Lyric Writing: Writing Lyrics to Music

Get the most out of your lyrics by learning how to combine them accurately and effectively with melody.

Placing that perfect lyrical idea into a melody without it sounding unnatural is a common obstacle to many songwriters. An unfortunate setting of a word or phrase can sink the emotion of the song, calling your listener's attention away from WHAT you are saying to HOW you are saying it. Writing Lyrics to Music analyzes a variety of song forms to instruct you on key lyrical and melodic components: stressed and unstressed beats, rhyme positions, melodic sections, and tone. You'll work through different musical feels and time signatures, and discover how the natural shapes of the words follow the shape of the melody, ultimately creating a much more expressive composition. This is a "can't miss" course - it's bound to take your writing to the next level. It will also make you a more valuable co-writer. By the end of this course, you will:

• Identify stressed, non-stressed and secondary syllables in a lyric line
• Write your own lyric patterns to match musical patterns
• Identify rhyme and hook positions within a song
• Define 3/4 and 4/4 writing styles
• Create the melody, verse and chorus lyrics
• Work with multiple note values and swing time phrasing in 4/4 time
• Work with bridges and pre-choruses
• Gain independence and confidence in the writing process

For more course information visit Berklee Music