Song Writing & Composition
with: Eliot Popkin

Before a song becomes a chart-topping hit, it needs to be written and composed. Eliot Popkin is an award-winning songwriter, singer, and songwriting coach and will teach you how to take your song ideas to the big leagues. In Educator’s Songwriting & Composition Course, Professor Popkin begins with an overview of Harmony, Melody, and Rhythm, before moving in to songwriting exercises involving Object Writes and Rhyming Tools. The series ends with Professor Popkin covering different types of genres as well as tips on the Business of Songwriting such as protecting your music and meeting producers. Professor Popkin has over 10+ years of experience in the music industry and since graduating from the Berklee College of Music. He has also released three full albums and was the first artist to have three top 10 videos shown on MTV Logo.

• Table of Contents

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I. Songwriting
	Introduction to Songwriting			6:17
		Intro		0:00
		Three Main Components		0:17
			Melody, Lyrics, Harmony	0:21
			Rhythm	0:24
			Golden Guidelines	1:37
		Object Write: Ocean		3:09
			Object Write	3:21
			Eliot's List on Ocean	4:00
		Melody Ideas		4:47
			Four Notes	4:58
			Up One Step	5:11
			Ascending	5:71
	Melody & Harmony			8:06
		Intro		0:00
		Melody Lesson		1:59
			3 Most Stable Keys	2:47
			Unstable Notes	3:00
			Example: Stable Note	4:58
		Harmony Grooves		5:47
			Groove	6:10
			Example: Own Harmonic Groove	6:53
	Object Write & Melody			7:32
		Intro		0:00
		Object Write: Orange		0:24
			Homework review	0:33
			Homework assignment for next lesson	2:50
		Melody Lesson		3:18
			Stable & Unstable Tone Review	3:22
			Example: Tones Falling	4:45
			Example: Pick the next tone	5:30
			Groove review	7:06
	Rhyming, Melody, Harmony, Part 1			7:58
		Intro		0:00
		Object Write: Ocean		0:09
			Object Write Review	0:25
		Rhyming Lesson		3:06
			Rhyme Scheme	3:11
			Example: Amazing Grace	3:41
			Example: Beyonce- Irreplacable	4:08
		Melody and Harmony		5:57
			Audio Example: Combining Melody & Harmony	6:45
			Possible Ending Note	7:33
	Object Write to Verse			10:13
		Intro		0:00
		Rhyming Lesson		0:19
			Example: 'If I Die Young'	0:40
		Rhyming Lesson, cont.		3:00
			Words Don't Rhyme, But It Works	3:26
		Object Write: Orange		4:28
			Turn Object Write Into Verse	4:30
		Object Write to a Verse		6:55
			Finding the Rhyme Scheme	7:15
			Changing to Not Rhyming Lyrics	8:02
		Melody and Harmony		9:02
			Stable Unstable Tone Placement	9:20
			One-Bar Idea	9:52
	Introduction to Lyrics			8:40
		Intro		0:00
		Object Write: Ocean		1:03
			Example: Key Phrases to Use	1:46
		Object Write to a Verse		1:49
			The Rhyme Schme	2:21
			Different Rhyme Scheme	2:53
			Example: Why Words Rhymes	4:07
		Melody Ideas		4:16
			Create Many Melodies With 1 Simple Phrase	4:35
		Harmony for Verse and Chorus		6:15
			Define Harmony	6:20
			Example: Add 1 New Chord	6:46
			Audio Example	7:30
	Metaphor			5:18
		Intro		0:00
		Lyric Writing		0:25
			What is a Metaphor?	0:33
			Examples: Metaphors	0:40
		Melody Ideas		2:24
			Arches	2:42
			Examples: Small and Big Arches	3:14
		Harmony Major vs Minor		3:55
			Groove	4:08
			Introduce Minor Chord to Mix	4:14
	Repetition			7:23
		Intro		0:00
		Lyric Writing		0:12
			Example: Use Repetition to Strengthen	0:23
			Example 2: Use Repetition to Strengthen	0:59
		Melody Ideas		1:50
			Truncation	2:22
		Rhythm Lesson		3:27
			Whole Note	3:52
			Half Note	4:03
			Quarter Note	4:06
			Example	4:46
	Imagery			9:28
		Intro		0:00
		Lyric Writing		0:13
			Use 5 Senses As Descriptions	0:16
			Example: Senses As Descriptions	0:28
			Example 2: Senses As Descriptions	1:06
		Melody Ideas		2:32
			Ways to Develop Melody	2:49
			Chord & Arpeggio	4:46
		Rhythm Lesson		5:08
			Dotted Note	5:27
			Clap Out Example	6:12
	Personification			9:10
		Intro		0:00
		Lyric Writing		0:15
			Define Personification	0:18
			Examples: Personification	0:29
		Melody Ideas		3:22
			Permutation	3:39
			Ornamentation	3:59
			Thinning	4:24
			Pitch Change	4:39
			Example	4:57
		Song Sections		6:19
			Different Sections of a Song	6:40
			Pre-Course, Bridge, Breakdown, Instrumental Breaks	6:47
	Exaggeration			14:19
		Intro		0:00
		Lyric Writing		0:21
			Define Exaggerate	0:23
			Examples: Exaggeration	0:29
		Collaboration		3:02
			Consider When Collaborating	3:36
		Business of Songwriting		8:12
			Guidelines to Protect Your Song	8:33
			Recording Demos	8:40
			Studio Time	8:55
			Submitting Material	9:35
			Building Relationships	10:30
			Getting a Mentor	11:24
			Write Out Goals	11:44
			Meet Other Songwriters/ Producers	12:01
			Going to Network Events	12:19
			Being a Professional	12:36
			Being a Solo Artist or Starting Band	13:11
			Performing	13:34
	Genres			21:57
		Intro		0:00
		Country		0:46
			Audio Example: Keith Urban	1:02
			Example: Rhyming Scheme	5:59
			Stripping Instrumentation	7:42
		Pop		8:11
			Audio Example: Pink	8:33
			Main Difference Between Country & Pop	13:03
			Chorus Extension	13:33
		R&B		14:14
			Audio Example: John Legend	14:40
			Reframe	20:44