Keyboard Techniques for Songwriters

Course Number
SW-238
Description

This class will offer a foundation in keyboard and piano playing specifically for songwriters. The course will integrate keyboard technique, specifically theory as applied to seeing and playing it on the piano, with songwriting and composition techniques and processes. The student will work with scales, major and minor triads including inversions, suspensions and colors/tensions, voice led I-IV-V progressions, and excursions into blues and dorian and mixolydian modes, with attention to emotional tone and compositional color. Writing assignments will allow students to learn concepts through creative work. The course will also serve as a survey of basic piano pop rhythmic styles, working with rhythm templates as bases for individual embellishment. Although in format this class will resemble a lab, the combination of technical and writing assignments presented will require delivery as a full 2-hour class session. The goal of this class is to provide a foundation for creative work on the piano for students for whom piano is a second instrument.

Credits
2
Prerequisites
PW-111; and ISKB-211, SW-115, or piano principal
Required Of
SONG majors in the Songwriting/Performer Track not taking SW-236
Electable By
All B.M. and P.D. students
Major Elective for
Songwriting
Semesters Offered
Fall, Spring
Location
Boston
Department
SONG
Course Chair
Rodney Alejandro
Courses may not be offered at the listed locations or taught by the listed faculty for every semester. Consult my.berklee.edu to find course information for a specific semester.