View Full Version : Hey guys, question about writing music.
new here, i normally post at the good ol' seymour duncan forum but that thing is going whacked lately (extremely slow). so anyway, my question(s); how do you guys write music? some people say there are many great guitar players but some simply cannot write music. i've been trying to lately and i'm hoping i'm not one of those people but it's sure starting to feel like it. i can write halfway decent rythem stuff for simple types of music (alternative rock/pop punk). but i couldn't write a sweet solo if my life depended on it. how do you guys go about writing solos? i'm thinking about taking lessons or something, i just don't know how to improve my writing-ability. i can play some decent solos, but couldn't make them. i've been playing for about a year and haven't had a lesson.
later :cool:
It's all about what kind of music you grew up listening to....if you grew up istening to like blink or any pop/punk bands than its obvious that you won't be able to come up with a good solo.....also it takes lots of practice and playing around until you know which fret will give you which notes....don't worry about...you've only been plaing for a year.....although some people are naturally gifted and can do these stuff in like 6 months without any lessons....(Me....hehehe) but if you don't have that gift then find a good guitar teacher...also give up on tabs and on playing other people stuff unless you know it can benefit you......i've been playing for 6 years now and i still have no clue on how to read tabs and every song i've learned i learned by mistake when fooling around on my guitar.......to sum it up....get a teacher and start using your ears! ! ! !
joeinthebox1980
02.25.03, 1:55 PM
it's all about messing around on the guitar.
it also helps if you're in a band (with patient people), 'cause then they can jam along while you figure out a solo or something.
of course, i'm not big on solos but for short little riffs, i find that method works pretty well.
and of course, keep practicing. heh. i've been playing 4 or 5 years now and only constant practice will help.
i have been messing around a lot lately, and it seems whenever i "come up" with a cool lick i can plug it into a song that already is. it get's frustrating sometimes.
motorcycle loop
02.25.03, 2:55 PM
The easiest way to write a solo is watch TV for a while, play a little
bit, eat, etc. Besides, you make 'em up as you go along, figure out your octave and go to town.
It's fun to play along to something you see and hear on TV, and play something on top of it.
bLuZ_RoCkz
02.25.03, 4:32 PM
i think alot of people would agree that you cant WRITE a good solo. it just has to come out of you. if you try too hard to think about it, it'll never happen.
skip tracer
02.25.03, 4:55 PM
yeah, you just gotta feel it. i don't think i've ever "written" a solo, they just come out. it usually starts with one phrase, and evolves from there. also a good knowledge of the fretboard is important. it seems like one day i just had an epiphany involving chord structures, scales, and the positions of the notes on the fretboard. just comes in time, i guess.
wihaga83
02.25.03, 4:59 PM
few recipes on writing music :
1. Keep practising and tryin over and over again.
2. find a song through your ear
3. Throw away TABS !!
4. Play as many songs as possible
5. Listen to many different of music.
6. Patience
:)
yeah, i think what i'm gonna do it learn to read music. doing that by getting guitar lessons, and i think playing with somebody much better than me will help me by itself. and of course opening to all sorts of music.
The User
02.26.03, 6:52 AM
Im sure my opinions will heat up this thread. But f*ck it.
Lessons are a WASTE OF TIME. Music is an art. Art cant be formally taught. Absorb influences, learn from the best. Find your own voice. After youve played for another year or two, you will just KNOW what fret will make which sound. When that time comes, just plug in and play. Just let it come to you.
I sound like f*cking Yoda.
Listen to alot of different musicstyles, and don't think like this when you come up with a riff that's pretty unusual: " I can't use this". I think a lot of players who work on scales and totally drown themselves in theory and in the so-called rules in music, forget why they play. They know what they play, but don't know what it means. It's like reading out of a book and saying something from that book even if you don't understand it. If I say to you: Jeg liker ikke kake, jeg foretrekker heller potetgull med ribbefett. Say it, ok, but you don't know what you are saying.
I disagree......i believe in guitar lessons....i used to think that way too but the only way to go beyond mediocre is to get a guitar teacher who will show you stuff that you canb't pick up by watching other people or by listening.....all the greats had one from vai to brian seltzer or however you spell that.....
The User
02.27.03, 2:42 AM
Warning- the following contains my opinion
Originally posted by Aim
the greats had one from vai to brian seltzer or however you spell that.....
I cant play as well as Vai. And you know what? I wouldnt want to be able to. He is a technically astounding guitarist, but his technique detracts from his songs- no- his songs are built around theories and formulas. Courtney Love can barely play guitar, but I own three Hole albums and no Vai albums. I have a few of his MP3s. Why is this? This is because Hole write GREAT SONGS and Steve Vai plays very very quickly, but it lacks what makes a true song.
Steve Vai is just as extreem and basically irrelevent as other extreemist bands like Cradle Of Filfth and other bands with no sense of taste or refinement.
And before you blast my for liking Hole (and I have spoken to Courtney Love and she is a very nice, sweet and funny person and if youve never met her, you can shut the f*uck up about whatever you read about her in 'Rolling Stone' or 'Vanity Fair'), my favourite band is Sonic Youth.
Another famous guitarist I cant stand for these same reasons is Stevie Ray Vaughn. (He's not gonna slam SRV is he?? Surely not!!)
