903 Songwriting I 

 Gr 9 - 12 | 3 Credits |  Semester-Long | 5x per Cycle

This course is for students who want to learn to write and record songs in any style(s) of their choosing. There is no required prior musical knowledge, experience or ability to play an instrument. Just bring your love for music and a desire to write a song. Students who do possess prior experience will be able to put it to good use. In this class, you will gradually learn about basic songwriting form, structure, rhythm, chords and melody—all at your own pace. For students who want to sing or rap on their songs we can also work on lyric writing, but this is not required. Students will also learn recording studio techniques using current recording software, mixer and microphones. The final result of this course will be a full album of your own music. All are welcome! 

Essential Skills

The Wellesley Public Schools Performing Arts Program offers a comprehensive program of experiences for all students. Courses offered through the Performing Arts are grounded in the Massachusetts State Arts Framework Essential Skills and Standards; Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting. 

Creating:  Imagine. Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts.

• Describe how sounds and short musical ideas can be used to represent personal experiences, moods, visual images, and/or storylines.

• Assemble and organize sounds or short musical ideas to create initial expressions of selected experiences, moods, images, or storylines.

• Identify and describe the development of sounds or short musical ideas in drafts of music within simple forms (such as one-part, cyclical, or binary).

Performing: Present. Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

• Share music through the use of notation, performance, or technology, and demonstrate how the elements of music have been employed to realize expressive intent.

Responding: Select. Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and context.

• Identify and select specific excerpts, passages, or sections in musical works that express a personal experience, mood, visual image, or storyline in simple forms (such as one-part, cyclical, binary).

Connecting: Analyze. Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.

• Analyze how the elements of music (including form) of selected works relate to style and mood, and explain the implications for rehearsal or performance.