You’re an aspiring songwriter or composer, and you’ve been stuck on the first verse for a week.Or you’re staring at a blank page in your notebook and you’re playing the same two chords over and over and over. It doesn’t look good. But who are you going to call? Call SongLine.
SongLine is a new online resource created by songwriter, producer and music educator Aimee Copping.
Aimee Copping leading an eight-piece synth band as part of the Blackball electronic music project. Photo credit Amber Homeniuk.
She conceived SongLine as an online discussion circle for the COVID-19 era. “I think of it as group therapy,” Aimee says. “It’s a support network for songwriters and aspiring songwriters.”
For an hour or two each week, SongLine participants will share songs, song ideas and thoughts about composition.
Aimee Copping plans to start leading free weekly online sessions as early as mid-July. To join in, all you need is a personal device, access to quiet room with a stable internet signal, and the desire to learn more about the craft of songwriting and musical storytelling. Any community member 18 and over is welcome, and there is no fee for participants.
Aimee Copping leading a workshop at Cambridge’s Old Post Office | Idea Exchange. Photo credit, Amber Homeniuk.
Aimee Copping is the founder and executive director of Blackball, which provides hands-on electronic music instruction to young people and marginalized community members. Aimee has also worked as a mentor-producer with Pros and Cons, a restorative justice initiative that teaches songwriting to federal penitentiary inmates.
Both of these projects are on lockdown due to COVID-19, so Aimee created SongLine as a safe, virtual space for people to share their musical ideas in a safe, constructive, positive environment.
“There’s no ‘amateur’ or ‘professional’ in the SongLine universe,” Aimee says. “Anyone and everyone who wants to share musical ideas can be a part of the conversation.”
And the virtual “Zoom call” format makes it possible to meet safely in accordance with social distancing rules.
There are even post-pandemic plans to provide instruments to SongLine participants who need them. Aimee is in discussion with local organizations Girls’ Rock Camp and Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition to create a dedicated musical instrument lending library when social distancing guidelines are lifted.
If you, or anyone you know, has a song, a work in progress, or even just dreams of creating one, please feel free to spread the word about this new program.
Aimee Copping can be reached at [email protected].
