Courses and Schedule

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

GEN 110 Preparing Your Audio For SongU

All songs that you upload to your SongU.com Locker must be in the appropriate MP3 format. This 15-minute DIY Video walks you step-by-step through the process of converting one of your songs to a good quality MP3 file.

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Sara Light
Sara Light has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a staff songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credits include the John Michael Montgomery title track and the hit single "Home To You" which received an ASCAP airplay award in addition to being named SESAC song of the year for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She also composed songs for the musical "Urban Cowboy" which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She has performed her original songs regularly over the years at The Bluebird Café and other Nashville venues. Crossing genres from Country to Broadway to Hip-Hop, she co-authored a handbook geared toward urban youth, "The Art of Writing a Hit Song: The Urban Experience" with hit songwriter Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records) that has been endorsed by Lil' Kim, Mario Winans and P. Diddy among others. A "Power Quotes" interview with Sara was highlighted in the 2009 Entertainment Power Players Directory: Edition 4. Sara has always combined her teaching background with her love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, she developed and co-founded, along with her husband Danny Arena, the online educational website www.SongU.com which offers online songwriting courses, coaching, co-writing, industry connections and pitching opportunities to an international community of songwriters. She continues to be the main administrator, as well as one of the Lyric Writing and Song Feedback instructors at SongU.com.

GEN 120 Mandatory Pitching Orientation

Before pitching any songs at SongU.com, all Full-Access Members must review the material in this course and mark the course as completed. This course covers the important things you need to be aware of when pitching your songs through SongU.com. Feel free to keep this course handy and revisit it whenever you need a refresher. Course Content Lesson 1: Getting Started Lesson 2: Street Pitches, Fast-Track Pitches, Special Event Pitches and Follow-up Procedures

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Sara Light
Sara Light has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a staff songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credits include the John Michael Montgomery title track and the hit single "Home To You" which received an ASCAP airplay award in addition to being named SESAC song of the year for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She also composed songs for the musical "Urban Cowboy" which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She has performed her original songs regularly over the years at The Bluebird Café and other Nashville venues. Crossing genres from Country to Broadway to Hip-Hop, she co-authored a handbook geared toward urban youth, "The Art of Writing a Hit Song: The Urban Experience" with hit songwriter Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records) that has been endorsed by Lil' Kim, Mario Winans and P. Diddy among others. A "Power Quotes" interview with Sara was highlighted in the 2009 Entertainment Power Players Directory: Edition 4. Sara has always combined her teaching background with her love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, she developed and co-founded, along with her husband Danny Arena, the online educational website www.SongU.com which offers online songwriting courses, coaching, co-writing, industry connections and pitching opportunities to an international community of songwriters. She continues to be the main administrator, as well as one of the Lyric Writing and Song Feedback instructors at SongU.com.

LYR 130 Power Rhymes

This course takes a fascinating look into the world of rhymes, citing examples of hit lyrics from Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Macy Gray, Sting, Alicia Keys and more. Whether you're a beginning or advanced writer, you will discover new ways to look at your lyric writing and learn concrete techniques to give your lyrics a professional edge. Topics covered include assonance, consonance, inner rhyme, elongated and diminished rhyme as well as extended rhyme. Lesson 1: Perfect And Near Rhymes Lesson 2: Elongated And Diminished Rhymes Lesson 3: Simple Inner Rhyme Lesson 4: Extended Rhyme

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Sara Light
Sara Light has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a staff songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credits include the John Michael Montgomery title track and the hit single "Home To You" which received an ASCAP airplay award in addition to being named SESAC song of the year for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She also composed songs for the musical "Urban Cowboy" which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She has performed her original songs regularly over the years at The Bluebird Café and other Nashville venues. Crossing genres from Country to Broadway to Hip-Hop, she co-authored a handbook geared toward urban youth, "The Art of Writing a Hit Song: The Urban Experience" with hit songwriter Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records) that has been endorsed by Lil' Kim, Mario Winans and P. Diddy among others. A "Power Quotes" interview with Sara was highlighted in the 2009 Entertainment Power Players Directory: Edition 4. Sara has always combined her teaching background with her love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, she developed and co-founded, along with her husband Danny Arena, the online educational website www.SongU.com which offers online songwriting courses, coaching, co-writing, industry connections and pitching opportunities to an international community of songwriters. She continues to be the main administrator, as well as one of the Lyric Writing and Song Feedback instructors at SongU.com.

