How Does It Work? Where Do I Start?

WHAT: Founded in 2009, The Songwriting School offers classes on-campus in Burbank, CA and online each season in every aspect of the creation, performance, production, and release of a song: songwriting, co-writing, lyric writing, music theory and ear training, instruments, voice, vocal performance, recording and production, vocal production, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, music business, Sync Licensing, publishing, digital marketing, and so much more.

We are not a 2- or a 4-year degree school. There is no diploma to be earned here. We do offer certificate programs for those who value directed study, but we are careful not to emphasize the value of the certificate alone. In our industry, the only piece of paper that makes you a songwriter is the one with your song written on it, copyright you. Or perhaps the royalty statement made out to you. With all deep and due respect to the many fine institutions that grant degrees (we have both proudly sent many students to them and have many graduates among our ranks!), the most important parts of a songwriter's education are your capacity to perceive and express, the keen skills you develop, the heart and creativity you learn to put into your work, the grit and resolve you develop to keep going, and the enduring relationships you build along the way.

We are in the business of developing all of that at The Songwriting School--of bringing out the very best in you and of you to help you amplify it for the world to hear.

Some students take one or many individual classes each season based on interest, need, level, schedule, or budget. Others take a full load of classes in our Unlimited Enrollment plan, saving significantly either for a single season (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) for two consecutive seasons (Winter/Spring, Spring/Summer, Summer/Fall, Fall/Winter), or for a complete year. Browse course offerings to get an idea, or to speak with an advisor to help you concoct the best course menu for your goals and needs, call 818-848-7664 or Talk to someone now!.

If you do not live in LA and are looking to study in-person, please reach out first to discuss. We are not a residential school; you will need to find your own room and board.

Many events are free, as is a consultation or tour. Individual tuition amounts range from around 200 to 600 dollars, with Unlimited Enrollment for a season at roughly $2500, for two seasons at roughly $4k, and a full year at roughly $7500 (see listings for up to date amounts), and saving students significantly. View a list of classes now.

WHO: Our students make up as positive, passionate, talented, collaborative, and encouraging a community as you will ever meet. We offer classes for all age of song maker, with both youth and all ages programming offered year-round. Our students range from first-time writers to Grammy-Nominated Songwriters, those working up to their first open mic to Grammy-Winning Artists and major label talent. Many of our students are accomplished in other creative fields and come here to honor their passion for songs. Others come to challenge themselves creatively, to grow and to grow their circle of friends. Still others out of curiosity.

Whatever your background, genre, or interests, we would love to welcome you here. And if we don't have the class you are looking for, our remarkable instructors, themselves all working pros in various aspects of the industry, can likely address your needs in private lessons or consultations. If we can't, we'll do our best to point you to other resources, whether here in LA or elsewhere.

WHEN: The Songwriting School of Los Angeles seeks to provide quality programming for songwriters and artists of all experience levels and genres. We offer classes by the season on-campus & online, WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, & FALL.

Note: classes range in length so start dates and end dates will vary within each season's date range. Many online classes are offered year-round and "on-demand".

WHERE: The Songwriting School is located in Burbank, California, the "media capital of the world," within a few mile radius of the major record labels, publishers, PROs, and some of the most famous recording studios in the world. We are roughly a mile from the Burbank Airport (BUR) and the Red Line Metro Station, conveniently on both the Metro Bus and Blue Bus Lines, the Chandler Bike Path, and the 101, 134, and 5 Freeways.

We are also located prominently ONLINE! We both live-stream and offer many classes and programs, events and workshops in real-time and on-demand in multi-cam HD.

WHY: Why does anyone need a school to learn to write songs? You're either talented or you're not, right? 

Anything that can be learned can be taught. And anything that can be taught can be taught with passion and innovation, clarity and heart, inspiration and meaning. We are all "in school" of the things we care about. We will always be students of what we love.

So when the banner reads "THE Songwriting School," the intent is clear: respect the art and the people who persevere to create; know the current and ever-changing business and equip your community to navigate it; and use the resources, insight, and energy of community to both make everyone better and make the time spent meaningful and valuable.

The three verbs on the banner are fixed lights in the dark sky: inspire, instruct, empower. We are excited to welcome you to this creative community and to see what we can make of your time here together.

HOW: How will you move from where you are to where you want to be? The first step is to take action. Hold yourself accountable for the work you want to do. Surround yourself with like-spirited people--different perhaps in their stories, backgrounds or even genres, but similar in their hunger, curiosity, motivation. Be in the presence of positive, insightful, passionate, respectful thought leaders. Study and create at the epicenter of your industry, Los Angeles. Or if you can't be here in person, join a virtual community there. 

We are in the business of recognizing and honoring who you are uniquely, putting tools and concepts in your hands, providing a supportive environment, and challenging, guiding, and encouraging you to create work that matters.

Impartial Reviews of The Songwriting School of Los Angeles from YELP!

We have never formally solicited Yelp! reviews, but many of our kind and thoughtful community have penned them. As of this writing, every review is a 5-Star Review. Just as we offer thoughtful and helpful feedback to our students' songs, we seek to get better daily by listening to and acting on many of the insightful and helpful suggestions our students offer about how this place can best serve them. Visit our page on YELP! and read for yourself. Or just read reviews below.

Where a reviewer makes mention of a currently offered course, we have made that an active link so you can learn more about that class directly. We have included reviews that Yelp has hidden based on their own criteria which attempts to discredit potentially fraudulent reviews. As consumers we appreciate this intent. But since we know these are actual students who have taken classes with us, we know their perspectives are legitimate. These appear at the very bottom and are noted as "hidden." 

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