Unlocking Your Songs

'Unlocking Your Songs' is an absolutely amazing course! I been writing songs for over 35 years and have performed many of my original songs live and online over the years. Prior to taking this course I have taken song writing classes at a college level and also a number in-person seminars with successful artists, plus watching tutorial videos and reading articles and books along the way. But nothing has come close to what this course offers. Not only is Brian Doerksen a successful, seasoned and talented song writer, but he is also a very gifted teacher. The issues with learning to writing songs is that most of the successful people doing it are so creative they struggle to really break down the process and methodically unpack the tools they use because most of the are abstract thinkers. As a result, song writing can be made out to seam like this mystical process that only the elite are privy to or you just have to write 100's of song hoping that one of them ends up being good one day. Although there is a magical aspect the all art and creative processes, Brian masterfully demystifies a lot of the process giving very linear and balanced explanations along the way, while continuing to give inspiration all along the way. Song writing is a craft, just like so many other crafts. This course will not only show you the tools that the worlds best song writers use, but furthermore, through 'Unlocking Your Songs' Brian will show you how to use these tools to further your craft. The added opportunity to have one-on-one song writing consultations with seasoned song writers also helps take these principles to the next level by having someone help apply them to your own songs. After writing songs for 35 years, I have quite possibly grown more in my songwriting in these past 4 months while taking this course than all my other years combined. If you are frustrated with your song writing or even questioning whether or not you are capable of writing amazing songs that connect with your audience, you just found your answer and solution!

Before taking this course, my songwriting leaned heavily on “catching the muse” whenever she showed up. Now it’s both catching the muse AND having a compass I can use to continually and intentionally fine-tune my songs. “Unlocking Your Songs” took me deeper into the craft of songwriting, music appreciation, music theory and, perhaps most importantly, how to care for myself as an artist. I highly recommend it.

Taking the ‘Unlocking Your Songs’ course felt like putting on a pair of glasses. Blurry details of the songwriting process sharpened and came into focus. After taking this course, I have a much deeper appreciation of the amount of work and artistry that goes into songwriting. ‘Unlocking Your Songs’ has given me tools and principles to edit and hone my song ideas, and it’s inspired me to keep writing. This course is well-structured and very comprehensive, with plenty of song examples to listen to. One of the things I appreciate most is how practical it is. Brian is both an artist and a teacher, which makes this course unique. As a songwriter himself, he can relate to the mystery of the creative process, but he is also an excellent educator. In ‘Unlocking Your Songs’, Brian delves deeply into all aspects and details of songwriting: form, lyrics and music. The course material comes from Brian’s thirty-plus years of research and experience in the craft of songwriting. I have learned so much in this course, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to grow as a songwriter!

The Unlocking Your Songs course has taken my song writing to a new level! Even with many years of musical training and post secondary education in Music Composition under my belt, this course completely challenged me and gave me so many new tools to use. Not only does Brian break down the craft of writing lyrics, melody and harmonies, but his coaching on why we write and how to write songs that are authentically ours to create opened my heart to new possibilities. I now have the freedom and confidence I didn't have before to bring my songs to life!

I absolutely loved Brian Doerksen's "Unlocking Your Songs" course! If you're serious about developing as a songwriter, this course is for you. My two favourite components were the sections on song form and rhyme. If you've always thought (like I used to) that every song has one or more verses and a chorus, prepare to learn the difference between verse/chorus songs and "A" based song forms- and how to use them to your advantage! If you think you know everything about rhymes and how to use them, prepare to learn how vast the subtle possibilities really are! Brian has an infectious passion about all things songwriting and this course has inspired me to keep on writing with purpose and joy!

I've admired Brian Doerksen's songs for years, so what a joy to watch 30 sessions of his thoughts on form, rhyme, chords and SO much more! Loved the countless YouTube examples, both secular and Christian, of the various topics. I would definitely recommend it!