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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Free Online Course
Posted by: PosterBoy Feb 19 2013, 06:10 PM
https://www.coursera.org/category/music
These are just the music ones, there are others
Posted by: sammetal92 Feb 19 2013, 06:14 PM
I applied for the songwriting course at Berklee college of music in January, my first class will be on March 1, 2013 
and they sent me videos of Pat Pattinson's songwriting clinics today via email, they're extremely informative!
I definitely recommend this 
Posted by: PosterBoy Feb 19 2013, 07:11 PM
I looked at that but I'm not sure I've got the spare 6-8 hours a week or the discipline!
Posted by: sammetal92 Feb 19 2013, 07:42 PM
Yeah, it does need time and dedication. I am a university student myself, but I had to grab at this opportunity as songwriting is not something that comes naturally or easily to me at all, but I still want to do it
Posted by: Grace Feb 20 2013, 02:33 AM
So wait...these courses are completely free??? 
Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 20 2013, 07:03 AM
Couresear is AWESOME I shared the link a while back as well. Great coures and free!!
Todd
These are just the music ones, there are others
Posted by: sammetal92 Feb 20 2013, 05:44 PM
The courses are free, taking an exam for a diploma/certificate costs money. You get lessons and course material for free but you can't give an exam unless you pay for it. Last I checked, a Berklee songwriter certificate costed $12,500
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 20 2013, 06:49 PM
It makes sense that exams must be payed, by the way is so cool to be able to get the course for free.
Posted by: sammetal92 Feb 20 2013, 07:03 PM
Yes, and having Pat Pattinson as an instructor is mind blowing
he's an amazing teacher
Posted by: Grace Feb 21 2013, 01:14 AM
Sounds great and makes total sense thanks Sam.
Posted by: maharzan Feb 21 2013, 04:08 AM
Awesome.. signed up too.. Thanks for posting!
Posted by: Timmy b Feb 21 2013, 08:51 AM
Sweet!
Thanks for posting! I signed up too!
This is a great concept, lots of the non music courses look good too!
Posted by: PosterBoy Feb 23 2013, 11:41 AM
Let us know how you get on, I'm really interested, for when I can commit more time to a course
Posted by: sammetal92 Mar 4 2013, 05:32 PM
As of yet, its been really fun and extremely useful to me of course, after hearing so much good stuff about Pat Pattison, he lives more than just up to his name He's a very funny instructor 
They sent us video lectures of the first lesson, the quality is great! They offer subtitles and downloads of the videos as well.
After completing almost every lecture, you have to do a quiz. You can attempt it more than one time, and it tells you your mistakes and how to correct them.
We've got an assignment (I think they give out assignments every week). They give you a due date to submit it on or before.
Its pretty much like a real college/university class, but its really fun and you really learn stuff, like important stuff.
Posted by: snackajacks Mar 4 2013, 08:01 PM
yey signed up for the guitar and improvisation course
14 hours, I should be able to handle that...
Posted by: sammetal92 Mar 5 2013, 09:18 AM
I've enrolled for four courses at the moment all of them related to music.
My main focus for now is the Songwriting course. Along with it, I've also enrolled for the Introduction to Music production course. Both of them have started on March 1st and will end on April 22nd.
As of now I'm greatly impressed by the quality of the material offered by the courses and if I feel burdened, I can always un-enroll. So yeah, I definitely recommend coursera
Posted by: David.C.Bond Mar 5 2013, 11:10 AM
Cool, thanks for the link!
Posted by: PosterBoy Mar 5 2013, 12:40 PM
I'm watching some Pat Pattison Masterclass stuff on youtube, and I'm kinda kicking myself I didn't enroll now!
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 5 2013, 02:16 PM
all of them related to music.My main focus for now is the Songwriting course. Along with it, I've also enrolled for the Introduction to Music production course. Both of them have started on March 1st and will end on April 22nd.
As of now I'm greatly impressed by the quality of the material offered by the courses
and if I feel burdened, I can always un-enroll. So yeah, I definitely recommend coursera That's cool Sam... I'm curious about the Songwriting course! What are you working right now?
