Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/10/2017
7:30 pm - 8:30 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. Graduates of this course are required to develop and complete a minimum of 7 completed songs in a period of 13 weeks and will have the opportunity to have their songs professionally recorded and produced at Mint Music’s Recording Studio at the end of their course.

Description:

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(s) will be able to do so. Every participant will have access to guitars (both electric and acoustic), ukuleles, a drum kit and a piano that is in the room where class is held. Working knowledge of the keyboard or guitar and the ability to play basic chords is highly recommended. An ability to read music and some previous chord theory is also helpful.

Course Outline – Topics covered will include:

Lyric Form and Structure – learn tools and techniques for writing better lyrics and rhymes. Learn how to write stronger melodies by analysing the masters and you own songs.

Learn how create great harmonies and where to place them in your song for maximum effect.

Discover when and when do don’t need a bridge and prechorus.

Learn how to market and promote your songs and how to actually make a living as a songwriter. Use motives, hooks, lyrics, melody, harmony, arrangments and other songwriting tools in an effective way that guarantees you always keep the listener engaged from start to finish. Song structures that are common to popular music will be reviewed and explored extensively. By the end of the course you will have written at least one song in each of the major songwriting form categories.

Basic song arrangement techniques for: A) solo performance – piano or guitar and voice for example and B) typical rock band (drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and voice) will be covered.

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

Use of the piano as an arrangement tool.

The importance of rhythm and space in melody and arrangements

Chord progressions and harmonization techniques

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

Participants will have the opportunity to perform their songs for the group in class, at our school concerts and other performance venues in Toronto.

Glen Alan’s Bio

A graduate of the Humber College Jazz Vocal 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 play and teaches guitar and ukulele at the Toronto Guitar School. 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 also a musician and music producer with over 20 plus years of professional music industry experience.

CLASS SCHEDULE:

Class 1: Thursday, September 28th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 2: Thursday, October 5th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 3: Thursday, October 12th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 4: Thursday, October 19th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 5: Thursday, October 26th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 6: Thursday, November 2nd, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 7: Thursday, November 9th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 8: Thursday, November 16th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 9: Thursday, November 23rd, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 10: Thursday, November 30th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 11: Thursday, December 7th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Class 12: Thursday, December 14th, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

COURSE COST

The cost of this class is $240 when you pre-pay in advance through email transfer and Register on the Meetup. After September 28th the course cost goes up to $300.

Payments can also be made in person at the Toronto Guitar School/Mint Music’s Yonge and Dundas location (116 Bond Street) by appointment only. Personal Cheque or Cash are the accepted payment methods at this location.

Guitars are available for rent or purchase from our school store. Feel free to email us at info@torontoguitarschool.com or phone 416-707-1077 if you have any further questions.