# How does one write black metal?



## NaYoN

Thread title. What makes black metal tick? What kind of chords, progressions produce that sound? Whenever I try something like that it just ends up being just chromatic instead of black sounding...


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## TXDeathMetal

The best advice I can suggest to you is to study some tabs of some black metal bands and take note of the kinds of chords used, the progressions, etc...


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## Waelstrum

Try using some unusual scales as a basis for your riffs, like octatonic scales and locrian, as they both contain that most evil of intervals, tritone within the tonic triad. Other good scales are some of the less used modes of the melodic minor (and for simplicities sake keep it the same descending as ascending). See below.

Also chord progressions that involve going between two minor chords than are not a fifth, fourth or second apart. eg: Am to Cm, Bbm to Em, etc... Tremolo picking this style of chord progression harmonising with another guitar and bass seems to work, also sweeping if you're into that. And apart from chords that need to be dominant, don't be afraid to have the bass player play the third instead of the root, as the first inversion can sound quite dark.

n.b. whilst black metal is note my style, these are some aspects that I have used as inspiration from black metal that I use in my own little proggy context for darker moods.


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## NaYoN

Thanks man. I've also seen black metal players use weird chords sometimes, any ideas with that kinda stuff?

I'm asking because while it's possible to imitate by looking at how bands play, I'd like to learn the underlying idea.

By the way, I'm not looking to make full on black metal either, but incorporating that kind of stuff does seem attractive.


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## Tomo009

I think Black Metallers tend to use a lot of dissonant chords and minor chord progressions that don't necessarily fit into a scale structure. Often tremelo picked it sounds strange.


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## Nights_Blood

One simple chord that I think instantly lends a black metal feel is a minor VI chord in a minor key.

For instance, say you are playing in the key of A minor, adn one of the chords in your progression is F (the VI chord in A minor). Instead of using an Fmaj chord like you normally would, use an Fmin chord. IMO, it's the simplest way to give any progression a dissonant black metal feel.


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## ZXIIIT

With my side project, (MORPHESIA (Official) on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads)
I just play using various chords and melodies that sound abstract and "dark", try messing around with stuff like that but don't force anything,
To write, I tend to hum/tab a melody and go from there, but mostly, I go with what sounds dark and eerie to me.


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## Scar Symmetry

Nights_Blood said:


> One simple chord that I think instantly lends a black metal feel is a minor VI chord in a minor key.
> 
> For instance, say you are playing in the key of A minor, adn one of the chords in your progression is F (the VI chord in A minor). Instead of using an Fmaj chord like you normally would, use an Fmin chord. IMO, it's the simplest way to give any progression a dissonant black metal feel.



This.

Basically, just use minor chords, completely neglect major chords and you should have the soundings of a black metal riff.


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## Dragonfly

One doesn't choose to write black metal...
Black metal will choose to write through you!!

No but in all seriousness, like mentioned, minor chord, they have a more depressing sound then major chords. And just study the music a bit, learn song on your guitar, learn bass parts, and at least look and listen to the drum parts to see what they're doing.
Good luck and post some stuff you came up with!


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## Thep

Tremolo pick an E minor to an E flat minor and repeat. Add blast beats. Just try not to be false.


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## NaYoN

Thanks guys. Any interesting artists anyone wants to recommend?


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## SimRat

yeah, i found minor triads and some diminished and augmented triads/diads work well when tremming. if you want to expand on that you can check out a technique called "flutter picking" if done with the right chord progression an a hint of reverb/delay it will give you a dark epic sound coined by Norways finest.


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## Thep

Gorgoroth, Marduk, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Dissection, Burzum, Immortal, and Emperor!


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## NaYoN

Thanks for the obvious, Thep  I was looking for stuff a little different  Of course I am aware of those bands.

