About This Course
3 Weeks of Live Training with Multi-Grammy Nominated Hitmaker Clay Mills & Multi #1 Hitmaker Marty Dodson
This course helps you build a songwriting voice that’s recognizable because it’s real.
By the end, you’ll be able to:
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Identify your “signature instincts” (lyric lens, melodic habits, emotional palette)
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Write lyrics that sound like a person, not an artist impression
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Turn personal truth into universal songs (specific verses + universal chorus)
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Make bolder title/angle choices that naturally separate you
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Write melodies and grooves that carry emotion (not trend-copying)
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Use AI to assist without letting it flatten your identity
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Follow a repeatable weekly practice to keep developing your voice long-term
Bottom line:
Your voice becomes a repeatable output, not a random accident.
What You'll Learn
This isn’t a course about copying an artist, chasing trends, or writing “the current sound.”
This is voice development.
We focus on the things that actually make someone recognizable:
- Authenticity over imitation
- Specificity over generic writing
- Believability over cleverness (unless clever is truly you)
- Technique + instinct instead of formulas
- Repetition and tracking so you can see your patterns and refine them
Originality doesn’t come from being weird. It comes from being specific and honest enough that people think: “Yep… I’ve lived this.”
How The Course Works
• Live Weekly Classes with Clay Mills & Marty Dodson: Join Clay & Marty for three weeks of live, online classes packed with insider techniques and real-world examples.
• Target Writing Assignments: Get focused assignments each week to immediately apply your new skills.
• Replays and Support: Access full class replays and direct email support from Clay & Marty for any questions.
Course Schedule:
* Class 1: Monday, Feb. 23rd @ 7PM CT
* Class 2: Monday, March 2nd @ 7PM CT
* Class 3: Monday, March 9th @ 7PM CT
Grab Your Spot Now!
Price:
Members: FREE (Included with Membership)
*SongTown Members: You MUST sign into your SongTown account first before clicking the button to get this course for FREE!
Non-Members: $279
(Includes a month of SongTown full-access membership OR Join SongTown ($240/year) and get this course FREE!)
**Tuition is non-refundable once class sells out or begins
What Songwriters Are Saying About SongTown's CrashCourses:
WON’T FINDING MY VOICE LIMIT ME?
Actually, it makes you more valuable.
Artists want songs that feel believable coming from them — that doesn’t happen without authenticity. A well-written authentic song will feel authentic no matter who sings it.
Also: artists are limited to their own experiences. Your voice gives them more to say.
Meet Your Instructors
About Clay Mills
Multi #1 Writer/Publisher
Mississippi Delta native Clay Mills’ list of accolades is quite impressive. He's a 12-time ASCAP award winning songwriter/producer, penning #1 hits for Darius Rucker (“Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It”), Diamond Rio (“Beautiful Mess”), and Kimberley Locke (“Fall”). Along the way he's collected Grammy Nominations for “Beautiful Mess” and Trisha Yearwood’s “Heaven Heartache and the Power of Love”. Clay has had over 150 songs recorded by major recording artists. In 2022 Clay was inducted into the Mississippi Songwriter's Hall Of Fame.
About Marty Dodson
Multi #1 Writer/Publisher
Marty (born in Apple Valley, California) is an American singer-songwriter/producer. He has had songs recorded by artists such as Carrie Underwood, The Plain White T’s, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, The Oak Ridge Boys, Saving Jane, Lonestar, Billy Currington, and Craig Morgan. He’s celebrated 10 number one songs and counting throughout his career!
Course Outline:
Week 1 — Finding Your Unique Songwriting Voice
- What “voice” really means: recognizable choices + emotional truth + signature instincts
Week 2 — Lyrics (Write Like a Person)
- Your voice is made of: what you love, how you’ve lived, how you naturally speak.
Week 3 — Melody & Groove (Make Emotion Move)
- Build your “signature ingredients” (melodic moves, rhythmic phrasing, harmonic tastes)
Why Voice Matters More Than Ever
Voice has always mattered because recognizability is what builds careers. But now it matters even more because we’re drowning in songs.
AI can assist with ideas and production. But it can’t be the source of your voice.
Your advantage is human: truth + taste + craft + risk.
Start Writing Songs That Feel Unmistakably Yours!
Price:
Members: FREE (Included with Membership)
*SongTown Members: You MUST sign into your SongTown account first before clicking the button to get this course for FREE!
Non-Members: $279
(Includes a month of SongTown full-access membership OR Join SongTown ($240/year) and get this course FREE!)
**Tuition is non-refundable once class sells out or begins
Additional Details & Pricing
For This Songwriting CrashCourse
Classes are easy to view and participate in from your computer, laptop, or smartphone.
All classes are available to watch on replay if you miss it live. We keep the video up for 3 weeks after your class to review at your leisure.
Post your assignments in the SongTown.com forum and discuss with your classmates.
Course includes 1-month trial membership to SongTown for non-members who sign up!
Class Schedule
First class: Monday, Feb. 23rd
Individual Class Dates: Feb. 23, March 2 & 9
Class Time: 7pm- 8pm (CDT)
Location: Online on your computer or smart device
Price:
Members: FREE
(Included with Membership)
Non-Members: $279
(Includes a month of SongTown full-access membership OR Join SongTown ($240/year) and get this course FREE!)
**Tuition is non-refundable once class sells out or begins
FAQ
Q: What if I don’t think I have a “voice”?
A: You do. This course helps you identify your patterns, strengthen what’s already working, and remove the habits that flatten your writing.
Q: Is this only for one genre?
A: No. Voice travels across genre because it’s your choices, your lens, your emotional truth, and your instincts — not a sound.
Q: I want to write for other artists. Will this help?
A: Yes. Authentic writing reads as authentic no matter who sings it, and your unique experience gives other artists more to say.
Q: Do I need to sing or produce?
A: No. This is focused on songwriting fundamentals: lyric truth, melody that carries emotion, and choices that make songs stand out.
Q: Can AI replace songwriting?
A: AI can assist, but it tends to average style. Your advantage is craft + taste + truth + risk — and this course builds that muscle.
If you’ve been writing for a while, you’ve probably felt this:
You can write a solid song… but it doesn’t separate you.
You start strong, then drift into safe phrases, familiar angles, or “what works.”
You compare your work to the writers you admire — and you can’t hear your fingerprint yet.
And now AI can generate “pretty good” ideas instantly… which makes generic writing easier than ever.
The truth: it’s not enough to keep up. The new bar is to stand out.
Attend From Anywhere On Any Device!
Replays Available for all classes.
Classes are once a week (Feb. 23, March 2 & 9)
Location: SongTown’s Online Video Classroom (Zoom)
This Course Is For You If You Want To:
*Write songs that feel believable and emotionally true
*Develop a voice that stands out across genres
*Stop playing small and start making bold, clear choices
*Build a long-term process for growth, not a one-time burst of inspiration
Don't Miss Out – Sign Up Today
Price:
Members: FREE (Included with Membership)
*SongTown Members: You MUST sign into your SongTown account first before clicking the button to get this course for FREE!
Non-Members: $279
(Includes a month of SongTown full-access membership OR Join SongTown ($240/year) and get this course FREE!)
**Tuition is non-refundable once class sells out or begins
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