In this workshop, composer/producer/remixer Alex Marlowe walks us through principles and concepts in modern pop production to teach us how to approach our own songs. We examine "drivers license," the Olivia Rodrigo hit, and begin to reimagine parts and more
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What makes for a great production? A strong arrangement of a compelling song. Learn the FIVE TYPES OF BALANCE in this workshop from The Songwriting School as a means to improve your arrangements, parts, and productions. And learn approaches to creating killer keyboard parts in those arrangements.
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A "sync license" allows the synchronization of a song with an accompanying media source, like a tv show, film, commercial, web content, or more. For songwriters, sync licensing can provide both valuable revenue streams and significant public outlets for our work. The Songwriting School is grateful to welcome Erin Dillon, a former music supervisor who is now Director of Music Curation for Songtradr, and Karen Dezelle, singer/songwriter with multiple placements who is a previous Songwriting School student and current Curator and...
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Platinum Lyricist Mark Winkler and The Roots songwriting instructor Rob Seals explore HOW TO WRITE YOUR BEST LYRICS in this 90-minute Zoom event that includes song analysis, QnA, and insights from Mark about voice, rhyme, style, being "too smart for your own good," and how to truly know your best work. Watch the full workshop, below. The Songwriting School is honored to have Mark Winkler teaching two classes, fully interactive over Zoom: Writing Commercial Hit Lyrics and the more advance...
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Raise the stakes, rewrite, find trusted collaborators, and join a community who will push, challenge, and affirm you. These are just some of the insights from the lively conversation with Bob Garrett on How to Write for Musical Theater at The Songwriting School.
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What are 5 Things Songwriters Do to Mess Up Their Songs, and how can we fix them? Platinum Writer Mark Winkler sits down with Rob Seals, instructor of THE ROOTS songwriting class, to discuss just that. Watch the full video below, and grab the PDF handout as well. Mark's class Writing Commercial Hit Lyrics  is enrolling. Click to learn more or enroll. Tuition reduced for early enrollment. Mark Winkler is again leading a song feedback setting, The Masters' Workshop, Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on Zoom. ...
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The Songwriting School was honored to welcome producer/songwriter/mix engineer John Alagia, whose skill and integrity helped artists like Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Lukas Nelson, Rachael Yamagata, Mandy Moore, and so many others make defining records. He spoke with his old friend Rob Seals (The Roots songwriting class instructor)  over Zoom while visiting his hometown of Louisville, KY in a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about Making a Defining Record.  WATCH THE CONVERSATION WITH PRODUCER JOHN ALAGIA   INTERESTED IN EXPANDING YOUR...
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WATCH THE CONVERSATION WITH MATT SCANNELL How many times has a song come to you in a dream and you were sure you'd remember it, so you rolled over and went back to sleep--only to wake to find it gone with the morning light? When that happened to my friend Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon, he got up. He got the song down. That song, "Everything You Want," became the #1 song on the Billboard charts the following Summer. It...
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"Writing is Re-Writing." This is an idea we learn as songwriters. But how do you re-write songs so that you end up closer to the truth of them? The Roots songwriting instructor Rob Seals speaks with Platinum-selling lyricist and accomplished recording artist Mark Winkler on the topic of How to Re-Write Songs.
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Rob Seals writes: I love great lyrics. And I love talking to great songwriters about how they write theirs. I was excited to talk with Platinum Writer Mark Winkler as we discussed Writing Stronger Lyrics.  I had questions for Mark. The nearly 95 songwriters in attendance had questions for Mark. He fielded our questions with thoughtful, personal, specific examples. We looked at a couple of songs. It was an inspiring and informative night. Watch it below. Mark Winkler is again leading a song feedback...
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