How to Write a Song Using Imagery: 9 Songwriting Tips from Andrea Stolpe | American Songwriter

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  • Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
  • Download Your Free Songwriting Handbook Now: berkonl.in/3wSocKI
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    It’s easy to see the imagery that songwriters use in the lyrics of country music, but in other types of music, it’s a little bit more difficult to pin down. In this free songwriting tutorial, songwriter and Berklee Online course author Andrea Stolpe covers 9 ways to use effective imagery in your song lyrics, no matter what genre of song you’re writing. Working from the age old “show, don’t tell” school of songwriting, and encouraging innovative experiments that range from sensory writing to changing the lyrical perspective of your song, Andrea uncovers a number of effective ways to keep your listeners engaged in your lyrics. She also offers tips on how to get past the hurdle of the second verse, and how to write through a lens.
    00:00 How to Create a Stronger Song with Imagery
    4:54 Verses Carry the Story / The Chorus Carries the Main Message
    8:25 How to Create Imagery for Songs
    15:23 Weight and Pace
    18:47 How to Use Imagery to Write a Verse
    23:55 How to Use Toggling and Imagery
    28:08 Writing through a Lens
    31:02 Writing the Second Verse
    33:35 Polishing Techniques for Lyrics
    About Andrea Stolpe:
    Andrea Stolpe is a multiplatinum songwriter, performing artist, and educator. Her songs have been recorded by Faith Hill, Julianne Hough, Jimmy Wayne, and more. She has worked as a staff writer for EMI, Almo-Irving, and Universal Music Publishing. Her books, Popular Songwriting: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling and Beginning Songwriting: Writing Your Own Lyrics, Melodies, and Chords detail a unique process for uniting your artistic voice with the commercial market. Andrea has taught melody, harmony, and lyric writing courses for Berklee Online for more than a decade. She authored the Berklee Online course Commercial Songwriting Techniques, which she teaches. She also teaches Lyric Writing: Writing from the Title, and Lyric Writing: Writing Lyrics to Music for Berklee Online.
    About Berklee Online:
    Berklee Online is the continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, delivering online access to Berklee's acclaimed curriculum from anywhere in the world, offering online courses, certificate programs, and degree programs. Contact an Academic Advisor today:
    1-866-BERKLEE (US)
    1-617-747-2146 (international callers)
    advisors@online.berklee.edu
    / berkleeonline
    / berkleeonline
    / berkleeonline
    Andrea Stolpe | Songwriting Tips | Free Songwriting Lesson | Online Songwriting Lesson | Songwriting Tutorial | American Songwriter | I Create Music | Berklee | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music

Комментарии • 281

  • @collinchingota7717
    @collinchingota7717 4 года назад +122

    Each time I watch this video I feel like I can write a song straight away

    • @normanroxwell7883
      @normanroxwell7883 4 года назад +1

      Facts!

    • @sanderrom9810
      @sanderrom9810 3 года назад

      You probably can ;)

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад +8

      You totally can! So glad you've found inspiration from this. By the way, I checked out a few of your videos, you have such a great voice. I wish you all the best on your songwriting journey, stay creative!

    • @forbiddenevil1
      @forbiddenevil1 2 года назад

      and do you? actually write a song?

    • @collinchingota7717
      @collinchingota7717 Год назад

      @@andreastolpe oh thank you Andrea! my songwriting is getting better and better thanks to this video and many of yours!

  • @calohtar
    @calohtar 6 лет назад +213

    Unbelievably helpful. Some of this stuff I already knew, some of it is obvious, but it makes a difference to hear these concepts linked together in a coherent framework. A lot of times the challenge isn't in learning new things, it's in accessing and making sense of what you already know.

    • @MartinManweiler
      @MartinManweiler 6 лет назад +3

      That's precisely how I felt when I heard her first video.

    • @MARLERMAKESMUSIC
      @MARLERMAKESMUSIC 6 лет назад +1

      This is a great comment!

    • @elansings
      @elansings 5 лет назад +2

      Agreed, if we can paint the picture vividly the listener will pay more attention

    • @Devanox4Five
      @Devanox4Five 4 года назад +1

      So very true

    • @kennethcarvalho3684
      @kennethcarvalho3684 3 года назад +1

      So at the end of the day you learnt something??

