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Neil Diercks – Collaborative Songwriting
Collaborative songwriting in a professional environment involves an array of skills, abilities, and experience with different co-writing situations. In today’s music industry, collaborations between songwriters in distant parts of the world are common. Co-writing in this kind of global setting requires the ability to effectively and efficiently use basic web-based technology in ways that promote teamwork and creativity. By the end of the course, you will have gained the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be capable of walking into a professional-level setting and creatively/effectively collaborating with other songwriters in the industry.
This course is set up to provide students with a comprehensive spectrum of skills, abilities, knowledge, and experiences that can make you an even more creative, effective, and sought-after collaborator in the music industry.
The course material is taught through multiple methods, including regular live web-based collaborative songwriting projects, as well as written instruction, online video, live instructor/class interaction, and discussions of co-writing teams from the Brill Building’s hitmakers to Lennon/McCartney to Max Martin and his army of collaborators.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- Use technology tools for online collaboration
- Understand legal aspects of publishing and writer shares of a song
- Register copyright
- Affiliate with a PRO (Performing Rights Organization)
- Properly compose songwriting split sheets
- Contribute creatively in a group setting
- Function in a professional manner in co-writing sessions
- Effectively collaborate for specific projects (i.e. writing for a specific artist or song type)
- Make effective and creative use of a group’s diverse skills and musical backgrounds
- Mitigate and navigate group conflict
- Write for deadlines
- Develop effective and creative workflow with others and alone
- Shift creative roles in different co-writing settings
- Build beneficial creative relationships
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Tech Tools for Collaboration
Lesson 2: Co-writing for a Target Artist: Directed
Lesson 3: Co-writing for a Target Artist: Chosen by Team
Lesson 4: Co-writing for a Genre: Directed
Lesson 5: Co-writing for a Genre: Chosen by Team
Lesson 6: Co-writing for Song Type: Directed
Lesson 7: Co-writing for Song Type: Chosen by Team
Lesson 8: Co-writing for TV/Film Placement: Directed
Lesson 9: Co-writing for Film/TV Placement: Chosen by Team
Lesson 10: Co-writing as/with an Artist
Lesson 11: Co-writing as/with an Artist
Lesson 12: Wide Open: Co-writing a Song Organically
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Completion of Music Theory 101, Songwriting: Writing Hit Songs, Songwriting: Melody, Songwriting: Harmony, Lyric Writing: Tools and Strategies, Commercial Songwriting Techniques and/or equivalent knowledge and experience is required
Required Textbook(s)
- None required
Software Requirements
- A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that will allow you to record multiple tracks and save the recording in MP3 or WAV format (Pro Tools, Logic, Audacity, GarageBand, etc.)
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in live chats. 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
- OS X 10.10 Yosemite or higher
PC Users
- Windows 7 or higher
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software (available in the course when joining your first chat)
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal Microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Neil Diercks is a Los Angeles-based songwriter, song coach, and musician. He served for many years in various capacities at Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., in Nashville, beginning as an intern and eventually becoming Manager of A&R Activities. It was within this role that he worked with hit songwriters including Gary Burr, Steve Bogard, Stephony Smith, Jeff Stevens, and Victoria Shaw, who penned hits for artists such as Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Ricky Martin, and Christina Aguilera.
Neil is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he studied songwriting, voice, and music business, and went on to serve on the Board of Trustees for three years. He has lectured and led songwriting workshops internationally, and has won several awards for his teaching, including the UPCEA Excellence in Teaching award (2015); the Pearson Excellence In Online Teaching award (2015); The Berklee College of Music Distinguished Faculty Award for Berklee Online (2016). He currently collaborates with songwriters and artists in Los Angeles and around the globe.
What’s Next?
When taken for credit, Collaborative Songwriting can be applied towards these associated programs:
Associated Certificate Programs
- General Music Studies Professional Certificate
- General Music Studies Advanced Professional Certificate
- Songwriting Professional Certificate
Associated Degree Majors
- Bachelor’s Degree in Songwriting and Producing Music
- Bachelor’s Degree in Songwriting
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