Pat Pattison
Berklee College of Music
Songwriting
www.coursera.org/course/songwriting
Learn an efficient, effective process for writing songs that express your ideas and emotions, including a range of tools that revolve around the concept of prosody—the matching of lyrics and music to support your underlying message.
About the Course
If you haven’t written any or many songs, this course will show you an efficient, effective process for tailoring songs to express your ideas and emotions. If you have, you’ll look at your process differently, taking control of aspects of the process you may have not noticed.
The course will start by examining the tools available to you, all revolving around the essential concept of prosody. You’ll learn to use your tools to enhance your message—to work compositionally at the same time you’re developing your ideas.
You’ll be working both lyrically and musically, though musically it’s not necessary that you either read music or play an instrument. If you play, great, and you’ll be encouraged to play and record your musical responses to the assignments. If you don’t play, the course offers you a number of musical loops to work with. All you’ll have to do is sing your melodies over the loops.
Assignments will ask you to post something for peer review—sometimes lyric lines or sections, sometimes melodies, sometimes both. None of it has to be polished. The course is about writing, not performing.
Most important, you’ll have a lot of fun.
Course Syllabus
Lesson 1: 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.
Lesson 2: 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, the school crossing guards of your song. 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.
Lesson 3: 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.
Lesson 4: 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.
Lesson 5: Writing the Song
In this lesson, you’ll select a new song title and create a worksheet to help develop your ideas. You’ll write your lyric and set it to music, matching your lyric rhythms to melodic rhythms. You’ll create a melody, using stable and unstable notes to support your ideas.
Lesson 6: Crossing the Finished Line
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the role of phrasing to create the body language of your song, using the relationship of your phrases to musical downbeats to create stability or instability. Then you’ll put the finishing touches on your song from lesson 5.
Recommended Background
Suggested Readings
Course Format
- "Still Crazy After All These Years" (Paul Simon) performed by Paul Simon
- "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (Paul Simon) performed by Paul Simon
- "Can’t Be Really Gone" (Gary Burr) performed by Tim McGraw
- "Eleanor Rigby" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) performed by The Beatles
- "The End of the Innocence" (Don Henley) performed by Don Henley
- "For No One" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) performed by The Beatles
- "The Great Pretender" (Buck Ram) performed by The Platters
- "Hasten Down the Wind" (Warren Zevon) performed by Warren Zevon
- "Heartbeat City" (Ric Ocasek) performed by The Cars
- "How Can We Hang On to a Dream" (Tim Hardin) performed by Tim Hardin
- "I Can’t Make You Love Me" (Mike Reid/Allen Shamblin) performed by Bonnie Raitt
- "In Front of the Alamo" (Gary Burr) performed by Hal Ketchum
- "It Was a Very Good Year" (Ervin Drake) performed by Frank Sinatra
- "Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig's Tune)" (Joni Mitchell) performed by Joni Mitchell
- "One More Dollar" (Gillian Welch) performed by Gillian Welch
- "Some People’s Lives" (Janis Ian/Kye Fleming) performed by Janis Ian
- "Strawberry Wine" (Matraca Berg/Gary Harrison) performed by Deana Carter
- "Sweet Baby James" (James Taylor) performed by James Taylor
- "Train in the Distance" (Paul Simon) performed by Paul Simon
- "What’ll I do?" (Irving Berlin) performed by Linda Ronstadt
- "Why Can't I Have You?" (Ric Ocasek) performed by The Cars
FAQ
- Do I need to have prior songwriting experience or musical ability?
No. Playing an instrument, such as the guitar or keyboard, is helpful but not necessary.
- Can I work on my own music?
Absolutely. If you do not have your own music, you will be able to use musical loops supplied in the course.
- What do I need in order to submit recording assignments?
During the course, you will be asked at times to submit recorded examples of your song ideas. In order to do this, you will need your computer's built-in microphone or an external microphone plugged directly into your computer (via built-in ports or an external audio interface), in addition to basic audio recording software, such as Audacity, that will allow you to record yourself and save the recording in MP3 format.
