I'm working on a folk/power metal song right now:
[URL]http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J5ZCDOF0[/URL]
Not finished but feedback is appreciated.
I actually plan on recording this at some point; so if some parts sound bland it's because there's supposed to be vocals there :v:
[QUOTE=Z3r0747;23222382]I'm working on a folk/power metal song right now:
[URL]http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J5ZCDOF0[/URL]
Not finished but feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]
Really good!!! Some things I noted:
[list]
[*]Just sounds a bit repetitive, but that might change with vocals.
[*]I also noted that on the main riff/chorus, the guitars play exactly what the strings are playing. Like they both go Low G, High Eb, Low Bb, High F. Have you tried letting the guitars go: Low G, Low Eb (if you tune that way), Low Bb, Low F? And keeping the strings as to how they are? I think it will add much richness to the song. But it's just a suggestion. And I don't hear any bass? That would probably suffice, if you let the bass play all the low notes.
[*]What chord is used at exactly 1:59? Sounds a bit out of place.
[*]Maybe a guitar solo?[/list]
Keep up with the good work!!
[QUOTE=Z3r0747;23222382]I'm working on a folk/power metal song right now:
[URL]http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J5ZCDOF0[/URL]
Not finished but feedback is appreciated.
I actually plan on recording this at some point; so if some parts sound bland it's because there's supposed to be vocals there :v:[/QUOTE]
Not bad. I agree with everything Rad told you. Cheers!
Rad pretty much knows everything about making songs.
[QUOTE=Rad McCool;23225758]Really good!!! Some things I noted:
[LIST]
[*]Just sounds a bit repetitive, but that might change with vocals.
[*]I also noted that on the main riff/chorus, the guitars play exactly what the strings are playing. Like they both go Low G, High Eb, Low Bb, High F. Have you tried letting the guitars go: Low G, Low Eb (if you tune that way), Low Bb, Low F? And keeping the strings as to how they are? I think it will add much richness to the song. But it's just a suggestion. And I don't hear any bass? That would probably suffice, if you let the bass play all the low notes.
[*]What chord is used at exactly 1:59? Sounds a bit out of place.
[*]Maybe a guitar solo?
[/LIST]
Keep up with the good work!![/QUOTE]
Yeah like I said, this is basically a rough draft for an actual song I plan on recording with real instruments (well, guitar and keyboards) :v: so the empty parts with just chord progressions will be filled in with vocals.
And okay I'll probably switch those chords. I didn't add bass yet but I always add it as the last thing in my songs for some reason :v:.
Not sure what you mean at 1:59, it's a G power chord :confused:
Guitar solos are fun but I'm trying to not overdo it on the cheese-factor, I'll save another song for that :)
Also, some of the transitions to the different segments of the song are rough I know; I'll come up with something better eventually.
But how are my melodies? I've been trying to increase my melody writing skill lately.
Man, I wish I was as good as you guys at composing.
I have all these songs stuck in my head (admittedly mostly lyrics and vocal styles) that I want to compose out to store away for the off chance I ever learn an instrument/vocals and form a band, but I can't ever compose anything.
I can compose intros to songs fine it seems, but when it comes to writing verse and chorus passages, I fall flat on my face. My transitions tend to suck balls, too.
Of course, having no professional compositional experience and only four years of band experience (playing euphonium, nonetheless), may have something to do with that.
Does anyone have any suggestions for more, other than "lern2compose"? Thanks guys.
If you want, I can put up a few parts I have (I only have one completed song, but like a dozen individual riffs/segments that I think don't sound bad) so you can more accurately see the trouble I have.
:love: you all, by the way. Keep on writin'!
Keep it simple. If you want vocals on it, the other instruments shouldn't shine through the vocals, so make parts with vocals simpler than intros/interludes/solos.
[QUOTE=Hakita;23234208]Keep it simple. If you want vocals on it, the other instruments shouldn't shine through the vocals, so make parts with vocals simpler than intros/interludes/solos.[/QUOTE]
But then it sounds bad, because it doesn't have vocals (and it's MIDI [and it's TuxGuitar]) :saddowns:
Also, solos. I can't make solos sound like anything more than shit.
But then, I suppose I should know guitar scales before I try writing solos, shouldn't I? :v:
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23233976]Man, I wish I was as good as you guys at composing.
