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Back to Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics by Berklee

4.8
stars
879 ratings

About the Course

There’s a songwriter lurking somewhere inside you, peeking around corners, wondering if it’s safe to come out. Now it is. This course is an invitation to let your inner songwriter step into the sunlight. All it takes is a simple “yes” and you’ll be climbing that windy hill, marveling at the view. If you haven’t written any or many songs, this course will show you an efficient, effective process for tailoring songs to express your ideas and emotions. If you have, you’ll look at your process differently, taking control of aspects of the process you may have not noticed. The course will start by examining the tools available to you, all revolving around the essential concept of prosody. You’ll learn to use your tools to enhance your message—to work compositionally at the same time you’re developing your ideas. You’ll be working both lyrically and musically, though musically it’s not necessary that you either read music or play an instrument. If you play, great, and you’ll be encouraged to play and record your musical responses to the assignments. If you don’t play, the course offers you a number of musical loops to work with. All you’ll have to do is sing your melodies over the loops. Assignments will ask you to post something for peer review—sometimes lyric lines or sections, sometimes melodies, sometimes both. None of it has to be polished. The course is about writing, not performing. Most important, you’ll have a lot of fun....

Top reviews

CS

Feb 12, 2021

This course helped me get over the hump of not being able to write songs. I want to thank Sir Pat for helping me organize my ideas and refine them so that I can tell good stories. Thank you sir!!

GH

Jan 15, 2021

I have been to dozens of workshops and have read dozens of books and have written hundreds of songs. I learned more in this course than in any of the workshops or books. This it top rated stuff!

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276 - 300 of 306 Reviews for Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics

By Pragnya A

Sep 20, 2020

I loved the course! I'be seriously never come across an course un arts that is so effective. But since I am not from a musical background, I couldn't follow week 5 and 6 very well. I wish theere was something to accommodate us. Maybe you could have put some videos or rather, readings, for people who dont know the basics of music like keys, notes, tones etc. But otherwise good course.

By Dan F

Sep 29, 2019

Lots of great thought-provoking content, decent homework assignments. Well worth it.

4/5 stars because you get very little quality individual attention. Your assignments are graded by your peers, who don't know any more than you do, and often a lot less.

It was useful to me to grade others' work, tho. It made me think about it differently.

By Tess H

Aug 29, 2018

The only reason I didn't give the course four stars is that it is so rich, I need to take it again! When I've completed it the second time (very time-consuming) and can really appreciate all the professor has to offer, I'll raise to five!

By Aisha K

Aug 22, 2023

A lot of songwriting tools were introduced. It felt like I was learning many things about something I'd already been doing for so long.

I wish the explanations around rhythms and building structure were a bit better.

By Mark B

Dec 11, 2016

A great course, learned a lot but due to not being in a position to purchase the certificate OI could not submit quizzes or assignments, such a shame as I could not get feedback

By Martina R G

Feb 9, 2019

It was a great course with a highly knowledgeable instructor. Just make sure quiz answers are updated regularly, as many answers were marked incorrectly when they were correct.

By Nichita B

May 2, 2021

Great practical exercises and lectures. More can be done on the peer review side and also connect students (apart from the FB group).

By Sweekruti M

Sep 27, 2019

Thanks to Pat for sharing his knowledge. It was a great course and I got to learn a lot. Excited to keep writing. Thank you. :)

By Anish M

Dec 19, 2020

Pretty good but may be challenging for anyone who is just starting our to learn Music but a good course overall.

By Kartik M J

Nov 13, 2020

From the start till the end. It was connected totally. It was much better then the musical theory course anyway

By Jo-Ann B

Oct 2, 2020

I learned a lot in during the course. My only advice is to be more upfront about the time involved.

By Chidinma C

Jun 7, 2020

The weight of a peer review should not be as heavy because they aren't the teacher.

By Jaison C

Jun 14, 2020

Now that it is done, great class. Felt like torture; torture you learn from.

By Dani E

Jan 16, 2023

It is not a good course for those who are not native speakers of english.

By Dickson B 2

Apr 12, 2021

it was benefiticial for me in helping out basic skills of music

By Samarth K

Aug 31, 2022

good but very boring so its hard to keep doing it

By Ria G

Mar 23, 2024

I got to learn a lot. Very useful course.

By Jonathan G

Feb 8, 2018

fantastic course! I learned a lot. M

By Cristian J

Jan 30, 2022

pretty good

By Richa H

Apr 5, 2020

Wish that the course could consider expectations from an Indian lyric writer. It is good for the students who have a background in Hollywood or west movies / songs.

By scott s

Sep 20, 2016

A bit disorganized and rambling lectures. Good content

By André C

Aug 8, 2016

I thought the lessons were really boring, there are some interesting aspects about it, but it's hard to concentrate, Pat Pattinson couldn't get me hooked up all the time.

By ayush s

Jun 14, 2018

only if you're super interested in learning song writing.

By ASHNA G

Jun 17, 2020

It is learning experience but few videos get repeated

By Jan M (

Apr 6, 2018

For two courses in a row I haven't got my certificate. Your peers give you less than something ridiculous like 80%, and you have to resubmit. Then, the clock is ticking... You have to get submissions in before your peers have marked their proscribed four reviews. This happened on my Web Design course too. I got half way through and selfish peers, not thinking what it means, gave me crappy grades, and I couldn't get high enough grades to get a pass in the rush to get reviewed. I always give ten grades to counter act tight arses, who have let grading go to their heads. You fancy yourself as someone who can give another person a 4, believe me, you're not half as smart as you think, and am actually an arsehole.