Emperor's Prometheus is an interesting album, btw.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

First, you need a cod peice. Then some spikes, then some face paint, THEN and ONLY then, can you properly forge the black meetlz


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## matty2fatty

you should also look into getting this pedal, it helps with tr00 tone


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## Mr. Big Noodles

1. Channel Satan
2. Flutter picking
3. ????
4 Profit!

You don't want to change chords too often. Death metal and black metal differ in the respect that death metal riffs have a very fast harmonic rhythm, whereas black metal will usually have a harmonic rhythm of about one chord to a bar. Usually minor chords that don't follow a diatonic progression. Keep in mind that it's about atmosphere. This sort of thing:



Code:


e--------|--------|--------|--------|
b--------|--------|--------|--------|
G-4-4-4-4|-5-5-5-5|--------|--------|
D-6-6-6-6|-7-7-7-7|-4-4-4-4|-5-5-5-5|
A-6-6-6-6|-7-7-7-7|-6-6-6-6|-7-7-7-7|
E--------|--------|-6-6-6-6|-7-7-7-7|





NaYoN said:


> Thanks guys. Any interesting artists anyone wants to recommend?



Ancient.


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## Origin

A large amount of Ulver is pretty black metally. That and early Dimmu Borgir, who are still one of my favourite bands despite my general opinion of Panda Freaks.


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## right_to_rage

I'm really surprised that no one has suggested it but...


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## Dragonfly

matty2fatty said:


> you should also look into getting this pedal, it helps with tr00 tone




Dude.. that's.. fucking.. hilarious!! 

At first I was like, hmm interesting!! That bass tone in the back sounds killer!
When he mentioned researching and there were 3 open books in front of him I was like .. yeah right.. so I skipped ahead, and saw that he was going to demostrate the pedal,, I was like: cool! I wan't to see this!!  At first I was like, whut? You can't be serious,, and then I bursted out in laughing especially when they start using it on the other tracks and the most killer is this thing on the bass!!


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## LamaSabachthani

Are you talking more 'modern' black metal? Or the classic stuff from the early 90s? My honest recommendation (as we seem to get alot of people writing into the theory board asking tips on 'how to' write stuff) would be to just follow your gut or your heart with what feels good. Music is meant to be expression after all - not just how well you can memorize the modes


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## NaYoN

I know, and I'm not trying to memorize and mimic what's going on, but I have no idea what they are doing to get that sound, and I was wondering if someone could explain me how it all worked. SchecterWhore's post helped the most in that respect.

What I was specifically looking for are what kind of chords are commonly used, so I can break them down and 'feel' them. I'm not explaining this perfectly, but that's the best I can do.

I'm not trying to make black metal, I'm just trying to understand how it works so I can take what I like from it. But since I've obviously tried listening to it and that didn't get me there, that's why I came here. Because everything that I tried to do by myself ended up sounding just awful in a bad way.


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## Scar Symmetry

Black metal is easily made like this:



Code:


E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|6-------|2-------|9-------|5-------|
G|7-------|3-------|10------|6-------|
D|7-------|3-------|10------|6-------|
A|5-------|1-------|8-------|4-------|
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|


Basically, throw loads of minor chords together in a minor key and you're away.


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## ShadyDavey

Ihsahn's "Left Hand Path" videos are quite educational and I would imagine a good examination of chords and inversions would serve you well, as would getting your right hand up to 200 bpm+


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## All_¥our_Bass

NaYoN said:


> Thanks guys. Any interesting artists anyone wants to recommend?


For really dissonant fucked up shit there's Deathspell Omega and Portal.

Portal is sort of a super-dense/atmospheric black metal mixed with death metal.

You certainly can have major chords, but don't dwell on them too long. Rather, use them as stepping stones to minor/diminished/anything weird and/or dissonant sounding.

Also, get a Boss Metal Zone, it will help IMMENSELY.


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## Konfyouzd

"Motha fuckin' devil walkin down the street... I'm DOWN WITH THE DEVIL, JOE!!!"

You just need an angry black dude w/ turntables to do your guitar leads...


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## Lasik124

Hey dude! Im a huge Black Metal fan. I Live, Play and Breathe it. (If your a fan, you might recognize my avatar  )

Let me know what kind of Black Metal you like, and I can recommend you some cool bands, and the secrets. The term Black Metal now a days is a very broad open term!


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## Stealthdjentstic

You need trve KVLT extract from the Begrimmer.


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## ZaeYeL

Konfyouzd said:


> "Motha fuckin' devil walkin down the street... I'm DOWN WITH THE DEVIL, JOE!!!"
> 
> You just need an angry black dude w/ turntables to do your guitar leads...



i dun killed a man, joe.

Ahahhaha, that clip is so damn funny!!


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## Knossos

Try a few 9s in your chords, they add a dramatic feel that adds to the clinical feel of black metal when followed by a dark proggresion.


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