The Science of Songwriting

Week of March 25, 2023

6 Days with Hiroki (Matt Brewster, Salvatore Manalo)

Summary/workshop description: Music is a bit of magic, and songwriting is a science. To demystify the process of what makes a song work, let’s take a deep dive into the process from start to finish. We’ll take a look at all the working parts; from melody and harmony to structure and form. Follow us as we collaboratively create a song and record it. Whether you’re an aspiring songwriter or a music enthusiast, we’ll discover what we’d like to say to ourselves or to the world through a laid-back songwriting experience.

The topics we are going to discuss include, but are not limited to the following:
Form
Chords
Lyrical Content/Subject
Approach
Solid Hook
Rhyme Scheme
Feeling/ Major or Minor
Tempo
Rhythm
Dynamics
Space
Tension/ Release
Harmony/Melody
Time
Groove
Music as a Language

Day 1: Introductions/Demonstration/Analysis
Day 2: What makes a Song?
Day 3: Writing Preparation – Music
Day 4: Writing
Day 5: Refinement
Day 6: Recording and Performing

 

Led by the AAPI duo of Salvatore Manalo and Matt Brewster, Hiroki is a band from Portland, Oregon, focused heavily on grooves, good vibes, and quality music. Although the two have different musical backgrounds, the work together seamlessly to write, record, and produce every song. Each of them brings their own personal flavor to the sweet recipe of soul, and the result is something smooth, something tasty, and something undeniably enjoyable.