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The development of songwriting skills including lyric writing, structure and composition techniques across a wide range of popular music styles.
A song is a magical marriage of words and music. For the popular songwriter this means being both a composer and, to a certain extent, a poet. Composing words and music and marrying them together can be very hard work (or as Jimmy Webb says, "if it isn't, you're not doing it properly"), but doing it well can also be extremely lucrative. This paper provides students with the fundamental skills to embark on a songwriting career, including lyric writing, song structure and basic composition techniques. Students enrolling in MUSI 135 are strongly encouraged to also enrol in MUSI 132 Music Technology.
| Paper title | Songwriting |
|---|---|
| Paper code | MUSI135 |
| Subject | Music |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Full Year (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $1,092.15 |
| International Tuition Fees (NZD) | $4,692.00 |
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
- Before enrolling in MUSI 135, students are strongly advised to have taken MUSI 191 or have an equivalent music background.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the School of Performing Arts website
- Teaching staff
Teaching Staff: Dr Ian Chapman
Dr John Egenes
Dr Madeleine Parkins-Craig- Teaching Arrangements
- Two 1-hour classes per week.
- Textbooks
Textbooks are not required for this paper.
Resources and texts will be made available to students throughout the course of the paper where required.- Course outline
Please contact the School of Performing Arts for a copy of the most recent paper profile.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Research,
Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- Students who successfully complete the paper will develop the work ethic of a creative mind, which involves drafting, editing and revising both language and music and a highly honed critical faculty as to what constitutes a final artefact.
Timetable
The development of songwriting skills including lyric writing, structure and composition techniques across a wide range of popular music styles.
Writing a song can be easy, but writing a good song? Not so much. Getting the right words to interact with the right music, at the right time, can be a difficult balancing act, but that is the job charged to the songwriter. This paper provides students with the fundamental skills of songwriting to get that balance just right, including lyric writing, song structure and basic composition techniques.
Students enrolling in MUSI 135 are strongly encouraged to also enrol in MUSI 132 Music Technology.
| Paper title | Songwriting |
|---|---|
| Paper code | MUSI135 |
| Subject | Music |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Full Year (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2022 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
Students are strongly advised to have taken or be currently studying MUSI 191, or have a basic knowledge of music.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the School of Performing Arts website
- Teaching staff
Teaching Staff: Dr Maddy Parkins-Craig
Dr Ian Chapman
Mr David Harrison- Teaching Arrangements
Two 1-hour classes per week, with workshops throughout the year.
- Textbooks
Textbooks are not required for this paper.
Resources and texts will be made available to students throughout the course of the paper where required.- Course outline
Please contact the School of Performing Arts for a copy of the most recent paper profile.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Research,
Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- Students who successfully complete the paper will develop the work ethic of a creative mind, which involves drafting, editing and revising both language and music and a highly honed critical faculty as to what constitutes a final artefact.
