• Join the A7X Discord!

    We're updating the community and moving all social content from the community to the Discord. All lessons related conversations will still take place here though! Join the Discord below and view the full announcement for more details

    JOIN THE DISCORD VIEW THREAD

Instrumental Rock composition

Omar SGHIRI

Free Bird Player
Nov 11, 2019
3
0
  • #1
    Hey guys !
    I would like through this post to know if you know how to compose a musical instrumental rock track,
    I play guitar since 2006, and from 2 years now I was learning jazz harmony and jazz standard.
    I would like to transform an idea to a composition, especially an instrumantal rock one like John Petrucci, Nick Johnston, …
    If you any good courses, books, or even if you have a methodology it would be priceless if you guys share your konwledge,
    Thanks !!
    Omar
     

    idssdi

    Sold-out Crowd Surfer
    Nov 11, 2019
    5,336
    6,749
    Groningen
    11
  • #2
    Writing a good instrumental song is not really that different compared to writing a song with lyrics you just substitute the vocal melody with a guitar melody. Check out stone pushing uphill man by Paul gilbert(the record) you’ll get the idea.
    Try to play around with tension and release so basically be a little wary where you place your perfect and plagal cadences. A lot of rock is really blues based you can take that in mind as well.
     
    J

    Jak Angelescu

    Guest
  • #3
    Ids is definitely spot on. You can either take the progressive route (where nothing really repeats itself) or you can take the more melodic route where you have a definite verse, chorus, etc. When you have a set thing you want to play for each thing, you can experiment with different embellishments to give it a unique flair each time it comes around. I’m sorry I can’t offer much advice because it’s not something I’m too familiar with. But I DO know that a lot of instrumental guitarists are BIG into classical music, and that’s where they derive a lot of their arrangements and work from. With jazz it is probably different, for sure.
    Whatever you do, I wish you luck and can’t wait to hear it!!
     

    Ed Seith

    Supreme Galactic Overlord
    Staff member
    Legend+
  •
    • Nov 11, 2019
    3,882
    15
    6,603
    54
    Marana, AZ USA
    soundcloud.com
    35
  • #4
    There is a killer lesson out there. It’s about 45 minutes long, and thoroughly enjoyable. It’s called “Surfing with the Alien,” and it’s by Joe Satriani.
    The arrangements are generally straightforward, and it’s considered a modern instrumental masterpiece. It also followed the pattern Ids talks about, basically writing a SONG that could have lyrics, but replacing the lyrics with just melody, even to the point of where the “guitar solo” goes, despite the entire thing being just guitar. All of the instrumentals I’ve written over many years have followed that basic template, and some of them are pretty good.
     

    Similar threads

    I
    Building A Guitar (In Blender) - Thursday February 24th 3pm EST / 8pm GMT
    Replies
    3
    Views
    1K
    General Chat
    iridecently
    I
    Putting Yourself Out There and Actually BEING A Musician
    Replies
    2
    Views
    1K
    General Chat
    JakAngelescu
    Building a guitar
    Replies
    8
    Views
    1K
    General Chat
    Possessed Sinner
    S
    What is drumming?
    Replies
    8
    Views
    2K
    General Chat
    Calvin Phillips
    C
    Makeshift instruments and recording
    Replies
    11
    Views
    2K
    General Chat
    Donovan Etue
    Menu
    Log in
    Register