Explore a variety of songwriting techniques and creative tools to inspire new ideas.

  • Delve into a songwriter’s creative process, from first idea to a finished recorded track.
  • Discuss what makes a great song tick and why songwriting is so impactful for both listeners and creators.
  • Create a host of material to use as starting points for new songs through journalling, sensory writing and vision boarding.

In this one-day Introduction to Songwriting course you’ll experiment with different stimuli to get inspired to start writing lyrics. You’ll explore a wide variety of songwriting techniques, eventually introducing instrumental music and soundscapes as a bed for lyrics.

At the end of this course, you’ll leave with a variety of materials to use as starting points for new songs through journalling, sensory writing and vision boarding, and have a better idea of the songwriting process from start to finish.

Overview

Session one

  • Introduction to free writing (journaling, stream of consciousness, free writing).
  • How does music enhance lyrics? A discussion of the meaning of lyrics with/without music supporting it.
  • Introduction to messy writing (cut and paste technique, vision boards).

Session two

  • Discussion of how emotion is portrayed in music.
  • Listening to instrumental music, soundscapes and free writing in response.
  • Introduction to sensory/embodied writing, tuning into each sense while free writing (smell, textures, lighting).

Session three

  • Songwriter Q and A - Anna talks through her songwriting process, from humming an initial idea into her phone, right the way through to a final studio mix/master.
  • Deeper dive into sensory/embodied writing.

Session four

  • Turning words into lyrics by introducing melody.
  • Experiment with creating melodies for pre-existing poems/lyrics and improvising melody over instrumental music.

This course takes place at Newton Park campus, Bath.

This course takes place Saturday 7 March, 10am – 4:30pm.

Introduction to Songwriting costs £120 per person.

Meet the team

Anna Ryan is a songwriting and performance coach living in Bath, Somerset. A seasoned vocalist, she’s been writing, recording and performing music since the age of 12.

Recently performing at Bristol’s Harbour Fest with legendary spoken word artist Diz Undone (MC Dizraeli), Pete Josef’s ‘Colour’ tour and as a ‘The Mumford and Sons Story’ tribute show at Bath Abbey earlier this year.

Her work now expands to facilitating inclusive group workshops with her ‘Soul Food Singing Group’, musical directing youth theatre projects with Barnstorm CIC and organising arts and humanitarian events with local collective, Through the Cracks.

Terms and conditions

Read the terms and conditions for taking part in this short course.

Contact us

For more information about the course please email your enquiries to shortcourses@bathspa.ac.uk .