help needed w/ writing songs....

paywad927 · Unread post by **paywad927** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:25 pm

my school is making us do what they call a "graduation project" in which you have to do something productive that can be a learning experience and benefit you in some way. like volunteering or building something, stuff like that. the main criteria is that you have to spend 50 hours on it. since i like guitar and all i decided to write a song or two. i really dont know that much about writing songs so i thought i would ask yall for some help. im not going to be singing so the songs need to sound good with just me playing guitar. any tips or advice yall could give would be very much appreciated, or even any examples of riffs or anything that sounds good to get me started. i have a few different parts so far but nothing that really fits together. so anything yall could do to help would be appreciated.

thanx,
derek

o and i havent been on the boards in a while so i wanted to say hey, and its good to be back.

i am sam2 · Unread post by **i am sam2** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:55 pm

i dont really know what advice to give you...ideas just come...just play around with some stuff you make up...there really isnt a set formula for writing a song...
im not sure if this works for you cuz everyone is different but if you start out and say to yourself, for example, "ok, i want to do a slide and then a hammer on..."etc...then you can start tryin different combinations of that and then maybe a chord or somethin...just be creative.

onid41 · Unread post by **onid41** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 4:01 pm

just start off with the basic chords and work from there...try different strumming and such and a nice riff shall pop up

grock · Unread post by **grock** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 9:41 pm

you ccan start with a simple progression. record it in a loop and make up a riff over that. then take away the chords and you got a rhythm guitar riff. now do this like 4 times, and put them all together to make a song.

thejoe · Unread post by **thejoe** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 12:05 am

grock wrote:you ccan start with a simple progression. record it in a loop and make up a riff over that. then take away the chords and you got a rhythm guitar riff. now do this like 4 times, and put them all together to make a song.

he speaks the truth

it works beautifully

filmdude100cms · Unread post by **filmdude100cms** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 12:12 am

crash_in_to_me wrote:
grock wrote:you ccan start with a simple progression. record it in a loop and make up a riff over that. then take away the chords and you got a rhythm guitar riff. now do this like 4 times, and put them all together to make a song.
he speaks the truth

it works beautifully

yep

Beauford33 · Unread post by **Beauford33** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 12:40 am

I just play somthing and whatever comes out is the song. Whatever you say on impulse is always gonna be true

paywad927 · Unread post by **paywad927** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:08 am

grock wrote:you ccan start with a simple progression. record it in a loop and make up a riff over that. then take away the chords and you got a rhythm guitar riff. now do this like 4 times, and put them all together to make a song.

sounds like a good idea. i guess i could give that shot. so far what ive been doing is coming up with a progression that i like and then just fingerpick those chords in different ways. since im playing solo i dont think strumming would be the best way to go. thanx for the help so far guys, and any other tips are welcome too.

chosta · Unread post by **chosta** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:43 am

dmbtabs.com, welcome to it

ps write words, it will be better methinks

kcw · Unread post by **kcw** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 6:22 pm

Sacles always work as great riffs and solos. All solos are are scales. The easiest of which is the Major and Minor Penatonics. You can play them anywhere on the fret board in any key so they sound good with most songs if you play them in the right spot on the fret board. Never start or end on the beginning or end of the scale though, it doesnt sound too good when you do that. Just find the right key to chords of whatever you have made up before that and just start messing around and it sounds great.Here is the basic penatonic scale if you dont already know it.

E------------------------------------------5-8-----------
B------------------------------------5-8-----------------
G---------------------------5-7-8-----------------------
D--------------------5-7--------------------------------
A-----------5-6-7--------------------------------------
E---5--8------------------------------------------------

This song doesnt need to always be played in A which is what i have tabbed. But it does need to be played in this formation but you can play it in any key, or on any fret.

everydayDMBfan_18 · Unread post by **everydayDMBfan_18** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 6:27 pm

I say just one day sit back with your guitar maybe watch a baseball game or something and just fuck around on guitar. Eventually you'll find a part you like...stick with that part and build on it. That's what I do and it works wonders.

paywad927 · Unread post by **paywad927** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 7:10 pm

everydayDMBfan_18 wrote:I say just one day sit back with your guitar maybe watch a baseball game or something and just fuck around on guitar. Eventually you'll find a part you like...stick with that part and build on it. That's what I do and it works wonders.

thanx for the advice guys, ill try what yall said and see what happens.

DMBTabs.com

help needed w/ writing songs....

help needed w/ writing songs....

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