I found this site which offers a free songwriting course:

http://www.songwriter.co.uk/page22.html

Haven't recieved my 'free' songwriting booklet yet

Fine Print:
Paid subscription is available to most songwriters, but several different types of songwriters are actually entitled to FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS

But still - a great post. The site looks a little scary, but don't stop looking. I'll try to find my old links to great songwriting sites.

Are you looking to learn lyrics or music composition more?

I was wondering if anyone had tried this yet.

It's a sad world that even an offer like this could make me suspicious.

otan said:

I'd like 2 learn both.

MUSIC THEORY for SONGWRITERS.
http://members.aol.com/ch.../index.htm

It's very easy to read, seems pretty simple with lots of big pictures to help you get started learning what's a good chord progression, and then you go on to learn to break those rules when you want to.

Look at this, for example: chord map for the key of C:


If you play keys, this will make more sense than it did to me, (guitarist primarily).

Cat Cohen's Anatomy of a Hit

This guy dissects some popular songs and tries to identify some of the key components that MADE it a great song. His insights are pretty good, if you ask me. Gets VERY in depth - presenting the chord structures/progression, lyrical development, etc.

http://www.catcohen.com/a...aHit.shtml

Lastly:

The Muse's Muse:

http://www.musesmuse.com/
This site is VERY in-depth and has a pretty decent active forum. Don't know if it's too useful for the "starting" song writer, except maybe to give you some incentive!

okay, no. one more.

An interview with some big wig 70's underground songwriter. Don't know him, but his points are good:


LOST ROCK: How much do you have to know about writing songs before you can do it?

BUTCH: Just like in architecture, you don't need to know what a Cambrian arch is, or this or that kind of column, you don't need to know all that stuff. You need to know what space does, you've got to know rhythm and balance and color and contrast and principles of design, rather than formulas or effects or styles. And the same is true of songs, you've got to know what a little pause, a little space in here does, you've got to know what an uplift does. Some of the "songwriting professionals" have taken the mechanics of writing songs to a pretty sophisticated development, but it's useless if that spirit does not develop along with that or ahead of it.

http://www.lostrock.com/i...ures/026/2

Damn Otan, u gots edumacation

paisleypark4 said:

heh. I didn't say I've READ all that stuff!!