You've created a song. You wrote the lyrics, decided on the melody, and maybe even recorded a simple demo. Now what? If you have a basic knowledge of how to use a digital audio workstation (DAW) and are passionate about being a songwriter, this course will help you take your song from a simple recording on your phone to a fully arranged song ready for the recording studio.
Offered By
About this Course
Sstudents should have experience writing songs and be aware of popular song forms
Skills you will gain
- Music
- arranging
- Songwriting
- Writing
Sstudents should have experience writing songs and be aware of popular song forms
Offered by

Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Welcome to Arranging for Songwriters
Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
New Ways of Listening
In this first lesson, we'll learn how to arrange our songs horizontally (meaning the order and length of song sections) and vertically (meaning the frequency range and volume of the various instruments in your song). We'll also consider how to create and support emotional meaning through our writing and instrumentation. We'll review processes for working on arrangements, learn how to listen to arrangements critically, and discuss how arrangements change in live performances vs. recording sessions. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to create a horizontal arrangement for an original song.
Laying the Foundation
In this second lesson, you will start to lay the foundations for your song. We will discuss how to find the right key and tempo for your song and look at a few popular arrangement styles. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to create a basic track of your original song.
Finding the Groove
In Lesson three, we'll focus on how to determine the right groove for your song. We'll discuss how the bass works with the drums to support the rhythmic structure of a song, as well as creating a foundation for the songs harmony. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to create the perfect groove for your original song.
Instrumentation and Vocals
In this final lesson we will look at how to build the rest of the track around your song. Now that we have the foundation of the groove with the drums and bass, we'll take a look at how we can add other instruments to the mix. Most importantly, we will discuss how to incorporate these additions without taking focus away from the vocal part. By the end of this lesson, you will have completed a full demo of your original song.
Reviews
- 5 stars75%
- 4 stars10%
- 3 stars8.33%
- 2 stars1.66%
- 1 star5%
TOP REVIEWS FROM ARRANGING FOR SONGWRITERS
The content, the invited artist and the elements are all that you need to start songwriting
Great Instructors. I gained a lot from this course.
Great course, I loved it! Very usefull for songwriters
This course provides me to learn more about song arrangements and helping to my ongoing projects. Thanks Coursera and my Mentors Sarah Brindell and Bonnie Hayes.
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