Write more. Finish more
Songwriting lessons
Learn to write songs that actually sound like you.
One-to-one songwriting lessons with Sam Marlow, taught in-person at our Hoxton studio or online from anywhere in the world.
5 stars on Google · Hundreds of songwriting students taught · In-person and online
Bring whatever you've got. We'll build from there.
You don’t need a finished song, a strong idea, or any formal music theory to start. You just need something: a line, a feeling, a verse you’ve been sitting on, or simply the desire to write. That’s enough to begin.
In each lesson we work directly with your material, building and developing it together while I explain the reasoning behind every choice we make. Why this chord works here. Why that line lands and this one doesn’t. Why specificity beats emotion every time. You learn songwriting by doing it, not by studying it in the abstract.
Students leave each session with real, finished work and a clearer understanding of how to approach the next piece on their own.
One-to-one songwriting lessons
Who teaches the lessons
Sam Marlow, Founder of City Vocal Coach
Sam has taught songwriting to hundreds of students at City Vocal Coach and at the BRIT School for Performing Arts, where alumni have gone on to platinum-selling careers. He holds one of the first MAs in Songwriting from ICMP, and co-wrote the ABRSM Songwriting Grades, the national graded qualification in songwriting now used by students and teachers across the UK.
He teaches both beginners who have never written a song and intermediate songwriters who have hit a ceiling and want to go further.
What you'll work on
Every lesson is built around your material and your goals, but common areas include:
- Song structure and how to use it without being constrained by it
- Lyric writing: specificity, imagery and how to say something familiar in a way that feels new
- Melody and how it relates to the lyrical rhythm and emotional content of a song
- Chord choices and harmonic movement
- Finding and developing your own voice as a writer
- Finishing songs rather than letting them stall
In-person or online
Songwriting lessons are available in-person at Hoxton Works, 128 Hoxton Street, London N1 6SH, or online via Google Meet. Online lessons work just as well for songwriting as they do in the studio. Sam can hear your ideas, work through chord progressions with you, and give detailed feedback on lyrics and structure regardless of where you are.
Students have taken these lessons from across the UK, Europe and beyond.
£150 per hour
Common questions
Do I need to be able to play an instrument?
Not necessarily. It helps to have some way of capturing musical ideas, whether that’s a guitar, a piano, a voice memo, or a basic recording setup. But we can work around most situations. Just get in touch if you’re unsure.
Can I bring unfinished songs?
Yes, and most students do. An unfinished song is often the best place to start because we can work out together why it stalled and how to move it forward.
Is this suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. Sam teaches beginners and intermediate songwriters alike. If you’ve never written a song before, that’s fine. You don’t need prior experience, just a genuine desire to write.
Do you teach a specific genre?
No. Songwriting craft crosses genres. Whether you’re writing pop, folk, soul, indie or something harder to categorise, the same fundamentals apply and Sam can work with any style.
How do online lessons work?
Via Google Meet. You share your ideas, Sam responds in real time, and you work through material together exactly as you would in the studio. Most online students find it just as productive as in-person.
How do I book?
Start with a free discovery call. It’s a short conversation to talk through where you are, what you want to work on, and whether Sam’s the right fit for what you need.