12 Weeks
Level 1
3-Credit Tuition
$1,545Non-Credit Tuition
$1,290Strengthen your keyboard and piano skills to enhance your songwriting, exploring a range of accompaniment styles, rhythmic patterns, and harmonic techniques drawn from contemporary music. Through structured practice routines and guided exercises, you will refine your ability to create compelling song sections, build contrast between parts, and craft dynamic arrangements. You’ll also learn alternative keyboard sounds, synth textures, and arranging strategies to expand creative possibilities. Designed for songwriters with basic piano proficiency, this course provides the tools to clarify piano parts, support vocal melodies, and strengthen overall song structure.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Analyze current pop piano song styles
- Develop frameworks for “flow-based” creative work in which goals are secondary to process
- Apply a variety of pianistic stylistic approaches to compositions
- Compose song sections in a variety of keys and modes
- Utilize various two-handed piano rhythmic styles in original songs
- Apply chord melodies using partial chords and arpeggios
- Develop song sections using ostinato loops and patterns to effectively create drones and melodic motives
- Compose original piano-based songs in current popular piano song styles
- Write songs that contain keyboard parts other than piano, such as organ, electric piano, and synthesizers
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Generating Song Seeds and Exploring Key Fields
- Writing Techniques: Using ‘Jam on It’ Creative Play to Generate Song Seeds
- Harmony Feature: Visualizing Key Fields
- Accompaniment Styles and Rhythm Concepts: Working with Templates and Etudes
- Accompaniment Styles II: Using the Left Hand
- Accompaniment Styles III: Using the Sustain Pedal
- Add Your Vocal: Tendency Tones in Vocal Melody
- Assignment 1: Turning a Song Seed into a Song Section
Lesson 2: Oblique Motion, Drones, and Piano Drumming
- Writing Techniques: Working with Oblique Motion—Standing Still Against Walking Away
- Harmony Feature: Drones and Pedal Points
- Accompaniment Styles: Two-Note Broken Chords and Arpeggio Patterns
- Accompaniment Styles II: Using and Adapting ‘Line Clichés’
- Rhythm Concepts: ‘Piano Drumming’ with Simple Two-Handed Rhythm Patterns
- Add Your Vocal: Writing a Static Vocal Melody over Moving Bass Lines
- Assignment 2: Write a Song Section with a Drone or Pedal Point
Lesson 3: Classic Keyboard Styles and Voice Leading
- Harmony Feature: Triads and Voice Leading—The Building Blocks of Songs
- Accompaniment Styles: Voice-Led Broken Chords and Arpeggio Patterns
- Writing Techniques: Adapting Arpeggios for Distinctive Song Parts
- Accompaniment Styles II: More Left-Hand Strategies (Octaves, 5ths, and Bounces)
- Add Your Vocal: Choosing Chords that Support Words and Melodies
- Assignment 3: Using Voice Leading in Your Songwriting
Lesson 4: Exploring Keyboard Sounds for Songwriting
- Technique Feature: ADSR–Pads vs. Rhythm Parts
- Accompaniment Styles: Working with Organic Sounds–Organ, EP, Clavinet
- Accompaniment Styles II: Writing with Synthesizers
- Rhythm Concepts: Building Grooves with Drum Machines, Loops, and Arpeggiators
- Add Your Vocal: Using Vocal Effects to Spark Song Ideas
- Writing Techniques: Using Cool Sounds to Generate Songs
- Assignment 4: Songwriting with Non-Piano Sounds
Lesson 5: Anticipation, Modal Key Fields, and Writing with Moods
- Harmony Feature: Parallel and Relative Key Fields
- Writing Techniques: Writing a Feeling with Modes
- Rhythm Concepts: Using Syncopation, Practicing Two-Handed Rhythms
- Accompaniment Styles: Playing Harmonic Anticipations
- Add Your Vocal: Using Eighth-Note Harmonic Anticipations while Singing on the Downbeats (and Vice Versa)
- Add Your Vocal: Using Character Tones in Vocal Melody
- Assignment 5: Writing a Mood in Modes
Lesson 6: Exploring Syncopation, Clave Rhythms, and Magic Chords
- Rhythm Concepts: Deeper into Syncopation with Dotted Quarter Rhythms and Clave Patterns
- Accompaniment Styles: Playing Block Chords and Arpeggios with Dotted Quarter Rhythms
- Harmony Feature: Creating Emphasis with ‘Magic’ Chords
- Writing Techniques: Using Rhythmic and Harmonic Surprise to Enhance a Lyric
- Add Your Vocal: Using Vocal Melody to Find ‘Magic Chords’
- Assignment 6: Write a Two-Section Song Cycle Incorporating Dotted Quarter Rhythms or a ‘Magic Chord’