  • @amphitheatre
    @amphitheatre 6 лет назад +121

    16:46 one moment in detail
    24:40 showing and telling with toggling
    27:01 showing telling archetypes
    29:12 write thru a lens

    • @brandonseaborn3112
      @brandonseaborn3112 6 лет назад +1

      rss313 bless your soul

    • @elansings
      @elansings 5 лет назад

      👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💆🏻‍♂️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

    • @TheJigglicious
      @TheJigglicious 5 лет назад +3

      I still advise watching everything tho

    • @lawd1804
      @lawd1804 3 года назад

      21:26 So I’m driving on interstate 85
      And I’m thinking about the past
      And outside the blurr of the telephone lines
      Get me lost lost lost

    • @lawd1804
      @lawd1804 3 года назад

      22:33 6 verse Imagery

  • @promcoordinator2747
    @promcoordinator2747 6 лет назад +101

    This shit right here is worth paying for.

    • @juliab7410
      @juliab7410 4 года назад +1

      Prom Coordinator but you are broke haha

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад +5

      Thanks @Prom Coordinator, so glad you enjoyed this. I hope you're staying creative!

    • @nickdryad
      @nickdryad 3 года назад +1

      Hopefully you learned something from this video. Shit isn’t the right word to use for what we’ve just learned. Yes I know your not writing lyrics but, write and speak like a poet as much as you can.

  • @droneproductions625
    @droneproductions625 5 лет назад +15

    Incredible to see that 182 people didn't like this video. I literally watched it FOUR times and took notes. Incredible stuff here! This lady rocks!

    • @kubita-thecall8795
      @kubita-thecall8795 Год назад

      There will always be the mixit that will be ungrateful. Born to mock even the stuff meant to make them better in life. 😂✌️

  • @Beckyphillipsguitar
    @Beckyphillipsguitar 6 лет назад +34

    I was totally blocked until I saw this. Thank you so much :-)

  • @Foxy64
    @Foxy64 4 года назад +27

    As I'm relatively new to songwriting I found this absolutely invaluable . Andrea has a great way of explaining these techniques in a way that is simple to understand which is perfect for someone like me

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад +2

      Thanks Stuart, I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Wonderful to have you join the songwriting community. I wish you all the best on your songwriting journey, stay creative!

  • @DamonMedekMusic
    @DamonMedekMusic 6 лет назад +54

    GOLD GOLD GOLD!!

    • @chrisgodina3222
      @chrisgodina3222 6 лет назад

      Damon Medek viva

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад

      Thank you so much Damon, so glad to have helped. Stay creative!

  • @DeuceSF
    @DeuceSF 6 лет назад +49

    Your voice is so relaxing. Thank you for the advice!

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад

      You're so welcome, happy to help!

    • @templehillsfunk
      @templehillsfunk 3 года назад

      This is the reason, she's the only songwriting tutorial that I listen to. It makes it easier to connect with her advise.

  • @joebobhenrybob2000
    @joebobhenrybob2000 5 лет назад +40

    I was wandering youtube for inspiration on a song I am writing... ABOUT A TRUCK!!! Holy cow, this lady really IS helpful!

    • @andreastolpe
      @andreastolpe 3 года назад +1

      I'm so glad to have helped. There is so much great imagery that can be associated with a truck, I hope you were able to use a few of these tools to help you finish your song. Stay creative!

  • @SebastianGohCS
    @SebastianGohCS 5 лет назад +15

    Watching this made me realized that I had applied just about everything you teach without my knowing that's how I should approach my song writing. Andrea thank you because you put into perspective why I write lyrics the way I do and how much more I can improve. You are an amazing teacher 👏

  • @dannybernotv7881
    @dannybernotv7881 2 года назад +1

    Her voice is so soothing.

  • @adisatrio3871
    @adisatrio3871 6 лет назад +36

    dude, this is gold! she's so smart and really capable to explain shits with a great flow. i love how the video is really well structured. it makes me grasp the idea loud and clear easier. straight to the point so i can really learn. she's a great teacher. thank you for doing this Andrea. gbu. really well done. quality content at it's best.

    • @cpollero53
      @cpollero53 2 года назад

      100% agree and I must add, she is sooo beautiful

  • @stephanmayer6600
    @stephanmayer6600 6 лет назад +16

    An incredible amount of valuable information. I guess i need to watch that a couple of times. Thank you.

  • @brian_b_music
    @brian_b_music 5 лет назад +24

    The verses are the nails, the chorus is the hammer that drives them.

    • @nickdryad
      @nickdryad 3 года назад

      The song is the coffin that keeps warm. See, I’m doing it already.

    • @MrMikomi
      @MrMikomi 2 года назад

      The listener is the plank of wood into which we drive the nails.

