# Writing Music?



## Oceans (Jul 28, 2011)

Hey guys, I need some help writing music. I'm very capable of doing it, I just don't know what to write. I'm into progessive and djent metal. It seems like everything I write I'm just not happy with it. I have a 7 string and like to play in drop A (AEADF#BE) I'd appreciate some help...


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## nifty1234 (Jul 28, 2011)

Try taking a riff you like to play and changing it a bit, mess around with it, etc. Base a few more riffs off of that one, including variations, fills, and harmonizing. 

One method I like is to go listen to a bit of bebop jazz, at least for when I'm writing djent or prog, since the rhythms and some of their licks and tricks are great for breaking writers block. 

My last piece of advice, try taking a break from writing for a day or maybe a week, then come back. The muse is a fickle thing, and sometimes it doesn't want to show itself when you are intent on finding it. Ease your mind, relax, and you might find yourself writing like wildfire.


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## Oceans (Jul 28, 2011)

Thanks man, just might work.


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## GuitaristOfHell (Jul 28, 2011)

Wing it, and NEVER think. It always comes out best when you let your guitar take control in a way. Just loose your mind and play. Sounds weird but works.


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## Oceans (Jul 28, 2011)

thanks, I try that sometimes only problem is when I wing it I usually can't remember what i play and I don't end up writing I just end up playing random stuff.


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## GuitaristOfHell (Jul 28, 2011)

Arkona said:


> thanks, I try that sometimes only problem is when I wing it I usually can't remember what i play and I don't end up writing I just end up playing random stuff.


That's why you always record with something like a camera or mic it. Something to capture it.


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## Oceans (Jul 28, 2011)

good idea


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## danieluber1337 (Jul 28, 2011)

Under normal circumstances, I'd post this:



danieluber1337 said:


> Just sayin'



But this kind of thread is always nice to see again. I'm currently kinda hit by writer's block, and it never hurts to see, again, things that help with it. Everyone gets it, and everyone wants to get over it. This thing I could stand to hear every couple of days 

Listen to something that's not djent.

Want to be even more effective? Listen to something that isn't metal. Jazz, orchestral, alternative, hip-hop, rap (good rap please, like Tech N9ne or L.O.C., not that Lil' Wayne BS).


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## Oceans (Jul 28, 2011)

Yeah I'm probably gonna do that. Only I don't know what to listen to, I've just been listening to this stuff my whole life, I listen to a lot of animals as leaders, I do some alternative, I won't to get into jazz but there are no artist I know of.


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## danieluber1337 (Jul 29, 2011)

Arkona said:


> I won't to get into jazz but there are no artist I know of.



I'm assuming you meant "want"? lol. It's late 

I'm the same way. I REALLY want some jazz, but I don't know of any solid releases that I can get. My dad's got a big collection, however...


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Jul 29, 2011)

Erroll. Fucking. Garner.



And, yeah, that is how he plays Autumn Leaves: like a badass. Can't find him doing Frankie and Johnny on Youtube, but it's an awesome piece as well.


Ahem. Songwriting. Forget the notes, figure out what you're trying to say. Don't have anything to say? Find out why. If there was one way to write songs, music would be very boring. Music should be an expression of yourself, and therefore should reflect your opinions and mannerisms. If you take the time to sort out your thesis beforehand, you'll find the notes and rhythms will come much easier.


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## Dayn (Jul 29, 2011)

Arkona said:


> Yeah I'm probably gonna do that. Only I don't know what to listen to, I've just been listening to this stuff my whole life, I listen to a lot of animals as leaders, I do some alternative, I won't to get into jazz but there are no artist I know of.


How about Hiromi Uehara? She's a friggin' beast:


If it's any help, here's a small process I sometimes go through:


Find a few notes I want to emphasise, like a chord progression, but stripped down to the roots. Pick a few notes that evoke the atmosphere I want.
Make a simple backing track with that chord or chord progression.
Come up with a beat. Whether it's a straight 4/4 pulse, or 13/8 subdivided into 4-3-3-3, or 7/4-6/4 like the beginning of Time Difference.
Play those notes with the beat. I like to start with the root and get a good groove going. Try to incorporate more of those notes you've chosen into a good riff. Maybe throw in a few more notes in the key between your chosen notes.
Add some more instruments, as many as you can (or want, rather)! Try to make it sound 'complete'; it doesn't have to sound terribly complex, just so long as it gives you a good idea of what you want it to sound like. Even if a riff sounds below average, it'll sound a lot better with other instruments.
And don't forget the beat, whatever the pulse is.
Umm, that's basically it. That's what I've been doing lately for coming up with stuff, and I've gotten some pretty cool things. As said, record your stuff, and I'd say try to get a program that can help you compose so you can add backings to it.


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## nifty1234 (Jul 29, 2011)

Steps to enjoying some jazz:
1. Get Itunes or any other program that can play internet radio
2. Go to radio section
3. Find the bebop jazz station
4. Turn it on
5. Keep your jaw from hitting the floor (it's dirty down there)
6. Bob head and snap fingers in accordance


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## 7TheWayToHeaven (Jul 29, 2011)

Not exactly a djent player but Paul Gilbert is a great teacher. Check out these 2 videos if you're stuck in a rut in song writing, they might help.


