COURSE SYLLABUS

Course # X404.4 Discipline: Music

Course Title: Crafting Great Lyrics: A Songwriting Workshop

Reg. # Y1307 Units: 4

Quarter/Yr: Spring 2012

Day/Time: Monday, 7-10pm

Dates: April 2-June 18 (no mtg 5/28)Additional mtg. Saturday, June 23, 10am-1pm

Location: Westwood: 217 Extension Lindbrook Center

Instructor: Mark Winkler

Course Description:Of interest to beginning as well as more experienced songwriters, this course offers a supportive and inspirational writing workshop environment. Instruction focuses on three equally important and interrelated aspects of songwriting: form, theme, and content. Each week, students perform practical exercises and write lyrics to strengthen their songwriting skills. Exercises are designed to broaden rhyming patterns and add specificity and color to songs. Hit songs by such writers as The Beatles, Ne-Yo, John Mayer, and Joni Mitchell provide templates for commercial lyric writing. Ultimately, each participant's lyrics are evaluated by the hit song formula: to entertain, to tell the truth, and to connect with your audience.

Goals & Objectives:To master the different songwriting forms. To learn different types of rhyming. To learn how to hook your listener in faster and keep them listening. To make your songs truly reflect what you want to say.

Recommended Readings:1.The Craft of Lyric Writing- Sheila Davis- Writers Digest2. If They Ask You, You Can Write a Song- Al Kasha3. Tunesmith- Jimmy Webb- Hyperion4. Lyrics- Oscar Hammerstein- Hal Leonard5. Reading Lyrics- Robert Gottleib and Robert Kimball- Pantheon6. 6 Steps to Songwriting Success- Jason Blume- Billboard Book

Grading:

Course grades will be based the on the completion of exams, assignments, and classroom participation as follows:

Breakdown of the weight for each component of the final grade:

Mid Term Exam 20 %

Final Exam 25 %

Completing Assignments 35 %

Attendance/Punctuality 10 %

Participation: 10 %

LetterGrade % A (90-100%)B (80-89%)C (70-79%)D (60-69%)F (

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 (4/2/12)I. Mark Winkler background and bio

A. Get to know students, what they want from courseII. Top Five Tips

A. Overview; including TitlesIII. Rhymes, Song FormsIV. Song discussion/Critiques

A. Students bring in a popular song they likeV. Homework

A. Come up with 10 titles1. include at least 4 picture titles

B. Come up with 5 things you feel passionately about

Week 2 (4/9/12)I. Discuss Be Specific in depth

A. Play songs1. pass out lyric sheets and discuss

B. Lyric Writing Exercise Word ClusteringII. 6-10 song tips A. OverviewIII. Discuss What makes a great title in depth

A. Pass out sheet on titlesB. Go through titles students have brought in

1. pick out good titles2. discuss what makes a good title3. techniques for finding good titles

IV. Lyric Writing exercise 3 step Lyric Writing TechniqueA. Choose titleB. Concept/story based on title

1. Must have emotional resonance to writerC. Write lyric

V. 5 Things you feel passionate aboutA. Pass out Oscar Hammerstein chapterB. Go over 5 things with class

1. possible lyrics/ p.o.v.s, titlesVI. Play a couple more lyrics students brought inVII. Homework

A. Write lyrics for title chosen, passion chosenB. Do 5 Word Clusters

Week 3 (4/16/12)I. Discuss Song Forms in Depth

A. Identify and label various forms1. song sections2. talk about what each section must accomplish

B. Title placement

C. Writing the dreaded second verseII. Lyric writing exercise- Penny Lane- Re-writing the Beatles

A. Play song, go over formIII. Discussion/Critique

A. Lyric for title chosenB. Word ClustersC. Misc. rewrites

IV. HomeworkA. Dreaded 2nd verse assignmentB. Title/lyric re-writesC. Penny Lane

Week 4 (4/23/12)I. Laundry List Songs

A. Modern and oldII. Lyric Writing exercise- Laundry List song

A. Re-write various laundry list songsB. Discuss methods/techniques

III. Song discussion/critiqueA. Dreaded 2nd verse AssignmentB. Penny Lane

IV. Lyric Writing Exercise Youre The TopV. Homework

A. If I Were A Boy or other laundry list song re-writeB. Youre the Top re-write

Week 5 (4/30/12)I. Discuss Content in depth

A. Play songs with great contentB. Lyric Writing Exercise- Love of My Life/My First Love

II. Give MidtermA. Reviewing form, rhyme, top ten tipsB. Grade midterm in class, answering all questions

III. Song Discussion/critiqueA. Youre The TopB. If I Were A Boy or other laundry list songC. Song based on a Word ClusterD. Misc. re-writes

