Home | Scales | Tuner | Forum


How do i do it?

Songwriting
GuItArMeTaL13  
11 Nov 2011 04:41 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
I want to know how to write muusic, the thing is i can't seem to find a riff that sounds cool, i am forming a heavy metal band and would like some ideas of what would give me an idea,thanks dudes
Empirism  
11 Nov 2011 05:47 | Quote
Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Finland
Lessons: 4
Karma: 35
If band is new and you are struggling to make own songs yet, I suggest you guys start with couple covers. Riffs and songs and stuff comes naturally after a while when jamming with band or from just an idea of riff you "hear" or inspired by other songs...

theres no "magic trick" on writing music, it born if it is to be borned, you cant force it or that way it may sound crappy. just my 2 cents m8.

Emp
GuItArMeTaL13  
11 Nov 2011 10:01 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
Thanks mate,so i should make songs out of my thoughts (bad ones/good ones) i have came up with a intro,but i am unsure that some one might steal it.
so what power chords would you recommend for heavy metal?
Useless  
11 Nov 2011 15:25 | Quote
Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Karma
Dear Guitarmetal3,

Heavymetal isn't written because it's not really music.
It's hearing damage just waiting to happen.
No kidding.
That's not my opinion at all but it is a common perception.

Now here you are going against the "common".
That is a sign of greatness if ever I've seen one.

To me, Metal ain't nothing but a subset of rock&roll (or R&B as it was called back when it was R&B and not a bunch of Africanized vocal calisthenics).

To answer your question, first turn off all overdrives and distortions and play some 12 bar blues.
Second, modify what you are playing.
Hang too long on a chord.
Outa the blue play in arpeggios - not straight through the chord - move around AND LISTEN>

After you find something your mama might call nice, bring the overdrive back in and crank your amp up to 11 and a half.
Play the same thing.
Sounds cool don't it?

Hendrix started with straight R&B tunes and did much the same thing.

If you really plan to write it as opposed to just making it up, you need to learn the basics of timing, key signatures, notes and rests, in both clefs.
That is work but if you become prolific or want to copyright, it's good to know.

Thank you for taking a ride through Useless Land.
coleman  
11 Nov 2011 16:05 | Quote
Joined: 10 May 2009
United States
Karma: 8
study classical music. don't play a blues.
GuItArMeTaL13  
11 Nov 2011 16:26 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
Ok i just want to play music like metallica,killswitch engage
stone sour
stuff like that,for some reason i just can't come up with anything,and i don't know why!it is a little annoying.And everything i play sounds dull.
btimm  
11 Nov 2011 19:03 | Quote
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
United States
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 16
GM13, first off, welcome to the forum!

Second, don't sweat it. Music is a JOURNEY, not a destination. Relax and have fun learning all about music and then good things will come in time.
BodomBeachTerror  
11 Nov 2011 19:50 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
coleman says:
don't play a blues.


Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Ever.
Ozzfan486  
11 Nov 2011 20:22 | Quote
Joined: 01 Oct 2008
United States
Licks: 1
Karma: 18
BodomBeachTerror says:
Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Ever.


+1

On topic, I suggest you learn some songs from the bands you want to sound like. Once you learn them and get them down, those licks you learned will flow over into your own playing. If you like something and don't know how to sound like it, the best thing to do is learn it, then make something original out of it.
coleman  
12 Nov 2011 00:08 | Quote
Joined: 10 May 2009
United States
Karma: 8
have you ever heard a METAL song thats a 12 bar blues? cuz i sure havent.
DanielM  
12 Nov 2011 05:27 | Quote
Joined: 11 Apr 2011
United Kingdom
Lessons: 1
Karma: 12
I think motorhead have done some things were you can definitely see a strong influence from good ol' twelve bar blues.
GuItArMeTaL13  
12 Nov 2011 05:40 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
Ozzfan486 says:
learn some songs from the bands you want to sound like.


yeah i know how to play quite a few songs and riffs,but i see other ppl come up with stuff easy and there at my level too!!!been playing guitar for 3 years now i know i got a lot to learn,but i should still be able to come up with some thing!?
Guitarslinger124  
12 Nov 2011 06:39 | Quote
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
United States
Lessons: 12
Licks: 42
Karma: 38
Moderator
BodomBeachTerror says:

Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Ever.


A little less abrasive next time man.
GuitarGeorge  
12 Nov 2011 07:22 | Quote
Joined: 17 Jul 2009
Licks: 3
Karma: 6
Recipe for learning to write a metal song:

1. Listen to loads of metal.
2. Pay attention to the song structures (intro, verse, chorus etc).
3. Transcribe your favorite songs by ear!
4. Try to hear a metal riff inside your head.
5. Transcribe your own riff.
6. Repeat step 4 & 5 until you have enough riffs to craft a song.
7. Remember what you did in step 2.

