Unlock the Song Inside: Beginning Songwriting (Online)
A Class for Queer & Trans People & Allies
Tuesdays, 6 - 8 pm PT / 9 - 11 pm ET
February 3rd - March 31st, 2026
Online on Zoom
Everyone has songs inside of them. What do yours sound like? Join us to unlock your creativity and let your songs out!
This is an online community class for queer and transgender people and allies. Whether you're totally new to songwriting or you've been writing for years, this class will get your creative juices flowing! We'll explore the way that chords, melody, and lyrics come together to create a song, and learn strategies to strengthen each of these elements of our songwriting.
Over the course of nine weeks participants will share works in progress and receive supportive feedback to help them grow as songwriters. We'll analyze songs to understand how music takes listeners on an emotional journey. We'll also cover rhyme, melody, common song forms, hooks, and basic chord theory to help take the guesswork out of choosing the right chords for each song.
It is recommended (but not required) that participants be able to sing a simple song and play an instrument at the same time, or create and sing over their own beats/musical backing tracks. No other musical experience is necessary. You do not need to read music or know any music theory to participate. Beginning songwriters are very welcome!
The class will culminate with a celebratory performance on the last day.
Testimonials
"What a beautiful and powerful vision: co-create space to literally lift up each other's voices. As a trans person, and as a queer person, I have so embodied the violent belief that my voice does not matter. To have a space to explore my own unlearning was truly a much needed reminder that when I honor my voice, I honor my spirit, my aliveness."
"Such a powerful experience connecting to my voice as a songwriter. Eli's expertise, guidance, and ability to draw out strong work and pass on skills was so important."
"This class was a transformational experience for me. I am constantly humming and making up silly tunes and have felt for a long time like there's something I want to say that needs to come out through song... This space, with its intentional structuring, supportive community building, and insightful and powerfully rendered lessons opened me up in ways I didn't know I needed to grow. I feel so excited to continue to grow as a songwriter and so joyful that I now have this resource to process my world."
"Eli has mastered the art of teaching songwriting. He took us twelve beginning songwriters and helped us feel comfortable enough to actually start writing songs, and created a sense of community within the class that helped see us through... This experience was incredibly powerful and moving for me."
"This class was life changing! I've always wanted to write songs, but was too scared and didn't trust myself. This class has given me a supportive environment, confidence, and the basic knowledge to write 6 original songs, something I never thought I'd be able to do."
"I found myself continuously in awe of each person's unique voice, style, and capacity to create in each round of sharing. I felt moved by something in everyone's songs and that was powerful."
"I learned so much about songwriting and learned to embrace myself as an artist and musician -- despite thinking beforehand that I was way too amateur to take myself seriously. And maybe best of all is the supportive queer community that Eli brings together, which makes the experience extra special. Thank you, Eli!"
Accessibility
Neurodivergent and disabled folks are very welcome and encouraged to join us! Autocaptions will be enabled in Zoom. Live attendance is highly encouraged, but all classes will also be recorded and available to watch for one week after each session. Please let me know about your specific access needs when you register. You're also welcome to reach out with any questions about accessibility.
Cost (Sliding Scale)
The cost of this class is on a sliding scale, and payment is due in two installments:
- 50% when you register, to hold your spot
- 50% on the first day of class
Participants can also request a payment plan to break up their payment into more installments.
At Cost: $376 USD (Unlimited spots)
This is the true cost of the class, and the rate I need most people to pay in order to cover my costs and pay myself a living wage.
Higher Rate: $476 USD (Unlimited spots)
This is a pay-it-forward rate. It's an opportunity to not only take this class, but also support your fellow community members in doing so too. Consider paying this amount if you are comfortably able to meet your basic needs (food, housing, healthcare, transportation, childcare), own the home your live in or rent a higher end property, have access to financial savings and/or investments, have paid or pay for private education, have reliable work or do not need to work to meet your needs, have inherited wealth, and/or can afford to travel every year.
Lower Rate: $276 USD (4 spots)
This is a discounted rate. Consider paying this amount if you have limited expendable income, little or no access to savings, significant debt, and little or no access to financial support from family.
Pay What You Can (2 spots)
Two pay-what-you-can spots are available in this class. If you are Black, Indigenous, a Person of Color, Disabled, a trans women and/or a trans femme and paying more would be a significant hardship, this option is for you.
I am grateful to Alexis J. Cunningfolk of Worts and Cunning Apothecary and Hadassah Damien of Ride Free Fearless Money for inspiring my approach to sliding scale.