Singing-Songwriting
Write, sing, and produce music that’s fully your own — from the first lyric to the final performance. This 6-month professional course is built for artist-producers who want to master every part of the creative process. You’ll write and arrange original songs, refine your vocal style, and produce fully realized tracks using Ableton Live. Along the way, you’ll develop the skills to perform live, collaborate across disciplines, and build a polished artistic portfolio that reflects your unique voice.
Duration
6 months
Start
Jan 2026
Difficulty
Advanced
Award
Certificate of Professional Retraining
Course overview
This comprehensive course bridges creative songwriting and technical music production. Whether you're an aspiring artist-producer or a vocalist looking to produce your own work, the course will guide you through songwriting, production, vocal technique, performance, and portfolio development. You’ll write and record original material, hone your voice in studio and live settings, and learn to shape your artistic identity through arrangement and performance.
How will you learn
Create and produce original music in your preferred DAW (Ableton Live)
Develop songwriting skills through melody, lyrics, and harmony workshops
Strengthen vocal expression with stylistic tools and live performance techniques
Learn to arrange and finalize tracks for production and stage
Receive feedback from professional artists and producers in one-on-one sessions
Learning outcomes
- Compose and arrange original music
- Record, produce, and mix in a DAW of your choice
- Perform confidently in live settings
- Write meaningful lyrics and engaging melodies
- Refine your vocal delivery and harmonization
- Build and present a cohesive artistic portfolio
- Collaborate with producers, engineers, and fellow artists
Upon successful completion, you will receive a Certificate of Professional Retraining, verifying your professional skillset.
Course structure
Reimagine traditional music theory inside a DAW. This module teaches melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic concepts through real-world musical examples to help you build creative confidence and fluency.
- Introduction and Basic Concepts
- Intervals and Triads
- Voicing and Keyboard Mapping
- Major Tonality and Harmonic Function
- Writing Functional Melodies
- Rhythm Fundamentals and Konnakol Practice
- Minor Tonality
- Modes and Diatonic Scale Variants
- Chord–Scale Relationships in Major Key
- Recap and Q&A
Learn everything from creating your first beat to arranging, editing, and mixing a complete track.
- Introduction to Ableton Live Interface
- Audio Techniques
- MIDI Fundamentals
- Core Audio and MIDI Effects
- Automation and Envelopes
- Sound Design with Wavetable and Samplers
- Session View and Live Jam Techniques
- Arrangement Techniques
- Routing and Signal Flow
- Library, Groove Pool and Final Review
Build a strong, expressive voice for studio and stage. This module covers vocal technique, resonance, tone control, and stylistic delivery — from subtle textures to powerful belting. Develop confidence through hands-on solo and group performance practice.
- Vocal Anatomy and Breathing
- Diction and Articulation
- Intonation and Melisma
- Vocal Styling Across Genres
- Vocal Arrangement and Improvisation
- Harmony and Group Singing
- Rhythm and Timing in Vocal Delivery
- Final Performance Project
Learn everything from writing melodies and harmonies to structuring, layering, and arranging complete tracks ready for production and release.
- Composition Foundations and Musical Form
- Melody Writing and Motif Development
- Harmony and Chord Progressions
- Groove and Rhythmic Composition
- Arrangement Foundations and Structural Thinking
- Layering, Texture & Instrument Roles
- Rhythm & Percussion in Arrangement
- Genre-Specific Composition and Arrangement Techniques
- Digital Workflow and Session Management
- Final Project: Composition and Arrangement Review
Craft original lyrics with emotional depth and precision. This module explores song structure, prosody, rhyme, rhythm, and storytelling — blending theory with hands-on writing, peer feedback, and real-time editing techniques.
- Song Form & Genre
- Prosody
- Storytelling
- Dramaturgy
- Stability & Instability
- Contrast & Spotlight
- Rhymes I: Stable Rhymes
- Rhymes II: Unstable Rhymes
- Rhyme Schemes
- Rhythm & Line Length
- Rhythm & Line Count
- Final Review & Checklist
Finalize your original project: write, record, produce, and perform your own material. This capstone module includes 1-on-1 coaching, performance reviews, and professional documentation of your work.
Requirements
- Prior amateur production, vocal or songwriting experience required
- Foundational understanding of music (no formal theory required)
- Interest in both songwriting and production
- Comfort with vocal performance (all levels welcome)
- Ideal for emerging artists, producers, singer-songwriters, and solo performers
- Admission Portfolio Review and Interview required
Fees & Scholarships
Academic Year 2025–2026
| Registration fee | AED 1,000 |
| Resources fee | AED 3,000 |
| Tuition fee | AED 16,000 |
| Total cost | AED 20,000 |
|---|
All prices listed are exclusive of VAT.
The program can be taken in a fast-track format with a reduced curriculum, excluding advanced professional modules, at a 25% discount. Availability of fast-track seats is limited—please check at the time of admission.
From time to time, we offer individual scholarships to newly admitted students. These scholarships are awarded through a competitive application process and may cover either partial or full tuition fees.
How to apply
Step-by-step process
Ready to apply? Here’s how the process works:
- Complete the online application form below.
- Attend an admission interview as part of the selection process.
- Pay the course fees upfront to reserve your spot.
- Receive a confirmation email with your schedule and all the necessary instructions.
- Attend your first class!