MATT ROLLINGS
Melody and Harmony in Songwriting
May 27-30, 2026
Ocean Way Studio • Nashville, TN
Limited to 10 Alumni of Performing Songwriter Creative Workshops
THIS MASTER CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED.
Email Lydia@performingsongwriter.com if you’d like to be added to the waiting list.
Great melodies ask questions and then answer them. They take risks, make us feel something, and they feel inevitable — it wants to sound like it couldn’t never be any other way.
In this 3-day master class at Nashville’s Ocean Way Studio limited to just 10 workshop alums, Matt will help build your toolbox to give you more opportunities to access ways to write those great melodies that are already in you. And to train yourself to find that perfect note by paying attention, leaving it alone and letting it appear later, being fearless in exploring different chords and melody notes. Until a melody feels inevitable, anything is possible and anything can change.
On the first day Matt and the class will look at what makes a great melody, and listen to each person play their song and talk through different melodic ideas for it in front of the class. Could the story be conveyed better? Do you feel everything behind the story? On the second day he’ll go through your songs and talk about the harmonic choices you can make on the chords running under the melody—and there’ll be a guitarist there to help if you need those ideas translated to guitar so you can explore those even further. And then on the last day each person will get a chance to record a song using their new lens of understanding.
This 3-day Master Class with Matt will include:
- The relationship between melody and harmony
- Break down and analyze classic melodies. What makes them great?
- Emotionally shaping and altering your your song melodies by the chords underneath it
- Help translating this to guitar if needed
- Recording your song on the last day at Ocean Way
In addition to the intensive days of melodic work, there’ll be an opening night dinner on Wednesday, May 27 with Matt at a Nashville home, a boxed lunch provided each day at the studio, a closing night pizza dinner, and then a listening party of the songs recorded.
So grab one of the limited spots in this very small class of 10 alums and join Matt to learn to shape and see your songs through a new lens of melodies and harmonic notes!
Register
Cost
THE COST is $2,295 per student, with a $795 deposit upon registration ($395 of which is non-refundable).
Then $750 will be invoiced and due by Jan. 15, 2026, and the balance of $750 will be invoiced and due by April 1, 2026.
Included are three days of master classes (Thursday/Friday/Saturday), a Wednesday evening gathering and dinner with Matt at a Nashville home to kick things off, lunch each afternoon in the studio, and a closing dinner and listening party in the studio Saturday night. You will also record your song with Matt and a guitarist if needed, and you’ll leave with all of the ProTools files.
Attendees
THIS MASTER CLASS is limited to 10 alumni of previous Performing Songwriter Creative Workshops.
It’s a small and supportive group that is present and listens as each class member plays and then records their song, learning from each as Matt talks through ideas and approaches.
There will also be a guitarist to help interpret anything to your instrument, an engineer with us who can answer any technical and gear questions you might have as you’re watching.
Lodging
FOR LODGING, Scarritt Bennett is walking distance from Ocean Way Studio and has rooms available on the campus on a first-come, first-served basis. They are now being booked through an outside online service, and can be booked directly through them. More information can be found at Scarritt Bennett Lodging or by calling 615-340-7469. If you’d rather stay at a hotel, these are a few that are close to Ocean Way and there are plenty of Air BnB’s around the area of Music Row/Vanderbilt/Belmont.
Refund Policy
YOUR DEPOSIT OF $795 will secure one of the 12 spots, and $395 of that is non-refundable. You’ll be invoiced for a second payment of $750 on Jan. 1, 2026 that will be due by Jan. 15. And you’ll be invoiced for the remaining $750 on March 15, 2026 that will be due no later than April 1 to keep your spot and not lose $395 of your deposit. If you are fully paid and cancel by April 15, 2026 you’ll be refunded $1,900. After April 15 there is no guaranteed refund unless we fill the spot (we will have a cancellation list). If the spot is filled by May 1, then you’ll still receive your $1,900 refund. If you cancel after May 1, 2026 there are no refunds.
Matt Rollings Melody and Harmony Master Class
May 27-30, 2026
This workshop has been filled. Email Lydia@performingsongwriter.com if you'd like to be added to the cancellation list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t play an instrument?
You don’t need to worry about that at all—except for Suzy’s and Matt’s workshops, playing an instrument isn’t required. The focus in the writing workshops is on telling your story in a way that connects with listeners, and if an instrument is needed the teacher can always help out with that.
Are the classes for all levels?
The songwriting classes are for all levels of writers, whether you’ve only journaled, written poetry, or are someone who actually performs and has recorded your songs. It’s designed to be three days of inspiration from the teacher, legendary guests, or each other as you support the efforts and bravery of your classmates.
There are three classes—Suzy’s performance class at the Bluebird, Matt’s melody master class, and Jonatha’s studio workshop—for alums who’ve already been through other Performing Songwriter classes. These three are by invitation based on if you’re ready and able to perform your songs, are proficient on your instrument, and if you have songs finished and ready to record.
What’s involved in song feedback?
Each person will perform a work-in-progress song in front of the class as the teacher listens and finds a teachable moment that everyone can learn from so more songwriting tools can be added to the toolbox. Feedback is strictly from the teacher, though, and the class is just invited into it as listeners — this keeps it safe and on track. You’ll also have a private 15 minute 1-on-1 with the teacher where you can talk about anything you’d like or get feedback on something you’re working on.
What does a workshop day look like?
The actual schedule for the workshop will be sent to you when we’re one week out. But in general, the mornings are for input — lessons from the teachers, song breakdowns, prompt exercises, etc. Then a lunch break for a couple of hours when 1-on-1s are also scheduled. Afternoons consist of the song feedback sessions with the whole class and any guests we might have pop in. The days start around 9:30 and end at 6:00, except for the last evening which goes through dinner.