# Writing "generic" metalcore



## xibanezrg7x (Apr 9, 2014)

So. i'm in the Metalcoreish band, and we are making old schoolish metalcore now. Like bands Killswitch Engage, all that remains. But we are thinking making Metalcore like I killed The Prom Queen, and stuff like that. Without the whiny vocals. The Thing is, i'm having some kind of Writer's block now. I just can't get good enough songs. I can learn everything other guitar player sends to me, but when i pick the guitar nothing comes. So give some advices for this, thanks.


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## Rizzo (Apr 9, 2014)

Study some theory and dissect some of your favourite -core songs


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## DeathPaupiette (Apr 9, 2014)

^This.

However I can still try to give you some ideas, even though I'm not a -core player by any extent.

Step 1 : Generally low-but-not-that-low-tuning (Standard D or Drop C)
Step 2 : Main riff : Harmonic minor/Phrygian Dominant notes played on the 2nd lowest string, over the lowest string, played palm muted and used as a pedal tone (use it as the tonic for the scale played underneath).
Step 3 : Steady rhythm, kinda fast tempo.
Step 4 :BREAKDOWN(S). Syncopated-palm-muted-open-string-000-000-00-0-stuff.
Step 5 : Poppy chorus (maybe change key), strummed simple power chords-progressions. Slower tempo, 16th notes.
Step 6 : ???
Step 7 : Profit.

Stevie T - Metalcore Song (Official Music Video) - YouTube Sucks ass, but too à propos not to put in here 

End credits : the more you play and listen to music, the more ideas come, simple as that. Don't sweat it, just pick up your axe and noodle around, you'll be surprised how things may come naturally.


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## warpedsoul (Apr 9, 2014)

Lots of palm mutes and open string chugging.


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## Rizzo (Apr 9, 2014)

+a nice amount of dissonance


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## innovine (Apr 10, 2014)

Why is it called metalcore?


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## morethan6 (Apr 10, 2014)

Because it has a core of solid metal. Like a police nightsick. Or a pencil. 

Pencilcore.


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## xibanezrg7x (Apr 10, 2014)

The thing is. I know how to play ( not well, but well enough) but i'm having writer's block, when it comes to writing new stuff. I can learn the songs as i said, that other guitar player sends to me, and the covers. some songs to get the idea what i'm trying to to write :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6G9aS-NEVk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Yzao1v0q8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9URV336GM&feature=youtu.be

just for example. If Someone has writed stuff like these, could give some advice it would be great.

edit and thanks for the advices on last posts.


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## Svava (Apr 10, 2014)

DeathPaupiette said:


> ^This.
> 
> However I can still try to give you some ideas, even though I'm not a -core player by any extent.
> 
> ...



Dude plays some really freaking good solos lol


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## Mprinsje (Apr 10, 2014)

Tune to Drop C.

Make riffs with the open C string and the 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th fret on the 5th string.


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## Der JD (Apr 10, 2014)

When I want to write something in a particular style I: 

1. Listen to a lot of songs in that style

2. Dissect others' songs in that style- break them down bit by bit. Take notes regarding the structure of the song (for example- "chorus using power chords and octaves with a melody on the high strings for 16 measures followed by a heavy chugga-chugga breakdown on the open C), note choice, theory, key changes, tempo changes, transitions from one part to another, anything and everything really. Do this for several songs in that style and you'll start noticing the things that define the style in general. 

3. Learn to play some of your favorite songs in that style. 

4. Sit down and write. You can even use the "formula" that you derived from dissecting a song to write your own. I'm not saying rip it off entirely, but no harm in using many of the same ideas and a similar structure. Often, I'll start writing a song and I'll say "I'm aiming for it to sound like song X by band Y" and it usually ends up sounding quite different due to my own style and influences.


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## Berserker (Apr 10, 2014)

innovine said:


> Why is it called metalcore?


 
Because it started as a crossover between metal and hardcore....


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## xibanezrg7x (Apr 11, 2014)

Playing: Parkway Drive I watched cover.mp3 - picosong

Parkway Drive cover i did today, some mistakes, but ok. not full song, mayby doing it some day full. And the quality sucks.


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## theronaldchase (Apr 15, 2014)

When it comes to writing metal-core songs I usually start with the breakdown chug-chug section. It's easy since its usually low, open strings with the occasional first fret, lowest string for the extra brootalz. Just think of a cool rhythm and start there. 

Usually, main riffs come last for me when I write. That may seem backwards to most people, but if the conventional "come up with something cool then expand" formula isn't working, start from the bottom and go up.


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## Randyrhoads123 (Apr 15, 2014)

pedal open C and these frets 2 3 5 7 8 12... essentially just the natural minor scale, on the A and E strings

maybe add in a 6 or an 11 for some flair

harmonize with minor 3rds

then for breakdowwwnz


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## GunpointMetal (Apr 16, 2014)

There will be subgenre called Arbitercore.....

Set the guitar down and don't TRY to write for like a week. When you grab the guitar just run scales and practice shit you already know. If I hit a rut I might not even pick up the guitar at all. Whenever I stop forcing things I'll usually get hit with a deluge of ideas when I do get back to it.