LYR 140 Creating Lyrical Contrast

This lyric writing course focuses on several techniques to add interest to your lyric by incorporating contrast. Using examples of lyrics by artists such as Alicia Keys, Alan Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan and more, you will see how contrasting rhyme sounds, patterns, rhythm, pronoun emphasis and detail can make your lyrics stand out from the rest. Lesson 1: Contrast Using Rhyme Sounds Lesson 2: Contrast Using Rhyme Patterns Lesson 3: Contrast Using Rhythm Lesson 4: Contrast Using Pronoun Emphasis Lesson 5: Contrast Using Detail

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Sara Light
Sara Light has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a staff songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credits include the John Michael Montgomery title track and the hit single "Home To You" which received an ASCAP airplay award in addition to being named SESAC song of the year for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She also composed songs for the musical "Urban Cowboy" which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She has performed her original songs regularly over the years at The Bluebird Café and other Nashville venues. Crossing genres from Country to Broadway to Hip-Hop, she co-authored a handbook geared toward urban youth, "The Art of Writing a Hit Song: The Urban Experience" with hit songwriter Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records) that has been endorsed by Lil' Kim, Mario Winans and P. Diddy among others. A "Power Quotes" interview with Sara was highlighted in the 2009 Entertainment Power Players Directory: Edition 4. Sara has always combined her teaching background with her love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, she developed and co-founded, along with her husband Danny Arena, the online educational website www.SongU.com which offers online songwriting courses, coaching, co-writing, industry connections and pitching opportunities to an international community of songwriters. She continues to be the main administrator, as well as one of the Lyric Writing and Song Feedback instructors at SongU.com.

LYR 160 Lyrical Devices I

In songwriting there are many ways to tell a story or express an emotion. This course suggests several techniques to develop the lyrical plot of your song and/or add interest to your lyric. By looking at examples taken from rock, pop and country music, you will explore creative lyrical devices such as the use of lists, rotating choruses and time-capsule songs. Lesson 1: List Songs Lesson 2: The Rotating Chorus Lesson 3: The Time-Capsule Lyric

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Sara Light
Sara Light has been writing professionally in Nashville since 1996 and had served as a staff songwriter for Zamalama Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. Her credits include the John Michael Montgomery title track and the hit single "Home To You" which received an ASCAP airplay award in addition to being named SESAC song of the year for having garnered 2 million spins on radio. She also composed songs for the musical "Urban Cowboy" which opened on Broadway in March 2003 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She has performed her original songs regularly over the years at The Bluebird Café and other Nashville venues. Crossing genres from Country to Broadway to Hip-Hop, she co-authored a handbook geared toward urban youth, "The Art of Writing a Hit Song: The Urban Experience" with hit songwriter Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records) that has been endorsed by Lil' Kim, Mario Winans and P. Diddy among others. A "Power Quotes" interview with Sara was highlighted in the 2009 Entertainment Power Players Directory: Edition 4. Sara has always combined her teaching background with her love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, she developed and co-founded, along with her husband Danny Arena, the online educational website www.SongU.com which offers online songwriting courses, coaching, co-writing, industry connections and pitching opportunities to an international community of songwriters. She continues to be the main administrator, as well as one of the Lyric Writing and Song Feedback instructors at SongU.com.

