The Country Songwriting Manual, Volume 1

This class blends Volume 1's concepts and tools with the professional song analysis and song critique of Volume 2 and includes regular song feedback and additional (optional) weekly small-group consultations with Rick Beresford.

We are excited for the experience, value, amount of drafts you will receive personal feedback on, and the number of songs you'll complete, all under the mentorship of #1 writer Rick Beresford. 

• Class 1 and part of Class 2 are all about concepts and content, laying out "The Country Songwriting Manual"
  
• Classes 2-8 are all about applying the manual: hit country song analysis and class song feedback sessions
• Rick offers additional optional song feedback sessions each Saturday in weeks 2-7, privately and in small groups, also 1-3pm PT
• this means you have up to 14 class meetings with Rick(!), with full archives and all handouts at a private site for your review

If you can write a good country song, you can write a good song. Who better to study with than a #1 hit Nashville songwriter and BMI Award Winner who has spent the past 25 years teaching songwriters, at Nashville's Belmont University and at the Songschool at The Kerrville Folk Festival.

The Songwriting School was proud to welcome Nashville's Rick Beresford to teach the first installment of this country songwriting craft and business series: The Country Songwriting Manual, Volume 1 online over Zoom fully interactive and on-demand. And we are excited to welcome him back to teach again in 2022!

"Teaching is my soul path," Rick intones, and you believe him the animated second he starts talking about working with fellow songwriters. He notched hits himself with the legends (George Jones, Don Williams, The Everly Brothers, Brenda Lee...), and many of his students are among the day's top writers on Music Row (like Jon Nite, with 8 #1s in the past five years). Rick has developed what he calls "The Songwriting Manual" after a lifetime writing and teaching other writers. We are proud to offer a series of courses where he aims that considerable knowledge of lyric, melody, structure, and strategy at the art and craft of Country songwriting.

Who: for people who already write songs and want to learn to write stronger songs or who specifically are interested in Country songwriting. This is not a beginning songwriting class, but if you have completed songs previously you are eligible.

What: fully interactive Zoom class with #1 writer Rick Beresford. Each class will involve presentation, discussion, song examples and analysis, assignments and exercises, and the opportunity for feedback on your work from Rick. All class materials will be privately archived for your review, and if you must miss class in real time you can still submit song assignments and watch the video archives