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## lelandbowman3 (Apr 16, 2014)

Hey, bud. Prom Queen is one of my favorite bands. They play in B on 6s.
From what I can tell you, the open B is one of your best friends, and they play in the same "boxes" like in the MFTRD album, most of it was skipping from the open B to 5-5-3-5-7-5-578. From there, move that same scale to however it sounds best to you. The new album is a little more progressive, but it's still that same basic formula. They also kept that 0-8-7 chord progression, so find similar progressions and add that scale. Should be a good starting point.


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## lelandbowman3 (Apr 16, 2014)

Go with the rhythm section first. Get down the chord progression down first, then from there figure what they're playing on the lead track. Like in Thirty One and Sevens: There's that hammer-and pull-off intro, but then the rhythm plays those chords. They can't play the lead out of the chord progression. (technically they can, but who wants to make something that redundant and overly-complicated?)
I noticed they barre chords and play the lead notes also. Like in "Say Goodbye" they barre 8 on the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings while play the lead notes, then move back one fret on the barre, then repeat.


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## lelandbowman3 (Apr 16, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH_uBdSj0Cg


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## JustMac (Apr 19, 2014)

Berserker said:


> Because it started as a crossover between metal and hardcore....


 The other guys definition is way better


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## xibanezrg7x (Apr 22, 2014)

ok, probably things go like this. Other guitar player goes to drums, and we will kick vocalist and drummer. Guitar and song making goes on me. And i still have ....ing writer's block. Let's see what happens.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 22, 2014)

"I can't write good enough songs..."

Congratulations! You're a musician!

Just keep writing, man. There are ups and downs but overall, the more you stick at it and remember to try and not let yourself get frustrated with the process, the better you'll get.


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## grumptruck (Apr 22, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pR-voFbxzo


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## xibanezrg7x (May 2, 2014)

can you recommend for me some scales for metalcore melodies, or some notes that are used often?


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## nicomortem (May 2, 2014)

My advice for the writers block is to take the songs that you already play in your band, and rip them off to make new riffs. That way you will be staying true to the style of all the different the band and eventually an "identity" forms out of that. It works better than ripping off the bands you listen to, and the overall results end up being more consistent from song to song. If you really put some effort into it, you can come up with plenty of riffs that don't sound just like all the other riffs, but still have the same sound and style. Some of the best metal records out there have the same chords, scales, keys, and tunings on every single song, and the band was able to come up with enough ideas to complete the entire album without really having to reach too far outside the box. Its not the only way to make music, or to approach songwriting, but it is certainly a tried-and-true method that would most likely be appropriate in your given situation.


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## xibanezrg7x (May 4, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXvZxJwNJeo&feature=youtu.be

Some random solo i did today. sounds like crap, but hey.


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## xibanezrg7x (May 20, 2014)

Playing: untitled666.mp3 - picosong

Finally got writer's block away. Recorded that one today, for my band.


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## lelandbowman3 (May 21, 2014)

sounds pretty good, bud. try playing with chord progressions and timing with the chugs. by changing the progression you can add a whole new world of depth to the song.


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## chassless (May 22, 2014)

DeathPaupiette said:


> ^This.
> 
> However I can still try to give you some ideas, even though I'm not a -core player by any extent.
> 
> (stuff)



spot on, most accurate description i've read in this thread in my opinion


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## xibanezrg7x (Jun 3, 2014)

Playing: untitledasdfg.mp3 - picosong

kind of melodic death metal "song" that i recorded just for fun. Mayby i should try to make full song out of this?


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## Forrest_H (Jun 3, 2014)

Start off with a drop tuning, like D, Db, or C. Do a lot of palm muting and chugging. If you want generic, do a riff like this:

E ---------------------------------------------------------------------
G ---------------------------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------------------------------------
D -----------------------------------------------------7-7-------------
A ----------8-7----------7-5----------8-7-----8-7-----7-7-------------
D -000-000------000-000-----000-000-----000-----000-8-8------------

Seriously, this was like every song I wrote in 9th grade  Also, breakdowns are easy as hell lol

E-0-0-0---0-0-1-0-0-1-0-1(bend)

or something like that.


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## aheadofmetal (Jun 25, 2014)

Try listening to some other non-metal stuff like this: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO5MheI0A8o


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## Grindspine (Jun 25, 2014)

xibanezrg7x said:


> So. i'm in the Metalcoreish band, and we are making old schoolish metalcore now. Like bands Killswitch Engage, all that remains. But we are thinking making Metalcore like I killed The Prom Queen, and stuff like that. Without the whiny vocals. The Thing is, i'm having some kind of Writer's block now. I just can't get good enough songs. I can learn everything other guitar player sends to me, but when i pick the guitar nothing comes. So give some advices for this, thanks.


 
Go out, get ripped, write a song about how bad the hangover was in two days.

 Your mileage may vary!


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## Sugbaable (Jun 25, 2014)

If I want to write just simple generic stuff, I just start riffing. Like I wouldn't even care about theory, just start creating a pedal tone lick for metal core. Play around with it until it sounds how you want it to. Bam, you have a riff. Maybe it's rooted on the 7th fret, 3rd fret, open string, whatever. And it doesn't really matter what tuning your in, but drop tuning is preferable. Create simple melodies in the pedal tone licks, and then also some power chord chugs. Then once you've got riffs down, you'll probably have a key, or keys outlined in your riffs so your bass player can do something, and you can make a mean solo. Have your drummer and singer do their thing and Bam! Metal core song.


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