Songwriting 101 for Upper Grades: Interactive Lesson on Popular Music

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Description: This 30-page presentation will show upper grades (7th grade and up) aspects of songwriting. Students will analyze and interpret popular music and its form, style, and music elements that compose popular songs. Students will also look at and understand songwriting techniques and how varying techniques can be used based on preference.

I recommend following this lesson up with an active songwriting lesson either on physical instruments or on websites such as Soundtrap. My students loved using Soundtrap after learning about songwriting.

Here are the learning outcomes for this presentation. Students will learn:

•What a chorus is, and how it is used in popular music

•What a pre-chorus is and how it is used in popular music

•What verses are and how they are used in popular music

•What a bridge is and how it is used in popular music

•What an instrumental break is and how it is used in popular music

•What an intro and what an outro is and how it is used in popular music

•How music elements are used in popular music

•Popular songwriting techniques

Standards NAFME:

MU:Cn11.0.Ia Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life. MU:Cr2.1.C.Ia Assemble and organize sounds or short musical ideas to create initial expressions of selected experiences, moods, images, or storylines. MU:Pr4.2.C.Ia Analyze how the elements of music (including form) of the selected work(s) relate to the style and mood, and explain the implications for rehearsal or performance. MU:Pr6.1.C.Ib Identify how compositions are appropriate for an audience or context, and how this will shape future compositions. MU:Re7.2.C.Ia Analyze aurally the elements of music (including form) of musical works, relating them to style, mood, and context, and describe how the analysis provides models for personal growth as composer, performer, and/or listener.