How to write awesome metal songs, v.2 Riff Writing

[tresspasse]

you fuckin rock dude!

[muziknewbie]

hey man what tuning are you in?

[NarKill44]

Found this video very helpful!.. Thanks man \m/..

[TheAngelGraves]

You know you're amazing, when you can write heavy metal riffs in standard E. Right on, bro!

[Lamb00FGoD]

I'm not hatin' sounds good playin,but the tone was driving me nuts. Like that string slap sound...

[mikejones62890]

the like bar is as big as his ego!

[cresentdemon123]

Your are a Fucking boss guitar player bro, I've been having a little writers block lately but this has given me some Ideas on how to solve that problem thanks ;p

[danlash656]

with my years of playing and songwriting, i can tell this guy is improvising for a FACT, hes a very good guitarist, and theres no way you would write a serious song with riffs this 'scattered' (only way i can describe it) so anyone who thinks they are not improvised and this guy is trying to fool us, leave that decision to the experienced, nice playing dude :)

[SeniorScales]

I think the Heavy Metal gods and goddess just gave birth to a fucking genius.

[richardxx9011]

@KillTheMusicPodcast Thats not looking too deep into it that actually is 100% correct and you helped me out by just saying that, dead serious too lol. You fucking around sounds awesome... Me fuckin around... ehh I come up with a cool breakdown and some notes in after that then after dont know what else to do lol. I can never write a whole song by myself I always need someone along with me.

[Colton527]

This is a good example of being able to write badass decent riffs in standard and still be heavy. People who down tune are hoping the lower tuning and heaviness will block out their shitty riffs.

[jacksonbaker94]

I WAS TOTALLY THINKING METALLICA! lol

[Cerbera2022]

I clicked like as soon as he downtuned.

[muziknewbie]

Can you tell me how to pick the guitar that fast please

[Cerbera2022]

@muziknewbie You just practice your technique. Up and down, make sure your right hand can do this kinda stuff. Practice while palm muting as well.  If you listen to enough metal, you'll get.

[muziknewbie]

I think improvising like that needs you to have knowledge of chromatic/ minor and harmonic scales too bad for me Im only comfortable at playing minor scales

[Mainscout]

Trece is thirteen lol

[emowowaddict]

ESP FTW i has AX-50 :D

[GabRock91]

dude ur videos are amazing u have great writing and mixing skillss!! also ur videos are well done!! u deserve more views!!! may i ask u a kestion tho! whats the interface ur using? i have a porfire 610 and im planing on maybe get pro tools MP9 cuz the full one is way to expensif!!

[MrCZProductions]

I wrote riff tab on D-00007800008780000780000878

[Faffel]

I'm a bit of a beginner in a funk... my tecnhnique's fine, but I just have nothing going for me musically and I felel dead with a guitar in my hands. One of my biggest worries is that I don't really know how to use the upper three strings on my guitar; as a metal guitarist, do you even use those for anything but embellishment during riffs? Should I just focus on EAD until I'm comfortable playing rhythms?

[unlockedturtle]

lol death magnetic sucked, ride the lightning and all theyre old stuff is 500000000x better, but great playing and awesome ideas

[SirFightsalot]

that guitar better be 18 cause it just got raped :)

[tommW13]

Im sorry i just find it hard to believe that you improvised that

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@tommW13 I'll take that as a compliment then, and that you liked the music, because this entire video was 100% improvised, everything from the pointers, my talking, to my playing. I just knew I wanted to make a video about writing guitar riffs, so I set up a video camera and recorded about 35 min worth. Then I edited it down to 11 min, or what you see here. Thanks!

[TheMegaguitarer]

@KillTheMusicPodcast i am trying to create a metal song with improvisation, but it allways sounds like fucking punk... i really dont know if the problem is that i am listening to metal for only 2 years, and i play guitar for only 2 years... can you give me some advices please? sorry on bad english

[tommW13]

@KillTheMusicPodcast .....Nah i just thought it was to good to be improvised on the spot.(im giving you a compliant).....but the video helped me alot,thanks.

