Hit-Writer Instructors
Pop - Country - R&B
Marty Dodson
Clay Mills
Proven Techniques
Marty and Clay share their techniques they've used to write over 15 #1 Billboard songs and 300 plus major artist recordings. Including hit songs in Country, Dance, K-pop, Pop, and Bluegrass.
SongTown Presents:
Adding More Heart To Your Songs
- Next Level CrashCourse
Hit-Writers/Instructors teach you to write songs that will emotionally impact your listeners in a big way...
3-Week Online Course / Replays On-Demand!
Starts Monday, March 11, 2024
About This Course
Learning to create a song that deeply resonates and emotionally impacts the audience is one of the biggest obstacles writers must overcome.
Perhaps you're painting beautiful pictures in your songs, but you're not letting the listener understand WHY those images matter. Or, maybe you've crafted a truly great chorus melody, BUT your verse misses the mark, leaving your song flat and uninspiring.
In this class, we'll be coming at emotions—or heart—from the lyric and melody side. You'll amp up key elements in your song, making sure the listener FEELS the emotions tied to the images and notes. When you complete the class, you'll have new, inspiring tools for your writing toolbox that will help you create emotional connections with your audience.
You'll learn to:
- Gauge the emotional temperature of your lyrics.
- Connect emotions to lyrical imagery and melodic choices in your song.
- Remain true to the core feelings in your song.
- “Describe” emotions to cut deeper to the heart of the listener.
- Intensify both the melodic and lyrical emotions as the song progresses.
- Write subjects you care about and connect them to a universal audience.
- Eliminate technical issues that keep your song from resonating deeper.
Who Should Take "The Adding More Heart To your Songs" Class"?
- Your songs are not getting the response you feel they deserve.
- You have experience writing, but want to take it to the next level.
- You're new to songwriting and want to start your journey right.
- You're a lyricist who wants to write personal ideas in a universal way.
- You're a melody writer who wants to create better and more impactful melodies.
- You're writing for the pure fun-of-it!
- You're wanting to pursue a career in music.
Meet Your Hit-Writer Instructors

Clay Mills
Multi #1 Writer/Publisher
Clay is a Mississippi Delta native with a list of accolades that is quite impressive. He is a 12x 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 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 and is co-author of the best-selling book Mastering Melody Writing.

Marty Dodson
Multi #1 Writer/Publisher
Marty was born in Apple Valley, California, and 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 written over 10,000 songs and celebrated 10 #1 songs (and counting) throughout his career! Marty is also the co-author of the acclaimed book Song Building.
Attend From Anywhere On Any Device!
Replays Available for all classes.
Classes are once a week (March 11, 18, 25)
Location: SongTown’s Online Video Classroom (Zoom)

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, March 11, 2024
- Individual Class Dates: March 11, 18, 25
- Class Time: 7pm- 8pm (CDT)
Location: Online on your computer or smart device
Price:
- Members $225
- Non-Members: $249 (Includes a month of SongTown full-access membership!)
- Diamond Members can use one of their Free CrashCourse Credits!
**Tuition is non-refundable once class sells out or begins
SongTown Success Stories
This Is Not Another Video Course!
Unlike most online masterclasses these days, you’re NOT getting a bunch of recorded videos and left to figure it out yourself. These are live Zoom classrooms with hit-writer instructors and professional music tracks. You'll get training and Q&A sessions each week with Clay & Marty. This is your chance for full interaction and hands-on training from hit songwriters.
Let's Do This!
FAST FORWARD YOUR WRITING
Make major progress in a very short time.
ST CrashCourses will change your songwriting for life!
HANDS-ON COACHING
Live Q&A with hit songwriters.
Weekly assignments for writing to tracks.
MEET POTENTIAL CO-WRITERS
Many ST students have met & become collaborators through SongTown, including the artist GAYLE & writer Sara Davis. They went on to write the global smash "abcdefu"!
VIDEO REPLAYS AVAILABE
If you can't make a class time, we've got you covered.
With video replays, you won't miss a thing.
SERIOUS FUN!
We believe in enjoying learning time.
No boring theory, just real-world techniques.
JOIN IN FROM ANY DEVICE
Join your weekly class experience from a computer or smart device.