well i just started a band and i think we are past the point of just playing covers and whatnot and we wanna start writing our own stuff. lyrics shouldnt be a problem but its the guitar riffs that im having trouble coming up with. does anyone have any tips or websites or ANYTHING that could just introduce me to the world of “Riff Writing”??? thanks a lot in advance!!
Off to Cafe Society.
DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator
Just one tip. Stealing. Just use variations of riffs that you like, and move them somewhere else on the fretboard. It’s tradition.
For the Bass guitar riffs, listen to Seinfeld - there is about an 30 year supply there.
Make simple melodies and apply parts of chords to them. Try to vary the rhythm up some since the same thing over and over gets boring.
Here are my thoughts.
The first, and probably the best advice I have, is to turn up the amp and just play. The best stuff I have come up with is from free jamming. Record you jams because it is really easy to forget what you played. If you record it you can go back and figure out what you played. (Note, I have been playing for 20+ years and have a very good ear. At the same time I still find this to be usefull)
Second, think about what you want to write. Are you in a heavy mood or a light mood? Pick a mood and go with it. If you are in a heavy mood crank up the amp and play. If you are in a mellow mood turn down the amp and play.
Third, explore other styles. The more you play and explore the more options are opened to you.
Fourth, think about what you want to write. Do you want to go for blues? Or Hard Rock? Metal? Pick one and look at the bands that you want to emulate do. Figure out which chords they use. Then take that and explore. Try things out.
Last, if you are going to riff, practice and work on your picking. Right hand picking is essental if you want to riff with the best. Find picking studies and practice.
Slee
My best advice would be to take some lessons and learn more about incorporating scales and modes into your playing. The best riffs aren’t just constructed haphazardly, using random notes. They’re borne out of various note relationships that sound pleasing. Using different modes and scales will influence the notes you choose, lending a different feeling to your riffs.
Also, try a few exercises. I’ve heard Steve Vai suggest a bunch, such as picking 2 nonconsecutive strings and using only notes on those strings to create a riff. It helps you break out of the playing patterns you may be used to, and maybe you stumble onto something you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Good luck!
The best way to create interesting and original sounding riffs is to make them up in your head before touching the guitar. Otherwise people tend to fall into the pattern of playing what’s conveniently under their fingers. Tedious and unoriginal. You can vocally skat a riff and then translate to guitar substituting some aspects of the melody with diads and full chords to suit rhythm and taste.
Hmm… I’ll second stealing. How many songs are based on the four chord combo that makes up Green Day’s When I Come Around?
I can think of Blink 182’s What’s My Age Again, Bush’s Glycerine for a start.
Just use the pattern (F#, C#, Eb, B), vary the key and the rhythm… maybe even change the order and you’ve got a completely new song.
Kurt Cobain’s joked that he stole Smells Like Teen Spirit off Boston’s More Than A Feeling, which sounds pretty similar to Hunter’s and Collectors’ Holy Grail.
Having played covers, you should know how songs work. Use this knowledge to your own advantage.
Hmm…if you want to write riff oriented music I’d recommend dropping the guitar. Write your riffs on bass and transpose them later. You’ll get a cleaner sound and a better idea of what you’re doing.