American Songwriter Launches Foundations Songwriting Course

American Songwriter is giving its readers a chance to learn from the pros. In a new online class called Foundations, students will get the chance to develop a song from its inception to a professionally produced demo in just eight weeks.

Built for anyone who wants to write songs—from beginners to seasoned pros—Foundations will unfold over the course of eight modules: Finding Inspiration & Ideas, Lyric Fundamentals, Melody Writing, Harmony & Chord Progressions, Song Structure & Arrangement, Development & Editing, Preparing an Industry-Ready Demo Tape, and Next Steps as a Songwriter.

Throughout the fully online class, instructors will provide students with weekly live video lessons and assign songwriting exercises. Students will also participate in coaching and workshop sessions, which will include moments of 1:1 feedback from industry experts.

On top of that, participants will gain access to American Songwriter’s Membership Hub, which includes a community network of peers & pro songwriters. A Foundations tool kit featuring songwriting frameworks, prompts, guides, and resources will also be included.

At the end of the eight weeks, students will leave with a professionally produced, industry-ready demo of the song they created during the course.

The course is different from others out there because it’s fully online, structured, and guided—not a random collection of tutorials. On top of that, students won’t just leave with knowledge, but with real deliverables in the form of a professional demo. Additionally, through craft instruction, structure, mentorship, and real output, participants will get to turn their creative interests into actual songs.

Who’s Leading American Songwriter’s Foundations Course?

As for who students will be learning from, Foundations will be led by American Songwriter’s Membership Community Director, Dean Fields. A Nashville songwriter and producer, Fields boasts cuts by major artists, No. 1 Texas radio singles, extensive touring experience, and a background in classical composition.

Fields will be joined by a talented group of industry experts: Sarah Siskind, whose songs received more than 20 placements on Nashville; Adam Wright, a GRAMMY nominee who’s worked across several genres; Aaron Espe, who’s penned multiple tunes that have appeared in TV shows, films, and national brand campaigns; Ava Suppelsa, who’s songs have 350M+ streams; Thomm Jutz, a GRAMMY nominee with with ten No. 1 bluegrass hits; And Andrew Petroff who co-wrote the song “Grease” on Lainey Wilson’s GRAMMY-winning Bell Bottom Country album.

Enrollment for the course is now open and will remain so through Jan. 19. The course itself will run from Jan. 26 to March 26. The cost of the course is $999.99.

Whether you’ve never written a line or you’ve got dozens of songs, Foundations meets you where you are, allowing you to go from blank page to finished song in eight weeks.