Category Archives: Songwriting Class/Seminar

Twin Cities Lyric Writing Workshop: March 23 and 24th – St Louis Park, MN

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I am going to be hosting and leading a Lyric Writing Workshop on March 23 and 24 at my home in St Louis Park. This workshop will be like a 2 session Lyric Writing Bootcamp. The sessions will be from 10 to 4 both days, with an hour break for lunch. You will leave the workshop with at least 1 written and rewritten full song lyric. You will also leave having new ideas and techniques you can use on future songs…
There is only room for 4 people in this workshop, so you will need to sign up quickly! Usually I charge $100 per person for this, but if you sign up by March 17th I am giving you a 50% discount, so it is just $50 per person! 
We will focus on these and many other topics:
- How to make your listener connect with your song
- Ways to makes sure you are communicating the correct emotions
- What should my second verse say?
- How to use structure to make your song more effective
- How to rewrite your song effectively
- Story Development
- Rhyme Schemes
- 7 types of Choruses
- Common Verse types
- Writing a complete lyric from start to finish
- How to use Contrast and Prosody effectively
- Do I need a prechorus?
- Steps to writing when ideas just aren’t flowing
- How to start with an idea and end with a complete lyric
- Internal vs External lines and how to use them effectively
To sign up, please send me an email and I can get you signed up. I will send you an online invoice so you can pay the fee conveniently online.
 
What: Lyric Writing Workshop
When: March 23 and 24 – 10am to 4pm  (hour break for lunch)
Where: Chad’s Home – off of 394 and 169 in St Louis Park
Price: $50 per person if you sign up by March 17th
 
This is a great opportunity to spend a couple of days focused on improving your songwriting, and completing a full song lyric.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to having you join this workshop!
ChadC-Sharp Productions:
Songwriting: Demos.Coaching.Seminars
http://www.sharpmusic.com
612.454.0926

Free Online Songwriting Course Through Berklee College of Music

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Many of you know that I studied online with Berklee College of Music for close to 2 years. I ended up taking a few classes at the same time, so I wrapped up early…but I received a certificate in Songwriting from them. Berklee is an amazing music school. And I just discovered they are offering a FREE 6 week songwriting course!! Fricking sweet! I fully encourage all of you to sign up for it. It will change your songwriting life. To get registered, go here https://www.coursera.org/course/songwriting

Chad

Songwriting Class Coming Up in Hastings, MN!

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I am very excited to be teaching a songwriting class in Hastings, MN! It starts in February and goes into March. It is a 3-part class. Monday nights from 7 to 9pm….here is the class description….It is only $49 for all three classes!!

Are you a songwriter? Do you write lyrics? Do you struggle with writer’s block or not knowing what to write about? Want to write better songs? Join us to take an in-depth look at what makes hit songs work, explore topics like object writing, point of view, rhyme scheme, building contrast, writing from your senses, and more! Songwriting is a mix of craft and art. Many times it starts with inspiration to get a rough draft, but how do you make your song shine? Leave with the tools to start writing better songs that touch people. No specific music skills are required. Open to students ages 16 and up. Bring a notebook. (Skip Feb. 18)

Click here to register for this class.

Tell your songwriting friends in the area! Hope to see you there.

~ Chad

The Missing Songwriter: Where have I been?

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Life gets crazy sometimes and certain things kinda fall to the side. That is what happened with me. I wanted to apologize to my regular readers for not posting new songwriting tips, ideas and tricks for a couple months. Life has been crazy. So where the heck was I?
I got a new day job that is pretty intense, and the learning curve is steep. It is in a completely different industry than I have ever worked. At the end of the day, my mind is fried. I pretty much crash and veg every night. So that means no songwriting, no blog posts, and not a lot of interaction with all of you. I am sorry about that.

Things are looking up! I have just scheduled a 3 part songwriting class in Hastings, MN in January! I am also getting bitten by the songwriting bug again! I haven’t written for 2 months, almost 3. I think I may be a bit rusty. I know that some of you have been in this boat before. I have gotten emails from people saying they don’t have time to write. I usually preach that you have to make time to write….which is true….but sometimes you can only do so much, and writing isn’t on the list. So now I have to get back up on the horse and start riding this thing again. I will try to chronicle my latest songs and processes on this site, so you can maybe get some kind of inspiration or new trick.

How have you pulled yourself out of a songwriting rut? I’d love to hear from you…

~ ChadChad Shank Songwriter

Songwriting Presentation This Sunday September 9, 2012!

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Hey Yall!
I am excited to be doing a educational songwriting presentation this Sunday September 9th in St Paul, MN. It is for the MN Association of Christian Songwriters. I don’t really write Christian songs, but so many concepts apply no matter what style of songs you write.

In their newsletter MACS said,

“SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th, 2-4 PM. SONGWRITERS WORKSHOP Christ Lutheran Church, 105 West University Ave. West, St. Paul. Lesson taught by Chad Shank from: C-Sharp Productions: http://www.sharpmusic.com Chad Shank is a songwriter and producer with over 15 years experience. His songs have been used on TV shows on MTV, CMT, HBO, Hallmark, WE TV, NBC, Discovery and others.