  • @MarionFiedlerMusic
    @MarionFiedlerMusic 6 лет назад +9

    oh my, this is gold. Andrea, thank you so very much! This made my day. I love this video, I am so inspired by your ideas, your way of presenting this is low-key yet super professional, sharing powerful and well-summarized and presented essentials for songwriting. YOU ROCK!

  • @rasmuskrsgaard807
    @rasmuskrsgaard807 6 лет назад +5

    Thank you so much Andrea- this was really helpful, especially with 2 verse issues. You are amazing!

  • @RichardNeumannsongs
    @RichardNeumannsongs 6 лет назад +2

    Thank You Andrea for these videos. I always go back to them. They are so helpful! -Thanks for what you do!

  • @jazz_addict7079
    @jazz_addict7079 3 года назад +1

    The clarity and practical value of your guidance regarding the craft of songwriting are phenomenal. You are truly a godsend to anyone who feels compelled to express themselves through words and music.

  • @Bobby-iu5iu
    @Bobby-iu5iu 6 лет назад +4

    SUPER helpful!! Great examples and explaintions. Thanks!

  • @waliwriterdiddatbeat341
    @waliwriterdiddatbeat341 5 лет назад

    This Is So Valuable..... I love her spirit and the way she projects her message. I could listen to her all day!

  • @mojoefelix
    @mojoefelix 6 лет назад +2

    Thank you , Andrea, very much for this great teaching and for what I have learned from your book. After learning from you I have written a song which I consider my best yet and that makes me very happy. Song writing is in the realm of what most people would consider magic. Certainly a great song IS magic.

  • @cpollero53
    @cpollero53 2 года назад +1

    Andrea you are a natural teacher, really well done, and you are gorgeous too!!!

  • @stressVine
    @stressVine 5 лет назад +3

    So much valuable information! Much appreciated! Thank you!

  • @ashishit4134
    @ashishit4134 6 лет назад +16

    Pure Gold thank you

  • @d-alphamuszic2800
    @d-alphamuszic2800 6 лет назад +4

    I'm eternally grateful, thank you so much Andrea your the best.i wish you all the best, take care.

  • @ismailech-cherrate
    @ismailech-cherrate 5 лет назад +3

    Thank you! Really helpful, many tips and techniques, The best i ever listened to! 🙏 ❤️

  • @shanahaudree
    @shanahaudree 4 года назад

    This is awesome knowledge coming from you! Thanks so much Andrea!

  • @oconomymusic
    @oconomymusic 2 года назад

    thank you for shareing!
    you are so helpful!

  • @preetikapathare8026
    @preetikapathare8026 3 года назад

    this is the first time i'm watching videos for songwriting and i struck gold right at the beginning. thank you so much for this!

  • @RebeccaDMusic
    @RebeccaDMusic 5 лет назад +1

    Brilliant video! So much to think about and try next time I'm writing a song.

  • @151yaron
    @151yaron 6 лет назад +20

    Excellent, underrated.

  • @hearpalhere
    @hearpalhere 5 лет назад +1

    Another great video, really helpful tips! Thank you.

  • @cherylireland1833
    @cherylireland1833 5 лет назад +1

    This was incredibly helpful and thoughtful. Thank you very much! I have registered for Berklee Online. I can't express how much I appreciate the effort that went into this. Thank you.

  • @simonlawrence1234
    @simonlawrence1234 Год назад

    I got so much information and lesson from this, you wouldn’t believe. Thank you.

  • @jovantemusic68
    @jovantemusic68 3 года назад

    This is really good, very helpful tips and well thought-out. Thanks so much!

  • @anthonynardini4295
    @anthonynardini4295 3 года назад

    Your videos are changing my writing for the better. Being able to apply some analytical thought has helped organize ideas into jumping off points for songs. This worked so well without losing the artistic element and feeling formulaic. Thank you so much!

  • @linneblack3802
    @linneblack3802 4 года назад

    Andrea is an incredible instructor! It is so easy to listen to her voice, and beyond that, she really knows her stuff! It was very helpful to be refreshed by her tutorial! I especially appreciated the topics of "capturing a single moment", and "Writing through the lens of something else".

  • @patfinnegan467
    @patfinnegan467 3 года назад +1

    Andrea, thank you. Your presentations are very helpful.

  • @LaynoProd
    @LaynoProd 2 года назад +1

    Shoutout Professor Andrea Stolpe. Had the privilege of learning from her songwriting class at the USC Thornton School of Music a couple years back. Still applies those fundamental songwriting tips til this day in my music, thanks Professor appreciate you!

