HEAR YOUR SONG MORE CLEARLY.

MAKE STRONGER CREATIVE DECISIONS.

Work on one original song using the Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology, current hit song case studies, HSD tools, and direct feedback from David Penn.

Begins Saturday, October 3 | 12–3 PM ET | AN 8-WEEK LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM

 RESERVE YOUR SPOT

THE HSD SONGLAB

DO ANY OF THESE SOUND FAMILIAR?


One of the hardest parts of developing a song is knowing how to asses your own work while you’re still in the middle of creating it. Maybe you've...

  • Found yourself second-guessing your creative decisions.
  • Felt like you’re too close to your song to hear it clearly.
  • Kept changing things over and over without knowing whether you’re actually making the song better.
  • Had a song where you know something isn’t working, but you can’t figure out what it is.
  • Wished you had someone knowledgeable to turn to, a mentor you could ask questions and get feedback from while you’re working on your song.

If any of those sound familiar, imagine having a clearer way to work through them.


WHAT IF YOU COULD…


HEAR YOUR SONG MORE CLEARLY…

and understand why your choices are or aren’t working, so when something feels off, you know what to listen for, where to look, and how to improve it?

GET AN EXPERIENCED OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE…

while your song is still developing, someone who will listen closely, answer your questions, and give you specific feedback on the choices you’re making?

THAT’S WHY WE CREATED THE HSD SONGLAB

SongLab is designed to give you two things: a clearer way to hear and evaluate your own work, and an experienced outside perspective when you need it.

A CLEARER WAY TO HEAR AND EVALUATE YOUR WORK

Throughout the program, you’ll examine melody, hooks, lyrics, rhymes, structure, and arrangement using current hit song case studies and the Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology David Penn developed to pull back the curtain on how successful songs work.

You’ll also gain access to HSD tools and materials designed to bring greater clarity to your own work, helping you step back, examine your song from different angles, and make more informed creative decisions.

AN EXPERIENCED OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE

And you’ll have eight live feedback sessions with David and the group, where you can bring your song, ask questions, and get specific feedback on the creative decisions you’re working through.

Because the feedback sessions take place throughout the program, you can come back with revisions, new questions, and new decisions as your song evolves.

THE FOUR SONGLAB MASTERCLASSES

GO DEEP INTO THE CHOICES THAT SHAPE YOUR SONG

Each three-hour masterclass takes a deeper look at a different area of songwriting, using current hit song case studies to explore how those choices shape the way a song is experienced.

01

THE MELODY SONGLAB

Saturday, October 3 · 12–3 PM ET

Explore how melodic choices shape emotion, movement, contrast, and memorability, and what makes a melody connect and stick.

02

THE HOOKS SONGLAB

Saturday, October 17 · 12–3 PM ET

Examine what makes hooks stand out, how different types of hooks work together, and how they contribute to a song’s identity and memorability.

03

THE LYRICS & RHYMES SONGLAB

Saturday, October 31 · 12–3 PM ET

Explore how lyrical and rhyme choices shape clarity, meaning, emotion, memorability, and payoff.

04

THE STRUCTURE & ARRANGEMENT SONGLAB

Saturday, November 14 · 12–3 PM ET

Examine how structure and arrangement shape momentum, contrast, energy, section impact, and payoff.

All four masterclasses include lifetime replay access.

LEARN WITH DAVID PENN

David Penn is the co-founder of Hit Songs Deconstructed. He 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 The HSD SongLab, you won’t only learn from David during the four masterclasses. You’ll also have the opportunity to bring your own song and questions to him throughout the program during the live feedback sessions.

WHAT CREATORS SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH DAVID

"

The private coaching with David is next level. What my song turned into was fantastic. It honestly exceeded my expectations, really great experience.

Omar Zulfi / Songwriter & Producer

"

David, the depth of your analysis, the techniques you covered, the practical tools you provided me with, I’m really honored and profoundly grateful for all I learned from you.

Patrick Gorce / Composer

"

I can now analyze my melodies, know when my melody is hindering my song, analyze my lyrics, cut out lyrics that really don't work, know which elements to add to my demos, and much more.

Frank V. / Songwriter & Producer

WHO IT’S FOR

FOR SERIOUS MUSIC
CREATORS.

The HSD SongLab is designed for songwriters, producers, and artists who want to take a more deliberate approach to developing their work.

  • You’re actively writing and creating original music and want to keep raising the level of your craft.
  • Want to hear your own work more clearly and with greater perspective.
  • Want to better understand what your creative choices are doing and how they’re shaping the song.
  • Want a framework you can turn to when something feels off, so you know what to listen for and where to look.
  • Want to make stronger, more informed creative decisions with greater confidence.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

EVERYTHING NEEDED TO DEVELOP
THE SONG - AND THE PROCESS.

LIVE MASTERCLASSES

4 Live Three-Hour Sessions

Deep instruction in six core areas of song craft using the Hit Songs Deconstructed methodology, with each session focused on concepts you can immediately apply to your own song.

