• From: Perth Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-12-19
  • Posts: 235

Topic: Making up new riffs?

Well as ive stated before, when playing music and writing, I like to play a constand riff of a few chords throughout and a variation in the chorus, but how do I know whats going to make a good flowing riff?


I prefer to have this thought out before I write my lyrics so that I know exactly what kind of mood the song will be made for.


Are there methods that determine which chord will sound good after another, or is it trial and error (as it has been for me from day 1) because I want to write something with a bit of substance for a change.......


Any help will be greatly appreciated.

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Making up new riffs?

Music theory, man.  That's what it all comes down to.


Yes, there are "rules" for what kinds of chords sound better (or "resolve" as we like to say) with others.  But it's all dependent on knowing the scale associated with the key in which you are in.


Have a song, and need a melody?  Select a key at random, using the tonal quality you want (major, minor, etc) and play that scale.  Now start to noodle using only notes in that scale.


That is a simplistic approach, but as you understand more theory, you'll understand how to get more complex licks and which notes of which scales are appropriate to play over a given chord.   You can play dorian mode over minor 7 chords and it sounds fab.  You can play myxolidan mode over dom 7 chords and it's great.


Chords you will use a whole lot of will be associated with the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of that scale.


So in C, you'll play a whole lot of C, F and G chords.


IIm V7 I is also popular with jazz players.


But yes, if you are interested in writing more complex music, music theory is your friend, and will enable you to greater things.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Perth Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-12-19
  • Posts: 235

Re: Making up new riffs?

Thanks, i'm going to look up music theory on google  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Making up new riffs?

Wikipedia has a fairly concise summary of major and minor scales and chord structures.


Here is a pretty good introductory less on major scales suited for guitar.


<a href="http://www.jazzguitar.be/music-theory.html" target="_blank">http://www.jazzguitar.be/music-theory.html</a>


Theory will help you no matter what instrument you decide to play.  If you decide you want to play oboe or piano tomorrow, the same lessons still apply.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Perth Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-12-19
  • Posts: 235

Re: Making up new riffs?

Wow thanks.......do they have a japanese version?


<ight be easier for me to understand  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: Making up new riffs?

The advice jerome.oneil is offering about music theory is very very good.  However, good advice is not always the easiest to follow (that's life).  Music theory might seem to be quite daunting at first, but the simple truth is that the more you learn about it the more useful it becomes.


Music Theory is a huge topic, so don't think you have to understand everything - just focus on the basics (scales, for instance) and go from there.  Don't let the seeming complexity scare you away.  You already have a 'gut' understanding of most of it from your practical experience of playing and writing songs.


While there are some very good sources on the web, there are also many fantastic books about songwriting and music theory.  Go to your local public library and see what they have on the shelf - you will probably be pleasantly surpised at what you find.  If the library is too confusing, just ask any librarian to help.  Librarians love to help people find what they need.    James

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Making up new riffs?

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>James McCormick wrote on Wed, 25 April 2007 15&#58;32</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
The advice jerome.oneil is offering about music theory is very very good.  However, good advice is not always the easiest to follow (that's life).  Music theory might seem to be quite daunting at first, but the simple truth is that the more you learn about it the more useful it becomes.

</td></tr></table>



Indeed.  It is an area of *study*.  It takes some willpower to sit down and study a completely new topic, and often times the sheer magnitude of theory is sometimes daunting.  So do like you would any other complex learning task.  Start with the basics.   In theory, that's the major scale. 


Much like practice goals, learning theory should be goal driven as well.  "I will be able to describe a major scale."  "I will understand how major chords are derived."  "I will be able to read a key signature, and understand what scales are associated with it."


Things like that.


In practical terms, you won't have to get too far into it before it becomes useful for your songwriting needs.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website