COURSE SYLLABUS

Course # X404.4

Discipline: Music

Course Title: Crafting Great Lyrics: A Songwriting Workshop

Reg. # Y1307

Units: 4

Quarter/Yr: Spring 2012

Day/Time: Monday, 7-10pm
Dates: April 2-June 18 (no mtg 5/28)
Additional mtg. Saturday, June 23, 10am-1pm
Location: Westwood: 217 Extension Lindbrook Center
Instructor: Mark Winkler

Course Description:
Of interest to beginning as well as more experienced songwriters, this course offers a supportive
and inspirational writing workshop environment. Instruction focuses on three equally important
and interrelated aspects of songwriting: form, theme, and content. Each week, students perform
practical exercises and write lyrics to strengthen their songwriting skills. Exercises are designed
to broaden rhyming patterns and add specificity and color to songs. Hit songs by such writers as
The Beatles, Ne-Yo, John Mayer, and Joni Mitchell provide templates for commercial lyric
writing. Ultimately, each participant's lyrics are evaluated by the hit song formula: to entertain,
to tell the truth, and to connect with your audience.
Goals & Objectives:
To master the different songwriting forms. To learn different types of rhyming. To learn how to
hook your listener in faster and keep them listening. To make your songs truly reflect what you
want to say.
Recommended Readings:
1.The Craft of Lyric Writing- Sheila Davis- Writers Digest
2. If They Ask You, You Can Write a Song- Al Kasha
3. Tunesmith- Jimmy Webb- Hyperion
4. Lyrics- Oscar Hammerstein- Hal Leonard
5. Reading Lyrics- Robert Gottleib and Robert Kimball- Pantheon
6. 6 Steps to Songwriting Success- Jason Blume- Billboard Book

Grading:
Course grades will be based the on the completion of exams, assignments, and classroom
participation as follows:
Breakdown of the weight for each component of the final grade:
Mid Term Exam

20 %

Final Exam

25 %

Completing Assignments 35 %
Attendance/Punctuality

10 %

Participation:

10 %

Letter
Grade
A
B
C
D
F

%
(90-100%)
(80-89%)
(70-79%)
(60-69%)
(<59%)

A grade of C or better is considered a passing grade. Certificate students must take 400
level courses for a grade.

Please note that ALL COURSE GRADES ARE FINAL.

Information about Incompletes: The interim grade Incomplete may be assigned when a student's work is
of passing quality, but a small portion of the course requirements is incomplete for good cause (e.g. illness
or other serious problem). It is the students responsibility to discuss with the instructor the possibility of
receiving an I grade as opposed to a non-passing grade. The student is entitled to replace this grade by a
passing grade and to receive unit credit provided they complete the remaining coursework satisfactorily,
under the supervision of and in a time frame determined by the instructor in charge, but in no case later
than the end of the next academic quarter. At that time, the Registrar will cause all remaining Incompletes
to lapse to the grade "F". Note: Receiving an I does not entitle a student to retake all or any part of the
course at a later date.
Student Behavior involving cheating, copying others work, and plagiarism are not tolerated
and will result in disciplinary action. Students are responsible for being familiar with the information on
Student Conduct in the General Information Section of the UCLA Extension Catalog or on the website at
www.uclaextension.edu

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 (4/2/12)
I.

Mark Winkler background and bio

A. Get to know students, what they want from course
II. Top Five Tips
A. Overview; including Titles
III. Rhymes, Song Forms
IV. Song discussion/Critiques
A. Students bring in a popular song they like
V. Homework
A. Come up with 10 titles
1. include at least 4 picture titles
B. Come up with 5 things you feel passionately about

Week 2 (4/9/12)
I.

Discuss Be Specific in depth

A. Play songs
1. pass out lyric sheets and discuss
B. Lyric Writing Exercise Word Clustering
II. 6-10 song tips
A. Overview
III. Discuss What makes a great title in depth
A. Pass out sheet on titles
B. Go through titles students have brought in
1. pick out good titles
2. discuss what makes a good title
3. techniques for finding good titles
IV. Lyric Writing exercise 3 step Lyric Writing Technique
A. Choose title
B. Concept/story based on title
1. Must have emotional resonance to writer
C. Write lyric
V. 5 Things you feel passionate about
A. Pass out Oscar Hammerstein chapter
B. Go over 5 things with class
1. possible lyrics/ p.o.v.s, titles
VI. Play a couple more lyrics students brought in
VII. Homework
A. Write lyrics for title chosen, passion chosen
B. Do 5 Word Clusters

Week 3 (4/16/12)
I.

Discuss Song Forms in Depth

A. Identify and label various forms
1. song sections
2. talk about what each section must accomplish
B. Title placement

C. Writing the dreaded second verse

II. Lyric writing exercise- Penny Lane- Re-writing the Beatles
A. Play song, go over form
III. Discussion/Critique
A. Lyric for title chosen
B. Word Clusters
C. Misc. rewrites
IV. Homework
A. Dreaded 2nd verse assignment
B. Title/lyric re-writes
C. Penny Lane

Week 4 (4/23/12)
I.