Posted by: sammetal92 Mar 5 2013, 03:27 PM
Well, I've just started, so Pat first sent all the students a list of the songs they should have and a list of the books he recommended (I only got "Writing Better Lyrics" book, but its pretty good). This is the list of songs he wanted us to get so we could analyse them:
"One More Dollar" (Gillian Welch) performed by Gillian Welch
"Still Crazy After All These Years" (Paul Simon) performed by Paul Simon
"In Front of the Alamo" (Gary Burr) performed by Hal Ketchum
"It Was a Very Good Year" (Ervin Drake) performed by Frank Sinatra)
"For No One" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) performed by The Beatles
"What’ll I do?" (Irving Berlin) performed by Linda Ronstadt
"Can’t Be Really Gone" (Gary Burr) performed by Tim McGraw
"Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig's Tune)" (Joni Mitchell) performed by Joni Mitchell
"I Can’t Make You Love Me" (Mike Reid/Allen Shamblin) performed by Bonnie Raitt
"The Great Pretender" (Buck Ram) performed by The Platters
"Strawberry Wine" (Matraca Berg/Gary Harrison) performed by Deana Carter
"Why Can't I Have You?" (Ric Ocasek) performed by The Cars
And in the first lesson, he taught us:
(1) how to tell a story in a song (answer the "what", the "to whom" and the "why" of the story).
(2) what are the fundamental points of view of telling the story in a song (third person, second person, first person and direct address).
(3) using boxes as a development engine to make your story progress, or divide your song in stages (so that you don't say everything at once: keep your audience in suspense and keep them interested).
(4) answering your six "best friends" to make the setting of your song (what, why, who, how, when and where).
(5) the basic parts of a song, called song form (verse, chorus, pre chorus, bridge)
(6) and the importance of the chorus (how it should be different from the rest of the song to make that impact on your audience)
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 5 2013, 03:41 PM
And in the first lesson, he taught us:
(1) how to tell a story in a song (answer the "what", the "to whom" and the "why" of the story).
(2) what are the fundamental points of view of telling the story in a song (third person, second person, first person and direct address).
(3) using boxes as a development engine to make your story progress, or divide your song in stages (so that you don't say everything at once: keep your audience in suspense and keep them interested).
(4) answering your six "best friends" to make the setting of your song (what, why, who, how, when and where).
(5) the basic parts of a song, called song form (verse, chorus, pre chorus, bridge)
(6) and the importance of the chorus (how it should be different from the rest of the song to make that impact on your audience)
That's great stuff Sam! Thanks for sharing this info with us. I'm not the one who writes the lyrics in my band but this process seems very logical and effective for doing that. I noticed that Cosmin wrote all lyrics in Days of Confusion new. I wonder how his process is...
Posted by: sammetal92 Mar 5 2013, 04:25 PM
That's what I thought too, it makes so much sense. And Pat is a funny man, he tends to make jokes now and then so the lecture doesn't get boring at all
Posted by: Timmy b Mar 5 2013, 06:18 PM
I'm doing this course too. It may seem like basic stuff, but like everything we do, the fundamentals are really important.
I'm enjoying it so far and have definitely learned from it, Im curious to see how the rest of it will be.
And like Samuel said, the guys got an interesting scene of humor. Really puts his style of showmanship into his teaching.
Posted by: Socky42 Mar 5 2013, 08:30 PM
What are the assignments like?
And does anything happen if you just decide to stop doing the course?
Posted by: Timmy b Mar 6 2013, 11:11 AM
And does anything happen if you just decide to stop doing the course?
Not sure about the assignment yet. Haven't got that far
I'll let you knowBeing a free course, Im pretty sure you can walk away any time.
Posted by: sammetal92 Mar 6 2013, 08:30 PM
And does anything happen if you just decide to stop doing the course?
Its like a real class, you get to discuss with your class fellows at the forum too. The assignments are stuff that you do right there on the website (like write stuff you're told to do) and then submit or save it right there on the website. There is a due date for every assignment.
Nothing happens; if you want to walk away, go to the page showing the courses you are enrolled in and just click "Un-enroll" to stop attending the class.
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