LYR 161 Lyrical Devices II

In Part II of Lyrical Devices you'll learn more techniques to develop the lyrical plot of your song in interesting and skillful ways. Lyrical devices such as parallel form, developing a lyric through questions and third-person vignettes will be explored. Examples will be given from rock, pop and country music including songs by Aerosmith, Matchbox Twenty, Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and many others. Lesson 1: Using Parallel Form Lesson 2: Using Questions Lesson 3: The Third-Person Vignette

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Pam Oland
Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Selena, Frank Sinatra, the Jacksons, Gladys Knight, Nikka Costa, and Reba McIntyre, are among artists who’ve recorded over 450 Pamela Phillips Oland songs. Anne Murray’s “Duets,” nominated for 2008 Best Album and Best Pop Album Juno Awards, features Anne’s re-recording of Oland & James Dunne’s Grammy-Nominated #1 song "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do." Claire Dela Fuente’s current #1 record, "Something In Your Eyes," co-written with Richard Carpenter, is the most requested song in the Philippines. A forthcoming duet with Philippine Idol winner Sarah Geronimo and Back Street Boys’ Howie Dorough is one of 3 songs recorded for Sarah’s forthcoming album. Also current: "Bird’s Eye View" appears on alternative artist Simon Lynge’s debut album. "Mad About You" is on Danish TV star Sascha Dupont’s album, and "Daydream Nightmare" is a single by Eurovision winner DQ .

Oland’s Awards include a Best Song In a Motion Picture Genie Award-nominated title song co-written with LeVar Burton for "Blizzard," a Best Kids Album Grammy nomination for "Be Bop Your Best"-an album co-written with artist Red Grammer, a CMA Best Country Duet award, an Accolade Award, and a New York Festivals Silver medal for the song score of "Legend of the Three Trees".

Her extensive movie work includes the end-title to "Puerto Vallarta Squeeze," the "Digga Digga Dog" opening and end-title song to 102 Dalmatians, and main themes to "Coming To America," "Gideon," "Burglar," and "I’m Gonna Git You Sucka." Her t.v. work includes "Reaper," "Bad Girls Guide," "Little Miss," "J*A*G," "The Sopranos, themes to "Thunder In Paradise," and "Dexter’s Lab," "Xena: Warrior Princess (3 songs for the cult favorite "Bitter Suite" episode) and all songs (music & lyrics) for the award-winning Kids Ten Commandments.

The career lyricist defies categorization, working in all styles and genres. She’s currently co-writing with Tom Harriman a major musical based on the Oscar-nominated film "Soldier of Orange," for a projected 2009 opening in the Netherlands; and has finished the novel, "The Downfall of Oliver Hepz," just optioned by Deep Muddy Productions for a feature film. She also has two television shows optioned and currently being shopped. Oland and Harriman, her partner in TOPA Music, wrote and produced the CD-art package "Van Gogh by Van Eck" featuring Diederick vanEck for Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. It became a part of the Van Gogh & His Fellow Expressionists Exhibition. She is also the author of the popular music industry books, "The Art Of Writing Great Lyrics," and "The Art of Writing Love Songs," (Allworth:NY), Oland participates in songwriting and music seminars around the country and abroad, as well as offering lyric evaluations and career consultations. She frequently co-hosts "Samm Brown’s For The Record," a Sunday music industry interview show live at 2:00 pm PST on KPFK 90.7.

Her website is at www.PamOland.com.

LYR 220 Thinking As A Songwriter

Thinking as a songwriter requires a unique mindset and the ability to blend art with craft. In this course, you will be taken on a sensate journey to practice examining the world around you in a more creative way. You will be given practical skills to incorporate your artful discoveries into well crafted songs. Examples from pop, country, musical theatre and rock will illustrate the points made throughout the course. Lesson 1: Transcending the Limitations of Your Own Experiences Lesson 2: Re-Learning the Art of Observation Lesson 3: Becoming Proficient At Creating Time, Place And Characters Lesson 4: Getting The Knack Of Inventiveness

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

MUS 130 Musical Elements Of A Successful Song

It's been said that a song with a poorly written lyric and great music can still become a hit, but a song with a great lyric and poorly written music doesn't stand a chance. Whether or not this is completely true, it is necessary to recognize the importance of the musical elements of your songs. This information-packed course examines what successful songs have in common from a musical standpoint. Whether you are interested in pop, rock, country or R&B, you will be given insight into musical timing issues, how to develop a stronger melody and how create effective harmonies and rhythms that add memorability and interest to your music. Lesson 1: Do You Have The Time? Lesson 2: Memorability Lesson 3: Contrast Lesson 4: Variation

