Author Topic: writing a riff (Read 4491 times)

Tarzan · « **on:** July 13, 2007, 09:19:28 AM »

Hey, i've been trying to write songs for a while, but nothing i write is worth keeping, so i was hoping that some of the songwriters here would be able to help me in this block.

so how do you go about writing a riff?

gwEm · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2007, 10:20:39 AM »

i guess everone has a different technique. these days i just jam around and some nice riffs appear. but i think this is mostly because of having some nice gear which inspires me.

i'll usually start with a low E palm mute playing 1/16ths, and then grab some random power chord, and with a bit of luck something will flow.

in the 'old days', when i had a more punk attitude, i just used rubbish gear for political reasons and it was harder to come up with something good.

i dont know what style of music you make, and you're obviously a pretty experienced player (much better than me probably). but buying the first six black sabbath albums and practising the riffs on those gave me an excellent start for most styles. then you i started to analyse the riffs - what worked in them and why, starting to bring in some of my own ideas. iommi plays in quite distinctive style, so learning some more progressions from other of your favourite bands in a similar way and mixing it all up is bound to lead to some good results. playing around with single notes and different chord inversions might give some nice stuff.

looking at sabbath some more. its not just the individual riffs iommi plays, but how the band mixes them up in the context of a song. sabbath have some really good arrangements, and i always learn stuff from listening.

i honestly think that the drums are the most important instrument in any music, much more important than guitar or vocals. it might be a good idea to work with a drummer and jam around.

also, i get alot of inspiration from dubstep and drum'n'bass. the synth riffs in acid house and rave music rock too. happy hardcore tunes often have excellent arrangements as well.

jt · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2007, 10:22:35 AM »

:D Try starting with a single note, say an open E then try playing another note that goes with it, then try another. Experiment. The secret is you need the 1st 3 notes to sound like they belong together. Once you`ve got a riff thats workable try playing some chords behind it. Record the riff then try playing a selection of chords. See what fits or what gives rise to a strong melody.

Dont get to prescious over a riff they can mutate & turn into other riffs. Try playing along to drum tracks particuly if they`ve got a real sense of rythm. Everytime they hit a drum in the rythm try playing a note at the same time.

Try this one play an open D string on a pedal then on the G string play a selection of notes, by moving up & down the fret board between the 1st fret & the 12fret. See what you can come up with.

:D 8)

JamesHealey · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2007, 11:14:17 AM »

pick a style your interested in writing the riff in, then pick a song that has something similar to the riff your learning.. learn that riff by ear, then take it apart theoretically..

Think what was he thinking when he wrote this riff, close your eyes think of something similar in your head try sing it into a tape recorder then transcribe it back..

works for me.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2007, 11:15:53 AM »

also write a variation of the riff that you can play each 3rd time the riff comes around, and also maybe another variation for the last verse or chorus depending on what your arrangement for the tune is.

also considering playing the entire song up a semi tone for the last chorus.. total cheesy effect but it really lifts the song up super cheesy style!

Manji · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2007, 01:56:28 PM »

Listen to shiteloads of different bands in the genre that you intend to write in and not in that genre- get inspiration both from (say you're writing metal) metal bands and from classic rock bands, blues, prog rock, anything. The more sources you take inspiration from, the more unique the riffs that you come out with will be since they won't just be rip-offs of other bands songs.

One of my mates from college kinda has that problem- he's sent me some of the songs him and a friend of his at Uni have been doing and they sound like pretty poor versions of songs by Machinehead. If you do come up with a nice riff that you really like but which you also think sounds too similar to a riff that you already know, try and change it around a bit- change the tempo, slightly change the pattern of the riff, add more instruments, whatever. :D

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2007, 02:40:51 PM »

all the best stuff I've written was in my head then translated onto the guitar. jamming is also a good way of doing things - I nearly always get something that way.

:twisted:

Tarzan · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2007, 06:27:01 PM »

thanks for all the responses, hopefully i'll be able to put some of the advice to good use.

38thBeatle · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2007, 08:04:58 PM »

Another thing that has helped me in the past is taking a chord apart and playing the notes of the chord in diferent sequences-arpeggio type things really and have come up with many a riff that way-plus it helps with melodies. You may even take a series of chords in a sequence and take notes out of each chord.

badgermark · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2007, 10:38:24 PM »

Most of my riffs are chord based but with some melody played within them. Like play an open C chord and add/hammer on/pull off your pinkey and first finger on the 3rd and 1st frets. Both notes are in the key, and sound really nice. Also use your strumming to add emphasis. Though playing an open C is fine for my indy/acoustic/alternate stylee, most of these metal heads would hang me for suggesting playing open chords :lol:

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2007, 12:08:16 AM »

Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL

all the best stuff I've written was in my head then translated onto the guitar. jamming is also a good way of doing things - I nearly always get something that way.

:twisted:

+1
I always said if you cant hum it then it wont be memorable to listeners

shaman · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2007, 06:44:46 PM »

remember ,too, that silence can be deadly as well-put in some stops..add some cool purcussive chuka-chuka's...listen to bands that play odd time sig(Tool...math rock..)drink heavily..jam with a drummer and no one else..its amazing what can happen when you lock into a groove

Manji · « **Reply #12 on:** July 15, 2007, 01:25:04 PM »

Yeah, the riffs where you get a brief silence before everything explodes back in are the best. And also, try having bits where just the guitar plays the riff while the drums just do brief little fills to build it up (hard to describe, but I'm sure you know what I mean) :D Good way of improving tension, but probably a more metallic technique.

lepersmeesa · « **Reply #13 on:** July 15, 2007, 05:19:42 PM »

Just play your guitar everyday. Listen to new bands, learn new techniques. Then off you go. Just mess around. As soon as you feel you have something, try developing it.

Tarzan · « **Reply #14 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:14:42 PM »

again, thanks for all the replies, it's really helpfull, i think i've started coming up with some decent riffs now.

shaman, I love those silences, I will try to incorperate some into my playing.

Manji, I think I know what your talking about, and will try to get something decent going with that too