[alexandermeladze]

@KillTheMusicPodcast if you can improvise like that :D you should have written many many songs :D

[alexandermeladze]

@KillTheMusicPodcast i have another problem not only in metal in rock too even in blues when i make my own riff next day idont remember :D any advicE?

[xXxiFvkxXx]

@KillTheMusicPodcast man i gotta say i love the intro of no right way, just the groove and shit. ive learned lots of scales and chords and u can put it together the way ur told nd it sounds like shit. then u start fucking around improvising and u get awesome music from the feeling of wat ur playing. best lesson lol

[munruthel1]

@tommW13 are you a beginner? That shit is easy to improvise

[Deizelcore]

Thanks for making this video.

[MrFinntrollin]

So should you not worry about staying in a key then?

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@MrFinntrollin There are no rules, get out of key, go back in, change keys, get crazy. It seems the kind of music I tend to write has a variety of keys throughout the song, but always comes back home (I guess just about all music does this tho). The point of the video is to just get as creative as possible and try not to stick to any rules. Get wild, make noise, play everywhere on the guitar neck, you'll find something unique and cool in it. I promise!

[Roolet422]

i for one strum like mad, i dont "chug" my guitar

[methtallica]

You're tone is sick!

[p0w3r96]

what model is this ESP ?

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@p0w3r96 This is actually one of the cheaper models, a LTD MH-250NT. I then reworked the insides and somehow managed to pull off putting a EMG-81 at the bridge will keeping the original passive stock EMG pickup at the neck. Somehow I got the passive and active pickups to work in harmony, but I couldn't tell you how.

[roxi1adi]

@KillTheMusicPodcast dude! OK what exactly is the harmonic scale? do i need it in guitar playing and writing. IS it really important? explain this to me please

thanks.

[mortemdrummer]

cool ltd. my guitarist's is annoying. although he has a different one, that's all fucked up that sounds really good, the 30th anniversary badass one

[supraluvers]

drop D 1st fret kow d string nuff said..

[themetalfreak789]

@KillTheMusicPodcast dude ur picking is epic. Where did u learn to do that?

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@themetalfreak789 Eh, it's ok I guess. Thanks. I learned it in my room for hours and hours at a time.

[lordsofhera]

If you close your eyes while listening to this dude talk, he sounds almost exactly like Christian Slater !!

[WTFtelevision666]

3:40 i wish i can do "some crazy what ever"

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@WTFtelevision666 It takes years and years of practice, focus and meditation to master the art of the crazy whatever.

[WTFtelevision666]

@KillTheMusicPodcast lol. Well i have been practicing for a year and half now I have got to a good stage but not as good as that. But who cares i have a full life to go and learn. What amp did you use?

[Metalhead121396]

lol spanish spelling is so bad XD

[funeralfighter97]

@USMCrecruit1 thanks bro :)

[androgeniko]

@mantlepicture it happens to me when i play my bass xD

[pinki6666]

trece lol. you mean tres anyway good lesson

[funeralfighter97]

does anyone know of an awesome amp for playing metalcore?? please don't suggest any amps over 300.00$

[GhostsNSt00f]

@funeralfighter97 Dude.. a Line 6 Spider would be a kinda shitty option for $300..

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@funeralfighter97 Lemme tell you this: in all these videos I use either the Amplitube 3 or Guitar Rig 4 plug in, just because I don't have the money to get what I really want: a Peavey 5150 (or a 6505). But I can tell you that every B-52 AT series amp I've played has sounded freakin phenomenal for the type of music you and I both love.

[funeralfighter97]

@KillTheMusicPodcast thanks bro :) do you think it would sound good with a stratocaster?

[GibsonManiac33]

no WONDER he's good, HE HAS GLASSES!!! XD

[Aaarrrggghhification]

My pickups are so bad i cant get a nice djenty sound :(

[wariomt]

@Aaarrrggghhification isnt the problem in the amp or something? i can get djenty sound on a bullet strat just as much as on my c-7 schecter blackjack :D

[chandanraina]

study metal songs u already are playing - see how theyre structured, where there are scales being used and where there are arps being used. these are basically tools for you to use. you dont HAVE to use them. but they definitely do help. at the end of it - its about how you want to emote. if u wanna use a scale or an arp and some super fast riff then go ahead n do that but if you wanna chug on one chord for 32 bars - thats as much metal as anything else is. its just about how you emote.