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

MUS 150 Essential Music Theory For Songwriters

Specifically geared toward songwriting, this popular course gets down to the essentials of music theory without a lot of technical or fancy jargon. Hit song examples from Chuck Berry to Bob Seeger to George Strait and more help illustrate the fundamentals of constructing effective chord progressions in rock, pop and country music. In addition, you will discover how the use of chord substitutes can make your songs more creative and interesting. Finally, you will learn the basics of reading and writing charts for your own songs. Lesson 1: Introduction To Music Theory Lesson 2: The Big Three: I, IV, V Lesson 3: The Chord Substitutes: iim, iiim, vim Lesson 4: A Complete Song Example

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

MUS 220 Prosody: Writing Music To Lyrics

A beautiful marriage of music to words can be a challenge even for the most experienced composer. A good musical setting of a lyric will ensure that the lyric is easy to understand and communicates the intended emotion. In this course, you'll learn specific techniques to help your music convey the content and meaning of the lyric. Examples by artists such as the Everly Brothers, Brian McKnight, Kathy Troccoli, Faith Hill and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, among others, are used to illustrate key concepts. Lesson 1: The Right EM-phasis Lesson 2: Word Weighting Lesson 3: Phrase Breaking Lesson 4: Motif Matching And Mood Matching

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

MUS 240 The Nashville Number System

In addition to being used by musicians around the globe, the Nashville Number System continues to be the predominant method for "charting" songs in Nashville. From the basics of charting simple major and minor chords, to the writing of more complex charts that include inversions, time signature changes and production changes, you'll find it here. Learn by example as you discover this unique and relatively easy way to chart your own songs. Lesson 1: Introduction To The Nashville Number System Lesson 2: Slashes, Splits, Boxes and Dots Lesson 3: Sevenths, Inversions, Walkups and Walkdowns Lesson 4: Diamonds, Stops and Breakdowns

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

MUS 310 The Composer's Bag Of Tricks

This advanced course covers several "tricks of the trade" that will help your music stand out above the crowd and sound more professional. Song examples from several different genres of music will be used to illustrate how to successfully incorporate techniques such as chord substitutions, inversions, pedal point and modulation into your own music. Lesson 1: Review Of Chord Substitutes Lesson 2: Seventh Chords Lesson 3: Seconds, Ninths And Suspended Chords Lesson 4: Inversions And Pedal Point

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Galen Breen
Galen Breen is a musician and songwriter with 30 years of experience behind him. He spent most of the 70's and 80's playing in more than 10 different bands in the Central Pennsylvania region before moving to Nashville in 1989. While learning how to write a "Nashville" quality song he began to do a few demos for friends which turned into referrals to other writers. It wasn't long before the demo business began to overtake the songwriting business and in 1992 he began a full-time studio catering specifically to Nashville-based writers. During the 90's more and more members of songwriting organizations such as NSAI found out about The Gator Hole recording studio and work began coming in from all parts of the USA. In 1999 thegatorhole.com went online and Galen has since done work for writers in Guam, Great Britain and Australia... just to name a few of the more exotic locales. Just in the past year alone Gator Hole demos have been used on the TV shows "The West Wing" and "Third Watch." Galen resides in the Nashville suburb of Antioch with his wife and two young sons who will no doubt become assistant recording engineers as soon as they learn to read and take orders. Galen is staying busy doing songwriter demos for songwriters all across the country. You can learn more about his demo services by visiting his site www.gatorhole.com.

