Songwriting Workshop
Composition
The structure of a song is not a constraint. It is what makes what you say land.
Before you can break the rules of song structure, you need to understand what they are and why they exist. This is where a song gets its shape.
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What this is about
Structure as a creative tool, not a formula.
In this workshop, I work with you on the architecture of a song. Not as a set of rules to follow, but as a set of decisions to make deliberately. How does the verse set up the chorus? Where does the bridge earn its place? What does harmony communicate when the melody alone cannot carry it? These are the questions that separate a song that works from one that almost works.
Watch
A short introduction to the Composition Workshop
What we cover
Five areas of compositional craft
01
Song structure and form
Verse, chorus, bridge, pre-chorus: what each section does, why it matters, and how to make structural choices that serve your song rather than constrain it.
02
Harmony and chord progressions
How chords carry emotional meaning. How to write in major and minor to create different moods. How to use tension and resolution deliberately, and yes, we look at the hit formulas the industry has been using for decades and why they work.
03
Rhythm and groove
How a song moves. The relationship between rhythmic feel and emotional tone. Why changing the groove of a section changes what it communicates, even when the notes stay the same.
04
Dynamics and contrast
Tension, release, build and drop. How contrast creates impact. How to use space and density so that the moments that matter feel like they matter.
05
How composition and lyric work together
What happens when the music and the words are pulling in the same direction, and what happens when they are not. How structure amplifies, or undermines, what the lyric is trying to say.
How it works
Teaching composition to writers who work by instinct.
Many songwriters have been writing for years, more instinctively than intentionally. This workshop puts language and tools around what you are already sensing, so you can make compositional choices deliberately rather than by accident.
Each session combines focused teaching with direct application to your work. You can bring a song that feels structurally stuck, a chord progression you want to develop, or just a sense that your songs are not quite doing what you want them to do.
- Prerequisite: a basic understanding of chord progressions (you do not need to read sheet music)
- No formal theory background required beyond that
- Available one-on-one or as part of a small group
- Works for any genre and any instrument
Workshop Format
Who this is for
You do not need a music degree. You need a song you want to make better.
Beginners
You have ideas but your songs feel shapeless or unfinished. We start with the fundamentals of how songs are built and give you a framework to work from.
Experienced writers
You know how to write songs but you sense your structures are predictable or that your bridges are not earning their place. We diagnose and solve those problems.
Writers who are stuck
You have a song that is almost there but something is not working. Often the issue is structural. A fresh look at the architecture usually reveals the fix.
Non-classical musicians
You play by ear, you write by instinct, and you want to understand what you are already doing so you can do it more deliberately. This workshop is built for you.
From a workshop participant
Petra’s workshop was a light bulb moment for me as a composer who has been chasing lyrics for as long as I can remember. By breaking down the process into digestible parts, I found new freedom to create the world I wanted to create for the listener. I highly recommend it to anyone for whom lyric writing is an opaque puzzle, or for anyone seeking a new perspective on the art.
Christopher Bowen
Composer for Film, Music Producer
Formerly of Blue Man Group, Creator of Belongalong
Ready to begin
Book a Composition Workshop session.
A free 30-minute call first, so we can talk about where you are and what you want to work on. No commitment required.
Book a Free Call See PricingComposition is Workshop 2 of 3 in the
Essential Songwriting Course
Lyrics, Composition, and Melody taken together as one complete course. Each workshop builds on the last. Available as a bundle at a reduced rate.