Welcome
Our Mission Statement: The Minnesota Association of Songwriters is a volunteer, member-supported organization. Its mission is to inspire, educate and strengthen the songwriting and performance skills of its members through seminars, workshops, review meetings, showcases and networking opportunities, while encouraging collaboration and exploration of the creative process.
Upcoming
Monthly Songwriting Craft Workshop. Presenter: Chad Shank. Bring your song ideas, lyrics in progress, notebook and pen. Click here for more info.
See Our Artist Profiles
Visit our MAS Artist Profiles for bios, contact info, audio samples, videos, pics, music/social links and gig schedules.
Join MAS Now
Join MAS to get a start or a boost with your songwriting and presentation skills, and to help mentor others in the pleasure and business of making music.
What We Do...
MAS offers many ways to explore the joys of songwriting and the creative process:
- SongCasters TV showcase series: Perform your original songs in a television production studio and be seen on the MAS SongCasters show via community TV and on YouTube.
- Live artist showcases – Be part of our MAS Songwriters Showcase and perform your original music with other MAS members at various greater Twin Cities coffee houses, special event stages and outdoor festival locations.
- Virtual song evaluations – sign up via email to the MAS online song evaluations group and get reviews and suggestions from other online group members.
- Monthly Song Circle Jam sessions
- Networking and collaboration opportunities
- Gatherings to exchange information and resources
- Your own artist profile page on this website. Add your bio, schedule of performances, links to your social media, files of your songs, photos - you name it. It's your page to create with any and all information on your songwriting endeavors.
- Membership E-Mail Distribution List and MAS Newsletter and Announcements List
MAS Connections
MAS Facebook Feed
Our November Songwriting Workshop is going to be all about writing a pop song! We know many of you write in various genres, and we will explore others in the future. Don’t let the word Pop scare you away. This month we are going to co-write a Pop Song. We are going to learn by doing. We are also going to learn by examining music by artists like Halsey.
The Workshop will be held at the Edina Public Southdale Library from 7 to 9PM on Thursday Nov 14th. We meet in the 2nd floor conference room.
We are going to try to write a full song by using step by step process. We will focus on generating Lyrics, Melody, and Harmony. By the end of the workshop we should have co-written a song with the group.
Topics you will experience in this workshop:
How to Listen to Other Songs for Ideas
How to Generate solid lyric ideas
Using 5 points of Lyrical Structure
Using 5 points of Melodic Structure
Using Harmony to Build Emotion
After we write the song, my goal will be to record a demo of what we all create in my home studio. We will then post it on the MAS website.
This will be a fun exercise in working in collaboration, and learning about what makes hit pop songs.
WHAT: MAS Monthly Songwriting Workshop
WHEN: Nov 14th - 7 to 9 PM
WHERE: Southdale Library - 7001 York Ave S, Edina, MN 55435
WHO: YOU!
Minnesota HomeBrew Music Show - Halloween!
Host, Carl Unbehaun, presents a cavalcade of songs by Minnesota songwriters along with his musical musings! It's our annual Halloween show featuring ooky, spooky songs, even one about OJ! Plus, Thief River Falls is getting it's first brewery . . . all on MHB! (Aired 10/31/2019)
Have you heard? Youth programs are in full swing once again here at SPNN!
We believe in the power of uplifting young voices in media, so we’re dedicated to offering instruction and mentorship in a creative safe-space for youths ages 12-24 to develop skills in making media.
CreaTech, our drop-in hours, happens every Monday 3-6pm and is perfect for anyone wanting to start learning media skills, build on existing skills, or just hang out in a fun, laid back environment.
Media Active is a paid filmmaking program in which youths become producers and creators of film projects for organizations around the Twin Cities. In addition to film making, this program provide entrepreneurial experience and offers professional connections.
Youth Action Committee (YAC) recognizes the close tie between social change and media, which is why this program focuses on relevant issues, using media to present and tackle them. YAC is great for those looking for a cohort of like-minded people passionate about making positive impacts on their communities.
For more information, you can view our site here.
Questions? Want to join? Contact Kierra Lopac, our Youth Programs Coordinator.
E: kierralopac@spnn.org
P: 651-224-5153
SPNN, 550 Vandalia Street Suite 170, St. Paul MN 55114.
MAS Twitter Feed
My name is Tony Wentersdorf. I'm a songwriter and MAS member who will be teaching a 6 week songwriting class (Songwriting Workshop) starting Sept 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Southwest Community School (3414 47th St / MPLS) FFI contact me at 612-872-0233 or fwentersdorf @hotmail.com.
I'll be at the AMPERS booth in the Education Building on Thursday, August 29 interviewing MSD member, Greg Connor, from Noon - 2 p.m. and Bruce Caswell from 6 - 7 p.m. Stop by for a good time!
Carl Unbehaun
Host, Minnesota HomeBrew Music Show
MAS member, Tom Peschges with his group, Double Down Daredevils, on Hastings Community TV:
https://t.co/KiDwUYaijz
All information and song samples that appear on this site are protected by US Copyright law, are used here with permission of the copyright holder(s), and may not legally be used for any other purpose without their expressed written consent.
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