Private and Group Lessons
I offer private songwriting and group lessons. These are offered at my home for those in the Denver area, and via Skype for those elsewhere. To find out more, get rates, or schedule a session, send an email to rob@robroper.com
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Songwriting Classes
Songwriting for Beginners
If you'd like to try your hand at songwriting, I can help get you started. All you need is a desire and a willingness to devote some time to it. This can be done in person or over the internet.
Basic Music Theory for Songwriters
This class is geared towards songwriters with little or no music theory knowledge. It will introduce the basic concepts of intervals, major and minor scales, and triad chords. After this class, the students will be better able to communicate with more knowledgable musicians in their bands, the studio, or song circles. For example, the student will be able to describe their song to accompanists as "This song is in D. The verse is I - ii - V, and the chorus is IV - V - I."
Writing Rock Songs
This class is geared to songwriters who, like me, love to play electric guitar and rock music. How is the songwriting process for rock songs different from writing folk songs? How is it similar? I will share my songwriting methods and discuss how I wrote some of my rock songs.
Songwriting for Guitar Players
I was a guitar player long before I was a songwriter. I could easily come up with music ideas, but struggled writing lyrics. But starting in 2004, I began working hard at lyric writing, taking songwriting classes, reading books, and trying many methods and processes. And, of course, writing a lot of songs. Eventually I got the point where people compliment me more for my lyrics than my music. In this class, I will share some of the ways that I've learned to create lyrics for music.
Dealing with Writer's Block
In this class, I take on that annoying problem we all face from time to time: Writer's Block. What are the causes? How can we get over it? I will give my ideas and suggestions, and give the students writing exercises to help break their writer's block.
Non-Linear Songwriting (5-Part Series)
In person or over the internet.
Part 1: Generating Music Ideas for Songs
Do all your songs sound the same-- same rhythms, same strum patterns, same chords? This class will get you out of their comfort zone, trying new rhythms, new melodies, new chords and chord progressions, and new strumming techniques.
Part 2: Generating Lyric Ideas for Songs
This hands-on class is for songwriters of all levels, from beginners to advanced. Beginners will learn techniques for generating lyric ideas. Intermediate and advanced songwriters who are looking for new ways to generate lyric ideas will also benefit. The focus will be on generating ideas for lines in songs that contain imagery, metaphors and genuine emotion.
Part 3: Creating a Song: Putting Music and Lyric Ideas Together
Here we begin the process of putting lyrics to music, or music to lyrics. We will use each of the four elements of a song as a starting point-- rhythm, melody, chords and lyrics-- then add the other elements. At the end of the class, you will have the beginning of a song. Some may have the beginings of 2 or 3 songs.
Part 4: Developing a Song: Getting a Song to a First Draft
In this class, we will take our song idea from Day Three and expand it both musically and lyrically. At the end of the class, you will have at least 2 verses, or a verse and a chorus, of a new song. Some may have an entire first draft of a song.
Part 5: Editing the Song: Improving on the First Draft
In the final class of the series, we take the first draft of the song from the 4th class and improve it both musically and lyrically. I will give you several ways to do this. After this class, there's nothing else I can teach you; you're on your own!
Guitar Classes
Beginning Guitar
Want to learn guitar? I can get you started. This is best done in person, although we could try it over the internet.
Intermediate Guitar
Let me know what you what to learn, and if I know it, I'll teach it!
Guitar for Songwriters
This hands-on class will benefit songwriters who are confident with lyric writing, but are limited by their beginner-level guitar abilities, with the result that their songs tend to sound the same. This class will expand their guitar skills so they can write more diverse songs musically. I will give you exercises designed to help you learn new rhythms, new melodies, new chords and chord progressions, and new strumming techniques.
Songwriting Teaching Experience
November 2019, Univ of Denver Writers Series, Denver, Colorado:
August 2018, Rocky Mountain Song School, Lyons, Colorado:
Designed and taught class, "Generating Music Ideas for Songs."
July-August 2017 Denver, Colorado:
Gave 4-part class on "Non-linear Songwriting"
2012 to present:
Individual mentoring of songwriters.
Education
August, 2015 - May, 2017, Metro State University, Denver, Colorado.
Completed two years of Music Classes, including Music Theory I, II, III and IV.
Student, Rocky Mountain Song School, 2004-2017 (most years)
First guitar lessons at age 12, many more over the years.
Many voice lessons and piano lessons over the years.
1978, Bachelor of Arts, Secondary Education, University of Houston
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For information on songwriting or guitar lessons, send an email to rob@robroper.com
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