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School of Song

Songwriting Workshop with Chris Weisman

Songwriting Workshop with Chris Weisman

$120.00 USD
$120.00 USD
Sale Sold out

Taught in a live online classroom setting.

We’ll meet on Sundays and Thursdays for 5 total sessions:

  • April 2nd, 6th, 9th, 13th and 16th (2023)

for lectures with Chris Weisman and song-shares with fellow classmates. There are 2 sections for every class to accommodate different time zones.

  • 11:00am-12:15pm PST

  • 6:00pm-7:15pm PST

You can attend whichever works best for you. There’s no need (/no way) to indicate which time you’d like at checkout. Information for attending the lectures will be sent out the week before the first class. If you can’t make the lecture times, the lectures will also be recorded and sent out afterwards.

Here is how it works:

  1. We’ll meet on zoom to focus on a specific approach to songwriting, and discuss songs as case studies that reflect this approach.

  2. Chris will provide a short and specific prompt related to our discussion.

  3. Over the following 3-4 days, everyone will write & record a song inspired by the prompt. We’ll post our songs to a private platform where everyone can listen & comment on all of the songs written by the rest of the participants.

  4. At the next class, we will listen and provide feedback on one another’s songs.

We’ll repeat this cycle 5 times over the course of two weeks.

Sign up with a friend to receive a 20% discount by clicking here. *note* if you sign up using the discount and end up not being able to take the course, we cannot issue a refund, but you will be provided a credit for any future songwriting workshop. 

 

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Course Description:

Stumble upon a clearing where the paths weave together and sing as one with songwriter Chris Weisman. Add to your bouquet of perspectives and toys—all grounded in real-world examples from Chris’s own work—such as:
  • Lyrical Slippage
  • Word Painting
  • Nonharmonic Tones
  • Odd Groupings
  • Alternative Bass Notes
  • Voice Leading / Descants 
  • Tetrachords
  • Constant Structure
  • Modulation / Tonicization 
  • False Relations
  • Stringing Along (Troubling the Cadences)

These concepts can be of use to songwriters of all backgrounds, but a basic music theory vocabulary (scales, keys, chord construction, etc.) will enrich the course for those who have it. On the other hand, a friendly and safe immersion experience can go a long way toward pulling someone “onboard.” All are welcome!

Chris Weisman (b. 1975) is a songwriter living in Brattleboro, Vermont. Alongside many multi-instrumental albums under his own name (with lyrics, without), he is also a jazz guitarist, a poet, an active member of the groups Intangible Shirt Company and Steam Captain, and is working on an experimental novel. In recent years, he’s been collaborating with Blake Mills a lot, including a magic month at Sound City last spring.

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Q: What musical experience should I have?

A: People across all musical levels will be able to gain something from the course. However, it will be helpful to be comfortable playing a few basic chords on any instrument of your choice. Additionally, this course will include some references to terms in music theory. However, none of the takeaways of this course will hinge on prerequisite music theory knowledge, and whenever such references are made, we’ll include supplemental instructional material on those subjects.

Q: What if I’ve never written a song before? Can I still participate in this workshop?

A: Yes! As with any new skill, just starting is usually the hardest part. This workshop will provide the structure and accountability we all need to get started and follow through, for beginners and seasoned songwriters alike.

Q: How much does it cost to enroll?

A: Enrollment is $120. If you sign up with a friend, you’ll both receive 20% off.

Q: How many students are in the class?

A: There is no enrollment cap.

Q: Is there a minimum age requirement?

A: Students must be 18 or older.

Q: Will Chris give me feedback on my songs?

A: You’ll be learning from Chris during the lectures and have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the course, but you will not be receiving direct feedback on your submissions from Chris. However, you’ll receive feedback on every submission from your peers during our weekly song-sharing sessions.

 

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You are entitled to a full refund before the first day of class. If after the first class you feel the course is not a good fit for any reason, you are welcome to a refund on the remaining of the course classes. *note* if you sign up using the discount and end up not being able to take the course, we cannot issue a refund, but you will be provided a credit for any future songwriting workshop. 

The deadline to sign up is Sunday, April 2nd at 11:59p (PT).

If you have any questions, email us at hi@schoolofsong.org.

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