I have all these songs stuck in my head (admittedly mostly lyrics and vocal styles) that I want to compose out to store away for the off chance I ever learn an instrument/vocals and form a band, but I can't ever compose anything.
I can compose intros to songs fine it seems, but when it comes to writing verse and chorus passages, I fall flat on my face. My transitions tend to suck balls, too.
Of course, having no professional compositional experience and only four years of band experience (playing euphonium, nonetheless), may have something to do with that.
Does anyone have any suggestions for more, other than "lern2compose"? Thanks guys.
If you want, I can put up a few parts I have (I only have one completed song, but like a dozen individual riffs/segments that I think don't sound bad) so you can more accurately see the trouble I have.
:love: you all, by the way. Keep on writin'![/QUOTE]
Songwriting is something that everyone does differently, so it's kind of hard to describe how to "get better" at it. Music theory helps a lot but isn't completely necessary; and if you rely on it too much, your songs will come out sounding mechanical and not organic (if that makes any sense :v:.
Basically, write from your soul. Whatever music you like or listen to the most will probably be the easiest for you to write. Knowing chords and intervals will make melody writing a whole lot easier.
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23234276]But then it sounds bad, because it doesn't have vocals (and it's MIDI [and it's TuxGuitar]) :saddowns:
Also, solos. I can't make solos sound like anything more than shit.
But then, I suppose I should know guitar scales before I try writing solos, shouldn't I? :v:[/QUOTE]
Yeah, if you want melodic solos and not Slayer-style solos, that is :v:.
You should post your stuff. It's easier to give advice that way rather than just all-around, general songwriting tips.
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23233976]I can compose intros to songs fine it seems, but when it comes to writing verse and chorus passages, I fall flat on my face. My transitions tend to suck balls, too.[/QUOTE]
Intros are one of my weak points. I mean just listen to my intro in my song up there, it's pretty shit and generic, but I don't feel like redoing it right now :v:
Also, verses don't need to be complicated at all if you're going to add vocals. You'd be surprised how much better a mediocre sounding MIDI song will be when vocals are added.
What I like to do when it comes to writing, is I record myself playing some improvised riffs on my guitar. I choose a scale and stick to it and just play around. Once I feel satisfied I just listen to what I have, take what I like, and enter it into the software and then build from it.
Now before you ask me why don't I just record my songs instead of doing it all in midi, the answer is because my cameras audio sucks horribly.
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23233976]Man, I wish I was as good as you guys at composing.
I have all these songs stuck in my head (admittedly mostly lyrics and vocal styles) that I want to compose out to store away for the off chance I ever learn an instrument/vocals and form a band, but I can't ever compose anything.
I can compose intros to songs fine it seems, but when it comes to writing verse and chorus passages, I fall flat on my face. My transitions tend to suck balls, too.
Of course, having no professional compositional experience and only four years of band experience (playing euphonium, nonetheless), may have something to do with that.[/QUOTE]
Now what I'm going to tell you to find a few common chord progressions, and copy them for your song. There should be no shame in this because every band uses the same basic progressions, for example, just about every blues song has a I, IV, V progression. A lot of rock metal songs also have this progression.
If you have a riff, just take that riff, and use it with the progression, so you may start it out on and E, but then when you hit the IV chord you start playing it on the A, and so on. Experiment with the notes and chords and see where they lead you, for example, if you play an G major chord and in the melody hit a B note, the chord is going to want to resolve to a C major (especially if you do a C7).
Transitions are actually pretty easy, you'll find most bands just hit the V chord a lot and create a lot of tension. Listen to the part of Master of Puppets right before the chorus, the V chord creates tension that wants to resolve to the root chord, and the fact that it is played for a measure or two gives the listener time to forget about the previous riff.
Learn some music theory, it will be hard at first but it will come, and also study a lot of songs you like and see what they do.
[editline]05:27PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Masterbeta69;23235505]Now before you ask me why don't I just record my songs instead of doing it all in midi, the answer is because my cameras audio sucks horribly.[/QUOTE]
Get some kind of recording interface. I personally use a multi effects pedal that has a headphone out and that works pretty will. Or get a mic and mic your amp.
