Suggestions for a songwriting seminar

Perhaps something that showcases the fundamental differences between poems and lyrics and prose. That's a big stumbling block for me... all my songs just don't pop, because I'm writing them with my "novel" mind.

It'd be helpful to know whether the songwriting seminar will be more about the music or the lyrics...

If it's mostly about lyrics, then perhaps something that shows the different methods that are popular. A catchphrase could be that "It doesn't have to rhyme." There are so many songs I've heard that are ruined by rhyming couplets. As in, using a word that doesn't pop just because it rhymes at the end of the line... *shudder* Perhaps also some mathematical examples of common chord progressions for singing. Such as, "A, F, C, extreme, A". (Just a random example of course - I don't know what the chords sound like by rote. The extreme is kind of like, "Play this part by feel.") Of course, this will be rather general advice, but it'll get people thinking about chord progressions in perhaps a new way. With 10 common progressions in their notebook, they might have some more insights into what they themselves want to do... ??

If it's more about music, then similar stuff, but perhaps some extra technique work. I'd love to listen to someone talk about strumming methods, because then I could know if I'm on the right track. For instance, I might have tried something, then it didn't feel natural, and I gave up on it. If the instructor guy told me, however, "Try this. It'll feel a little weird to begin with, but it'll get easier, and then it'll be easy as breathing." then I'd know I was on the right track.

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Is that helpful at all? That's the sort of stuff I'd like to know more about, anyway. I don't care too much about being taught "This is Am7 on guitar" or whatever. If I want to learn complex chords, I can look them up in a book or on the internet. It's the progressions and techniques that are more worth paying for.

You're welcome.

(Although during the night I realised I had said "chord" where I meant "note", regarding singing patterns. No big deal, but I like to be a perfectionist. )

Hmm... jam session...

If you could get your guest singer/guitarist to amp up at a level a little higher than the paying guests, and if you could rig a metronome to change its rate periodically (or just get yourself or hubs to change it every so often), you could get a really nice session going. Lots of improvisation, everybody would find a tempo that challenges them, they could try out any methods they've learnt that day at different speeds, and it'd probably put everyone in the mood for beer and laughter afterwards.

I'm just full o' ideas.