DIRECT FEEDBACK

8 Weekly Feedback Sessions

Work directly with David every Wednesday to assess your song, ask questions, get feedback, and work through the decisions that arise as your song develops.

FINAL SESSION

Final Listening Session

Present the developed version of your song, hear how it has evolved over the course of the program, and bring the development process to a meaningful close.

Workbooks and checklists

Proprietary HSD Materials

Access proprietary workbooks, checklists, and development resources built from more than 15 years of systematic hit song analysis.

HSD Tools

Interactive Song Analysis Tools

Use SongLab, HSD’s proprietary suite of interactive tools, to examine your melodies, hooks, lyrics, rhymes, structure, genre influences, and more.

HSD PLATFORM

Three-Month HSD Subscription

Receive three months of full access to the Hit Songs Deconstructed platform, giving you additional analysis, examples, and resources to support your work during and after the program.

RECORDINGS

Core Session Recordings

Revisit all four masterclasses throughout the program and continue working with the material after the live sessions end.

SHARED LEARNING

Learn From Every Song in the Room

Hear the HSD methodology applied to different songs, creative choices, and challenges during the weekly feedback sessions, giving you more ways to recognize possibilities in your own work.

CERTIFICATE

Certificate of Completion

Receive formal recognition of your participation in and completion of The HSD SongLab.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

FULL SCHEDULE.
BEGINNING October 3.

MASTERCLASSES · SATURDAYS 12–3 PM ET

1

MELODY

Saturday, October 3

2

HOOKS

Saturday, October 17 

1

LYRICS & RHYMES

Saturday, October 31 

1

STRUCTURE & ARRANGMENT

Saturday, November 14 

1

FINAL LISTENING SESSION

Saturday, November 28 

All four masterclasses include lifetime replay access, so if you can’t attend one live, you can watch the recording at a time that works for you.

FEEDBACK SESSIONS · WEDNESDAYS

Times TBD based on group member time zones.

1

Wednesday, October 7

Time TBD

2

Wednesday, October 14

Time TBD

3

Wednesday, October 21

Time TBD

4

Wednesday, October 28

Time TBD

5

Wednesday, November 4

Time TBD

6

Wednesday, November 11

Time TBD

6

Wednesday, November 18

Time TBD

6

Wednesday, November 25

Time TBD

REGISTRATION OPTIONS

CHOOSE YOUR
SONGLAB EXPERIENCE

  • FULL SONGLAB MASTERCLASS

  • MASTERCLASS SESSIONS ONLY

DEVELOP ONE SONG WITH GREATER CLARITY AND DIRECT FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT.

  • 4 Live Three-Hour Sessions Led by David Penn
  • 8 Weekly Feedback Sessions with David Penn
  • Final Listening Session
  • Proprietary HSD Materials
  • Interactive Song Analysis Tools
  • Three-Month HSD Subscription*
  • Lifetime Access to Masterclass Session Recordings
  • Certificate of Completion

MASTERCLASSES INCLUDE:

  • The Melody SongLab
  • The Hooks SongLab
  • The Lyrics & Rhymes SongLab
  • The Structure & Arrangement SongLab

* Available to new subscribers only

QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Who is this masterclass for?

SongLab is for music creators who already have a song in development,  want to put focused work into making it stronger, and build a stronger, more repeatable development process that can be applied to future songs.

What stage should my song be in before SongLab begins?

Your song does not need to be finished or fully produced.

You should come into SongLab with one original song that is developed enough for you to evaluate and revise across melody, hooks, lyrics and rhymes, and structure and arrangement.

The goal is not to bring in a polished final version. The goal is to bring in a song you want to take further.

What happens if I can’t attend one of the live sessions?

All four core SongLab sessions will be recorded, so if you need to miss a session, you’ll be able to watch the recording and continue working through the program.

Are the weekly SongLab Feedback Sessions mandatory?

No. The weekly SongLab Feedback Sessions are not mandatory, but we strongly encourage you to attend whenever possible.

These live group sessions are where you can ask questions, get feedback on your own song, and learn from the feedback and creative decisions being discussed across the group.

If you need to miss a session, you can still continue through the program and complete the assigned work between the core masterclasses.

Do I need to be an advanced songwriter to participate?

No. You do not need to be an advanced songwriter. However, SongLab is designed for people who are actively writing songs and have an original song developed enough to work on throughout the six-week program.

What is your refund policy?

If you attend all four masterclasses, all eight feedback sessions, and the final listening session, and don't feel your song has improved, we'll refund you in full. To request a refund, email customerservice@hitsongsdeconstructed.com by 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, November 29. If you're on the payment plan, we'll refund all payments made and cancel any remaining ones. This policy applies only to the full eight-week HSD SongLab.

⌄

THE HSD SONGLAB

DEVELOP ONE SONG NOW.
BUILD A FRAMEWORK
FOR EVERY SONG
THAT FOLLOWS.

You leave SongLab with more than a developed song. You leave with a stronger way of listening, analyzing, questioning, and making creative decisions — a process you can bring to every piece of work that follows.

Enroll in SongLab. Begins Sept 26 →
>

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