Discussing Metal Composition Techniques?

[justAZombie]

I've always thought it would be cool if more bands talked about their song-writing process. I wrote something along those lines for my band:

http://cytokinestormrock.com/thoughts/?p=9

Has anyone else written anything like this? Or would you maybe want to talk about some of your compositions? I'd love to hear what goes through the minds of fellow metalheads when they're writing music!

 

[El-Shoggoth]

I find that I come up with the most creative and original-sounding rifts when I compose them on sequencers in software like Reason, or sometimes on piano, and then "learn" them on guitar (sometimes with modifications of course). When I write on guitar, it often ends up sounding too much like the music I had been listening to at the time.

 

[Stalmeseto]

I find that I come up with the most creative and original-sounding rifts when I compose them on sequencers in software like Reason, or sometimes on piano, and then "learn" them on guitar (sometimes with modifications of course). When I write on guitar, it often ends up sounding too much like the music I had been listening to at the time.

I agree with this. Music is my major, and I'm somewhat fluent in piano. Sometimes I'll dick around on it, and I'll come up with some progressions that are pretty damn good. Knowing different instruments in general helps composition, I think.

As for actually song-writing in the band I'm currently in, we all gather around, someone will present an idea/riff/progression/whatever, and we'll start with that. First, we'll get a rough structure and order, then we'll go in and write the specific parts with the overall feel of the song in mind, then we'll go in and add details, solos, fills, and polish it up. It's worked so far for us, and I'm liking it.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Tritones + Half Steps = Metal

 

[justAZombie]

I find that I come up with the most creative and original-sounding rifts when I compose them on sequencers in software like Reason, or sometimes on piano, and then "learn" them on guitar (sometimes with modifications of course). When I write on guitar, it often ends up sounding too much like the music I had been listening to at the time.

This is a great idea. I definitely get stuck playing those "muscle memory" riffs a lot. I have a keyboard sitting in my bedroom too, so this will be perfect for the next time I have writer's block.

Tritones + Half Steps = Metal

Haha, don't forget the chromatic riff. Take a lick, repeat it a half step lower, do it one more time, and suddenly your blues lick sounds evil as fuck.

 

[The Niche]

I love the ideas here, definitely using them ^_^ What's happened mostly in my band is we've gotten bored, started improvising independently and then suddenly our singer (who doesn't take part in the improvisations :L) will point at one of us and get them to play whatever they just played once more. And then we build a song around that.

 

[hyperdesire]

Wait for inspiration, hum it, have pocket voice recorder handy

 

[Mack Addy]

They come to me in my dreams and when I wake up I instantly have them logged in the memory banks of my head. Then from there I upload these dream files (.drm for those of you who are wondering) on to my recording computer via USB 3.0 and import them into StudioOne. They are dry tracks so re-amping is usually involved in the process as well. I'm still working out the kinks for the drum maps since I am still new at it, but I'm making progress.

It's something like that.

 

[MrSocialdisease]

Intro, verse, verse2, verse, pre chorus, chorus, verse 2, intro, interlude, pre chorus, chorus. Thats my latest song structure, it's a progressive metal song.