  • @tourdesource
    @tourdesource 2 года назад

    Some great tips in this one. Thank you, Ms. Stolpe!

  • @paigeandrews4184
    @paigeandrews4184 4 года назад +1

    Awesome...your style of teaching is very informative. I normally lose focus halfway through but you captured my attention all the way through!!! Thank you soooo much🤗

  • @NealScottGanslaw
    @NealScottGanslaw 3 года назад

    There is so much to unpack in this one~ this really helped me out ~ thanks so much!

  • @KingMarino
    @KingMarino 4 года назад

    I loved every minute of the material. I was just browsing RUclips for something helpful and this definitely fit the bill. Thanks. Very soothing voice.

  • @MicksMetaMassage
    @MicksMetaMassage Год назад

    Absolutely fantastic! Thanks :)

  • @grahamwilson6709
    @grahamwilson6709 3 года назад +1

    I have now decided, since turning 50, to finish all those partially written songs I have.
    Your words have helped so much. I've completed 2 songs!! I really want to get another 4 or 5 done soon.
    Thank you for giving me a new perspective and great inspiration.

  • @ama__dee
    @ama__dee Год назад

    This was so amazing! You explained everything in such a clear way with great examples, thank you so much! Very helpful and insightful tips ❤

  • @heatsourcemusic2539
    @heatsourcemusic2539 Год назад

    Amazing video! Thanks so much!!!

  • @MartinManweiler
    @MartinManweiler 6 лет назад +8

    Wonderful advice as always.

  • @isaacjacobo8912
    @isaacjacobo8912 6 лет назад +3

    Thank you. Great stuff!

  • @CaioV94
    @CaioV94 3 года назад

    this is a type of lesson that you need to watch a couple of times. And everytime you watch, there is a new amazing detail... Thanks a lot for this!!!

  • @mikestubbs9377
    @mikestubbs9377 2 года назад

    Thank you so much for this, It has helped me with the process so much!

  • @jairusomollo4955
    @jairusomollo4955 4 года назад

    Changing the POV as a polishing technique, writing through a lens,are advice I've read in books on how-to write novels and you sum it up well in songwriting.♥️it

  • @Hellothere23344
    @Hellothere23344 3 года назад

    Really helpful! A massive thank you to Andrea!

  • @yahnover262
    @yahnover262 2 года назад

    This is such excellent advice!

  • @hanskristianvilla7621
    @hanskristianvilla7621 3 года назад +1

    Great video, thank you!

  • @eleonoraformatoneeszczepan8807

    Thank you. I just downloaded the Songwriting Handbook.

  • @milbernbreeden6354
    @milbernbreeden6354 4 года назад +1

    Much thanks to Andrea for sharing all her expert advice.

  • @DavidBrown-ez5jc
    @DavidBrown-ez5jc 2 года назад

    Excellent thanks so much appreciated your video and so informative you are such awesome professional s

  • @zam7380
    @zam7380 4 года назад

    Wow. Can't believe this content is for free 👏🏼 Added this to my favorites

  • @PashaParoh
    @PashaParoh 3 года назад

    Great detail. Thank you.

  • @eeloiiiise14
    @eeloiiiise14 3 года назад

    this is so helpful! thanks a lot :)

  • @ajiterapia
    @ajiterapia 2 года назад

    Beautifully done. Thanks Andrea.

  • @MonekayDennis
    @MonekayDennis 4 месяца назад

    Very helpful, I like how you explained the show and tell patterns. And how to take a song from I or you, to we. I will definitely apply this is my next song!

  • @idrissekhelifi
    @idrissekhelifi 4 года назад

    High quality content right there, love it!

  • @HeatherDMorris
    @HeatherDMorris 7 месяцев назад

    I love your videos! I watch them when im writing when im stuck

  • @JansleyMusic
    @JansleyMusic 3 года назад

    This is incredible, really useful concepts. Andrea, I bought your Songwriting book and plan to do sensory writing every morning now!

  • @Reviveftp
    @Reviveftp 3 года назад

    amazing ty!

  • @arthurmurfitt7698
    @arthurmurfitt7698 2 года назад

    Thank you for posting these, Berkeley Online ❤️

  • @apostle4Him
    @apostle4Him 5 лет назад

    Great content and wow Andrea is such a great teacher!

