Tips on writing Metal solos? - General

I've started writing songs a time ago, but usually my solos suck. If anyone would have any tips or even tutorials about writing solos for metal songs, I would really appreciate it. I'm pretty bad at both slow and fast solos, though I'm better at fast ones.

Listen to other solos. Transcribe. Analyze. Write a shitload of stuff. Play alot of guitar. Repeat. :)

Thanks Rad. I expected you to post here first.

Get a motif, learn some repeating licks and patterns you can ascend or descend with, repeat motif, have a cool few bends in there, repeat motif, end on a high note. But your main issue is probably practice, so instead of following my advice, practice. [editline]02:28PM[/editline] Also realize that the solo doesn't have to be anything great or unique. Can't have any of those kinds of expectations when first making solos.

Thanks to you too, Pepin. I got a pretty short but good solo up :v: [editline]07:17PM[/editline] Here is the song if you want to listen to it. Its midi though. [url]http://filesmelt.com/dl/something.mid[/url]

[QUOTE=Pepin;22536256]Get a motif, learn some repeating licks and patterns you can ascend or descend with, repeat motif, have a cool few bends in there, repeat motif, end on a high note. But your main issue is probably practice, so instead of following my advice, practice. [editline]02:28PM[/editline] Also realize that the solo doesn't have to be anything great or unique. Can't have any of those kinds of expectations when first making solos.[/QUOTE] I disagree, Technical skills should only improve your solos, not actually make them. I don't know if you've ever heard someone say [i]'play from your heart and not your head'[/i], but it's really what you should do. Solos that rely on technical skill sound souless and broken. Kinda like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvHeOiFXUZ8]this one[/url]. The solo is arguably the most important part of any song, and it should match the pace and feeling of the song. Listen to some Pink Floyd songs and you'll know what I mean. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJNyQfAprY[/media]

[QUOTE=JoeyZ;22539755]Solos that rely on technical skill sound souless and broken. Kinda like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvHeOiFXUZ8]this one[/url].[/QUOTE] Come on.. that's just your opinion. Many of the most beautiful solos I've heard rely solely on technicality. But that doesn't mean that they're souless or have no "feeling".

[QUOTE=Rad McCool;22540594]Come on.. that's just your opinion.[/QUOTE] What is it with facepunch and opinions? Of course it's my opinion; OP asked for tips and I gave him my 2 cents. [QUOTE=Rad McCool;22540594]Many of the most beautiful solos I've heard rely solely on technicality. But that doesn't mean that they're souless or have no "feeling".[/QUOTE] Be as technical as you want, all I'm saying is compose. Make the solo compliment the song.

I'll try to play by heart sometime to see what it sounds like :v:

One way is to practice a lot with scales(pentatonic, etc.) learn to improvise, and build off those scales and use them as bases for solos. Imagine a solo in your mind that matches as best you can with the rest of the musical piece you are working with, and then figure it out on the fretboard piece by piece, speed it up to the tempo of the song or what you want, add things like hammer ons and vibrato, until it's something like you imagined and then practice it til you got it down.

the best way to build a cool solo is to take a scale and just skip over random notes and play said scale in an odd order.

[QUOTE=Vedicardi;22548951]the best way to build a cool solo is to take a scale and just skip over random notes and play said scale in an odd order.[/QUOTE] Disagree. This just makes it more random. I usually play around with just one or two notes in the chord to create some sort of melodic interest, then connect ideas or outline chords with scales/arpeggiations/melodic sequences. It's like there are ideas in your solo that are islands, and things that connect them that are like bridges.

Listen to a bunch of stuff from every genre you can think of. If you [I]just[/I] listen to metal for inspiration your solos/songs are just going to sound like generic metal.

Thanks guys. I'll try fooling around with scales.

[QUOTE=Hakita;22550904]Thanks guys. I'll try fooling around with scales.[/QUOTE] e 2-3 B 3-5 G 2-3-5 D 3-5 A 3-5-6 E 3-5-6 G minor I believe. Popular in Metal. Change it to whatever key the song is in.

You'll want to try out the minor pentatonic, quite a bit of metal uses that.

[QUOTE=Shibbey;22551052]e 2-3 B 3-5 G 2-3-5 D 3-5 A 3-5-6 E 3-5-6 G minor I believe. Popular in Metal. Change it to whatever key the song is in.[/QUOTE] That box is just a bit off. Play like this instead (G minor): e 3-5-6 B 3-4-6 G 2-3-5 D 3-5 A 3-5-6 E 3-5-6 Learn it in the key of E (= the key which 95 % of all metal songs utilize) e 12-14-15 B 12-13-15 G 11-12-14 D 12-14 A 12-14-15 E 12-14-15 Then you can learn the pentatonic scale, which also is very, very common. e 12-15 B 12-15 G 12-14 D 12-14 A 12-14 E 12-15 If a song is in E minor, then the pentatonic scale will also be used in the key of E. So the two boxes above are interchangeable. When you get comfortable with the boxes, learn to use the scales all over the fretboard.

[QUOTE=JoeyZ;22539755]I disagree, Technical skills should only improve your solos, not actually make them. I don't know if you've ever heard someone say [i]'play from your heart and not your head'[/i], but it's really what you should do. Solos that rely on technical skill sound souless and broken. Kinda like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvHeOiFXUZ8]this one[/url]. The solo is arguably the most important part of any song, and it should match the pace and feeling of the song. Listen to some Pink Floyd songs and you'll know what I mean. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJNyQfAprY[/media][/QUOTE] Ever heard jazz artists improvise? They combine both. But to understand music theory and all the little meticulous things they do to fit the chord changes impresses me.

