Getting Better At Writing?
PanamaMan
Jan 15 2008, 05:20 AM
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I was curious how i can improve and coming up with original riffs on guitar without just copying stuff and trying to change it a little.I tried to look into some theory but im having a hard time applying it to guitar.I was wondering if anyone more experienced has any suggestions that can help me out and maybe get me started trying to write some riffs and maybe even songs.

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JVM
Jan 15 2008, 05:30 AM
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QUOTE (JVM @ Jan 14 2008, 02:58 PM) *
At least to start, try singing to the same notes you're playing, just nonsensical stuff.

Ooh sorry I forgot the rule about instructor boards.

My advice would just be to start small. I would suggest to learn at least some theory just to be able to do chord progressions (understand what the different chord types are, how they relate to scales and progressions mainly) and start writing simple powerchord stuff.

Riffing is just as hard as soloing, you won't be writing probably even ACDC riffs right away just as you would expect not to start out soloing on the level of say, michael angelo batio (not to make out MAB's lead stuff to be equivalent to ACDCs riffs) . So that said, if you just keep working on it you'll improve. I'm no riff master myself but I've had a few I think are cool tongue.gif Here's some tips:

- Vary your rhythms. This is a big one. A lot of beginners get stuck in a quarter or 8th note feel for their riffs. This can be very limited. There's a lot of easy stuff to do that has an entirely different feel when you try riffing in triplets or 16th notes.

- Try to write riffs that can be modular. By that I mean where you can throw in a different ending to it at the end of each couple bars. Whether that be just a little lead lick or an "alternate" ending, it works great. For examples see queens of the stone age's No One Knows (this actually doesn't have all that much in it, but its the first one that came to mind and I think it's a cool riff tongue.gif). These work well because they can be very very simple but keep you guessing.

- You don't have to be playing 100% of the time. Silence or just small stops can breath all new life into a riff.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

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This post has been edited by JVM: Jan 15 2008, 05:33 AM


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JVM
Jan 15 2008, 05:47 AM
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Also check out pavel's legato riffs lesson. Putting legato into a riff is an awesome thing to do (Queens did it in that no one knows video) and can really spice things up. It's also nice if you wanna go for a more metal riff approach.

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Ivan Milenkovic
Jan 15 2008, 11:58 AM
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Well it comes with time off course. There are also a lot of factors involved, and one of them is for sure talent. If anybody could play some good riffs all the time where will be our end? You must practice the theory and also practice the riff composition, and after a while you'll get better and better in it.

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Robin
Jan 15 2008, 04:26 PM
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The only suggestion I can come up with is to listen to alot of different music styles.

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