  • @OsmonArtist
    @OsmonArtist 5 лет назад +1

    Beautiful, thank you 🙏 ❤️

  • @AnskarNEX
    @AnskarNEX Год назад

    I love this content. Makes me want to write lyrics when I‘ve always been a music guy believing I will never be able to write good lyrics

  • @ceyris4476
    @ceyris4476 4 года назад

    Thank you ever so much for putting this video out for us to enjoy! Extremely helpful and nicely produced!

  • @jaikumarsivalingam
    @jaikumarsivalingam Год назад

    Thank you, Andrea!

  • @KlanglaborBerlin
    @KlanglaborBerlin 6 лет назад +3

    really helpful your videos , thumbs up !

  • @yamittuiran1458
    @yamittuiran1458 4 года назад

    Excellent content, can't believe it took me this long to get here. Some things you apply subconsciously but having them in mind as a scheme makes your process more aligned in the direction you want to take ( making commercial but good music )

  • @danielweetman
    @danielweetman 4 года назад

    Thank you, very much >>

  • @ecgu1
    @ecgu1 4 года назад +1

    thanx a lot Andrea for this great, professional tutorial! I would have been happy to know all this , when I was 16, it would have been helped me creating more powerful songs. It's never to late though. Now I'm 40 and happy about learning this really brilliant methods !!

  • @michaelthompson9253
    @michaelthompson9253 5 лет назад

    Thankyou, i was too locked into just a few words of a chorus im writing, the i you he she all of your video opened a new door, Thankyou so much

  • @Jillady
    @Jillady 3 года назад

    Wow man even the pros object write! This is great stuff! So grateful to see this!

  • @MegaJacob04
    @MegaJacob04 5 лет назад +1

    Thank you so much!

  • @MrThelonliestpunk
    @MrThelonliestpunk 3 года назад

    Very very useful ,thank you

  • @evillano
    @evillano 6 лет назад +1

    What a master teacher!

  • @AdrianGeorges
    @AdrianGeorges 3 года назад

    What a joy to Listen to her. Deep information well explained

  • @kubita-thecall8795
    @kubita-thecall8795 Год назад

    Andrea and Berklee. Thank you so much with this valuable information. Music is been my passion as a young boy, from dancing but as I grew up it got kinda lost. Now in my 40s I still come across the bouts of love for music production. As a Swazi we got our own Swazi rhythms and culture. Most of my youth days was fascinated by Hillsong music and few American music. Hip hop era also took grasp of me when I fell away from church when I was a varsity. I'm my thirties got back to Christ and have been active in church band but I still feel there's a lot I could be doing especially in the writing and production space. Being a family man it's hard to spare some money to achieve the professional skills of enrolling into your university. I would love that before I die, to have made it in one of your online courses. Thanks for keeping your material on RUclips. I recently liked your Facebook account too.

  • @JasonFerguson1283
    @JasonFerguson1283 6 лет назад +4

    This is very helpful!

  • @TIMOWHITEBUFFALO
    @TIMOWHITEBUFFALO 2 года назад

    This is wondrous and how I create...too many people do not realize that it takes work...most people I know call me to ask me...to make them a star...because I work at it daily...there is no special pill...thank you so much...

  • @Godfather48hrs
    @Godfather48hrs 3 года назад

    Very informative! Thank you!

  • @KyleValet
    @KyleValet 4 года назад

    fantastic ty

  • @airbee6
    @airbee6 4 года назад +2

    "Thank you" won't be enough 🙏❤️🌹

  • @OmgItsAlexOfficial
    @OmgItsAlexOfficial Год назад

    This was awesome.

  • @tommartin7833
    @tommartin7833 3 года назад

    You are AMAZING!

  • @vitalijusmacas1629
    @vitalijusmacas1629 6 лет назад +1

    Big thanks!

  • @michaelgayerjr7293
    @michaelgayerjr7293 6 лет назад +2

    Excellent!

  • @setphaser
    @setphaser 3 года назад

    i haven’t written for ages and have forgotten how to start (with more suvccess) but this is really helping remind me of the skills and how to keep the muscles going more regularly.

  • @xkillbilly
    @xkillbilly 4 года назад

    Thank you Ms. Stolpe.

  • @maimunnissa5512
    @maimunnissa5512 5 лет назад +2

    Very beautifully explained : )

  • @suzanaterumi1739
    @suzanaterumi1739 5 лет назад +2

    Dear Andrea, thanks for the amazing lesson!

  • @elpablitorodriguezharrera
    @elpablitorodriguezharrera 5 лет назад +1

    Thank You!