TECH 110 Demo Essentials

This course covers the vital process of demoing a song from locating the studio to walking out the door with a finished product. Different demo styles, demo costs and information on how to set up a demo session, including the advantages and disadvantages of mail-in demos are discussed in detail. Specific instruction is given on the mechanics of being in the studio, recording tracks, vocals, overdubs and mixing. Guidelines for avoiding "song sharks" and dealing with reputable companies are also addressed. Course Content Lesson 1: The Purpose Of A Demo Recording Lesson 2: Setting Up And Surviving Your Studio Session Lesson 3: Mail-In Demos

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Jack Sundrud
Jack Sundrud came to Nashville, TN in 1981 and spent several years as a touring bassist/vocalist with Vince Gill, Poco, Gail Davies, Michael Johnson, Nicolette Larson, Gary Morris, Kathy Mattea, Dickey Betts, The O’Kanes and others. In 1991, Jack - as a member of Great Plains - wrote or co-wrote all ten tracks on the band’s Columbia debut, including the hit single "Faster Gun" (with Gary Burr). In 1996, Great Plains released the album Homeland on Magnatone Records, also featuring ten Sundrud compositions, including the title track (co-written with Keith Miles) which was named Farm Song of the Year in 1996 by The Farm Journal (the award was shared with Billy Montana's "Clean Mind and Dirty Hands"). Also in 1996, along with Michael Johnson, Jack penned "Cain’s Blood," the debut hit for 4Runner. In 1998, "It Must Be Love," co-written with Craig Bickhardt and recorded by Ty Herndon, became a number one country radio hit.

Jack continues to perform with Poco (check out their new release at www.poconut.com) and write songs for Curb/Magnatone Music Publishing in Nashville. He and his sweetheart Sue live in East Nashville with a pack of stray dogs.

TECH 130 Home Studio Recording Techniques

This course will take you through the basics of setting up a home recording studio, acquaint you with terminology and functions of the different component parts. Finally, you will be guided through the process of how to make basic professional sounding demos from your own home. This includes mic placement techniques, compression settings and various other nuances to make the most of your home demo sound. Course Content Lesson 1: Your Environment Lesson 2: Hook Up, Power Up, Meet Your Gear Lesson 3: Guitar/Vocal Recording Techniques

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Danny Arena
Danny Arena is a Tony Award nominated composer who has worked as a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music and Curb Magnatone Music Publishing. He holds degrees from Rutgers University in both computer science and music composition. He is currently an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and has previously been a member of the faculty at Rutgers University in addition to a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music and Belmont University. Together Danny and Sara collaborated on composing songs for the Broadway show "Urban Cowboy: The Musical" which was received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Throughout his career, he has continued to combine his teaching background with his love of songwriting and has given countless songwriting seminars throughout the U.S and Canada. He is also one of the co-founders of the online educational website www.SongU.com which provides multi-level songwriting courses developed and taught by award-winning songwriters, song feedback and mentoring, one-on-one song coaching, co-writing, unscreened pitching opportunities and more.

SONG 100 Commercial Song Forms

This course identifies and studies several of the most commonly used commercial song forms in rock, country and pop music by using examples of hit songs from Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Toni Braxton, JoDee Messina, Sister Hazel, U2, and more. You'll learn the various pros and cons of the different song forms as well as how to incorporate the different song forms into your own writing. Lesson 1: Introduction To Song Forms Lesson 2: The AAA And AABA Song Forms Lesson 3: The Verse/Chorus And Verse/Chorus/Bridge Song Form Lesson 4: The Verse/Lift/Chorus Song Form

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Kim Copeland
Kim Copeland's songs have been recorded by numerous artists in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. She is a performing songwriter, producer, publisher, teacher and author of The Writer's Goal Book, The Songwriter's Little Book of Big Thoughts, and The Personal Songwriting Workshop Series. She also co-authored a songwriting lesson plan for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Assoc. Intl.) which is currently in use by over 100 regional chapters. When Kim is not writing or performing great songs, she enjoys sharing the benefit of her experience with up and coming songwriters. She runs a private song evaluation service and a consultation/mentoring service. She also teaches songwriting through the Country Music Foundation's "Words and Music" program, as a counselor at "Camp Summersong" and “NashCamp”, and as a participant and/or host of songwriting workshops all over the country. Kim is one of thirty writers featured in Susan Tucker's book, The Soul Of A Writer-Intimate Interviews With Successful Songwriters. She is co-owner of Sage House Music, and Journey Publishing Company and is is an active member of ASCAP, NSAI, NARAS, and WEM (Women in Entertainment and Music). These days, Kim spends much of her time in the studio producing two new country acts, as well as many custom and demo projects. She is the manager of Keith Norris, a traditional country artist, and Flybilly, a hip new country duo.

