Songwriting is an art form that has captivated audiences for centuries. From the poetic lyricism of Bob Dylan to the infectious melodies of Max Martin’s pop hits, great songs have the power to move us emotionally and leave an indelible mark on our lives.
However, the path to becoming a skilled songwriter is not an easy one. It requires a deep understanding of musical theory, lyrical craftsmanship, and the ability to channel personal experiences into resonant artistic expressions.
For those seeking to hone their songwriting abilities, whether as a hobbyist or with professional aspirations, a structured course can provide invaluable guidance and mentorship. With the rise of online education, there is now a wealth of songwriting courses available, taught by industry professionals and acclaimed songwriters.
In this article, we have curated a list of the 11 best songwriting courses available online. From comprehensive programs offered by renowned institutions like Berklee College of Music to specialized courses on lyric writing and melody construction, these offerings cater to songwriters of all levels and genres.
1. Lyrics Writing Course by Jacob Carter
The Lyrics Writing Course is a comprehensive online program taught by experienced lyricist Jacob Carter. It aims to help aspiring songwriters and lyricists enhance their skills and creativity in writing impactful lyrics.
The self-paced course consists of six modules covering key aspects of lyric writing:
- Finding inspiration and generating ideas
- Understanding lyrical structure, style, and song forms
- Crafting compelling verses, choruses, and bridges
- Mastering techniques like rhyming, storytelling, and specificity
- Analyzing hit songs across genres
- Collaborating effectively with other songwriters
Through HD video lessons, printable resources, and practical exercises, students gain insights into the lyric writing process. The course covers methods for developing original lyrics, identifying one’s unique voice, and writing songs that resonate with audiences.
The $997 course promises to teach techniques for unleashing creativity, understanding songwriting on a deeper level, and ultimately writing awesome lyrics. Testimonials praise the course for providing new skills, helping discover personal styles, and building confidence as lyricists.
By the end, students can expect to have written fully-formed song lyrics, an understanding of the craft, and the ability to continue honing their skills independently or through collaboration.
You can check out his free guide on lyrics writing before joining his course.
2. The Art of Songwriting – The Open University (FutureLearn)
This 6-week course on FutureLearn explores the fundamentals of songwriting. You’ll learn how to set words to rhythm, craft effective melodies, work with chord progressions, and understand song forms and structures. The course uses specially commissioned lyrics to guide you through writing your own song, with input from renowned folk musician Martin Simpson. It covers both the theoretical principles and practical application of songwriting.
3. Commercial Songwriting Techniques – Berklee Online
Taught by hit songwriter Andrea Stolpe, this 12-week course from Berklee Online focuses on writing commercial songs that connect with audiences. You’ll learn Stolpe’s 10-step process for reproducing traits of successful songs while maintaining your unique voice. Key topics include using descriptive writing, creating patterns for memorable melodies/lyrics, and combining lyrics with music effectively. By the end, you’ll have completed 3 fully written songs.
4. The Lyric Writer’s Workroom – Songcraft
This online course from Songcraft provides a comprehensive guide to lyric writing techniques. Taught by experienced songwriter Brent Baxter, it covers generating ideas, developing metaphors, rhyming schemes, rhythm/meter, and more. The self-paced format includes video lessons, downloadable workbooks, and writing exercises. It aims to help writers at any level hone their lyric writing skills.
5. The Singer Songwriter – Berklee Online (Coursera)
This 4-course Specialization on Coursera from Berklee teaches a full skillset for writing, performing and recording your own music. The courses cover guitar basics, singing techniques, lyric writing using Berklee’s “prosody” method, and working with Ableton Live software. By the end, you’ll have the tools to transform your ideas into fully-produced songs that are uniquely your own.
6. Writing Song Lyrics: Create and Combine with Melody – City Lit
This 6-week evening course from City Lit in London focuses on writing original lyrics and combining them with melodies. You’ll learn techniques for generating lyrical ideas from everyday experiences, understanding song structure and form, creating a hook, using rhyme schemes effectively, and analyzing different musical genres. The course emphasizes practical exercises, collaboration and workshopping your lyrics.
7. Lyric Writing: Tools and Strategies – Berklee Online
This course from Berklee Online, taught by renowned lyricist Pat Pattison, focuses on generating better lyrical ideas and expressing them compellingly in songs. You’ll learn techniques for finding the right words, organizing rhythms and rhymes into verses/choruses, using rhyme schemes effectively, and daily object writing exercises to spark creativity. By the end, you’ll have sharpened skills for crafting meaningful, well-structured lyrics.
8. How to Write Lyrics – The Song Foundry
This 30-day lyric writing challenge from The Song Foundry aims to transform your skills in just 10 minutes per day. Through daily exercises, you’ll practice finding rhymes under pressure, writing conversational phrases, connecting with audiences, and mastering real-world lyric writing techniques. It’s designed for both beginner and experienced songwriters looking to improve their lyrical abilities.
9. Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics – Berklee Online (Coursera)
Part of Berklee’s Songwriting Specialization on Coursera, this course introduces the essential concept of prosody for crafting lyrics. You’ll learn to develop song ideas, create stable/unstable sections using line lengths and rhyme schemes, put rhythms into lines, and more. Assignments include peer feedback on your work. The course aims to provide an efficient process for expressing emotions through lyrics.
10. Songwriting: Lyric Writing – Elevate with ICMP
This online course from ICMP covers lyric writing techniques like structure, rhyme schemes, genre conventions, and literary devices. Through video lessons and writing activities, you’ll analyze influential lyrics, find inspiration, develop your unique voice, and draft original songs across multiple genres. The self-paced format allows you to study flexibly.
11. Songwriting Simplified: Music Theory, Melody & Creativity – Udemy
This Udemy course teaches a step-by-step process for writing complete songs, from music theory and chord progressions to melodies and lyrics. You’ll learn to use the same techniques as hit songwriters while maintaining your unique style. By the end, you’ll have written a full song by following 5 simple steps covered in the lessons. It’s designed for both pianists and guitarists.
