Thinking of good riffs?

[Razor]

I have incredible trouble thinking of good metal riffs. In particular I'm looking for an old school melodic death metal sort of a feel. It seems like whenever I try pick something out on the guitar, I can pick out something that sounds decent, but I really don't want to settle for that.

I want to play the type of creative and intricate music that I listen to. And it seems whenever I think of a riff in my head, it is either really generic or way too similar to something from another band.

So first of all, would you suggest that I try to write music with a guitar in my hand, or might it be more constructive to come up with riffs in my head and pick them out later, which has seemed to work better so far.

Also what can I do to spark some creativity and originality in my songwriting? Or is it a skill I simply don't have?

[Surge]

Well I don't know much about how you write music, but in my experience most metal guitarists just hammer away at the lower strings until something good comes out. While this sometimes works well good results are few and far between.

Originally Posted by Razor

So first of all, would you suggest that I try to write music with a guitar in my hand, or might it be more constructive to come up with riffs in my head and pick them out later, which has seemed to work better so far.

Personally I prefer to write with a guitar in my hand, but I would also recommend using notation software like Guitar Pro or Sibelius as this makes it much easier to plan out harmonies, chord patterns/melodies and to structure the song in general.

As for actually writing riffs you are best off finding some scales that express the mood of the music your writing. I don't know much about melodic death metal but I'd imagine that things like harmonic minor, mixolydian and aeolian will work well for melodic passages. Adding some accidentals and syncopating the rhythm will create heavier dischordant parts. Adding harmonies makes things a little more interesting too, use a harmony on the 3rd degree for a melodic feel, on the 5th for heavier parts and on the 4th or 6th for dischordant sound.

As for creating more intricate music I would recommend looking up some tequniques from classical music i.e. antiphony, ostenato and the proper use of cadences can make things more interesting.

Hope this helps

[Bobweirsucks]

just steal other people's riffs

[nutsack]

Just jam over a drumbeat and write down things that sound good. Learn a bit about scales and progressions.

[sevenTwo]

Whenever I'm not listening to music or I'm not really doing anything, I think of different rhythms, melodies, and harmonies in my head. If I think it's really cool, I'll hum it about 20 times or so out loud so I remember it. Then I transcribe it to guitar and then to guitar pro. I'll keep that idea around and merge it together with another progression maybe if I think they fit well together. That's how I make my music.

[Rykoshet]

Email me (via personal profile).

I've got something for you.

[Retard Synrdome]

[Σnigma]

Originally Posted by Bobweirsucks

just steal other people's riffs

...and move them up or down a couple frets. You're damn right.

[Stoned Crow]

Steal someones elses riff, play it in a different key, play it backwords, change a few notes out, add harmonies, the possibilites are endless!

[Black Flag]

It's hard because a lot of shit has been done already. Finding something original that sounds good is hard but not impossible. Most riffs just come to me randomly. Whenever I sit down and try to write something it never works.

The stuff I like the most I came upon by chance.

[Vomitor]

Maybe your trying to hard. Maybe just relax and dont think much just like go with the flow. Try smoking a bowl too when I do that shit I can grind forever

[Lord hang man]

For metal, start playing really slowly and make the notes all integral to each other (like in any style), add techniques like sweeping and palm mutes, windmill your guitar, and speed the thing up to like 180 bpm. jk, not 180. Good luck.

[Leonidas]

I think up entire songs in my head (save for vocals, that shit is just ott), and then try to play them. Usually I end up playing something different than I imagined, but it's still original and a lot of the time, better than the one I had imagined

[Mordisk]

Originally Posted by Razor

I have incredible trouble thinking of good metal riffs. In particular I'm looking for an old school melodic death metal sort of a feel. It seems like whenever I try pick something out on the guitar, I can pick out something that sounds decent, but I really don't want to settle for that.

I want to play the type of creative and intricate music that I listen to. And it seems whenever I think of a riff in my head, it is either really generic or way too similar to something from another band.

So first of all, would you suggest that I try to write music with a guitar in my hand, or might it be more constructive to come up with riffs in my head and pick them out later, which has seemed to work better so far.

Also what can I do to spark some creativity and originality in my songwriting? Or is it a skill I simply don't have?

Smoke a bowl.
Play whatever the fuck you want, put the bits and peices you liked of the jam session together, make some transitions that go into the peices you have made and then BAM. You have a song.

[stunned cunt]

Lamb of God's axe-men utilize a technique known as "Riff Farming", where basically a member has a riff idea, and proceeds to scrutinize and tear it apart. You can do this by slowing down your riff, taking out notes, reversing parts of the riff etc. These techniques are very helpful in realizing the potential of riff I find, and if its a keeper then smoke that bowl and unleash the possibilities!

[The Jitterskull]

Basically think of a catchy riff in your head.
Once you think it "rocks your balls off", just slowly transcribe it.

[313]

record. record. record!

just jam. dont think. play.
if you jam for an hour and its being recorded, then you are bound to find something.
and if you have ANY improvisational skills at all, then im sure you know what to do after you have found a riff that you like.

[313]

but keep in mind, you cant make an ENTIRE song out of one riff.

[Mordisk]

Originally Posted by 313

but keep in mind, you cant make an ENTIRE song out of one riff.

correct. make bridges, transitions, chorus's etc

[Bobweirsucks]

Originally Posted by 313

but keep in mind, you cant make an ENTIRE song out of one riff.

uh, yeah you can

[Marijuanasaurus]

I usually play scales before i create.
Play every mode, major and minor, and do some arpeggios.
Not only does it help you learn your fretboard, you can come up with some good stuff while messing around practicing.

[Σnigma]

Originally Posted by 313

but keep in mind, you cant make an ENTIRE song out of one riff.

Every AC/DC song ever.