Put the gain up high, play some random notes in a scale and get your bassist to do the work.

Use scales.

[QUOTE=Rad McCool;22551479]That box is just a bit off. Play like this instead (G minor): e 3-5-6 B 3-4-6 G 2-3-5 D 3-5 A 3-5-6 E 3-5-6 Learn it in the key of E (= the key which 95 % of all metal songs utilize) e 12-14-15 B 12-13-15 G 11-12-14 D 12-14 A 12-14-15 E 12-14-15 Then you can learn the pentatonic scale, which also is very, very common. e 12-15 B 12-15 G 12-14 D 12-14 A 12-14 E 12-15 If a song is in E minor, then the pentatonic scale will also be used in the key of E. So the two boxes above are interchangeable. When you get comfortable with the boxes, learn to use the scales all over the fretboard.[/QUOTE] Pentatonic seems a bit too bluesy from what Hakita posted in the GP5 thread. Thanks for the correction, but that's how most books and both guitar teachers I've met taught it. :v:

[QUOTE=AlmondMirage;22550087]Disagree. This just makes it more random. I usually play around with just one or two notes in the chord to create some sort of melodic interest, then connect ideas or outline chords with scales/arpeggiations/melodic sequences. It's like there are ideas in your solo that are islands, and things that connect them that are like bridges.[/QUOTE] My idea was to just use that kind of random scale riffing for building ideas and finding something melodic within that.

[QUOTE=Rad McCool;22540594]Come on.. that's just your opinion. Many of the most beautiful solos I've heard rely solely on technicality. But that doesn't mean that they're souless or have no "feeling".[/QUOTE] Most of the time a technical solo is heartless and you can actually hear the guitarists thoughts at the time "check my sweeps brah I can wank at over 400mph"

[QUOTE=bravehat;22559659]Most of the time a technical solo is heartless and you can actually hear the guitarists thoughts at the time[/QUOTE] Or you can just appreciate the music that's being played. Technicality and beauty/musical quality are not in junction. [QUOTE=Shibbey;22558336]Thanks for the correction, but that's how most books and both guitar teachers I've met taught it. :v:[/QUOTE] A "2" on the e-string will result in an F♯, which is not a part of the G minor scale. You must have misread it or looked at the harmonic minor scale. :P

I do appreciate what I listen to or else I wouldn't listen to it, but in my opinion faster and more technical solos frequently slay the value of each musical note.

That's a good point. But to me, music is alot about listening to songs as a "whole". That's the basic principle of chords for example.

[QUOTE=bravehat;22560498]I do appreciate what I listen to or else I wouldn't listen to it, but in my opinion faster and more technical solos frequently slay the value of each musical note.[/QUOTE] I see what you mean, but I can still listen to some really technical metal - Anata for example. Literally, technical death metal. The difference is that they're not going for a melodic feel like you're usually looking for - and like I'm usually looking for. It just suits their songs perfectly, the technical ridiculously fast soloing techniques. Personally I think that a good metal solo for any non-tech. song is rooted in the overall feel. Take Fade to Black by Metallica for example. The slower, more melodic notes definitely resonate with someone who is extremely sad and on the brink of snapping. The faster parts are like the "character" debating whether he should live or die, a frantic and terrifying thought racing through his/her mind. Or, Repentance by Dream Theater. You can hear the lament, the sheer disdain and regret for all of the actions outlined in the solo - very slow and moving, lots of bends and vibrato to give the exact feel the song calls for.

[QUOTE=SolidSnake52;22569325]I see what you mean, but I can still listen to some really technical metal - Anata for example. Literally, technical death metal. The difference is that they're not going for a melodic feel like you're usually looking for - and like I'm usually looking for. It just suits their songs perfectly, the technical ridiculously fast soloing techniques. Personally I think that a good metal solo for any non-tech. song is rooted in the overall feel. Take Fade to Black by Metallica for example. The slower, more melodic notes definitely resonate with someone who is extremely sad and on the brink of snapping. The faster parts are like the "character" debating whether he should live or die, a frantic and terrifying thought racing through his/her mind. Or, Repentance by Dream Theater. You can hear the lament, the sheer disdain and regret for all of the actions outlined in the solo - very slow and moving, lots of bends and vibrato to give the exact feel the song calls for.[/QUOTE] Definitely. It's my own, personal opinion, that, above all else, the solo needs to fit the song. If the solo feels out of place, out of time, or as though it was just thrown in for the sake of the solo, then the solo should be removed. It doesn't matter what kind of solo it is, be it technical shredding or a melodic dirge. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't belong.

Bah solos are uncool, breakdowns are where it's at yo. Nah really just learn a few licks you can use during the song and use scales.

[QUOTE=Shibbey;22551052]e 2-3 B 3-5 G 2-3-5 D 3-5 A 3-5-6 E 3-5-6 G minor I believe. Popular in Metal. Change it to whatever key the song is in.[/QUOTE] This is the melodic minor scale, used in classical music. This can be used to good effect but for mainstream metal you'll want to stick with the more contemporary minor scales.