Michael J. Hebert

Abstract

In this project, I used personal observations and student opinions of a trial songwriting club to
understand which content, activities, and homework assignments would be essential to teach
songwriting to adult guitar and/or piano students. Another major goal was to sequence the
chosen content, activities, and homework assignments in an informed way. In summary, seven
lessons were sequenced to teach the following basic content: simple chords (I, IV, V, ii, vi, iii) in
a major key, song rhythmic patterns, song form, rhyme, rhyme form, lyric writing, melody,
connecting melody to harmony, ways to create a song, and ways to practice effectively. I
sequenced three private lessons for students to complete a song, and three lessons for students to
prepare their song for performance. The fourteenth and final lesson was their final performance.
The other content that was not determined to be essential was suggested as optional content that
should be included if time allows.… (more)