Date/Time
Date(s) - 15/03/2018
8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Location
Mint Music Yonge & Dundas

Categories


Join our Weekly Songwriting Course for Songwriters – All Instruments Welcome!

This class provides you with 1 hour of weekly songwriting instruction in a small group format (limited to 6 people). Participants are invited to share their songs with the class on weekly basis receiving valuable feedback and suggestions from classmates and instructor Glen Alan.

Class Overview:

Come join us for a fun and stimulating class series that will help you develop your own musical style and songwriting ideas. We will discuss a different topic in every class, and give you many musical tools to help you interweave the elements of melody, harmony and rhythm in creative ways.

Requirements:

Ability to play and accompany yourself on an instrument of your choice is helpful, if not your instructor will be able to do so. Every participant will have access to an electric or acoustic guitar, ukulele, and piano/keyboard but bringing your own instrument (aside from the piano) is encouraged. Having some basic theory knowledge or enrolling concurrently in our Theory 1 course at 7:30 PM on Thursday (just before this class) is highly recommended.

Course Outline – Topics covered will include:

Lyric Form and Structure – learn tools and techniques for writing better lyrics and rhymes. The Importance of Melodic and Lyrical Hooks – Learn how to create great hooks and where to place them in your song for maximum effect.

Motives – Why they are the backbone of every hit song, how to pick them out, and create and employ them in your own songs

Musical terms such as verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, middle 8, intro, outro, vamp will be defined and thoroughly discussed.

Song structures that are common to popular music will be introduced and explored. (AAA, ABA, ABC, AB, compound and compound/hybrid musical forms etc.)

Basic song arrangement techniques for:

A) solo performance – instrumental, piano or guitar and voice

B) typical rock band (drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and voice) will be covered.

Helpful tips and habits will be shown that if put into practice will accelerate your musical development & songwriting chops

The use of the piano as an arrangement tool will be covered

The importance of rhythm and space in melody and arrangements

Analyse hit songs, and discover common chord progressions used by Master Songwriters

Start to learn how to notate your own rhythmic and melodic ideas so you can effectively communicate your music ideas to others.

Use motives, hooks, lyrics, melody, harmony, and arrange your song in ways that guarantee you always keep the listener engaged from start to finish.

Participants will perform their songs for the group in class, and have the opportunity to perform at our school concerts and other performance venues in Toronto. Selected students will also have the opportunity to have their songs professionally recorded at Mint Music’s Recording Studios.

Learn how to market and promote your songs and how to actually make a living as a songwriter.

Glen Alan’s Bio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV7V071f2dQ

A graduate of the Humber College Jazz Music program, Glen Alan has performed in venues in Canada, the US, and Europe. Glen has his Grade 8 Piano Certification with honours from the Royal Conservatory and teaches guitar, ukulele, piano, songwriting and theory at the Toronto Guitar School and Mint Music. Some of the people Glen has worked and performed with include Keifer Sutherland, David “Soulfingaz” Williams, Jackie Richardson, Don Ross, Brian Dickenson, Natalie McMaster, Mark Dubois, Lenny Soloman, Steven T Hunter, Tim Bovaconti, Paul Delong, Wendell Ferguson, Don Francks, Suba Sankaran and Dylan Bell.

In 1996 Glen founded Mint Music (formerly known as Find A Way) and the Toronto Guitar School in 2014. Mint Music today is a thriving music school, recording studio, video, and live event company. Glen Alan is a songwriter, musician and music producer with over 20 plus years of professional music industry experience.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Class 1: Thursday, January 25th, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 2: Thursday, February 1st, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 3: Thursday, February 8th, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 4: Thursday, February 15h, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 5: Thursday, February 22th, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 6: Thursday, March 1st, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 7: Thursday, March 8th, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 8: Thursday, March 15th, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 9: Thursday, March 22nd, 8:30-9:30 PM

Class 10: Thursday, March 29th, 8:30-9:30 PM

SPECIAL OFFER:

Pre-pay for this course before January 25th and SAVE Over $112.50!*

You will Receive:

• $50 off the regular course cost of $300

• 50% discount on 1-hour private music lessons (Savings of $37.50)**

• AND one FREE additional Toronto Guitar School class of your choice**

Bonus: Those enrolled in our guitar courses ALWAYS receive the discounted rate on all of our classes and courses.

* This offer may not be combined with any other special offers or discounts

** Must be redeemed before March 29th, 2018

Payments can also be made in person at the Toronto Guitar School’s Yonge and Dundas location (116 Bond Street) by appointment only. Cheque, VISA, debit or cash are the accepted methods of payment at this location.

Payment must be received 24 hours prior to the start of the class to receive the discounted price otherwise the regular course rate of $300 applies. If you would like to join the class as a drop-in student the fee is $30 per class. Drop-ins will not be allowed past the 3rd class. Feel free to email us at info@torontoguitarschool.com or phone 416-707-1077 if you have any further questions.