Lesson 7: Broadening Your Sonic Palette with Sevenths, Tensions, and Compound Meter
- Harmony Feature I: Working with 7th Chords
- Harmony Feature II: Adding Tensions
- Rhythm Concepts: Exploring Compound Meters
- Rhythm Concepts II: Establishing a Feel–Swing
- Add Your Vocal: Writing Tension into Vocal Melody
- Assignment 7: Write an Eight-Bar Verse and an Eight-Bar Chorus Incorporating 7th Chords or Tensions in the Melody
Lesson 8: Melodic Hooks, Counterpoint, and 16th Note Rhythms
- Writing Techniques: Anchoring Your Song with a Melodic Theme
- Accompaniment Styles I: Instrumental Melody Hooks
- Accompaniment Styles II: Ostinato Second Melody Hooks
- Add Your Vocal: Creating Vocal and Bass Counterpoint
- Rhythm Concepts: Working with Sixteenth-Note Rhythms
- Accompaniment Styles III: Connecting Block Chords with Fills
- Assignment 8: Write a Three-Section Song Cycle
Lesson 9: Writing with Blues Elements
- Writing Techniques: Developing Song Sections Beyond a Seed
- Harmony Feature: Pentatonic and Blues Scales (Minor and Major)
- Harmony Feature II: Blues Progressions
- Rhythm Concepts: Establishing a Feel: Shuffle
- Accompaniment Styles: Slides, Trills, Double Stops, Four Blues Licks
- Add Your Vocal: Working with Vocals in the Blues Style
- Assignment 9: Using Blues Elements in Your Writing
Lesson 10: Song Structures and Contrast
- Writing Techniques: Understanding and Applying Song Structures
- Harmony Feature: Using Harmonic Techniques to Create Contrast
- Rhythm Concepts: Writing with Advanced Rhythmic Structures for Sectional Contrast
- Accompaniment Styles: Combining and Alternating Styles for Emotional Impact
- Add Your Vocal: Creating Sectional Contrast Through Vocal Melody
- Assignment 10: Write a Song Cycle Using Verse-Prechorus-Chorus Form with Intentional Contrast
Lesson 11: Refining, Arranging, and Revising Songs
- Writing Techniques: Intentional Rewriting for Stronger Songs
- Rhythm Concepts: Refining and Simplifying Piano Parts for Clarity
- Accompaniment Styles: Using Arranging Tools for Maximum Impact
- Harmony Feature: Delegating Piano Part Functions to Other Instruments
- Add Your Vocal: Creating Background Vocal Parts at the Keyboard
- Assignment 11: Final Project Rough Draft–Submit a Draft with Vocals and Keys Only
Lesson 12: Giving and Receiving Feedback, Finalizing Your Song
- Assessment: Giving and Receiving Feedback for Song Improvement
- Revision: Applying Feedback to Strengthen a Song
- Reflection: Discussing the Learning Process and Next Steps
- Writing Techniques: Setting Goals for Continued Songwriting and Keyboard Growth
- Assignment 12: Submit Final Draft MP3 and Reflection Paper
Requirements
Requirements coming soon.General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Sarah Brindell is a songwriter, arranger, producer, musician, and Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music. With touring credits around the world, she has shared the stage and recorded with many renowned artists including Norah Jones, Carole King, and Raul Midon. Her original songs can be heard on many television shows including MTV’s Made. She was a finalist in the Song of the Year contest as part of VH-1’s Save the Music Foundation, as well as the Billboard World Song Contest. A Summa Cum Laude graduate from Boston University, she holds a Master's degree in Music Education, and teaches courses in songwriting, harmony, ear training, arranging, and stage performance. She conducts clinics nationwide and internationally, and continually helps thousands of students to reach their full potential as professional musicians and songwriters.
Author & Instructor
Bonnie Hayes has more than 35 years of experience as an educator, songwriter, producer, performer, and recording artist. During her career, she has been signed to five record deals and five writing deals, and toured as a side musician with Billy Idol and Cris Williamson. She has written songs for Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Bette Midler, David Crosby, Robert Cray, Adam Ant, and Booker T. & the MG’s, and produced more than 40 records. She designed and implemented the youth program for the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco, and has taught piano, guitar, theory, songwriting, and composition to thousands of students at institutions throughout the US.
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Keyboard Technique for Songwriters can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
