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Coming up with riffs

HeavyMetalNygeHeavyMetalNyge Posts: 144
edited April 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
Lately I've rediscovered PJ's talent. Don't get all excited yet. PJ is my favorite band ever, but for a long time I wasn't really into their more recent work. I've been trying to write some of my own songs again, and even though I'm able to play guitar pretty decent (intermediate level, I'm no pro but definitely not a beginner) I've really been struggling to come up with riffs. The more I try to write stuff, the more I respect albums like Binaural, and Riot Act and even Yield, although Yield has always been my 3rd favorite album behind Ten and Vs. Anyone got any tips on how to come up with riffs or create songs?
"I had a false belief I thought I came here to stay... we're all just visiting."
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • moyboymoyboy Posts: 131
    maybe stop *trying* to come up with riffs. shut your eyes and just play what you feel, hopw you feel right then- the tempo, the melody, the mood, and then repeat it enough so that it becomes automatic. once it does, open your eyes and begin to *try* again, and work it into something usable...
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i don't think i've ever written a riff..... not one that i built into a song anyway.

    wasn't that helpful? oops.

    my songs tend to come about from my singing over whatever chord progression i have cooked up.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    The best tip I can offer is - have talent.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    The easiest way is to play single notes within a chord structure, and then come up with little variations on that. So, fret a chord and start playing notes within that chord, and try to find notes to add to the chord that are in key. Then change chords and do the same thing.

    Learning scales will also help you immensely.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • HeavyMetalNygeHeavyMetalNyge Posts: 144
    enharmonic wrote:
    The best tip I can offer is - have talent.
    Personally, I think that anyone can write a song, regardless of musical talent. That's unfortunate you feel that way. Too many people have been told that they could never play or write music because they don't have talent. Don't let yourself be brainwashed. That's the best tip I can offer you.
    "I had a false belief I thought I came here to stay... we're all just visiting."
  • moyboymoyboy Posts: 131
    HeavyMetalNyge wrote:
    Personally, I think that anyone can write a song, regardless of musical talent. That's unfortunate you feel that way. Too many people have been told that they could never play or write music because they don't have talent. Don't let yourself be brainwashed. That's the best tip I can offer you.

    agree 800000%.
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