writing music. I can never get good riffs down and when I actually come up with an ok riff I feel like it isn't right for the song and I end up discarding it. How do you guys avoid this?
Been having trouble lately....
- Thread starter PostMortem1666
- Start date
jrt12
Member
dont throw the riffs away! just cuz it dont work for that song, you might be able to plug it in somewhere else.
i hear ya though to me this is the hardest part. whenever i'm trying to finish a song i always end up starting to write something else till i end up with 5 halfway written songs and zero of them finished.
but my point is... don't throw 'em away if theyre good riffs
i hear ya though to me this is the hardest part. whenever i'm trying to finish a song i always end up starting to write something else till i end up with 5 halfway written songs and zero of them finished.
but my point is... don't throw 'em away if theyre good riffs
sadistik necrofiend
Furby goes nanners
Sometimes shit just flows or it doesn't.
I was on a bit of a writing block about 6 months ago and then all of the sudden I have been writing songs like crazy. With some people it just comes and goes.
I was on a bit of a writing block about 6 months ago and then all of the sudden I have been writing songs like crazy. With some people it just comes and goes.
Jarkko Mattheiszen
The FU guy.
For me, it can't, and shouldn't be avoided. When the block hits, don't force it or you'll just get frustrated. Sit down with with a guitar in your hands and fiddle around every now and then, but if nothing comes out, it just doesn't. Take a small break from music alltogether, listen to some old favourites or bands you've never listened before or go through some of your old, disqualified songs and see if you come across something that gets your attention. Whatever feels the most comfortable to you. The block will go away eventually and you'll start coming up with good ideas again, but don't stress it unless you have a strict deadline or something.
I've noticed that when I hit a block and start stressing about coming up with songs, I only manage to put down god-awful riffs and sub-par songs that feel and sound really forced. It feels hard at first, but for me, the best thing to do is let your mind off of writing and let it come naturally with time.
Record it, record another riff over it (layering), program drums, and more than likely it'll turn from crap to awesome!
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
I hear ya man... lately, I've had a really hard time coming up with riffs and songs. I'm aiming to make a big project by summer, with 8 songs or so with this vocalist I found from this town (holy fuck, is that even possible in this shit hole?), and now I'm trying to make the songs for the project. I've got one that is basically complete, but I've got like 2-3 others that are half, just as you said.
Some days, no matter what I play, it just sounds dull... and shitty. No riff is interesting and ... well, it's just pure shit. But on the days when I do come up with something, and when I think it sounds good, I've discovered that those riffs are actually most often very simple things! Some of my favorite riffs from my personal history of music, are those simplest riffs. Maybe the problem is your/my mindset. Maybe we're approaching music the wrong way some days, by thinking "Ok, today I'm gonna write some really complex kick ass shit that just rocks my balls", and then it fucks up.
Listening to a lot of different music is always nice too btw... I listen to anything from the sickest Polish death metal to crappy christian music (Underoath to be exact, mainly because they just sound so aggressive and I don't care much for their message), to Jamiroquai (this mother fucker grooves!) and World Music. Throw in some electronica, industrial stuff and your mind should be like a nice thick soup... then try approaching song writing again
I feel like playing the guitar now...
Some days, no matter what I play, it just sounds dull... and shitty. No riff is interesting and ... well, it's just pure shit. But on the days when I do come up with something, and when I think it sounds good, I've discovered that those riffs are actually most often very simple things! Some of my favorite riffs from my personal history of music, are those simplest riffs. Maybe the problem is your/my mindset. Maybe we're approaching music the wrong way some days, by thinking "Ok, today I'm gonna write some really complex kick ass shit that just rocks my balls", and then it fucks up.
Listening to a lot of different music is always nice too btw... I listen to anything from the sickest Polish death metal to crappy christian music (Underoath to be exact, mainly because they just sound so aggressive and I don't care much for their message), to Jamiroquai (this mother fucker grooves!) and World Music. Throw in some electronica, industrial stuff and your mind should be like a nice thick soup... then try approaching song writing again
I feel like playing the guitar now...
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
Don't forget to add some: BAUUUOW!
Haha, it's been a while since I used that "word"
Just wanted to put a smile on your face Marcus!Don't forget to add some: BAUUUOW!
Haha, it's been a while since I used that "word"
Hahahahaha, in that case, mission accomplished Erkan!
Yeah...dude welcome to life as a musician for me the past 4 years. I'm still in it, I've tried everything and can't get out of the rut. I'm beginning to think I'm just not a writer.
~006
~006
I just busted my rut (.. haha), as far as riff-writing goes, but trying to make sense of it all and structure is where I'm not getting fucked over. Maybe I should write all these riffs and pass them to someone else in the band to make sense of...
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
Meisterjäger;8075772 said:
Dude, make your own E-Jay
You can call it M-Jay (Metal Jockey! yeah mother fucker!), and record a thousand riffs and just package them together and let teenage (ninja) metal kids buy 'em and make their own metuuuuulz!Oh and I get half of what you earn from this, simply because I gave you the idea.
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... ok, there goes my "morning" humor. I'm done, now I can return to being me again.. :|
Wow! Thanks to everyone for the advice. Metaltastic, I like the idea of writing the riff and then recording it right after writing. Normally I have just been writing it in guitar pro but I don't think that method works for me so I will try recording some new songs.
And Gojira, I think you are right. I always want to sound technical and what not but your post influenced me to just let the songs come out whether it be technical or not.
Thanks guys for the help!
And Gojira, I think you are right. I always want to sound technical and what not but your post influenced me to just let the songs come out whether it be technical or not.
Thanks guys for the help!
Yeah dude, I straight up can't write unless I'm recording, I need to be able to shape the riff and mess around with it with the guitar in hand (rather than clicking in little notes in GP and hitting the playback bar 
) I do use GP for when I'm writing licks that I can't even play, though! (or when I wanna do some serious counterpoint/harmonies, and I wanna hyper-analyze every pair of notes to make sure they all work)
) I do use GP for when I'm writing licks that I can't even play, though! (or when I wanna do some serious counterpoint/harmonies, and I wanna hyper-analyze every pair of notes to make sure they all work)
-J-
Member
- May 7, 2007
- 956
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I used to think I wrote cool thrash riffs. Then I heard some of the dudes on this forum! First, I try not to compare myself too much to dudes that can really make up some crazy shit, although that's not always easy to do.
Second, record every riff whether it's stellar or not. Most have potential for something (a beat, a groove, a few notes together that work well). You may not use it for several months, weeks, years, whatever, but when you listen down the road it may sound different/better.
Third, watch out what time of day you're grabbing the axe. After long days at work, I seldom make up cool shit. Saturday morning after slamming some eggs and chorizo...bam, like 10 new riffs since I'm rested and happy.
Or there's the old stand-by for a little inspirato: new gear!
Second, record every riff whether it's stellar or not. Most have potential for something (a beat, a groove, a few notes together that work well). You may not use it for several months, weeks, years, whatever, but when you listen down the road it may sound different/better.
Third, watch out what time of day you're grabbing the axe. After long days at work, I seldom make up cool shit. Saturday morning after slamming some eggs and chorizo...bam, like 10 new riffs since I'm rested and happy.
Or there's the old stand-by for a little inspirato: new gear!
