Welcome. I am glad you are here. I write songs the way I was taught to read books: words first, truth first, and the music built to carry them. Most of what I know about that I learned the hard way, in a house that got very quiet. This community exists so that you can learn it the easier way, with company. Here is how to begin: 1. Introduce yourself in the comments. Tell us what you play, what you are working on, and the one song you have always wished you could write. 2. Open the Classroom and start From Lyrics to Master, Volume I. It is fifteen short lessons on writing lyrics that last, and each one ends with something to write. 3. Explore the other free courses: Volume II on harmony for people who write by feel, Volume III on arrangement and production, Music Harmony Mastery on the chords behind every genre from blues to synth-pop, and Lyrics, Emotion, and Literary Craft on the writer’s side of the song. 4. Post a work in progress in Song Feedback. A rough phone recording is enough. You will get honest ears, not applause. Every course here is free and open to every member. You earn points when other members like your posts and comments. One request: critique the song as hard as you like, and treat the songwriter with respect. Everyone who posts here is doing something brave. If you want to hear these ideas at work, my music is on Spotify under The Bastas Project, and the books behind the courses are at alfredbasta.com/book. Write the song only you can write. Alfred