There’s a songwriter lurking somewhere inside you, peeking around corners, wondering if it’s safe to come out. Now it is. This course is an invitation to let your inner songwriter step into the sunlight. All it takes is a simple “yes” and you’ll be climbing that windy hill, marveling at the view.
This course is part of the The DIY Musician Specialization
Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics
Offered By
About this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
50%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
20%
got a pay increase or promotion
What you will learn
Define and identify the point of view, form, and the "who, what, where, when, and how" in a song
Identify whether a lyric is stable or unstable through the use of line lengths, number of lines, stressed and unstressed syllables, and melody
Utilize the various rhyming techniques to evoke specific emotions in a song and define the difference between Assonance and Consonance rhyme
Use phrasing to clarify your ideas
Skills you will gain
MusicMusic recordingPoetrySongwriting
Learner Career Outcomes
50%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
20%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 1 of 4 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
There is no prior experience or knowledge required to enroll in this course.
Approx. 36 hours to complete
Suggested: 7 weeks of study, 3-6 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English
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
1 hour to complete
Welcome to Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics
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.
1 hour to complete
5 readings
5 readings
A Note From Pat10m
A Note From Your Course Assistant10m
Connect with Your Classmates10m
Course Resources10m
Earn A Course Certificate10m
1 practice exercise
What Are Your Goals?8m
4 hours to complete
The Journey of the Song
By the end of this lesson, you will see how to develop your song idea so it creates an interesting journey from start to finish. You’ll understand your options developing the point of view of your song and will be introduced to the songwriter’s six best friends.
4 hours to complete
4 videos (Total 34 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes
4 readings
Lesson 1 Suggested Reading2h 10m
Lesson 1 Song List10m
Developing an Idea from the Title10m
"Fool's Gold" Development Example10m
2 practice exercises
Point of View and The Development Engine28m
Reflection: Developing an Idea from the Title18m
4 hours to complete
Stopping and Going
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the concept of prosody as it relates to the number of lines/musical phrases in a section and to line lengths/musical phrases. You’ll create both stable and unstable line/musical groupings, using an odd or even number of lines and musical phrases. Using these tools, you’ll write a verse and chorus.
4 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 45 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
Prosody8m
Practice: Stable or Unstable?2m
Five Compositional Elements1m
Effects of Number of Lines8m
Length of Lines9m
Effects of Length of Lines14m
2 readings
Lesson 2 Suggested Reading10m
Lesson 2 Song List10m
1 practice exercise
Stopping and Going30m
4 hours to complete
Sonic GPS—Mapping Your Song with Rhyme
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the relationship of rhyme schemes to prosody. You’ll create both stable and unstable sections, using various rhyme schemes to show your ear the way to go home. Using these tools, you’ll write a new verse and chorus.
4 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 80 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
8 videos
Rhyme Scheme, Part 214m
Perfect Rhyme6m
Family Rhyme18m
Finding Family Rhymes2m
Additive and Subtractive Rhyme10m
Assonance Rhyme5m
Consonance Rhyme12m
2 readings
Lesson 3 Suggested Reading10m
Lesson 3 Song List10m
1 practice exercise
Sonic GPS—Mapping Your Song with Rhyme30m
4 hours to complete
Making It Move
By the end of this lesson, you will understand language rhythms—the difference between stressed and unstressed syllables and how to put rhythm in your lines, preparing them to join into the dance with musical rhythm. Using these tools, you’ll put last week’s verse and chorus to music.
4 hours to complete
9 videos (Total 71 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
9 videos
One-Syllable Words9m
Stressed vs. Unstressed Syllables9m
Rhythm13m
Phrasing8m
Master Class: Melodic Rhythm and Lyric Rhythm, Part 14m
Master Class: Melodic Rhythm and Lyric Rhythm, Part 24m
Master Class: Melodic Rhythm and Lyric Rhythm, Part 34m
Master Class: Melodic Rhythm and Lyric Rhythm, Part 46m
1 reading
Lesson 4 Suggested Reading10m
1 practice exercise
Making It Move30m
Reviews
4.8
TOP REVIEWS FROM SONGWRITING: WRITING THE LYRICS
by SJAug 30, 2016
If i could give this course more than 5 stars I would. It has revolutionized my approach to writing lyrics and given me tools and techniques that really blow my mind. Definitely recommend!
by CTJan 22, 2017
Pat presents with a great demeanour and covers a lot of ground in this course.\n\nI'm definitely a better songwriter for it. This includes the secret to removing writer's block.
by MBDec 10, 2016
A great course, learned a lot but due to not being in a position to purchase the certificate OI could not submit quizzes or assignments, such a shame as I could not get feedback
by MGFeb 8, 2019
It was a great course with a highly knowledgeable instructor. Just make sure quiz answers are updated regularly, as many answers were marked incorrectly when they were correct.
by MJMar 27, 2018
Lots of good tools, but no rules! Week 5 nearly killed me. Get on top of that one early as it easily takes 4-5 times longer than the other weeks to complete.
by FFDec 23, 2016
Amazing and powerful tools to craft my songs. Immediate implementation to solidify my learning. Peer reviews gave me a sense of community during the course.
by CCFeb 11, 2020
The best way for me to express my appreciation for this fabulous course would be to start sending stronger songs out into the world. Thank you so much, Pat!
by LLAug 22, 2017
It Seems Rushed Until You understand that in The First Few weeks You're being Prepared for a Big Crunch. Worth the hard work and Mulling Over books and
by JJJun 15, 2017
Enjoyed the course so much!! Got a lot of new insights on song writing and would definitely recommend to any one who would like to write good lyrics!
by SOAug 29, 2019
You can tell that Pat has taught for a while. Everything he says is clear and concise. I've written pages of notes from each week. An amazing course
by ZVMar 20, 2018
Funny, insightful, and down right mind blowing. Take this class. I don't care what you want to study, this will supplement just about everything.
by HKAug 10, 2019
Right From The First Class, My Point of View to Listening of A Song is completely changed, I'm able to analyse the songs, like how they're made.
by MKMar 27, 2020
It was really interesting and useful! The structure is understandable and with a lot of good practical things that I can use in my next works.
by AHAug 25, 2017
Best course I've ever done.\n\nI learned so much about about the craft of lyric writing. I will be watching these videos over and over again.
by MMJun 28, 2017
Great, in-depth content with an incredible instructor. Would recommend this class to any songwriter that wants to dive deeper into lyrics.
by GBDec 16, 2017
This is an excellent course- lots of outstanding content and the assignments really make you work and absorb the techniques. Thanks Pat!
by DAAug 9, 2016
This course provides excellent tools for idea development, considering elements like points of view, stability/instability and rhyme.
by SMSep 26, 2019
Thanks to Pat for sharing his knowledge. It was a great course and I got to learn a lot. Excited to keep writing. Thank you. :)
by SSOct 28, 2018
Amazing course! I almost cannot believe how much I have learned within a relatively short span of time. I am hungry for more!
by TNNov 1, 2018
a challenging course, perhaps because I have no previous experience. I'm glad I've learned a lot from it and completed it!
About the The DIY Musician Specialization
With social media platforms and powerful recording technology at your fingertips, it’s easier now than ever before to create music and share it with your fans. But where do you begin and how do you get started? This specialization will take you through the process of writing, recording, and producing your own music in order to gain the practical skills you need to record music within ProTools, which is the industry standard Digital Audio Workstation. You’ll also work to develop an artist identity, vision, and brand for your music and learn how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign to fund your music career.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.