Udemy
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
Turn what you know into an opportunity and reach millions around the world.
Learn More
Your cart is empty.
Keep shopping
Songwriting for the Curious Guitarist
Rating: 4.4 out of 5(109 ratings)
2,138 students
Created byDan Dresnok
Last updated 9/2025
English

What you'll learn

  • Write your own songs on the guitar.
  • Arrange your songs.
  • Create chord progressions for each song part.
  • Learn what chords work well together.
  • Create great sounding melodies over your chords.
  • Write interesting strum patterns.
  • Write songs in the major, minor, & modal keys.
  • Write songs in all 12 keys.
  • Use secret songwriting tricks.

Course content

1 section21 lectures5h 23m total length
  • Welcome to the Course11:44
  • Guitar Basics19:35

    This is a quick refresher of guitar fundamentals to get you ready to write a song.  String names, reading tab (tablature), finding notes using the chromatic scale, and the basic chords that we'll use for most of this course.

  • Scale Chords12:00

    Here we'll discuss the chords most commonly used to write music, why we use those chords, what their function is, and how & when to use them.

  • Song Parts - Arrangement20:51

    These are all the common parts of a song that come together, and when combined, form the arrangement.

  • Counting Beats19:17

    Here we'll talk about the rhythms & timing of the song parts, including easy ways to write & play any rhythm you desire for your chords.

  • Major Keys & Minor Keys21:14

    We'll discuss how to choose either the major or minor key from the same chord row.  Additionally, this lesson's PDF has the scale chords for all 12 keys.

  • Intros & Outros15:29

    The first and last parts of a song have a similar function.  We'll explore different methods of creating compelling intros & outros.

  • Verse19:49

    We'll experiment with different ways to create a verse, both in major & minor keys.

  • Chorus - The Hook16:14

    We'll go through chord variations of creating a powerful & memorable hook for your choruses.

  • Bridge16:00

    Creating a bridge is an opportunity to make your arrangement more rich & complex, weaving here & there.  

  • Solo13:08

    We'll discuss how to create a concise solo that is just right for your song.

  • Pre-Chorus11:00

    The pre-chorus opens a new level of songwriting opportunities for us.  If you want your song to have lots of different parts, you're going to love the pre-chorus!

  • Melody Note Options18:53

    And we are finally on to the melody!  In this lesson, we'll find the best note options that can be used over each chord.

  • Connecting Melodies29:31

    Now that we know which notes are available, we'll work on stringing them together (in an easier position) to create a smooth melody.

  • Outside Chords18:02

    This is a method used by all the best songwriters to create unique harmonies & melodies that have never been heard before.

  • Dorian & Mixolydian Keys11:40

    We'll learn how to use modes to get key sounds other than the traditional major or minor, expanding our control over the chord progressions.

  • Lyric Writing14:45

    Here we'll discuss some tips for getting the most out of your lyrics.  This is an important part of the songwriting process - important and fun!

  • About Recording9:41

    In this age we live in, it has never been easier to record your own music.  Here, we'll discuss some options you may choose to record your songs.

  • Pro Songwriters & The Music Industry13:58

    If you are curious about the world of professional songwriting, this lesson will open your eyes and point you toward more resources.

  • Closing Thoughts8:13

    As our course comes to its conclusion, we'll discuss your next steps and how to move forward.  Thank you for going through this with me!

  • Bonus Lecture2:15

Requirements

  • You only need a guitar - any kind of guitar with six strings.
  • This course is for everyone - beginner to advanced.

Description

Welcome to Songwriting for the Curious Guitarist! This is a complete course that will turn you into a confident & creative songwriter on your guitar. We'll start at the very beginning, assuming that you don't know anything about songwriting, and teach you how to arrange a song, choose chord changes for each part, create melodies that go with your chords (for singing or soloing), plus your own rhythms & strum patterns, and add your creative mark to your original songs.

This course is an excellent way for you to expand your patterns & formulas for song parts & arrangements, and also go deeper into the possibilities on time changes & modulations, or key changes.

Any kind of six-string guitar will work well for this course - electric, acoustic, or classical guitar.

Songwriting on the guitar is so enjoyable because there are unlimited possibilities for chords, song parts, melodies, solos, lyrics, and your own creative direction. This is why so many popular artists write their songs on the guitar.

Every lesson video in this course has a PDF attachment which are the tabs, chords, and text lessons to use as an additional resource while watching these videos. You can download, save, & print these. Be sure to get all the PDFs.

I'm glad you're here - let's begin.

Who this course is for:

  • Beginner, intermediate, & advanced guitar players.
  • Guitarists wanting to write their own songs.
  • Guitarists wanting to improve their songwriting skills.
  • Anyone wanting to learn about the songwriting process.