Songwriting

[Episteme]

For the Kayo Dot dudes or anyone else...I really enjoy your music and sometimes I can't go a day without listening to at least a Maudlin of the Well or Kayo Dot song, it just totally mindfucks me...in a good way of course.

I have a band, and we are currently in a big rut in terms of songwriting. I was thinking how you guys lay down your song ideas and share it and let riffs(or should I say music) flow so coherently. Our influences include Maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot, Cynic, Death, Ephel Duath, Opeth, My Dying Bride, Decapitated and we all are trying to include funk, free-jazz, modern classical type stuff... If you guys could help out, I'll scrub your toilets for you
Thanks alot

 

[exciar28]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137889

 

[Episteme]

Uhh...what?

 

[FuSoYa]

I think the best way to go about it is to just work on something on your own, from start to finish, on an X - Y plane, and let your band come up with the Z axis. It might take you longer before you have something to bring in to rehearsal, but when you do, it'll probably be better and/or more cohesive than your guitarist's riff plus your bassist's riff plus your drummer's riff.

 

[Helm]

FuSoYa: That's what I usually do. I do the basic phrasing and construction, and then we orchestrate and harmonise with the rest of the band. On one hand clarity of vision and continuity, on the other hand, polyphony in the writing process seems to bring a little bit more into the material. I guess if you're really confident in your artistic vision you don't need people composing with you.

xxChaoticManifestoxx : Have you tried dodecatonic composition in the vein of Schoenberg (sp?) or even simpler atonality? Sometimes it helps if you write music under strict rules. Under dodecatonism you have to use all of the twelve tones in a phrase before you can use any of the notes you've already used again. Repetitions are ok. So for example C# A A# A# (note linear repetition) G C D F# B E F D# G is a 'correct' dodecatonal phrase. Uh, I'm not good at explaining, just listen to some Schoenberg. Or try the musical alphabet, or any other controlled method of composition. Like make up a melody, then derive it's tonal code (see what series of intervals you use) and then harmonise all of that in completely different scale (major to minor or hungarian minor to locrian mode whatever) and try to make it all fit and sound good to you.

Generally when stuck, go math, heh

 

[coelacanth_M]

Helm what band are you in?

 

[Helm]

A secret band.

 

[coelacanth_M]

dammit

 

[capeda]

Generally when stuck, go math, heh

Xenakis?

 

[Helm]

Great composer. As a plus, I've met him when I was younger. Being greek has advantages. And being hairy all over wasn't the first thing on my mind when I typed that.

Sidenote: Lark's Tongues In Aspic is one of the best KC albums in my oppinion. Yay for taste.