Adrianne Lenker is one of the most talented and prolific songwriters out there (between 2018 and 2023, Lenker's released six albums, three solo and three with Big Thief), though she's slowed her roll just slightly in the last year, only dropping the Big Thief double single "Vampire Empire" and "Born for Loving You" in 2023.
If you're wondering how the hell she does it, she's here to explain — Lenker has announced a new online songwriting workshop through School of Song. The course will be taught online via live Zoom lectures across four consecutive Sundays — January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28 — with two lecture sessions on each day to accommodate for different time zones: 11 a.m. PT and 6 p.m. PT. For anyone who's unavailable at those times, recorded versions of the lectures will be sent out afterward.
The class will see Lenker giving a lecture on subjects specific to her songwriting process, with each class including a homework assignment to write a song using the techniques she presents in the lecture. There will also be weekly song-sharing sessions composed of peer review and an additional hour of live Q&A with Lenker.
The workshop costs $160 total, with a 20 percent discount available for anyone who signs up with a friend. The deadline to sign up is Saturday, January 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The course is described as being "geared towards anyone with an interest in songwriting in general or Adrianne's process in particular, from absolute beginners to seasoned songwriters. There are no prerequisites to sign up, but having an instrument that you know how to play a few chords on will be helpful if you want to complete the assignments."
Here's the full description:
In Adrianne Lenker's songwriting workshop, we will begin with the understanding that songs emerge from an ever-mysterious source within us – our subconscious, our inner child, magic, the universe. Our primary task as songwriters is to ensure this source remains unblocked and unhindered. This workshop will cover how Adrianne navigates this unblocking process throughout all facets of life to get back to the place where songs come from.
Building upon this open foundation, we delve into song craft, touching on key elements of Adrianne's approach. We'll explore how open tunings can transform the guitar into a landscape of drones and bass lines, welcoming resonant melodies to emerge. We'll consider how various guitar techniques (e.g. strummed cowboy chords, fingerpicking) affect the expression of the songwriter's identity. Lyrically, we'll examine the process of drawing from personal experiences to create lyrics that balance the specific with the universal. Throughout the workshop, students will learn to write lyrics that highlight the beauty and magic often overlooked in our daily existence, revealing the depth that lies beneath the veneer of the mundane.
Join us in January as Adrianne gives our community insight into her process. You will leave the course with several new original songs of your own, and with new connections to fellow songwriters all over the world.
If you're wondering how the hell she does it, she's here to explain — Lenker has announced a new online songwriting workshop through School of Song. The course will be taught online via live Zoom lectures across four consecutive Sundays — January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28 — with two lecture sessions on each day to accommodate for different time zones: 11 a.m. PT and 6 p.m. PT. For anyone who's unavailable at those times, recorded versions of the lectures will be sent out afterward.
The class will see Lenker giving a lecture on subjects specific to her songwriting process, with each class including a homework assignment to write a song using the techniques she presents in the lecture. There will also be weekly song-sharing sessions composed of peer review and an additional hour of live Q&A with Lenker.
The workshop costs $160 total, with a 20 percent discount available for anyone who signs up with a friend. The deadline to sign up is Saturday, January 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The course is described as being "geared towards anyone with an interest in songwriting in general or Adrianne's process in particular, from absolute beginners to seasoned songwriters. There are no prerequisites to sign up, but having an instrument that you know how to play a few chords on will be helpful if you want to complete the assignments."
Here's the full description:
In Adrianne Lenker's songwriting workshop, we will begin with the understanding that songs emerge from an ever-mysterious source within us – our subconscious, our inner child, magic, the universe. Our primary task as songwriters is to ensure this source remains unblocked and unhindered. This workshop will cover how Adrianne navigates this unblocking process throughout all facets of life to get back to the place where songs come from.
Building upon this open foundation, we delve into song craft, touching on key elements of Adrianne's approach. We'll explore how open tunings can transform the guitar into a landscape of drones and bass lines, welcoming resonant melodies to emerge. We'll consider how various guitar techniques (e.g. strummed cowboy chords, fingerpicking) affect the expression of the songwriter's identity. Lyrically, we'll examine the process of drawing from personal experiences to create lyrics that balance the specific with the universal. Throughout the workshop, students will learn to write lyrics that highlight the beauty and magic often overlooked in our daily existence, revealing the depth that lies beneath the veneer of the mundane.
Join us in January as Adrianne gives our community insight into her process. You will leave the course with several new original songs of your own, and with new connections to fellow songwriters all over the world.
