# If You Were Going To Make An Evil Song...



## Psychobuddy (Nov 2, 2009)

What scales would you use? I'm bored me and my drummer were talking about evil sounding songs today, so I was wondering. So yeah anything besides the obvious diminished stuff? Oh and please don't feel obligated to post this thread is purely for my enjoyment and probably won't serve any educational purpose. Anyway after all that post away, Bye Bye.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Nov 2, 2009)

I wouldn't focus on scales, actually. It's hard to sustain a tune using scales that don't have a tonal centre, though they are extremely useful for adding tonal color. Rather, I would build riffs around minor, augmented, and diminished chords. Modulations, successions, and other stuff concerning chromaticism is where it's at. This sort of stuff is pure gold:

```
E-----3-6----4-7----5-8----6-9----7-10
B-2-5----3-6----4-7----5-8----6-9
```


```
A----------10-9-8
E-6-7-9-10-------9-10-6-7
```


```
e-3-7-6-10-9
b-3-7-7-11-11
G-3-7-8-12-11
D-5-9-8-12-11
A-5-9-6-10-9
E-3-7
```


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## JohnIce (Nov 3, 2009)

SchecterWhore said:


> I wouldn't focus on scales, actually. It's hard to sustain a tune using scales that don't have a tonal centre, though they are extremely useful for adding tonal color. Rather, I would build riffs around minor, augmented, and diminished chords. Modulations, successions, and other stuff concerning chromaticism is where it's at. This sort of stuff is pure gold:
> 
> ```
> E-----3-6----4-7----5-8----6-9----7-10
> ...


 
This guy speaks the truth! Scales aren't the important part, it's the harmonies.


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## right_to_rage (Nov 3, 2009)

the half-whole tone scale is pretty sweet. Any symmetrical scale can do the trick i guess, but yeah harmonies are soo important, as well as tone and dynamics. Evil songs are usually layered with dynamics/evil


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## liquidcow (Nov 4, 2009)

I generally don't start off thinking of a particular scale as such, but, as said above, focus on individual intervals that I know or expect to sound dark/evil and work from there. Then sometimes you find yourself settling into a key, but often what sound evil is breaking out of it and playing notes that you'd think we're 'wrong' but somehow sound right.

But, if you want a quick start, Phrygian Dominant can sound pretty evil and is a favourite of many melodic death metal bands.


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## guitarplayerone (Nov 4, 2009)

I would write the song in phrygian, locrian, or phrygian dominant. diminished scales are awesome to add tension and use for modulation



SchecterWhore said:


> I wouldn't focus on scales, actually. It's hard to sustain a tune using scales that don't have a tonal centre, though they are extremely useful for adding tonal color.



yes, to some extent. except I would just take these modes and harmonize them using diatonic triads and use actual chord progressions while maintaining the modal feel.

Also i guess a great place to start is harmonic minor. Studying some classical chord progression music theory in minor will take you a long way. From that perspective, there isn't much different from Dimmu Borgir and Bach

its been posted many times before but this will give you a good idea about modes/etc
Guitar Shred Show - Mr.Fastfinger


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## lcsper (Nov 7, 2009)

Also make sure to space out those notes


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