Songwriting |
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Songwriting |
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Aug 11 2020, 02:11 PM |
Today I'd like to share some songwriting experiences as some of you suggested HERE..
Have you heard the song LOOP by Ramen, my band? I want to share with you some pre demos and details on how we get the final version. At the beginning of this year, I was very into Rage Against The Machine and I was thinking that it would be great to have a song with that feel but that had a more modern production. That's this riff came to my mind so I've recorded it with my phone: Riff_Demo.mp4 ( 108.11K ) Number of downloads: 95 That riff was simple but very promising. I've decided to give it a full song structure, trying to keep the same riff for most of the parts, or at least for intro, verse and chords, as it happens with many hip hop songs (and also RATM ones). I've used cubase to program midi, record guitars and base. This is what I've got: Ramen_pre_idea_4.mp3 ( 3.87MB ) Number of downloads: 93 After that, I've worked on some melodies. As I always do, I've sung in a non existing language but that sound close to English.. Ramen_pre_idea_4_con_voz_refe.mp3 ( 3.87MB ) Number of downloads: 85 That was the demo that I've shared with the rest of the band. They loved the tune so we worked on arrangements, lyrics, recorded, produced and this is what we finally got: Translated version: https://youtu.be/3KCIr1gvMMs What do you think? Do you have any questions? Do you work your songs in a similar way? This post has been edited by Gabriel Leopardi: Aug 11 2020, 02:12 PM -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 11 2020, 03:06 PM |
I see a few different ways of writing these days. Some people record their ideas straight away into Cubase, but I like to write my ideas into Guitar Pro, as you know. That was I can better remember the riffs and have an idea of what is going on.
Here is an example of my way of writing: 07_Charged_Particles.gp ( 113.33K ) Number of downloads: 74 I generally start out either with an idea on the piano or on guitar, and then I'll try and follow that idea with something else that can match the previous one in some way. Sometimes I sit in my garden with my guitar and come up with riffs, but generally I prefer to be near some way of notating things. That's the best way for me to remember my ideas. |
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Aug 11 2020, 03:17 PM |
I see a few different ways of writing these days. Some people record their ideas straight away into Cubase, but I like to write my ideas into Guitar Pro, as you know. That was I can better remember the riffs and have an idea of what is going on. Here is an example of my way of writing: 07_Charged_Particles.gp ( 113.33K ) Number of downloads: 74 I generally start out either with an idea on the piano or on guitar, and then I'll try and follow that idea with something else that can match the previous one in some way. Sometimes I sit in my garden with my guitar and come up with riffs, but generally I prefer to be near some way of notating things. That's the best way for me to remember my ideas. That's interesting! I've rarely compose in this way. I'm always with my guitar and cubase open. Even if I can't play the ideas smoothly, I record it in small fragments. Do you directly compose in Guitar Pro, or you play on guitar and instantly write it? -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 11 2020, 04:08 PM |
haha good method! I remember that Chowy Fernandes (GMC instructor who recorded in my studio) composed his lessons in this way.
If you check his lessons I think that you'll notice the guitar pro notation influence.. can you notice it or it's just me? https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Extrem...etal-Riffing-4/ https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Greg-Howe-Style-2/ I think that this method always keeps him pushing his limits. -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 11 2020, 04:37 PM |
It reminded me more of a Lenny Kravitz kind of song than RATM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em8JuUW-OOE |
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Aug 11 2020, 06:18 PM |
That's so cool Steve! I loved this track when I was a teenager. I remember watching it in a Guns and Roses live in Paris VHS over and over.
I didn't have this song in mind but I must say that it is really in a similar vibe! Now I'm more happy with LOOP. This post has been edited by Gabriel Leopardi: Aug 11 2020, 06:18 PM -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 12 2020, 01:42 PM |
Thanks mate! Yes, I do exactly what you said. I prefer using some kind of invented English because this language sounds better for rock melodies. Then, we search for Spanish words that keep the same (or similar) phoneme sounds.
I think that many composers write songs in this way, first humming the melody and then the writing lyrics. This works because you first focus on the melodic side and then adapt what you want to say to it. This may not happen on less melodic tunes or styles like Hip Hop, or some folk and maybe punk/hardcore tunes which are more focused on the story than the melody.} Here you can find a version of LOOP with subtitles in English. Lyrics are in Spanish. This post has been edited by Gabriel Leopardi: Aug 12 2020, 01:43 PM -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 12 2020, 09:34 PM |
That's very interesting Gab, I've often wondered if it would be an idea if student submitted rhythm ideas or riffs and see what can be built from it, maybe it works be a bit chaotic though
-------------------- SEE MY GMC CERTIFICATE “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in instalments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day's success.” Israelmore Ayivor |
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Aug 13 2020, 08:13 PM |
That's very interesting Gab, I've often wondered if it would be an idea if student submitted rhythm ideas or riffs and see what can be built from it, maybe it works be a bit chaotic though I've seen some GMC lessons that were based on ideas shared by students... so why not! -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 14 2020, 01:33 PM |
It's interesting, I seem to try to cram too many different riffs and parts into one song and it then struggles to be cohesive.
I'll try and simplify thing like in your approach. Your melody lyric approach is like Keith Richards uses, he works out the vowel sounds for his meoldy and then fits the words that way. I struggle with lyrics a lot but have never worked on that approach, another thing for me to try i guess. Great thread and song. -------------------- My SoundCloud
Gear Tyler Burning Water 2K Burny RLG90 with BK Emeralds Fender US Tele with BK Piledrivers Epiphone 335 with Suhr Thornbuckers PRS SE Custom 24-08 Ax8 Fessenden SD10 PSG Quilter TT15 |
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Aug 14 2020, 02:28 PM |
Thanks Posterboy! The quantity of riffs and material that you need for a song depends on the style. It's it's a progressive metal one, you can have many ones, but it's a modern alternative rock, you don't need a lot of stuff.
This is the first time that I've decided to use the same riff for verse and chorus, and it was a challenge to make it work. The key was in the arrangement and vocal melody. What method do you use to record and save your riff ideas? Do you have folders? names to identify them? -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 14 2020, 03:28 PM |
I have the worst way of storing my riff ideas. Sometimes the files are just called "Heavy Riff" or "Riff 2", "riff 3" etc. Or even worse "asasdsasfdfsda" or "sdfrgegre" (random letters). It's no wonder I lose track of it sometimes You need to polish this... what about an excel document to categorize ideas? It can save time for the future. -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 14 2020, 04:31 PM |
You can set it as you wish but you could have columns that include:
File Name Type Style Tempo Feel Key My LOOP song riff would be: File Name: Riff Demo Type: Riff Style: Funk Rock Tempo: 100 bpm Feel: Groovy Key: Em Notes: Reminds me to RATM and Lenny Kravitz. What about anything like that? -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 14 2020, 05:14 PM |
You can set it as you wish but you could have columns that include: File Name Type Style Tempo Feel Key My LOOP song riff would be: File Name: Riff Demo Type: Riff Style: Funk Rock Tempo: 100 bpm Feel: Groovy Key: Em Notes: Reminds me to RATM and Lenny Kravitz. What about anything like that? That's a very good idea I will try and work on setting something like that up. |
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Aug 15 2020, 05:37 PM |
That's a very good idea I will try and work on setting something like that up. Nice! I'm very curious to know if this really works for you! -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Aug 31 2020, 07:39 PM |
Hey friends! This is a new thread related to this one LINK
-------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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