SONG 110 Six Elements Of A Complete Song

This course identifies and studies the six essential elements of emotionally and commercially satisfying songs. You will learn how to discover more unique song ideas and develop them into well-crafted songs that will inspire listeners and increase your chances of commercial success. Lesson 1: Finding Unique Ideas Lesson 2: Finding A Universal Theme Lesson 3: Writing Believable Lyrics Lesson 4: Writing Memorable Hooks Lesson 5: Focusing Your Lyric Using A Lyrical Hook Lesson 6: Matching Your Music And Lyric

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?

About Pat and Pete Luboff
Pat and Pete Luboff are songwriters/publishers with recordings by Snoop Dogg ("Trust Me," the first single from the platinum-selling album "Top Dogg") Patti LaBelle (gold album), Bobby Womack (No. 2 on Billboard's Black Music chart), a featured song in the John Travolta movie "The Experts," and more. They have traveled throughout the United States teaching songwriting workshops since 1979. Pete taught a songwriting workshop every Monday night for 20 years through the National Academy of Songwriters and an advanced songwriting course through UCLA Extension. They currently reside in Nashville. They also travel to other towns to conduct workshops and are available for songwriting and music business consultation and individual instruction for songwriters in person and on the phone. They are the authors of the Writer's Digest book 101 Songwriting Wrongs and How to Right Them and 12 Steps to Building Better Songs, which they self-publish. The Luboffs created the Grammy Pulse magazine for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS, the Grammy organization), the L.A. Record for NARAS' Los Angeles Chapter and the California Copyright newsletter. They were Research Editors of Songwriter Magazine. Both have served on the board of the National Academy of Songwriters; Pete as Vice Chairman and Pat as President. Pete also served as a governor and 1st Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of NARAS. For more information, visit their web site: www.writesongs.com. Pat and Pete teach Song Feedback and Mentoring at SongU.com.

SONG 120 Whats In A Name: The Central Importance Of The Song Title

This course explores the many reasons why choosing a strong title will help you write a strong song. By examining the attributes of existing hit song titles, including songs by Patti LaBelle, James Ingram, Lee Ann Womack, Lennon and McCartney and many others, you will see how a title can evoke interest in a song. You will also learn how to collect interesting and unique title ideas and you'll find out how to use a title as the foundation and focus for your song. The final lesson covers the legal aspects of song titles. Lesson 1: Finding And Choosing Strong Titles Lesson 2: How The Title Defines The Structure Of The Song Lesson 3: Working From the Title To Write Your Song Lesson 4: The Legal Aspects Of Song Titles

Instructor-Led (Live) Course

A fun interactive audio/video group experience in our e-classroom where you can learn from the best in the music business. Simply,

• Register online
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at time of meeting
• Enjoy your class with your peers and faculty
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Instructor-Led Feedback Session (Live)

A small group interactive audio/video experience in our e-classroom where you can get feedback from a pro on one of your songs. Simply...

• Register online
• Put your song or lyric in your virtual backpack
• Enter or call-in to the e-classroom at meeting time
• Enjoy the class with peers and faculty
• Time zone conflict? You can still register and receive feedback! See FAQ for details.
• Missed class? Meetings are recorded and audio/video transcripts are available for 14 days

More questions?

Do-It-Yourself Course (DIY)

The DIY catalog has a variety of courses to strengthen or tune up your skills at every level in lyric writing, music, commercial songwriting, production, and more. You will find several types of formats for these courses: Text-based courses which typically have 4-6 lessons, examples, and exercises; and Webcast courses which are either video or audio based transcripts along with handouts and summaries from "live" courses. All DIY courses are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to work completely at your own pace and comfort level.

More questions?

DIY Video Recording

DIY Video Recording courses are audio/video recorded transcripts of several of our most popular instructor-led (Live) courses exactly as they occurred. The running time is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. They are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week allowing you to listen and view at your own pace. More questions?