MUS-1260 Songwriting I

Credits 3
This course is designed to develop a student’s songwriting skills. Students learn basic skills and techniques of the many styles of modern popular music. The topics covered include melodic construction in 12 bar blues and AABA standard form, harmonic progressions starting with simple I-IV-V-I progression and moving to more complex harmonic activity. Lyric writing and revision are addressed, along with rhythmic displacement.
Prerequisite(s): MUS-1410 Commercial Music Theory or MUS-1155 Music Theory I with a minimum grade “C” or permission from the Department Coordinator or Chair
Course Outcomes

Utilize melodic sequences and phrase forms to create melodies.
Utilize common chord progressions and phrase forms in harmonic progressions.
Write augmented and diminished rhythms as well as superimposed meters.
Write rhythms to lyrics of existing melodies.
Combine musical elements using a lead sheet format.
Use appropriate music notation when presenting music to be performed by musicians.
Write lyrics to accompany created melodic lines.