Bring your best original song and sing it live or bring a boom box and play your recorded track. We appreciate your music whether you’re a beginner or an accomplished songwriter. Bring an instrument along. An upright piano will be available. We ask that if you want feedback on your song please bring 12 copies of the lyric sheets to pass out. The building is wheelchair accessible. Directions: Here

Chad Shank has just published a new Songwriting E-book…and it is FREE! Download it here http://chadshankmusic.com/download-a-free-songwriting-e-book/

Chad also has a class called WRITING GREAT POP AND COUNTRY SONGS Thursdays Oct.18-Nov.1, 7-9pm. Cost is $49 Register at this website: http://www.slpcommunityed.org/insight/registry/classinfo.asp?courseID=8441&catID=1492 “

Twin Cities 3 Part Songwriting Class Starts October 18, 2012!

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For 3 weeks, starting on October 18, 2012, I will be teaching a songwriting class in St Louis Park, MN. If you are a songwriter, this is a great, affordable course that will give you the inside scoop on how you can improve your writing. Here is the course description:

Are you a songwriter? Do you write lyrics? Do you struggle with writer’s block or not knowing what to write about? Want to write better songs? Join us for an in-depth look at what makes hit songs work, and explore topics like object writing, point of view, rhyme scheme, building contrast, and writing from your senses. Songwriting is a mix of craft and art. Many times it starts with inspiration to get a rough draft, but how do you make your song shine? You’ll leave with the tools to start writing better songs that touch people. Instructor Chad Shank is a songwriter and producer with over 15 years experience. His songs have been used on TV shows on MTV, CMT, HBO, Hallmark, WE TV, NBC, Discovery and others. No specific music skills are required. Open to students ages 16 and up. Bring a notebook.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

Free Songwriting Lesson/Coaching Session

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People usually understand the idea of a songwriting class, or seminar…but I find that, at first, my clients are a little confused by 1 on 1 songwriting lessons.  They understand piano and guitar lessons, but maybe not quite songwriting lessons…..Doesn’t everyone know how to write songs? You just write.   Well….yes and no.  We all have been listening to songs since our parents played or sang us lullabies.  Songs are not in short supply. We hear them all the time. We know what great songs sound like, so we can write them, right?  You do hear them, but do you really know what is going on mechanically with the lyrics, melody and harmony that make it a great song?

In my songwriting lessons, it is my goal to share with you the knowledge and know-how to write better songs than you have ever written.  Songs that people not only like, but LOVE. Songs that connect and get people emotionally….and maybe even financially invested in you. (Insert smiley faces and dollars signs)

How can I teach that? Well in my lessons, I break down songwriting concepts into very basic and fundamental theories and ideas. Some of those concepts are hidden in plain sight, we hear them subconsciously and don’t really know what is happening….but what if you DID know what was happening and could do it on purpose? THAT is what songwriting lessons are about. We will look at your current writing….or maybe you haven’t written yet, but want to know how. We will break it into very simple, yet powerful chunks and nurture your creative songwriter.

So right now I am offering anyone who emails me, and lives in the Minneapolis or the Twin Cities area a free 1 hour songwriting lesson/coaching session. Yes, I said, if you live in Minneapolis, I will meet with you in-person and give you a free 1 hour lesson/session. That is worth $60!  —- WAIT….but what if I DON’T live in Minneapolis?  Well for you guys, I am offering a free song critique. I will critique one of your songs and give you some pointers on how to make it better. That is a $20 value….FREE.

All you need to do is EMAIL ME.  Also be sure to follow this site and sign up to get my email updates….I am working on booking some new songwriting classes, workshops, and I am working on some new songwriting E-Books!

~ Chad

MN Association of Songwriters presentation this Wednesday!

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Hey Everyone,

I wanted to let you know that I am going to be presenting this week at the Wednesday night meeting of the MN Association of Songwriters. We meet at the McNally Smith College of Music in St Paul, MN from 7pm to 10pm.  This week I will be doing a presentation on how to use hit songs to get ideas for you own songs.  We will look at Lyrics, Melody and Harmony and many ways that you can analyze hit songs to get tools that work. It is this Wed April 25, 2012 at 7pm. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Hope to see you there….if you are in the area :)

~ Chad

Chad Shank Songwriting Class Starting May 3rd in St Louis Park, MN

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Chad Shank SongwriterWriting Great Pop and Country Songs

Are you a songwriter? Do you write lyrics? Do you struggle with writer’s block or not knowing what to write about? Want to write better songs? Join us to take an in-depth look at what makes hit songs work, explore topics like object writing, point of view, rhyme scheme, building contrast, writing from your senses, and more! Songwriting is a mix of craft and art. Many times it starts with inspiration to get a rough draft, but how do you make your song shine? You’ll leave class with the tools to start writing better songs that touch people.

3 classes just $49! Sign up here: http://www.slpcommunityed.org/insight/registry/classinfo.asp?courseID=7986&catID=1391

Classes are Thursday nights from 7pm to 9pm, May 3, 10 and 17.

New Songwriting Class Starting in May

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Last night I wrapped up a group of song classes that I taught for the St Louis Park, MN Community Education Program. It was super fun for me, and I think the people in the class enjoyed it as well. We covered some pretty in depth stuff about songwriting. We focused on Lyrics, Melody and Harmony, and finding ways to use techniques to get the most out of your writing. It was every Tuesday night for 3 weeks in a row. Such a great time! Nice workshop environment.

Great news! I am going to be teaching another block of classes! This time around it is going to be 3 Thursday nights from 7 to 9pm on May 3, 10 and 17!  They have not started sign ups yet, but when they post the class info, I will post a link on here so you can get the details and sign up. I would love to have you in my class. Songwriting is such a great craft!

~ Chad