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## Oceans (Jul 29, 2011)

Thanks guys, yeah Paul Gilbert is awesome, I appreciate the help. I guess I'll try and find some jazz now


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## celticelk (Jul 29, 2011)

If you're interested in getting into jazz, it's pretty easy to find "best of" lists on the Web, and most of them recommend the same '40s and '50s players: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, etc. The classics are classic for a reason. For my money, you can't go wrong starting with Davis' *Kind of Blue* and Coltrane's *My Favorite Things*.


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## brutalwizard (Jul 29, 2011)

Arkona said:


> drop A (AEADF#BE) I'd appreciate some help...



DROP A

A
E
A
D
G
B
E

were is f# COMING FROM??


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## steve1 (Jul 29, 2011)

brutalwizard said:


> DROP A
> 
> A
> E
> ...




poor wording coming up....

the lower 6 strings are tuned to the standard intervals for 6 string drop tuning, with an added high E string, rather than the top 6 strings being in E standard, with an added low A


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## brutalwizard (Jul 30, 2011)

steve1 said:


> poor wording coming up....
> 
> the lower 6 strings are tuned to the standard intervals for 6 string drop tuning, with an added high E string, rather than the top 6 strings being in E standard, with an added low A



i understand the concept, but who in the world tunes like this ever?


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## The Reverend (Jul 30, 2011)

brutalwizard said:


> i understand the concept, but who in the world tunes like this ever?



People looking to replicate 6-string tuning?


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## brutalwizard (Jul 30, 2011)

The Reverend said:


> People looking to replicate 6-string tuning?



i guess i dont play six string drop a songs,

if i were to play a six string song i would drop the low e to d haha


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## Cabinet (Jul 30, 2011)

Sometimes you might be better at writing other forms of music. Throughout high school I listened to both albums of Necrophagist almost daily, and when I tried to write music like that I just disappointed myself. I found that the music I have more fun with writing has more of a jazz influence and uses more complex theory than just ripping through a harmonic minor solo at 120 bpm.


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## celticelk (Jul 30, 2011)

brutalwizard said:


> i understand the concept, but who in the world tunes like this ever?



Imagine stringing a 7-string with a high A, and then dropping the low E to D. You get easy power chords on the low strings, and more upper range in position for single-note lines. This is the same tuning, transposed down a fourth. Given some tunings I've seen offered by posters here, this seems downright pedestrian. =)


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## Solodini (Jul 30, 2011)

celticelk said:


> Imagine stringing a 7-string with a high A, and then dropping the low E to D. You get easy power chords on the low strings, and more upper range in position for single-note lines. This is the same tuning, transposed down a fourth. Given some tunings I've seen offered by posters here, this seems downright pedestrian. =)



Agreed. Seems like a nice idea, as well. I'm going to give it a go, methinks.


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## Oceans (Jul 30, 2011)

brutalwizard said:


> i understand the concept, but who in the world tunes like this ever?


Well it's not my decision to tune like that, my bandmate claims whitechapel tunes like that and he's overly obsessive with them. But I guess another reason would be we started out writing our songs on drop A with six strings, and when we got 7s we didn't feel like changing the fret numbers on the riffs that we had to play on that F# string. I would tune it to G but I just leave it to save the confusion, plus I made up some chords like 
|5|
|5|
|7|
|6|
|9|
|5|
|5|
and if you tune it to G instead of F# it just doesn't sound right


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## brutalwizard (Jul 30, 2011)

Arkona said:


> Well it's not my decision to tune like that, my bandmate claims whitechapel tunes like that and he's overly obsessive with them. But I guess another reason would be we started out writing our songs on drop A with six strings, and when we got 7s we didn't feel like changing the fret numbers on the riffs that we had to play on that F# string. I would tune it to G but I just leave it to save the confusion, plus I made up some chords like
> |5|
> |5|
> |7|
> ...



its only a half step, to me it would mess up my theory a little bit, but i never played in drop tunings on a six, 

and whitechapel tunes to drop A like i described from all the notation and tabs i have ever seen...


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## Oceans (Jul 30, 2011)

well my bandmate is stubborn. I could try and tell him that but he would be like NO ITS NOT. It's not really a problem for me so I just deal with it, I'd rather tune it to G but what can I do?


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## Explorer (Jul 30, 2011)

I like to write, and like to use the Roman alphabet. I like prose and poetry, but just don't know what to write. Hmm... how to get started? Where to find ideas? how am aBle to expREsS them so can people read and know/find myh mean to say?

Well... to answer my own question, I guess I'd be better at expressing myself if I spend time learning spelling, sentence structure, and how to type. Then, if I have an idea which I wish to capture or work on, I can express it immediately, instead of then having to learn the individual words in order to do so. 

----

If your interests are in writing music, as opposed to just churning out random riffs, then I suggest you do the musical equivalent. Learn about musical structure, both melodic and harmonic. Learn how to use that guitar in order to instantly express what crossed your mind, instead of having to learn how to express each new idea from scratch. 

Ultimately, you'll also be better off if you *have* ideas, instead of "just advanced about questions established sufficient." My just stringing random words together as some folks noodle with random notes hopefully illustrates how poorly that approach can work. 

Whatever approach you ultimately settle on, good luck!


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## Oceans (Jul 30, 2011)

That's a good point, I'll do that.


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