My song writing structure has changed but usually it starts out with a riff in my head, or like, a picture.. atmosphere. I once thought, how would a storm sound on a guitar.. and tried to map out a riff in that idea. It’s funny cause that same picture never really became a storm, but became other riffs for other songs since everytime I tried, I came up with something that wasn’t what I wanted, but was something I could work with in another way. But yeah, if I can create a good enough picture I can create a base riff off that picture and go from there. Sounds kinda complicated and over doing it I guess but this is how I started out.
Then some songs were just random things I made up on the spot. Most these days are made up with a simple melody and riff that repeats but in different ways in songs. I guess it all starts off with a small note or riff, and progresses into something greater. The caged system song I uploaded is a good example of that. It’s literally based off the one melody. I’m also a perfectionist so I’ll change a spot over and over, and sometimes rewrite a song if I’m not happy with how it turned out. Scratched a lot of good ones back in the day, that i’ve actually revisited and worked on to make into something bigger.
Solos are the hardest part to write because they have to basically be the high peak of the song at times. Usually the entire song will progress to the solo, and then the finale. Sometimes the solo IS the finale. But usually, the first thing I write isn’t what I like for the solo, but it gives me a base idea of what I think I was trying to go for. And then I go from there. And try to expand from the general sound I was aiming for. Sometimes I wait til the idea hits my head and I go for it, sometimes I get impatient and improvise.. but since its not my forte I tend to wait. It’s usually worth the wait honestly. Cause the idea hits me and yeah.