學生將通過本課程學習快速高效的譜曲方法，從而準確表達自己的思想和情感，包括以韻律學概念為中心的一些作曲工具，實現歌曲與歌詞的相互匹配，讓音樂能夠傳達作者的隱含信息。
課程概述
如果您沒有寫過歌曲或經驗有限，那麽參加本課程，您可以學習快速高效的創作方法，編織美妙的樂章，抒發自己的情感和思想。即使您經驗豐富，本課程也可以引導您換個角度審視自己的創作過程，重拾以前被忽略的部分。
本課程以韻律這個基本概念為中心，首先介紹音樂創作必備因素，學員們要學習如何靈活運用這些概念，擴展思維，提高音樂素養。
雖然我們不要求學員能讀懂音樂或者會彈奏樂器，不過課程內容依然涉及詞曲兩個方麵。如果您會樂器，很好，我們會布置作業，鼓勵您上傳彈奏錄音。如果您不會樂器，課上我們會提供一些旋律，您隻需要跟隨節奏哼唱自己的歌曲。
作業方麵，同學們需要上傳詞或者曲或者詞曲結合，課程重在創作，而非表演，所以無需特別修飾。
最重要的是，學習中充滿無限樂趣。
課程大綱
第1課：歌曲的奇幻之旅
體會音樂帶給我們的樂趣，通過學習，您將了解如何激發音樂靈感，擴展思路，還會認識歌曲作家的6個“好朋友”。
第2課： 聲音的抑揚頓挫
曲調與樂章中的樂句數量和樂句長度密不可分，通過學習，您將對這些概念有所了解，學習運用奇偶數線和奇數或偶數樂句組成格調不變和多變的曲調，掌握這些理論，學員可以編寫主歌和副歌部分。
第3課：聲音導航——描繪歌曲的韻律
通過學習，了解押韻與節奏的關係，運用各種格律創作格調不變和多變的樂曲，掌握了這些概念，學員可以譜寫出新的主歌和副歌。
第4課：流動的音符
體會節奏語言，了解重音和非重音的區別，在樂句中加入不同的節奏，形成流暢又富於動感的曲調；通過學習，學員可以將主歌和副歌組合成樂曲。
第5課：歌曲創作
課上學員可以選擇一個新的歌曲名稱，以表格的形式擴展音樂思維，編寫歌詞，然後運用格調不變或多變的旋律、做出符合音樂內容、匹配歌詞節奏的曲子。
第6課：後期潤色
體會樂句對創作和諧樂章所發揮的作用，靈活運用節拍的高低強弱，編寫出格調不變或多變的曲調；通過學習，學員將完成對第五課所寫歌曲的後期潤色。
背景知識
參考資料
授課形式
- “Still Crazy After All These Years”（“多年後依然瘋狂”，作曲：保羅·西蒙），保羅·西蒙演唱
- “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”（“離開愛人的五十種方法”，作曲：保羅·西蒙），保羅·西蒙演唱
- “Can’t Be Really Gone”（“揮之不去”，作曲：蓋瑞·伯爾），蒂姆·麥克洛演唱
- “Eleanor Rigby”（作曲：約翰·列儂/保羅·麥卡特尼），披頭士樂隊演唱
- “The End of the Innocence”（“告別純真”，作曲：唐·亨利），唐·亨利演唱
- “For No One”（“不為誰”，作曲：約翰·列儂/保羅·麥卡特尼），披頭士樂隊演唱
- “The Great Pretender”（“偽君子”，作曲：伯克·蘭姆），五黑寶合唱團演唱
- “Hasten Down the Wind”（“乘風追趕”，作曲：沃倫·澤方），沃倫·澤方演唱
- “Heartbeat City”（“心跳城市”，作曲：裏克·奧卡塞克），汽車合唱團演唱
- “How Can We Hang On to a Dream”（“如何讓夢不醒”，作曲：蒂姆·哈丁），蒂姆·哈丁演唱/li>
- “I Can’t Make You Love Me”（“無法讓你愛我”，作曲：邁克·裏德/艾倫·謝柏林），邦妮·瑞特演唱
- “In Front of the Alamo”（“麵對阿拉莫”，作曲：蓋瑞·伯爾），哈爾·凱徹姆演唱
- “It Was a Very Good Year”（“曾經美好的那一年”，作曲：歐文·德雷克），弗蘭克·辛納屈演唱
- “Judgement of the Moon and Stars”（“星月見證（Ludwig的曲調）”，（作曲：瓊尼·米歇爾），瓊尼·米歇爾演唱
- “One More Dollar”（“一美元”，作曲：吉蘭·威爾奇），吉蘭·威爾奇演唱
- “Some People’s Lives”（“某些人的生活”，作曲：珍妮斯·艾恩/凱恩·弗萊明），珍妮斯·艾恩演唱
- “Strawberry Wine”（“草莓酒”，作曲：Matraca Berg/蓋瑞·哈裏森），Deana Carter演唱
- “Sweet Baby James”（“甜心寶貝詹姆斯”，作曲：詹姆斯·泰勒），詹姆斯·泰勒演唱
- “Train in the Distance”（“遠方的雨”，作曲：保羅·西蒙），保羅·西蒙演唱
- “What’ll I do?”（“我該怎麽辦”，作曲：歐文·柏林），琳達·朗絲黛演唱
- “Why Can't I Have You?”（“為何不能擁有你”，作曲：裏克·奧卡塞克），汽車合唱團演唱
常見問題
- 是否需要具備譜曲經驗或音樂能力？
如果學過樂器，如吉他或鍵盤，會對本課程有所幫助，但不是必要條件。
- 可以用自己的音樂嗎？
當然可以，如果沒有，您可以用課上提供的音樂。
- 上傳錄音作業，我需要準備什麽？
學習過程中，有時需要學員上傳自己的創作錄音，所以您的電腦要有內置麥克風或可以（通過電腦內置端口或外部音頻接口）直接連接電腦的外置麥克風。另外，還要安裝一些基本的錄音軟件，如Audacity，可錄製音頻並以MP3格式保存。
