Someone teach me how to write riffs

[RETIREDTrapped]

like ...And justice for all, Blackened style.

I'm writing the same style riff OVER and over again, i want something with a cool, heavy fast groove, like the aforementioned song.

I'm writing stuff that's really fast left and right hand work, the drums are all half time, and there is a groove to it, basically the same riff over and over again, i'm writing "The Learning PT. II" as we speak, and it's pissing me off.

How do i be hetfie... uh... how do i write cool thrash riffs? I can play them fucking great, i just can't write them.

*sigh*

 

[DracWell]

A sick tip ;P Write a really cool drumbeat... then convert it to a guitar-riff...

 

[RIP50]

i am having a similar problem. I use scales to write riffs, so i guess use diverse scales.

 

[Will Bozarth]

i dont WRITE riffs.... i jam and play random stuff, if it sounds cool, i try to remember what i played, and i work on it

 

[DracWell]

I try to write riffs in different ways and ombine them. Like jamming to drums I've programmed. Or just trying to do something special with a scale or working with maths.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

Well there's a few different methods I use.

1. Just play random stuff and see if anything cool comes out of it.

2. If you're going after a particular sound, like something egyptian-middle eastern sounding, you could use a phrygian mode or a harmonic minor.

3. Use a lot of cool techniques when playing your riffs and they will sound cooler. Add pinch harmonics, some bends here and there, vibrato, it will all make it sound more colorful and unique.

Hope I was of some help.

 

[famousamoswillkillyou]

Damn, this just reminds me of how much I suck ass...

 

[deathstrike from hell]

study the e pentatonic scale, and when u become familiar with scaling, solos will come easier.
as far as riffs, i love listening to kreator to get ideas, and i always have a drum beat already done. i love trying to create songs without bridges too, much like bob dylans style gone metal. interesting stuff.
get a tab book, and alter some hetfields riffs bro thrash till death!

 

[Grey Skies Fallen5]

As far as riffs go, try a few different meters and make a tempop map. go 7/8- 9/8 -11/8 and mix them up a bit. That will force you out of a rut. Also, try to be open to all the sounds around you and see if you can find rythms in your natural environment. I am working on a song based on the random sputterings from an espresso machine.

da-dad-da d-dah ducka-ducka-du-DA ducke- DA du DADADADA!!!

 

[DracWell]

Grey Skies Fallen5.. haha. great tip! I've planned to record some crow doing their "random" noise and them Record guitars to that rhythm and try to find a pulse I LOVE working in strange ways.

By the way.. the most free creative part has to be doing things like meshuggah. I come up with a basic riff that is odd.. repeat it 'til it comes back to the 1st beat.. or you put a "fit.piece" to make it come back. I use that pretty much. One of my tunes has a verse where the drums goes 4/4 eight times. and the guitar/bass goes 7/4 three times and then a "fit-fill" in 4/4... I put the last so the drums has an even pattern. Basic 8 bar shite =)

 

[DracWell]

Or just watch movies or read. Great source for insperation.

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

Originally posted by deathstrike from hell
study the e pentatonic scale, and when u become familiar with scaling, solos will come easier.

Pentatonic is ass, i fucking hate pentatonic scales... I'm a mode man I've been playing for a long time, so it's not a matter of trying to remember scales etc, it's just writing that gets me. I can only play symphony x and metallica songs so much, and i get itchin' to write my own shit.

I am working on a song based on the random sputterings from an espresso machine.

 

[Grey Skies Fallen5]

Crows? That's a great fucking idea!!

Anything like that can help your creativity.

For melodies I like to lay out a number grid over the alphabet, spell something out, take those numbers and pick the notes of the scale to match up with those numbers.

One band I played with had this guitarist who was driving me crazy. The next time I had to write a guitar solo I spelled out Mike is a fucking asshole. I took the numbers for the letters, picked scale steps and came up with this fucked up guitar solo that jumped octaves left and right and was a blast to play. I used to turn to him and make all these ugly faces thinking,

"Mike is a fucking asshole!!!"

\m/!!!

 

[DracWell]

Haha. That's great! =)

A friend of mine came up with a song while having sex, right in the middle of the act he pulls it out and says "fuck this, I'll write music now instead"... great guy ;P

oh btw, the girl dumped him.

 

[White Rabbit]

i'd suggest the structure of the song acting as a kind of metaphor for some grander process.

 

[Iced Dragon]

well, my problem is I can't write songs as well, I have about a song and a half and some other cool ideas but I can't write a complete song. I have most inspiration by listening to songs and in my head I can hear improvements: better solos and stuff I would have done otherway or adding things BUT...I can't play it!!!!
I'd really like to be able what I hear in my mind...
I often have great ideas but when I pick up my guitar it's just...I don't know what to play so I basically mess around and
fuck up my precious time...
DAMN ME!!!!


np-Gyllnor :Trazzaran

 

[DracWell]

I've just realised I play things I hear and feel for the moment, solos that is. MY technique is a bit sloppy, but I'm sure it'll come the more I play this way. Oh and btw, scales? What's that? ;P I've just started ignoring scales mor and more and doing things after my ear instead.

 

[creepindeath66]

Originally posted by DracWell
Haha. That's great! =)

A friend of mine came up with a song while having sex, right in the middle of the act he pulls it out and says "fuck this, I'll write music now instead"... great guy ;P

oh btw, the girl dumped him.

Haha

 

[Iced Dragon]

It's not that I can't play anything I hear, just not everything and the really fast stuff with lots of intervals etc.
About scales I try to avoid the 'blockpositions'. I use the entire neck, focusing on the notes, not positions.

Iced Dragon