Undergraduate Certificate in Song Writing

This unit introduces students to a sound basic vocal technique through one-to-one lessons, via online platforms such as Zoom or Skype. Lessons will be with our internationally-recognised tutors who have experience teaching with these platforms. Technical reliability is essential to students’ confidence and willingness to stretch themselves musically. This unit provides students with the foundations on which they can keep building their technique in the future. Students will have a 60-minute lesson per week with a tutor and in addition take part in a seminar each week that teaches best practice for live streaming performance and self-recording. Students will be encouraged to apply the ideas introduced in this unit to their own song writing projects.

This unit introduces students to basic practical keyboard skills needed to support their musical development. In the weekly keyboard class students will explore improvisation and harmony over basic chord charts. In addition, we extend their technical skills with the one-to-one 30-minute lessons, via online platforms such as Zoom or Skype. Lessons will be with our internationally-recognised tutors who have experience teaching with these platforms. Students will be encouraged to apply the ideas introduced in this unit to their own song writing projects.

This unit explores foundational skills in theory and aural relevant to contemporary song writing. A basic knowledge of scales, intervals, keys, rhythms, and harmonies from both functional and stylistic perspectives is essential for a professional musician’s understanding of the music they perform, compose and arrange. Building on learning undertaken in the Keyboard unit, students will undertake practical exercises involving singing and improvisation, improving their familiarity and confidence with basic aspects of music notation in the process. Students will be encouraged to apply the ideas introduced in this unit to their own song writing projects.

In this unit students apply ideas and skills they are learning in the other units to their own song writing projects. This unit provides an overview of all the essential components of song writing, including lyrics, melody, harmony and song structure. In addition students will be introduced to ways in which music is produced and manipulated digitally. They will get a chance to experiment with self-recording and producing their original songs in a high quality demo. Tutors will advise students of where and how they can begin to use digital platforms to distribute their original music.