Singer songwriter Perth Elliott performs during the Ypsilanti Songwriting Festival at the Ypsilanti District Library on Whittaker on Saturday.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Paul Tyson spread the message of smash-hit hope on Saturday, telling aspiring songwriters at the Ypsilanti Songwriting Festival that success could be within their grasp.

Tyson, a systems manager at TeL Systems, the Scio Township professional audio-visual service, told about a dozen listeners the basics on recording musical instruments and vocals. He said the elements for an entry-level home recording system would start at just $500.

“If the person is skilled and they do their homework, they could have a number-one hit,” he said, citing the success of Mike Posner, the Oakland County artist whose single, “Cooler than Me,” has risen on the Billboard charts in recent weeks. Posner’s first mixtapes were made in his college dorm room.

Slideshow by Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Tyson’s workshop was just one offering at the festival, which was scheduled to go on until 8:00 p.m. at the Ypsilanti District Library’s Whittaker Road branch.

The festival offered a local songwriters’ showcase, with free performances in the library’s Whittaker Room. Other highlights included one-on-one sessions with songwriters Sean Rogers, Dan Florida, Patrick Elkins and Nathan K.

Also scheduled were a songwriting fundamentals workshop and question-and-answer sessions with the evening’s two featured performers, Paul Burch and Graham Parker.

Parker achieved international success with his band the Rumour on their 1979 album “Squeezing out Sparks.”

Burch and Parker will conclude the festival with a free 9 p.m. performance at Keystone Underground, 200 W. Michigan Ave.

Overall, it was a big day for the Ypsilanti District Library, with the Michigan Avenue branch in downtown Ypsilanti hosting Country in the City in the Library Park Plaza. The event featured a petting zoo and pony rides.

YDL-Whittaker Road branch assistant director Lori Coryell organized the Songwriting Festival, now in its fourth year. She said a key reason it was launched was to expand the library’s patron base.

“Libraries are evolving into the centers of the community,” Coryell said, noting that many people who come for the songwriting festival aren’t normally library patrons.

Having these visitors lets the library spotlight its collection of CDs, books on songwriting and biographies of musicians, she said. Coryell said the festival managed to snag Parker after she approached the artist’s booking agent. “It took a while, but he agreed to do it.”

She said that his appearance is happening despite “a pretty modest budget.”