Laundry List Songs

A. Modern and old
II. Lyric Writing exercise- Laundry List song
A. Re-write various laundry list songs
B. Discuss methods/techniques
III. Song discussion/critique
A. Dreaded 2nd verse Assignment
B. Penny Lane
IV. Lyric Writing Exercise Youre The Top
V. Homework
A. If I Were A Boy or other laundry list song re-write
B. Youre the Top re-write

Week 5 (4/30/12)
I.

Discuss Content in depth

A. Play songs with great content
B. Lyric Writing Exercise- Love of My Life/My First Love
II. Give Midterm
A. Reviewing form, rhyme, top ten tips
B. Grade midterm in class, answering all questions
III. Song Discussion/critique
A. Youre The Top
B. If I Were A Boy or other laundry list song
C. Song based on a Word Cluster
D. Misc. re-writes
IV. Lyric Writing Exercise Listen to the Colors
V. Homework
A. Song based on Love of my Life/My First Love
B. Song based on a word cluster

Week 6 (5/7/12)
I.

Lyric Writing exercise Writing the Picture

A. Tell them my Tropical Nights story
1. Show Picture
2. Play song and pass out lyric sheets
3. Have them pick picture to write lyric about
II. Guest Lecturer (to be announced)

A. Their background
B. Lecturers talk
C. Questions from class
III. Song discussion/Critique
A. With guest lecturer
B. Song based on Love of My Life/My First Love
C. Word Cluster
D. Misc. re-writes
IV. Homework
A. Write the Picture
B. Bring in favorite song from Musical Theatre show

Week 7 (5/14/12)
I.

Writing songs to an existing melody

A. Stories about my adventures writing to instrumentals
1. play song where I wrote lyrics to the melody
II. Guest Lecturer
A. Their background
B. Lecturers talk
III. Discuss Musical Theatre Songs brought in
A. Structure/where they fit into story
B. Play favorite musical theatre songs
1. Discuss structure/why I like them
III. Song Discussion/Critique
A. Write the Picture
B. Misc. re-writes
IV. Homework
A. Write lyric to existing melody
1. I will provide three songs
B. Re-write Write the Picture Song
C. Write Musical theatre song

Week 8 (5/21/12)
I.

Guest Lecturer
A. Their background
B. Lecturers talk
II. The length of lines, the stresses of syllables in songs
A. Give examples
B. How to match verses, length of lines in songs
III. Song Discussions/Critique
A. Lyric to existing melody
B. Musical Theatre song
C. Misc. rewrites
IV. Play great lyrics I have found
A. Joni Mitchell
B. Stephen Sondheim
C. Randy Newman
V. Homework
A. Outlining stresses in songs, matching length of lines
B. Re-write musical theatre song

NO MEETING 5/28/12 Memorial Day Holiday

Week 9 (6/4/12)
I.

Guest Lecturer- Kirby Tepper

A. His Background
B. Lecturers talk
C. Writing Comedy or charm songs
II. Discuss differences between Musical theatre and pop songs
A. Play examples of differences
1. Rhyming considerations, differences in song form
B. Play songs from each genre: Popular from Wicked and Skater Boi by Avril
Lavigne
III. Song Discussion/Critique
A. Outlining stresses in songs
B. Re-writing musical theatre song
IV. Laundry List Songs
A. Play Examples: Memories are Made of This, Live like youre Dying
V. Homework
A. Write a comedy or charm song
B. Write a Laundry List song based on my titles

Week 10 (6/11/12)
I.

Guest Lecturer- Aaron Meza

A. His Background
B. He will discuss his book Youve Written the Song, Now What?
1. Copyright Issues
2. Strategies and resources to get songs placed
3. Clubs and events to meet other songwriters/networking
4. Publishers
II. Song Discussion/Critique
A. Comedy and charm songs
B. Laundry list song based on my titles
III. Re-Writing the Beatles Part 2
A. Re-write Yesterday or Paperback Writer
IV. Homework
A. Re- Write Beatle Songs
B. Go to ASCAP and BMI websites

Week 11 (6/18/12)
I. Review of course
A. Review Songwriting Tips, Song Forms, Rhymes, Stresses and Length of lines
B. Questions from the class
II. Song Discussion/Critique
A. Re-writng Beatle Song
B. Discuss ASCAP and BMI sites
C. Other projects
III. Homework
A. Final Song/Based on Interview with Class member

Week 12 (6/23/12) - Saturday

I.

FINAL TEST
A. Grading Final in class answering all questions
II. Song discussion/Critique
A. Final Song/Based on Interview with Class Member
III. Presenting Best Lyrics of Class
IV. Closing Remarks