I've recently made a metal band and I guess it's safe to say I've been the 'primary' writer of the band, I was wondering if someone can help me with writing metal songs, not like... writing them for me, but like telling me sort've how to write a good metal tune. I don't know if this makes sense, or anything, Im just trying my best to write great metal tunes. Im not a great with GPro, becuase I just recently got it, but here are some examples of some of my riffs and what not, if someone can help me out, that be great appreciated.

Attached Files

	Deeper Within.zip (1.4 KB, 228 views)
	sdfr.zip (2.8 KB, 149 views)
	Fucking riffs for martyred.zip (2.3 KB, 765 views)
	New song for Martyred very cool keep working.zip (890 Bytes, 164 views)

You can know all the theory in the world and still write shit songs, so don't emerse yourself into seeking a magic key that will allow you to unlock the secrets to songwriting because it doesn't exist. Just keep writing and writing until what you are playing actually sounds good to you.

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I cant figure out how to play your sound files

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It's pretty easy, if you have guitar pro 5, you push play?

and john, thank you for the advice .

totally agree.

actually for a while when i first started songwriting i played pretty much on the chromatic scale (which pretty much means, i didnt use any scale). this worked for a while, and i think in many ways it helped me figure out a lot of key things to songwriting and how to create your own style. after that i started experimenting with different scales and used the songwriting techinques i had figured out from writing before and helped develop my style further.

but writing chromatic doesnt always work for everyone, unelss youre planning on being the next slayer or cannibal corpse. if u want any scale suggestions, i would suggest minor, harmonic minor, and the phrygian mode. hope that helps.

Thank you so much for the advice!!!
Very much appreciated.
Can someone possibly give me some feedback with the riffs?

Listening to your music sounds extremely like Lamb of Gods style. Similar kind of riff structure at parts.

I mean as a composer of music myself, I would definately start learning songs by bands that you want to sound similar to. or If anything start looking for what they are doing with their music. I.e. progressions, patterns, riff structure as a whole.

You can see that most bands have very similar things in common. I'm not going to say music is completely about.. copy pasting riff structures and types with just different notes behind it, but i'll say most types of music including most metal has solid common good structure to it.

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Thank you for the awesome advice tmfreak, maybe you can help me with my next questions, how do you write the quick/or not as quick, catchy leads in chorus' or solo's? I mean, it's efing tough to think of something.

Best idea to be honest with a "chorus" is definately not to focus on something too "difficult" you're basically trying to make a melody generally. A really good iea is to have somebody else or a recording of yourself playing the rhythm of the chorus or whatever part you want to put a lead over. And literally sit there and start playing around and figuring out what you want. You'll start formulating in your head what you want it to sound like an dyou have to just hit those notes and figure it out.

The best advice i can make is keep it simple. Unless you're COB and even they keep it simple at times, the best way to make a solid tune isn't attempting to go all out on parts that literally do not require you to "go all out." My favorite songs aren't songs that were a frenzy of insane amount of notes and crazy go nuts solos, they were songs that had a really good melody and alot of meaning behind the song.

So in short, have somebody play your rhythm and you just improv off it till you find what you like.

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Hey read this thread that me and this guy had a lil while back. it includes some guitar pro files that examples basic metal rhythm and riff types.


Here

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I agree 100%, music theory helps in writing song but it is not the secret for composing well written music, you must have it in you (at least that is how it is with me). Getting inspired by bands you like is helpful as well.

I'm kind of in a similar dilemma where I'm trying to write some riffs and string them into a song. The way that I come up with riffs, like other people might have already said, is to just experiment with various ideas. I try to make the sounds i hear in my head on guitar. Sometimes it works, other time it wont come out right, but I'll still get a usable riff. Even though this takes awhile, i eventually come up with some coherent material.

If you haven't been playing for a long time you'll frequently find that your riffs sound a lot like other bands and its hard to write original shit. Don't sweat it. Trying to make truly original stuff is the hardest thing you can learn to do, harder than any neo-classical orgy of fretwankery, because you have to come up with it yourself.

But don't sweat it man, most bands in their early days just end up sounding like their favorites and with time develop their own intricacies and style. Just give it time and don't sweat it, but don't stop practicing!

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I'm having the hardest time trying to get the sound I want.
Like, I have it all in my head, all planned out.
I just can't get it out musically.
wtf can I do to get it out of my head and made into an actual song.

Try singing it. Your voice is the intermediate stage between mind and instrument.
You will have to work slowly this way - think of a phrase, a small group of notes, and keep repeating it (with the voice) to make sure it's what you want. Then try and find it, note by note, on the guitar.
If your voice is crap, it might be easier to start with the guitar to begin with, but it's likely the first note you hit will be a wrong one, and it can make you forget what you were thinking. Your fingers may take you off on a different route.

If you really find singing impossible (certain guitar sounds are not singable! - eg chords ), just keep playing - and recording what you play. Even if it sounds wrong, just keep going, improvising, changing stuff. IOW, let your fingers go on whatever route they want.
When you listen back, you might hear something you missed the first time. Might not be what you were first thinking of, but could be just as good, worth developing.

Be prepared for what's in your head to have to stay there. Sometimes the music we imagine in our head is unplayable, because we don't hear it clearly enough - or maybe we're imagining the sound of a whole band, the combined sound of guitars, bass and drums, effects, etc.
The best thing is not to spend too long imagining music, but to jam, play randomly, as much as possible, so you create real sounds. You then have stuff you can actually work with - even if you throw out 99% of it.
But the recording matters, because it's common to come up with nice licks or riffs when idly jamming, which you then forget.

you just completely summed up how i feel when i get an idea and my guitar isn't with me. And yes your fingers definitely hav e a mind of they're own

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I have the sound for metal that I want, but I'm haveing trouble making leads for it. I can write solos just fine over most progressions, but I have trouble coming up with ones for those wierd metal rhythm/riffs with power chords made out of the flat5
------3---
-2222-1---
-0000-----

or ones that don't follow any scale.
------3s4-3s4------3s4-----------3s2-3s4
2222-1s2-1s2-2222-1s2-5s3-2222-1s4-1s2-2222-----8(p)
0000--------- 0000-----3s1-0000--------- 0000-6s7
I understand changing your notes based on the chords, but these seem to go too fast. I just don't wan't an amateur sounding solo over them, and I would like to know how to play fast over these if I need to without sacrificing my note choices.