What you need is ear training. Try sites like teoria.com and musictheory.net for some help with that!
It may take time to develop a good ear, but it's probably worth it. :)
GuItArMeTaL13  
12 Nov 2011 12:34 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
Thanks guitargeorge.D : i do listen to al lot of heavy metal,and i do have some ideas its just getting the right power chords and the right notes!
coleman  
12 Nov 2011 15:19 | Quote
Joined: 10 May 2009
United States
Karma: 8
show me a 12 bar metal song.
GuItArMeTaL13  
12 Nov 2011 16:44 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
huh what do you mean?
coleman  
12 Nov 2011 17:21 | Quote
Joined: 10 May 2009
United States
Karma: 8
the 12 bar blues is a form. I have never heard a metal song use it.
case211  
12 Nov 2011 18:41 | Quote
Joined: 26 Feb 2009
United States
Lessons: 2
Licks: 6
Karma: 24
I use the "blue note" quite a bit in my soloing, and learned a lot of my lead playing phrasing that I use in metal from blues jams. It helped me find my voice through my own phrasing. So that sort of counts as blues. Use blues.Use chickin' pickin'. Learn as much as you can about ALL styles. They can only help you later on.
Trust me on this, as I am also a fellow metal head \m/ not trying to steer you wrong on this man.

@Coleman

A 12 bar metal song? Hmmm... Look up The Lumberjack by Jackyl.
Useless  
12 Nov 2011 20:34 | Quote
Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Karma
coleman, my point is not to play a 12 bar number disguised as metal.
I meant it as a place one might start.
Hendrix once with the Experience didn't sound at all like early R&B but that's where he learned his chops.
He then Jimi-fied it.
That is the thought I hoped to convey.

I thought the same might be possible for metal.
I don't play metal or blues but I get influences from from where ever I can.
A couple months in Nawleans is always helpful but I forgot to throw that out.

Eventually one recognises that music is music and there are no lines in between.
Ozzfan486  
13 Nov 2011 00:03 | Quote
Joined: 01 Oct 2008
United States
Licks: 1
Karma: 18
Useless says:
"...music is music and there are no lines in between."


Off topic, but that is a great quote for any musician to keep in mind, just saying guys.
telecrater  
13 Nov 2011 00:32 | Quote
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
United States
Lessons: 8
Karma: 13
I'd say a good thing to do is to get your metal history lessons on. Go back before Flipswitch, before Metallica, Go listen to some Black Sabbath, some Uriah Heap, kiss, rush, led zeppelin. Then move into the 80's listen to the misfits, Ozzy with Randy, Judas priest, Van Halen, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Metallica, Megadeath.

To really play write songs like you want to write you need to be a real student of metal.

One thing you should do is try and write a song in "the style of...". It would be good experience, good exercise. I'd start with the older bands and move forward.

Music is still music it's the same 12 notes that created Metallica's Battery and Mozart Requiem #4. Anything you pick up and will will only help you, even if it is a Dylan tune.

If your a real student of metal you will learn that the early pioneers were in fact heavily influenced by blues music. Black sabbath used to be a band called Earth and they played blues. Find out who influenced, your favorite bands, and who influenced them.

Also don't forget just because metal does not always follow the typical 12 bar blues, it's influence came form the blues. Metal composers expanded from the 12 bar blues, just as Jazz composers, Folk composers did etc

coleman says:
the 12 bar blues is a form. I have never heard a metal song use it.


Here are a few...mostly hair/glam metal from the 80's

http://youtu.be/PYhGi65Lijg

http://youtu.be/vuuxGvRTvSw

http://youtu.be/KW2J_UZ8lQU

http://youtu.be/41kshFCd7kw

http://youtu.be/Wfy4ez1YKb4

I hope this helps. Along time ago, in a galaxy far away I was into metal. I loved me Anthrax and some Slayer. I grew out of it, but I still have a listen from time to time.




coleman  
14 Nov 2011 02:35 | Quote
Joined: 10 May 2009
United States
Karma: 8
i love the chainsaw in lumberjack!
GuItArMeTaL13  
14 Nov 2011 07:33 | Quote
Joined: 10 Nov 2011
United Kingdom
Karma: 2
telecrater says:
I'd say a good thing to do is to get your metal history lessons on. Go back before Flipswitch, before Metallica, Go listen to some Black Sabbath, some Uriah Heap, kiss, rush, led zeppelin. Then move into the 80's listen to the misfits, Ozzy with Randy, Judas priest, Van Halen, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Metallica, Megadeath.

To really play write songs like you want to write you need to be a real student of metal.

One thing you should do is try and write a song in "the style of...". It would be good experience, good exercise. I'd start with the older bands and move forward.

Music is still music it's the same 12 notes that created Metallica's Battery and Mozart Requiem #4. Anything you pick up and will will only help you, even if it is a Dylan tune.

If your a real student of metal you will learn that the early pioneers were in fact heavily influenced by blues music. Black sabbath used to be a band called Earth and they played blues. Find out who influenced, your favorite bands, and who influenced them.

Also don't forget just because metal does not always follow the typical 12 bar blues, it's influence came form the blues. Metal composers expanded from the 12 bar blues, just as Jazz composers, Folk composers did etc

coleman says:
the 12 bar blues is a form. I have never heard a metal song use it.


Here are a few...mostly hair/glam metal from the 80's

http://youtu.be/PYhGi65Lijg

http://youtu.be/vuuxGvRTvSw

http://youtu.be/KW2J_UZ8lQU

http://youtu.be/41kshFCd7kw

http://youtu.be/Wfy4ez1YKb4

I hope this helps. Along time ago, in a galaxy far away I was into metal. I loved me Anthrax and some Slayer. I grew out of it, but I still have a listen from time to time.




thanks dude
V3N0M3333  
14 Nov 2011 09:24 | Quote
Joined: 17 Mar 2011
United States
Lessons: 1
Licks: 15
Karma: 15


all you gotta do is study music, that really has helped me.


Copyright © 2004-2017 All-Guitar-Chords.com. All rights reserved.