Whether you’re embarking on a songwriting project with secondary students or working with younger pupils, it’s always helpful to have a range of resources available.
In this post I’ve put together five resources (in no particular order) from the following organisations:
- BBC Introducing
- Song Academy
- Nordoff Robbins
- Music Teacher Magazine
- I Can Compose
1. Songwriting Tips from BBC Introducing…
Find quick tips and short videos from industry artists on getting started, lyric-writing and the importance of melody, in this BBC Introducing article.
Tom Robinson from BBC 6 Music shares tips for success and says, “Only about 1 in 10 songs that anybody writes are actually any good…and the trick to getting to the really great ones is to write the other 9 and finish them…”
2. Songwriting Resources for Teachers (Song Academy)
Song Academy is an online platform dedicated to providing guidance and support for songwriters, and hosts an annual Young Songwriter Competition. On the website you can find a wealth of materials including a Song Academy Teachers’ Page , exploring inspiration sources, recording at home tips, rhyme schemes and writing your first song.
Image: Song Academy
3. How to Compose a Pop Song (online course)
In this in-depth online course, Patrick Gazard takes secondary students (14 – 18 years) through the process of writing a pop ballad, with his own model composition as a guide.
The steps can be followed in order or students can choose their own starting point and work through the sections relevant to them.
4. ‘Getting Started with Songwriting’ by Keith Ayling
Keith Ayling is a senior lecturer in songwriting at Leeds Conservatoire, and in this insightful article for Music Teacher Magazine, describes his approach to lyric writing when working with Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils.
You can also watch Keith’s TedX talk about songwriting…
5. ‘Top Tips for Budding Songwriters’ by Jo Humphreys
Here’s a perspective from Nordoff and Robbins music therapist, Jo Humphreys. Here, Jo shares 8 tips for composing a song and explains how songwriting can “help support expression, process thoughts and feelings, celebrate creativity, and provide motivation to reach a tangible goal.”
