Whether you're a relative beginner or a seasoned songwriter looking for new inspiration, this unit will provide you with a rich source of ideas and techniques to develop your songwriting skills. Through careful analysis of hit songs you'll come to identify and create the structures that are the key elements of great hits. As you progress through the lessons you'll learn effective ways to develop your ideas into complete songs.

Duration The course is conducted over a period of 15 weeks (Available semester 1 and 2)
Please note: Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient numbers

Contact the Performing Arts Department for dates (fionab-pa@nmit.vic.edu.au)

Preview the first few pages in Lesson 1 of Songwriting Online:

• Lesson 1

Student Testimonial
'Living in a small country town, I found it difficult to access good quality music education. Thankfully I came across NMIT's online courses and enrolled in Songwriting (Online).

I enjoyed every aspect of the course. The materials were excellent and easy to understand, the assignments really helped me put my knowledge into practice, and my songwriting skills quickly developed thanks to feedback from the class teacher and other students. We all posted our work to the discussion board and, that way, we learnt from each other.

The final assessment for the course was to write a song and notate it. The song I wrote, 'Ride of Your Life', was recently submitted to the 29th Australian Songwriting Contest and shortlisted! I'm so exited. I have gained so much knowledge and confidence in my songwriting skills, thanks to NMIT's Songwriting (Online) course.'

- Melissa Robertson (July, 2009)

Syllabus
Lesson 1: Getting Started and the Hook.

• The aim of songwriting
• Infinite choices
• Tools of songwriting
• The end in mind
• You're always writing
• The hook
• Simplicity and repetition
• Assignment 1

Lesson 2: Basic Song Form.

• What is form?
• How your market dictates form
• Song form
• Contemporary song form
• Analysing song form
• Approaching song form
• Assignment 2

Lesson 3: Groove and Two-Chord Forms.

• The beat of history
• Repetitive song forms
• Starry Eyed Surprise
• Melodic phrasing
• Melodic rhythm
• My Culture
• Building it up
• Will the real chorus please stand up

Lesson 4: Lyric and Chords.

• Finding the starting point
• Pitching the story
• A point of connection
• Classic stories
• Once apon a time
• Striking a chord
• Chord functions
• Two bags of progressions please
• Assignment 4

Lesson 5: Chorus and the Melody.

• 1 Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient numbers
• Melodic aspect
• Creating melodies
• Building the motive
• Cigarettes will kill you
• The refrain
• Chorus
• Chorus phrasing
• Singable melodies
• Assignment 5

Lesson 6: Expanding your Lyric.

• Song titles
• Lyrical hooks
• First lines first
• Brainstorming
• Magic in words
• Seeing the world in colour
• Placement of character
• Case study
• Assignment 6

Lesson 7: Harmony.

• Chord substitutions
• Chordal harmony
• Cycles and suspensions
• Inversions / Slash Chords
• Buses and trains
• Tritone substitutions
• Secondary dominant
• Vocal harmony
• Multi-part harmony
• Moon Song
• Assignment 7

Lesson 8: Pre-chorus and Bridge.

• Pre-chorus melody
• Pre-chorus chords
• Wonderwall
• Creepin up slowly
• These days
• The bridge
• Under a bus
• Hazel eyes
• Stacy's mom
• Assignment 8

Lesson 9: Breaking the Rules.

• Time signatures
• More counting
• Arrangements
• Now that's just wrong
• Mutated modulations
• Assignment 9

Lesson 10: Bringing it All Together.

• Circles case study
• Setting up the melody
• Constructing the elements
• The recording
• It's a wrap
• When you are stuck
• Assignment 10