when writing music, where do you start?

[weenur]

One of my favorite, extremely musical uses of sweeping is in "Bruce's Solo" from the first Racer-X Live CD (Extreme Volume). WOW!!! Very inspirational!

And of course, Jason Becker is a "musical" sweep monster.

I've always thought Bruce was a more musical player than Paul. Seeing them live in their prime was kick-ass.

 

[ABQShredHead]

I second Bruce's solo. That was an amazing piece of music rather than just wanking as Paul's came across. I, unfortunately, was unable to get to LA to see them in their heyday. Curse everything. I wish Bruce would do more guitar-oriented stuff though. I didn't like The Scream that much.

 

[Bryant]

I have yet to write my own song and I've been playing for 2.5 years. For those who write their own music, whether simple or technical, where do you guys start? Like do you start by finding chord progressions? Scales? Do you just make up a 10 second riff first then decide how the song will go?

And one more thing, how long do you practice your own riffs/solos for until you make the song?

I don't consider myself a great songwriter, but I have written many over the years. I also don't have any specific technique I use, but I can tell you the ways that I have written/co-written the majority of mine.

1) Simply "playing/riffing" - I am not often in the mood to just pick up a guitar and "try" to play something original. It takes a cetrtain mood, but sometimes that works. The secret to just "playing" different shit is to have some way to record yourself when you come up with something cool.

2) collaborating - My brother is a musician (a limited acoustic guitarist) and a vocalist. He likes classic rock/Southern Rock more than metal so although we aren't directly compatible, we can each take and use ideas from each other and change the style and arrangements to come up with our own songs. I usually write on my acoustic with him, but sometimes even basic chord structures are the best way to start because it's easy to add more technical stuff to things. Again recording is important. Quality is unimportant.

3) plagerizing indirectly - I have NEVER stole a riff from anyone or any band purposely and never intend to do so, but I have used a chord progression from a song I like and rearranged it and expanded on it to where it bacame a toally different riff/progression.
Stealing someone else's riffs and structure is simply stealing and I won't no part of it, but in music there is little that is 100% original. If you like a song's particular chord progression, rearranging it and changing the timing etc. creates a new song. I can play about 1,284,921 songs using three chords !! I am joking of course, but certain chord progressions simply sound good and they are used over and over again in all forms of music. E(min) C,D can play hundreds of country songs. The same thing (only in power chord) plays hundreds of metal songs.
Writing songs with basic chord progressions and using more complexed picking/arrangement techniques and adding chords in between is much easier than trying to write something very intricate from the start.

4) Creating in your mind - The human mind is often a creature of habit so even if you "hear" a riff or progression in your head, there is a chance it comes from something you have heard from before, but occasionally, I "hear" something in my head and I RECORD MYSELF HUMMING IT. I try to transpose what's in my head to guitar. Sometimes I can do it, sometimes not because I forget even after I have hummed it to tape. However, playing it back on tape often jogs my memory so it is very important for me to hum it. If I can transpose it, I get a good result sometimes.


Bryant