Explore the creative process behind songwriting with Contemporary Music Director Barbara Cohen.
Barbara Cohen’s connection to MacPhail started when she was 9 years old, taking flute lessons. Since then, Cohen has become a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, and composer. She has scored films, performed around the world, and returned to MacPhail as a teaching artist.
Now, as the Director of MacPhail’s Contemporary Music program, Cohen works with students who are discovering how to turn those first sparks of an idea into full-blown songs.
“I love teaching songwriting. It’s like one of my favorite things to work on because it’s such a cool puzzle to solve.”
Where do I start?
There’s no single right way to start a song. You might start with a melody and build chords underneath it. You could begin with lyrics, then find a melody along the way. A beat, a groove, a loop, or even a single phrase can be the starting point.
Technology can open up even more possibilities. A laptop and a program like GarageBand can provide loops and grooves to experiment with, giving a songwriter something to react to and build from.
Who is a songwriter?
You don’t have to already consider yourself a songwriter to start exploring the art form. Cohen says there are some simple signs that songwriting might be worth trying. Maybe you frequently get melodies stuck in your head, especially ones you’ve invented yourself. Maybe you find yourself humming, beating out grooves, thinking of lyric ideas, or putting loops together just for fun. Those instincts are great places to start.
Songwriting lessons aren’t necessarily about turning someone into a professional musician. They can simply give a person the tools and space to develop ideas that are already there.
“I love finding the stories that students want to tell,” Cohen says. “It brings me a lot of joy.”
Tell your story through song. Explore our songwriting offerings here.