IV. Lyric Writing Exercise Listen to the ColorsV. Homework

A. Song based on Love of my Life/My First LoveB. Song based on a word cluster

Week 6 (5/7/12)I. Lyric Writing exercise Writing the Picture

A. Tell them my Tropical Nights story1. Show Picture2. Play song and pass out lyric sheets3. Have them pick picture to write lyric about

II. Guest Lecturer (to be announced)

A. Their backgroundB. Lecturers talkC. Questions from class

III. Song discussion/CritiqueA. With guest lecturerB. Song based on Love of My Life/My First LoveC. Word ClusterD. Misc. re-writes

IV. HomeworkA. Write the PictureB. Bring in favorite song from Musical Theatre show

Week 7 (5/14/12)I. Writing songs to an existing melody

A. Stories about my adventures writing to instrumentals1. play song where I wrote lyrics to the melody

II. Guest LecturerA. Their backgroundB. Lecturers talk

III. Discuss Musical Theatre Songs brought in A. Structure/where they fit into storyB. Play favorite musical theatre songs

1. Discuss structure/why I like themIII. Song Discussion/Critique

A. Write the PictureB. Misc. re-writes

IV. HomeworkA. Write lyric to existing melody

1. I will provide three songsB. Re-write Write the Picture SongC. Write Musical theatre song

Week 8 (5/21/12)I. Guest Lecturer

A. Their backgroundB. Lecturers talk

II. The length of lines, the stresses of syllables in songsA. Give examplesB. How to match verses, length of lines in songs

III. Song Discussions/CritiqueA. Lyric to existing melody B. Musical Theatre songC. Misc. rewrites

IV. Play great lyrics I have foundA. Joni MitchellB. Stephen SondheimC. Randy Newman

V. HomeworkA. Outlining stresses in songs, matching length of linesB. Re-write musical theatre song

NO MEETING 5/28/12 Memorial Day Holiday

Week 9 (6/4/12)I. Guest Lecturer- Kirby Tepper

A. His BackgroundB. Lecturers talkC. Writing Comedy or charm songs

II. Discuss differences between Musical theatre and pop songsA. Play examples of differences

1. Rhyming considerations, differences in song formB. Play songs from each genre: Popular from Wicked and Skater Boi by Avril

LavigneIII. Song Discussion/Critique

A. Outlining stresses in songsB. Re-writing musical theatre song

IV. Laundry List Songs A. Play Examples: Memories are Made of This, Live like youre Dying V. Homework

A. Write a comedy or charm songB. Write a Laundry List song based on my titles

Week 10 (6/11/12)I. Guest Lecturer- Aaron Meza

A. His BackgroundB. He will discuss his book Youve Written the Song, Now What?

1. Copyright Issues2. Strategies and resources to get songs placed3. Clubs and events to meet other songwriters/networking4. Publishers

II. Song Discussion/CritiqueA. Comedy and charm songsB. Laundry list song based on my titles

III. Re-Writing the Beatles Part 2A. Re-write Yesterday or Paperback Writer

IV. HomeworkA. Re- Write Beatle SongsB. Go to ASCAP and BMI websites

Week 11 (6/18/12)I. Review of course

A. Review Songwriting Tips, Song Forms, Rhymes, Stresses and Length of lines B. Questions from the class

II. Song Discussion/CritiqueA. Re-writng Beatle SongB. Discuss ASCAP and BMI sitesC. Other projects

III. HomeworkA. Final Song/Based on Interview with Class member

Week 12 (6/23/12) - SaturdayI. FINAL TEST

A. Grading Final in class answering all questionsII. Song discussion/Critique

A. Final Song/Based on Interview with Class MemberIII. Presenting Best Lyrics of ClassIV. Closing Remarks