[chandanraina]

chords are what will set the rhythms and base (not bass) for ur song - its the bed the song sits on. scales help in figuring out melodies or when ur soloing - arpeggios and also be used for the same provided you know which arp goes with which chord. some theory is involved here but if ur ears are good ud be able to hear what u wanna play before you play it. my advice - just keep playing, ull break through that frustrating ceiling ur hitting right now.

[BlackMountain86]

So basically you memorise the harmonic minor scale over the fretboard, palm mute the low string and improvise?

[missharumomo]

i'm a girl who wants to right metal! XD got the words, got the soul...just can't figure the groove XD

[SMWhit3out]

PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN HOW CHORDS, SCALES, KEYS AND ARPEGGIOS WORK TOGETHER IN WRITING METAL RIFFS. Am I missing something here?

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@SMWhit3out I wish there was one single formula that works for everyone, but as music is so subjective, there is no specific way that chords, scales and arpeggios HAVE to be put together. My suggestion to you is to learn a few of scales and then try playing with what sounds right. For instance, try palm-muting an A-power chord in your own unique rhythm and then playing an A minor arpeggio over it. Just play with what sounds good. There is no right or wrong answer.

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@SMWhit3out I struggle with writing every time I sit down to do it. It just takes lots of time and effort. If you don't mind my asking, how long have you been playing?

[HUNDuffman]

@KillTheMusicPodcast Holy shit man you just showed where that last piece of my puzzle fits :O i'm in a band and we have been screwing around with covers and like that but thanks to you i will start writing :D by the way when did you pick the axe up?

[mantlepicture]

@HUNDuffman Again, sorry, I thought I was replying to SMW. I apparently fail at youtube.

[mantlepicture]

@mantlepicture Er... ignore that last comment, that was meant to go somewhere else.  As stated, I fail at youtube.

[mantlepicture]

@KillTheMusicPodcast Get a guitar teacher and study your music theory. Scales, chords, modes, aural skills, etc. There are no shortcuts, and no one is going to be able to answer a question like that on youtube. It takes years or studying theory and, most importantly, applying it. A guitar teacher is vital if you're serious about playing guitar. Sure, some people get good without taking lessons, but they are rare. At least go a year or two to learn how to teach yourself.

[KillTheMusicPodcast]

@mantlepicture Sure thing, boss. That's all good advice. But I think you're missing the point. I don't expect a single YouTube video to turn someone from zero to hero. These are tips, pointers, techniques that have helped me. That's all. I've never had a single lesson or studied theory, so I'm not trying to teach it. But that's never stopped me from writing the music I want. So, try not to imply I don't know anything unless I've had classical training, cause that's simply ignorant. Thanks, tho.

[mantlepicture]

@KillTheMusicPodcast My bad, I wasn't intending that as a reply to you.. I was talking to SMW. You appear to have a firm grasp of your theory. But for people like SMW who are lost(as we all were), a guitar instructor is strongly recommended. Classical training is overkill; you just need someone to show you proper technique, theory, and show you what to focus on.

I actually enjoyed this video. Sorry for any confusion.

[GibsonManiac33]

@mantlepicture well, I don't usually get a good song when I just sit and do it, but yesterday i made a good song by messing up while playing "Ride the Lightning", I just usually change songs on accident and get a good song. :)

[mantlepicture]

@KillTheMusicPodcast It sounds like you need to develop your ear and/or study your music theory. Learn your intervals and pay attention to how they sound. Be familiar with everything on this page: (google "music theory 101 Mike Philippov") Schedule at least an hour a week to write a song.  It doesn't matter if you're inspired; write a shitty song. Over time, you'll find what works and what doesn't. And GET A TEACHER. You didn't learn to write on your own, so why do so with music?

[Platinumham]

fuck yeaaa improvised riffs are the best

[daglasses2]

Thanks man. You are right about fucking around, that's how I write my riffs. But they turn out fairly simple. I'll have to check out those minor scales you mentioned and add a little more flair to my playing. Thanks!

[Soloing4ever]

More!!!!!!!