Who this is for
Players who know chords in a key and want to write songs, not only play them. If you already write with Roman numerals and know why a chorus lifts, test out on Day 6.
Best done after: Chord Progressions, Melody & Form. It is advice, not a rule: every lesson has short "rusty on…?" boxes for anything you skipped.
Why learn this
Most songs are a handful of chords repeated, with a melody on top. Knowing **why** some loops feel finished and others feel restless gives you a way to fix a song that is not working, rather than guessing.
This program uses what you already know (chords in a key, progressions, melody and form) as a toolkit. Every day ends with something you could use in a song tonight. As ever in music, these are habits that work, not rules: if you like how it sounds, it is right.
What you will be able to do
- Choosing a key and a chord loop
- How chords create tension and release
- Writing a melody on chord tones
- Contrasting verse, chorus and bridge
- Turning a major song minor, and back
The 6-day plan
- A key and a loop. Pick a key, name its chords as numbers and build a four-chord loop.
- Tension and release. Know the three jobs chords do in a key and use them to steer a progression.
- A melody on top. Write a simple melody that rests on the chord tones of your loop.
- Verse, chorus, bridge. Give each section of a song its own job, and use chords to tell them apart.
- Change the mood. Turn a major progression into a minor one, and know the shortcuts.
- Test day: idea to song. Show you can think in numbers, hear where a progression goes and shape a song.
How each session works
Every day follows the shape of a workout. It starts with a warm-up that reviews earlier days, then technique: a short, plain explanation with a small interactive tool to try it on. Then come the working sets, drills with instant feedback, and a finisher, a short test with a pass mark so you only build on things you can do. A cool-down recaps the day and previews the next.
Choose your split
The daily split is a session a day: done in a week. The easy split is a session every other day, with rest days between: two weeks, and a gentler pace. On your own pace there is no schedule. Nothing is ever locked, and you can change split at any time.
What comes next
Counterpoint Basics: The 5-Day Program. See the whole training plan.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read music to write songs?
No. Chord names and numbers are enough, and every drill in this program works with them. Reading helps for writing a melody down, and the sight-reading drill gets you there.
What is the most common chord loop in pop?
I–V–vi–IV (in C: C, G, Am, F), in many orders. It is so common because each chord pulls smoothly to the next and the loop never feels finished, so it can repeat forever.
How do I make a chorus feel bigger than the verse?
Contrast. Start the chorus on a different chord (often the IV or the I if the verse started on vi), use a higher melody, and let the chords change faster or the rhythm get busier.
Can I break these patterns?
Always. They are what listeners already expect, so you can use them to comfort or to surprise. Knowing them just means that when you break one, you do it on purpose.