Yes i am. SRV was a collection of text book blues licks and I cant get a hold of any feeling is songs like 'Pride & Joy'. I dont mean this to be racist- really I dont- but white people have no business playing the blues. I am white- so I dont mean this to be a racist remark, but I feel its true. I love blues music. John Lee Hooker is one of my favourite artists ever. And B B King of course. But I have no time for 'text book' music or 'formula rock'
end rant
Originally posted by Aim
I disagree......i believe in guitar lessons....i used to think that way too but the only way to go beyond mediocre is to get a guitar teacher who will show you stuff that you canb't pick up by watching other people or by listening.....all the greats had one from vai to brian seltzer or however you spell that.....
Hey, I didn't mean that lessones are bad. BUT, as I said, people who do nothing but theory have a tendency to be boring. Yeah, Vai is great, but all he does is that he moves his fingers on some wood and inbetween some metal-bits.
wihaga83
02.27.03, 7:57 AM
i don't take lessons, but i can lick some of blues from songs i heard from SRV, Clapton, Zeppelin and i can lick some shred stuff from impelliteri, Dream Theater and Paul gilbert.
but there's one thing i rely on outside those scales and patterns :
USE YOUR FEELINGS and SOUL. what sounds nice to you, go make it as a solo.....
A guitarist with more feelings and soul than technique will be able to survive, than a fully technique guitarist with less feelings and soul.
use your ear bro, which one will make you proud when someone asK like this...
a : " man, your playin is great, who taught you ?"
b : " i taught my self 6 hours a day"
a : " how come you play those techniques then ?"
b: " i listen to lots of stuff and try to figure it out and FIND MY OWN stYLE and i often jams with many bands out there"
a : "wow, that's cool"
jonjonbolt80
02.27.03, 9:21 AM
what ever you do get a looper like the akai headrush or the line6 delay modulator. figure out a good rythim part then loop it. close your eyes and soloing over what ever key your in. listen for different notes that will sound good. i learned by tabs at first, but after a while you pick up on what other guitarists use for solo's such as key and scale. learn the pentatonics and major scales. after that reach in you soul and i'm sure you'll do fine. i learned how to solo in one year....
jonjon
hot_rats!
03.08.03, 10:42 PM
"I own three Hole albums and no Vai albums. I have a few of his MP3s. Why is this? This is because Hole write GREAT SONGS and Steve Vai plays very very quickly, but it lacks what makes a true song. Steve Vai is just as extreem and basically irrelevent as other extreemist bands like Cradle Of Filfth and other bands with no sense of taste or refinement."
-the user
first off if you think vai's music is just a product of mathematical equations and rules dictated by scales and is only talented at moveing his fingers real fast then you have only heard him on bill&ted's exellent adventure. plus, hole doesnt have any musical talent at all, so what the ****?(yes,owning three albums makes you a fan)
get on kazaa and search for "what's new in baltimore" by frank zappa
steve vai is in that just wait for the guitar to come in
"there's one thing i rely on outside those scales and patterns :
USE YOUR FEELINGS and SOUL. what sounds nice to you, go make it as a solo.....
A guitarist with more feelings and soul than technique will be able to survive, than a fully technique guitarist with less feelings and soul."
-wihaga83
...yeah... ..deep... **** you, frekin naturist hippy. useing your feelings and soul, thats the gayest explanation of an improvised solo ive ever heard.
to make a solo improvise on scale of whatever music is being played, experiment with modes and with more experience you can learn how to break the not so popular "rules" and adopt your own style.
The User
03.09.03, 2:59 AM
Originally posted by hot_rats!
"I own three Hole albums and no Vai albums. I have a few of his MP3s. Why is this? This is because Hole write GREAT SONGS and Steve Vai plays very very quickly, but it lacks what makes a true song. Steve Vai is just as extreem and basically irrelevent as other extreemist bands like Cradle Of Filfth and other bands with no sense of taste or refinement."
-the user
first off if you think vai's music is just a product of mathematical equations and rules dictated by scales and is only talented at moveing his fingers real fast then you have only heard him on bill&ted's exellent adventure. plus, hole doesnt have any musical talent at all, so what the ****?(yes,owning three albums makes you a fan)
get on kazaa and search for "what's new in baltimore" by frank zappa
steve vai is in that just wait for the guitar to come in
"there's one thing i rely on outside those scales and patterns :
USE YOUR FEELINGS and SOUL. what sounds nice to you, go make it as a solo.....
A guitarist with more feelings and soul than technique will be able to survive, than a fully technique guitarist with less feelings and soul."
-wihaga83
...yeah... ..deep... **** you, frekin naturist hippy. useing your feelings and soul, thats the gayest explanation of an improvised solo ive ever heard.
to make a solo improvise on scale of whatever music is being played, experiment with modes and with more experience you can learn how to break the not so popular "rules" and adopt your own style.
Yes. Lets all play music devoid of emotion and feelings and soul. Lets all play solos based around pre-determined box shapes. I like what Frank Zappa did. I dont like what Steve Vai does now. He masturbates his guitar. If you like him, thats great. I hope you enjoy it. But you should really learn a thing or two about actual MUSIC before you go shooting your mouth off.
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