Bring the Song You Can’t Quite Crack.
How Much Better Could One Song Get in Six Weeks?
A hands-on six-week intensive where you revise, refine, and complete one original song.
The HSD SongLab program is designed to to help you develop one original song from its current draft to a finished version.
Between sessions, you’ll apply what you learn directly to your song using guided assignments and HSD tools, then bring your progress into weekly SongLab Feedback Sessions with David Penn and the group.
During these sessions, you’ll get feedback on your own song, ask questions, and learn from the feedback, challenges, and creative decisions that come up across everyone’s work.
One Song. Three Stages of Development.
Six Weeks of Focused Revision.
1. Melody & Hooks
Examine how your melody and hooks are working across your song.
You’ll study the principles covered during the Melody & Hooks masterclass, then use HSD tools, exercises, and assignments to evaluate and revise your own song.
Saturday, September 26
Then you apply what you learned directly to your song.
During the following weeks, you’ll have weekly SongLab feedback sessions with David Penn where you can share your progress, ask questions, and get feedback as your song develops.
2. Lyrics & Rhymes
Next, turn your attention to the relationship between your lyrics, rhymes, melody, and song sections.
After the masterclass, you'll apply the concepts directly to the same song, giving you the opportunity to reconsider lines, rhymes, lyrical setup and payoff, and how effectively your lyric and melody are working together.
Saturday, October 10
After the masterclass, you'll apply the concepts directly to the same song, examining your lines, rhymes, lyrical setup and payoff, and how effectively your lyric and melody are working together.
3. Structure & Arrangement
With the song's melody, hooks, and lyrics already under examination, the third stage focuses on the song as a complete listening experience.
You’ll assess its structure and arrangement, then make the revisions you believe will strengthen the song from beginning to end.
Saturday, October 24
The revision process continues along with weekly SongLab feedback sessions with David Penn.
4. Final Listening Session
During this final listening session, you’ll present the finished version of the song you developed during SongLab and discuss your creative journey.
Saturday, November 7
The purpose of SongLab is application.
Throughout the six weeks, everything you learn is applied directly to your song.
Sessions Every Two Weeks
The six-week program includes three live masterclasses, each focused on a critical aspect of song development: Melody & Hooks, Lyrics & Rhymes, and Structure & Arrangement.
HSD Tools, Workbooks & Checklists
After each masterclass, you’ll use HSD tools, workbooks, and checklists to guide your assignments and apply the concepts covered directly to your song.
Weekly SongLab Feedback Sessions
Meet live with David and the SongLab group to share your progress, ask questions, and get feedback as your song develops. You’ll also hear the songs other participants are working on, take part in the discussion, and learn from the feedback, challenges, and creative decisions that come up across the group.
Final Listening Session
At the end of the six weeks, you’ll present the finished version of the song you developed throughout SongLab and discuss the creative journey and decisions that shaped it.
Who Is SongLab For?
SongLab is for music creators who already have a song in development and want to put focused work into making it stronger.
It is especially valuable if you:
- Have a song you believe in but know isn't fully there yet
- Keep making changes without being certain whether they are solving the right problem
- Want more specific feedback than “I like it” or “the chorus needs something”
- Understand songwriting concepts but want a more disciplined way to apply them
- Want the structure and focus to take one song from draft through final revision
Bring the song. We’ll give you a process for taking it further.
Learn With David Penn
David Penn developed the Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology in 2010 and has spent more than 15 years analyzing the songwriting and production techniques behind successful contemporary songs.
Hit Songs Deconstructed is used by songwriters, producers, labels, publishers, and music programs including Berklee College of Music, USC Thornton, and NYU.
David has also developed custom workshops for companies including Atlantic Records and BMG, and his work has been featured by Billboard, Variety, Music Week, ASCAP, and others.
During SongLab, you won't only hear from David during the three main masterclasses. You'll also have access to weekly SongLab feedback sessions throughout the program, giving you the opportunity to ask questions and get direct feedback while you're actively working on your song.
Schedule
Live Learning Sessions Every Other Week
Saturdays | 12 - 3 PM ET
September 26, October 10, October 24, November 7
Live Feedback Sessions | Wednesdays
Hours TBD based on group time zones.
September 30, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28, November 4
Take One Song Further Than You Would on Your Own.
Over six weeks, you'll hear it differently, question specific choices, test revisions, get feedback, and work toward the version you're ready to present at the final listening session.
Your Masterclass Includes:
follow us: