Find Songwriting Lessons with Excellent Teachers

Online lessons are effective, affordable, and accessible. Lessonface qualifies teachers in over 300 music, language, and arts subjects, including Songwriting. Students can browse teachers' profiles, send them messages, and book lessons securely through Lessonface. Lessons happen via Zoom links that are securely generated for each lesson, and can be easily recorded by the teacher. Recordings, notes, and attachments can all be accessed from within the Lessonface dashboard. Lessons can be booked one at a time, in packages, or by subscription to save a spot on the teacher's calendar. Lessonface hosts recitals, open mics, group classes, and self-paced courses too. Registering an account is free so it's easy to get started reaching out to find your ideal instructor. Contact us with any further questions!

We're biased, of course, but at Lessonface we believe the best way to learn Songwriting is through one-on-one lessons. Personalized instruction means your teacher can tailor every lesson to your goals, learning style, and skill level. Online group classes can also be a great way to make learning fun and social. Learning Songwriting online makes it easy to stay consistent, which is essential to steady progress.

There are plenty of apps and YouTube videos out there to help with learning Songwriting, but most teachers agree that those resources work best as supplements to, not replacements for, one-on-one instruction. A skilled Songwriting teacher can identify bad habits before they become ingrained, help you focus on what matters most, and solve problems as soon as they arise, often saving you months of frustration and wasted practice time. The bottom line? A real teacher accelerates your progress and keeps you on the right path from day one.

With over 100 qualified Songwriting teachers who have together earned an average of 5 out of 5 stars over 112 lesson reviews by verified students, you can be sure to find a great instructor at Lessonface.

Lessonface offers free tools to help you find the ideal tutor for you or your family:

1. Use the open filtering system
2. Use our matching service to describe your background, scheduling preferences, and any particular goals, and qualified Songwriting teachers will respond.

You can view teachers' bios, accolades, rates, send them a message and book lessons from their profiles.

Many teachers offer a free trial, and you can book lessons one at a time until you decide you prefer to book a bundle or subscribe, so don't hesitate to try. Teachers may also offer group classes, self-paced courses, and downloadable content, so there are more ways to get started while you're still getting acquainted with the community.

Songwriting teachers on Lessonface set their own rates. Rates are displayed on the teachers' profile pages and in the checkout process prior to booking. Teachers may choose to change their rates for new bookings, and students will always be notified prior to making payment. Some Songwriting teachers offer a free trial lesson to new students, which are not factored into the average prices.

There is no fee until you book your first paid lesson. Many teachers offer free trial lessons. Students can opt to book one a time, or purchase lesson packages or subscriptions for scheduling convenience, and, depending on the teachers, a discount. Payment can be made by credit card or Paypal. Lessons booked with a subscription are pre-paid three days before the end of the month for lessons that are scheduled for the following month. Subscription payments can only be made by credit card (not Paypal). Teachers receive their payment after the lesson has been completed.

The honest answer is that it depends — and there's no wrong way to start.

Some songwriters begin with a chord progression or a melody, letting the music suggest an emotional territory that lyrics eventually fill in. Others start with a phrase, a title, or a fully formed lyric and build the music around it. Some start with a rhythmic groove or a beat. Some start with a concept or a story they want to tell and work outward from there. Many experienced songwriters work in all of these ways depending on the song, the moment, and the collaborators involved.

What tends to matter more than where you start is how well the music and lyrics ultimately serve each other. The best songs feel like the words and melody were made for each other — like neither could exist without the other. Getting there is the craft, and it's something you develop over time and with practice.

If you're just starting out, it can help to experiment with different entry points and notice which feels most natural to you. Some writers find that starting with music frees them from overthinking the words. Others find that a strong lyrical idea gives them direction and emotional focus that makes the music easier to write.

A good songwriting teacher can help you explore different approaches and develop flexibility — so that instead of waiting for inspiration to strike in one particular way, you have multiple doors into the creative process.

The fact that you already play an instrument is a bigger head start than you might think. You already have a way to generate musical ideas, a physical relationship with harmony and melody, and — most importantly — a means of expression to work with. The leap from playing music to songwriting is shorter than it seems from the outside.

A good starting point for instrumentalists new to songwriting is to simply start noodling with intention. Instead of running through your usual practice material, give yourself a constraint — a chord progression, a key, a tempo, a mood — and see what comes out. Record everything, even the fragments that don't seem to go anywhere. Songs often grow from small ideas that looked unpromising at first.

Another useful early exercise is learning songs you love by ear and then asking yourself why they work. What is it about that chord change that feels surprising? Why does that melody feel inevitable? Developing the habit of analytical listening builds the instincts that feed your songwriting.

If lyrics feel intimidating, don't force them early on. Many instrumentalists start by writing instrumental pieces or humming placeholder melodies, and let the words come later once the musical idea has taken shape.

It also helps to lower the stakes at the beginning. Your first songs don't need to be good — they need to exist. Getting comfortable with finishing things, even imperfect things, is one of the most important early habits a songwriter can build.

A songwriting teacher can give you structure, feedback, and prompts that keep you moving forward when you get stuck.