creating evocative melodies and harmonies, developing balanced musical arrangements, and producing professional-sounding demos.
6. Songwriting Hit Mastery: Lyric Writing, Music Theory (Udemy)
This Udemy course is taught by Melissa Peirce, a #1 hit songwriter. It covers both the creative and technical aspects of songwriting, including lyric writing and music theory. Students learn about chord progressions, melody writing, and song structure. The course aims to teach techniques for crafting commercially successful songs across different genres. It provides practical exercises and insights from Peirce’s experience as a professional songwriter in the music industry.
7. Songwriting and Composing Melodies (Lauren Buchter)
Available on Skillshare, this 30-minute course is taught by film composer Lauren Buchter. It focuses specifically on creating memorable melodies and composing songs that tell a story. The course covers techniques used by working composers in film, TV, and advertising. Students learn about chord progressions, melody writing, and lyric creation. While it’s a shorter course, it provides practical insights into the professional songwriting process. The final project involves creating a custom piece of music based on a “creative brief,” simulating real-world composing scenarios.
8. The Art of Songwriting (Belmont University)
This comprehensive 6-module course is designed to empower songwriters to craft captivating melodies, tell compelling stories through music, and build a resilient career in the music industry. Created by Emily Falvey, a Belmont alumna dubbed “Nashville’s Top New Songwriter” by Forbes magazine, the course features lessons from accomplished songwriters and industry professionals. Students learn how to gain inspiration, overcome writer’s block, apply technical aspects of songwriting, craft effective stories through song, collaborate in co-writing scenarios, and build an enduring music career. The course includes contributions from Hall of Fame songwriters, Grammy winners, and top publishing executives.
9. Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics (Berklee College of Music)
Offered through Coursera and taught by legendary Berklee professor Pat Pattison, this course focuses specifically on lyric writing. It covers four main areas: defining and identifying point of view and form in songs, utilizing rhyming techniques to evoke specific emotions, identifying stable and unstable lyrics through various technical elements, and using phrasing to clarify ideas. The course is beginner-level and takes approximately 26 hours to complete. It can be taken for free, with the option to pay for a certificate and additional assignments.
10. Toplining 101: Melody & Lyrics in Songwriting (Skillshare)
This beginner-level crash course on Skillshare teaches the basics of “toplining” – creating memorable, meaningful lyrics and melodies for songs. Taught by Clare Dove, the course covers what toplining is, how to find creative inspiration for your writing style, and approaches to consistently develop great melody and lyric combinations. As a short, focused course, it’s designed to quickly give students practical skills they can apply to their songwriting.
11. The Fine Art of Songwriting (Steve Leslie)
Created by Grammy-award-winning songwriter Steve Leslie, this course offers 33 “daily video lessons” covering every element of the songwriting process. Topics range from writing effective choruses to melody crafting and determining if a song needs a bridge. Leslie, a former Professor of Songwriting at Belmont University with a 25-year career in the industry, shares his extensive knowledge to help songwriters step up their game. The course is particularly suited for those looking to break out of a songwriting rut or aiming to write songs they’re truly proud of.
