How to come up with better riffs
- Thread starter Hari Prasad
- Start date
In the end a big part of songwriting is harmony, usually underneath all those single note riffs there is an implied chord progression underneath it which has a harmony(like I-V-VI-IV etc.). You can use these to transition to the next riff. Use for example perfect cadences or plagal cadences to transition to the next riff. How to exactly write the riff I don’t really know. Everyone seems to have a different method of coming up with riffs. For me they usually come(or don’t) come to me. In the end analyzing those Metallica and Slayer riffs is probably your best bet!
Syn once said in the interview. a riff is all about energy.
Start making absolutely simple metal riffs. And see if you feel the energy from it as a listener. Chances are, if you don’t feel it, others will not. Try to put as much energy as possible. Play Metallica riffs and understand what is working and why. Its an art that takes time to develop.
Start making absolutely simple metal riffs. And see if you feel the energy from it as a listener. Chances are, if you don’t feel it, others will not. Try to put as much energy as possible. Play Metallica riffs and understand what is working and why. Its an art that takes time to develop.
Start simple. Use power chords. The best way to do this is to set the metronome high. When I play rhythm my bpm is at 180. I chug at this bpm through most of my music. And most of it is down strokes lol.
But my point is start simple. Take open low e. Chug at the beat then make the last 2 notes of the bar like 5 3 so you got..
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
Lots of songs are written that simple. Go as fast as you want. You’ll feel the energy you want and you’ll be able to easily play off it. You’re basically just chugging e notes the entire time. So you can play the e major scale. Or you could just go all pentatonic.. etc.
Once you know how to make your energy this way. You’ll be able to play kore complex riffs with the same energy. If you ever struggle to find a new way. Open up this site and do a lesson. In jamming the lesson I guarantee you’ll make up a riff thatll essentially be your own exercise for that lesson.
It’s honestly that simple.
But my point is start simple. Take open low e. Chug at the beat then make the last 2 notes of the bar like 5 3 so you got..
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
Lots of songs are written that simple. Go as fast as you want. You’ll feel the energy you want and you’ll be able to easily play off it. You’re basically just chugging e notes the entire time. So you can play the e major scale. Or you could just go all pentatonic.. etc.
Once you know how to make your energy this way. You’ll be able to play kore complex riffs with the same energy. If you ever struggle to find a new way. Open up this site and do a lesson. In jamming the lesson I guarantee you’ll make up a riff thatll essentially be your own exercise for that lesson.
It’s honestly that simple.
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