A laptop on a wooden desk.

What to Prioritize in Your Music Career

Berklee Online songwriting instructor Andrea Stolpe discusses using your time wisely and making sacrifices to further your music career.

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Songwriting Strategies book cover

Songwriting from All Directions with Mark Simos

Mark Simos is a songwriter, educator, and author, who has written for Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Laurie Lewis, Jimmy Barnes, and so many others.

Two musicians performing: one playing piano, the other playing electric guitar.

How to Write Better Lyrics

Learn how to write better lyrics with the help of multiplatinum songwriter and Berklee Online author and instructor Andrea Stolpe.

Person playing guitar

Tips for Finishing Songs

One of the most frustrating problems we experience as songwriters is difficulty finishing songs. We might get stuck at the chorus, or maybe after the first chorus.

Writing Melodies: 3 Simple Tools

A great melody always makes a song more memorable. It sounds obvious to say, but it is amazing how often we put emphasis on other elements of the song such as groove or lyric.

Elements of Lyrics: The Great Juggling Act

In this excerpt from “Introduction in Songwriting: Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure,” Pat Pattison explains the elements of lyrics.

A woman writing melody on guitar

What is Melody in a Song?

Learn the basics of writing melody with the help of Jack Perricone’s book “Melody in Songwriting: Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs.”

Harmonic Progressions for Songwriters

You don’t have to have a degree in music theory to write harmonic progressions that underscore your lyric well.

Three people working in a recording studio.

Music Industry Feedback Breaks Us and Makes Us

Berklee Online songwriting instructor Andrea Stolpe explains how to take feedback from people in the music industry to help and not hinder your career.

How to Write Song Lyrics for Other Artists

Berklee Online instructor Andrea Stolpe shares her techniques for songwriting with a recording artist who may or may not be a songwriter at heart.