Songwriting: Writing Your First Really Good Song

In this 4 week course, learners will hear from a professional film composer, song writer, and session guitarist on how to write a song that musically makes sense, and puts your emotion into words.

Blair Borland

2 total reviews for this teacher

New class

There are no upcoming classes.

90 minutes

per class

Once per week

over 5 weeks

14-18

year olds

4-12

learners per class

per learner - per class

How does a “Multi-Day” course work?

Meets multiple times at scheduled times

Live video chats, recorded and monitored for safety and quality

Discussions via classroom forum and private messages with the teacher

Great for engaging projects and interacting with diverse classmates from other states and countries

How Outschool Works

There are no open spots for this class.

You can request another time or scroll down to find more classes like this.

Description

Class Experience

This intermediate class is an opportunity to learn from a professional composer how to write a song that is genuinely good, and how to have a great time doing it. Our goal will be to root a song in the fundamentals of music theory, then learn how to write emotionally gripping lyrics over top of that music. 

Learners should be able to play an instrument and sign at the same time without much trouble. There will be a song performance at the end of this class by each learner, so a certain...

Learners will be given small "checkpoint" assignments each week. These may look like one of the following: 

- Write a 4 chord progression in the key of C Minor 
- Take three chords, play them fast in 4/4, then play them slow in 6/8. Which one did you like better and why? (Explain in class, or write a couple sentences) 
- Write some lyrics using metaphor. Make the subject about something deeply personal to you, but hide the obvious meaning within your chosen metaphor.

My Expertise
- Composer for Film and Television, including "Apex Legends" a video game with 80+ Million Worldwide Players 
- Masters in Scoring for Film, TV, and Video Games from Berklee College of Music 
- Guitar Session Player for Apex Legends, Watchdogs Legion, Mortal Kombat 11, and the SYFY Channel's 12 Monkeys
- Conducted the London Symphony Orchestra ("The LSO")

Learners will be casually assessed in class. If parents/learners desire a more structured assessment, one can be worked out.

1 hour 30 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 0 - 1 hours per week outside of class.

Teacher

Blair Borland

🇺🇸

Lives in the United States

Professional Composer and Guitarist for Film, TV & Video Games (Apex Legends, Watchdogs Legion)

2 total reviews

11 completed classes

About Me

Do you have a learner with a curious mind, an insatiable love for film or video games, or aspirations to be the next Hans Zimmer, but no idea what to do with them? Enroll them in classes from someone with a high level of musical education, who's...