7 Lesson activities covering Popular Music Songwriting

1. INTRODUCTION
TO POP SONGWRITING
WEEKS 1-7
Christopher Baker
musicstudentinfo.com

2. SONGWRITING
WEEK ONE
Learning Objectives
1. Students will revise/learn the primary chords.
2. Students will learn about root chords, first and second
inversions and why they are useful.
3. Students will practice chord progressions.

3. 4 CHORDS
SONG

4. CHORD REVISION: ROOT POSITION
C E G
F A C
C MAJOR - I
F MAJOR - IV
G B D
G MAJOR -
V
A C E
A Minor - vi

5. CHORD INVERSIONS
C
E G
F A C
C MAJOR – Ib – 1st
Inversion
F MAJOR – IVa –
Root Position
G B
D
G MAJOR – Vc –
Second Inversion
A C
E
A Minor – vic –
Second Inversion

6. CHORD PROGRESSIONS
A chord progression is just the order that you play chords in.
A common chord progression is I-V-vi-IV.
Try playing each chord 4 times before moving onto the next one.
C MAJOR -
I
F MAJOR - IV
G MAJOR - V
A Minor - vi
C
E G
F A C
G B
D
A C
E

7. POP-SONG STRUCTURE
• Intro
• Verse 1
• Pre-chorus/Bridge
• Chorus
• Verse 2
• Pre-chorus/Bridge
• Chorus
• Middle 8
• Chorus
• Outro

8. CLASSWORK
1
Then, using all the information you’ve gathered, discuss which one of the
two selected songs is better and why (you must give a musical reason
using musical vocabulary).
Then, select two songs by that artist and discuss the following for each:
What is the structure of the song. How many different chords are used in the chorus?
The lyric content, what are the themes within the
song?
Find out the following information:
Band/Artist Name Years Active Genre Number of Records Sold
History of Record Labels (are
those labels independent or
major labels)
Choose a band/artist that you like to listen to. The band/artist’s name will
be the title. (Date and title to be underlined)

9. SONGWRITING
WEEK TWO
Learning Objectives
Students will learn about the
melody of a pop song.
Students will learn what a hook is.
Students will try to write a melody
over a chord progression.

10. MELODY WRITING
Listen to the melody –
particularly the chorus.
Consider:
• The range of notes used.
• Do any melodic phrases repeat?
• Are there any notes outside of
the key?: Chromatic notes.
• Are there any big leaps (is it
easily sing-able)?:
Conjunct/Disjunct
When using the four-
chord progression, each
of the four chords (when
played four times) is
played per two lines of
lyrics.
Therefore, in a four-line
chorus, the progression is
repeated twice.
Using the I-V-vi-IV chord
progression, try to write a
melody that would be
suitable for a chorus.
Hook: A musical phrase
(often the name of the
song, although it doesn’t
have to be) that is
designed to catch the
listener's ear.

11. WRITING A CHORUS
Use either the lyrics on the board or write your own.
Create a melody, remember:
1. Pop songs are repetitive so use the same melodic phrases.
2. When using the 4-chord progression, stick to using the white notes on the keyboard.
3. When creating the melody use the next door note or leaps of a 3rd or 5th.
4. When leaping a 3rd or a 5th you count the note you are currently playing as one.
5. The melody must fit to the syllables of the lyrics.
The chord progression occurs twice within a chorus (two chords per line)
C MAJOR - I F MAJOR -
IV
G MAJOR - V A Minor - vi
C
E G F A C
G B
D A C
E

12. SONGWRITING
WEEK THREE
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to make effective
group decisions about their song.
Students will revise the key ingredients
to creating a successful song.
Students will begin work on their song.

