About the Class
This one-hour weekly class is designed to demystify songwriting and music production, and help students learn how to express themselves through music. We’ll break down what makes a great song work—melody, song structure, chord progressions, lyric writing—and show students how to apply those same techniques to their own ideas. Students will learn how to make their own instrumentals using GarageBand on a MacBook, iPad, or iPhone. No fancy gear required, just curiosity and the drive to make something great.
Each week, students will be responsible for writing a small section of a song, anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds long. The goal is not perfection; it’s progress and expression. We’ll explore creative tools that make songwriting more approachable, like writing over loops, using chord generators, and studying real-world examples. We’ll reverse-engineer real songs to understand how producers layer sounds, choose instruments, and build a song like a house from one component to 20. Students will learn how to use loop libraries, sound packs, and samples to bring their ideas to life quickly and intuitively.
More than anything, this class is about giving students a productive outlet, a way to turn big emotions and personal experiences into something lasting and meaningful. Most people love music without knowing why; this class helps students figure that out and start creating it themselves. By the end of the semester each student will have 1-2 completed songs to showcase and build upon.