13. I N G R E D I E N T S
F O R A
S U C C E S S F U L
S O N G
• C, G, Am, F (I, V, vi, IV)
• Lyrics featuring rhyming couplets.
CHORD PROGRESSION:
• Intro
• Verse
• Chorus
• Middle 8
• Outro
STRUCTURE:
• Small range
• Repetitive lines
• Conjunct
MELODY
HOOK
A riff in the bass.
• A vocalist (singing or rap)
• Someone to play the chords (choice of instrument)
• Someone to play the melody/countermelody/riffs
• Percussion (optional)
BAND MEMBERS (MAX 4):
• Get into groups and assign roles for each member.
• Decide on the theme for your song.
• Begin work on your riff and instrumental intro and outro.
TODAY:

14. HOMEWORK
• Write song lyrics for your chosen topic.
• Every band member must write song lyrics. At the start of next lesson, you
will select your favourite within the group.
• You need to write two (four line) verses, a two-line bridge and a four-line
chorus.
• You need to identify which line will be the hook.
• This needs to be done in your book, if you are handwriting you may wish to
use scrap paper first to keep your books neat.
• Due next lesson.

15. SONGWRITING
WEEK FOUR
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to make effective
group decisions about their song.
Students will revise the key ingredients
to creating a successful song.
Students will learn the importance of
text setting and meaning within songs.

17. It’s time that I was leaving this city
This old town don’t smell so pretty
I can see the warning signs
Running around my mind
And if I could leave this island
Book myself into a soul asylum
But I can see the warning signs
Running around my mind
Here I go – scratching around in the same
old hole
My mind is still young but my body feels
old
So what do you say? – You cant get to the
dreams that are mine anyway
But it’s half the world away – half the
world away – half the world away
And I've lost and I've found in this cold
grey town
HALF THE WORLD AWAY
I would like to leave this city
Oh this old town don’t smell to pretty and
I can see the warning signs
Running around my mind
I would like to leave this island
And book myself into a soul asylum
I can see the warning signs
Running around my mind
Here we go – scratching around in the
same old hole
My body is young but my mind is very old
So what do you say – you cant get to the
dreams that are mine anyway
I’m half the world away – half the world
away – half the world away
I’ve lost and I've found in this cold grey
town

18. TASK: SONGWRITING
• Finalise your melody – make sure you’ve made a note of it.
• Remember that the melody should be repetitive.
• The tune for each verse should be the same, as should the tune
for the chorus.
• Use this structure: Intro, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Verse 2, Bridge,
Chorus, Instrumental Middle 8, Chorus, Outro.
• Make sure you have a riff!
C MAJOR - I F MAJOR -
IV
G MAJOR - V A Minor - vi
C
E G F A C
G B
D A C
E

19. SONGWRITING
WEEK FIVE
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to make effective
group decisions about their song.
Students will revise the key ingredients
to creating a successful song.
Students will learn the importance of
text setting and meaning within songs.

20. TASK: SONGWRITING
• Finalise your melody, make sure you’ve made a note of it.
• Remember that the melody should be repetitive.
• The tune for each verse should be the same, as should the tune
for the chorus.
• Use this structure: Intro, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Verse 2,
Bridge, Chorus, Instrumental Middle 8, Chorus, Outro.
• Make sure you have a riff!
C MAJOR - I F MAJOR -
IV
G MAJOR - V A Minor - vi
C
E G F A C
G B
D A C
E

21. SONGWRITING
WEEK SIX
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to make effective
group decisions about their song.
Students will revise the key ingredients
to creating a successful song.
Students will learn the importance of
text setting and meaning within songs.

22. TASK: SONGWRITING
• Finalise your melody, make sure you’ve made a note of it.
• Remember that the melody should be repetitive.
• The tune for each verse should be the same, as should the tune
for the chorus.
• Use this structure: Intro, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Verse 2,
Bridge, Chorus, Instrumental Middle 8, Chorus, Outro.
• Make sure you have a riff!
C MAJOR - I F MAJOR -
IV
G MAJOR - V A Minor - vi
C
E G F A C
G B
D A C
E

23. SONGWRITING
WEEK SEVEN
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to make effective
group decisions about their song.
Students will enhance their
performance experience.
Students will give critical feedback
about peer performances.

24. TASK: SONGWRITING
• Finalise your melody, make sure you’ve made a note of it.
• Remember that the melody should be repetitive.
• The tune for each verse should be the same, as should the tune
for the chorus.
• Use this structure: Intro, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Verse 2,
Bridge, Chorus, Instrumental Middle 8, Chorus, Outro.
• Make sure you have a riff!
C MAJOR - I F MAJOR -
IV
G MAJOR - V A Minor - vi
C
E G F A C
G B
D A C
E