[QUOTE=Pepin;23236936]
Get some kind of recording interface. I personally use a multi effects pedal that has a headphone out and that works pretty will. Or get a mic and mic your amp.[/QUOTE]
Line 6 Pod :v:
[QUOTE=Z3r0747;23237470]Line 6 Pod :v:[/QUOTE]
A lot of people like that, I have a Digitech RP250. People complain that multieffects pedals don't have the real tone, but I could care less. The real tone costs a good amount of money and you can get pretty good tones from effects pedals if you know what you're doing.
One site did a test for amp modeling and found that only 1/3 of people could tell which was the modeled amp. My main point is that it doesn't take all that much money to get a decent recording setup, it won't be professional of course, but professional studios are crazy expensive.
[QUOTE=Z3r0747;23237470]Line 6 Pod :v:[/QUOTE]
I was actually considering buying that a while ago, but then I forgot. Thanks for reminding me.
I'm getting one soon. I hope to post some actual songs up here once I get around to recording.
My tale:
When I started some years ago I had [B]zero[/B] music theory knowledge and I hardly knew how to play any instruments. Instead I just listened and analyzed songs. I tabbed out entire songs, all tracks, as accurately as possible. I believe this helped my music ear enormously. And I started to understand how most songs are built. I did know some basic guitar, but not that much. Instead I had to rely on power chords. So the very first songs I made were Power Metal tracks. I knew I wanted to write that kind of music. So I listened alot to Power Metal and tried to absorb the characteristics that's specific for the style. I listened to the chord progressions, the melodies, the drums, and then incorporated that into my own works. I never had that much a problem getting started. Of course, when I look back now to my first songs, they're pretty dull and flat, but I kept writing music. And never stopped.
Today, some years later, I still hardly know any music theory. I just find it uninteresting and.. useless. It's just stupid how there are "rules" when it comes to creating art. But that's just me.
So in short: Listen to alot of music. Copy. Don't stop. Learn theory if you want - it's not required.
[editline]02:12PM[/editline]
Uploaded another song of mine:
[B]"Death Armament"[/B]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdB9N_WlC9A[/media]
Well, I finally found one of my compositions that doesn't suck total balls.
I have no fucking clue when I wrote this - I just found it going through the bowels of my computer on a routine cleanup. Must have been about a year ago. I'm guessing from the way I have it commented (Introduction, Phase 1, Phase 2, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Interlude, Phase 3, etc) I had originally written lyrics for it. I can't find them anywhere, though.
I decided to completely redo the intro to the song, though. The original was absolutely horrible. In the little acoustic bit near the beginning, if you think that was bad, you don't even want to [b]hear[/b] the original piano/acoustic. I think the new intro is much better.
It's also pretty obvious to me, listening through this, I was listening to a lot of Opeth and Draconian at the time of me writing this - lots of fast-paced, hectic death metal moments mixed in with the slower elements (Opeth), and the slower moments are quite atmospheric and oppressive (Draconian).
Nearly 6 minutes long.
I'm going to run it through some better guitar VSTs, via MixCraft, but here's the MIDI if anyone wants to listen.
Also, whoever said to use those one chords to transition between riffs, thanks a lot - the original had about six or seven 1/4 empty measures in between riffs that sounded really awkward; I put in those transitory chords, and it sounds a [b]million[/b] times better!
[url=http://www.zshare.net/audio/78317838820d1250/]Dreams in Ruins MIDI (5:42)[/url]
Comment and criticize the living hell out of it! It's the only decent piece I've ever written! :v:
[b]NOTES:[/b] The weird guitar things during the chorus, I don't really know why they're there. But I decided to leave them, because I wouldn't put those there unless I intended to.
Also, where I end the song, I honestly don't know if that was the end. The way it looked to me, it seemed there was to be at least one more slower phrase, and then probably a proper outro of some sort. However, since I had lost the lyrics, and had no idea what my original idea for the outro was, I just decided to tie off that end and call it good. I think it ended up sounding pretty good that way, too.
Well that was.. random! :v:
I like the riff at 1:15. The rest was too "proggish" for my taste. Is there any use of scales whatsoever in this track?
[QUOTE=Rad McCool;23361072]Well that was.. random! :v:
I like the riff at 1:15. The rest was too "proggish" for my taste. Is there any use of scales whatsoever in this track?[/QUOTE]
Haha. Scales.
You're funny.
[editline]08:18PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Rad McCool;23361072]Well that was.. random! :v:
I like the riff at 1:15. The rest was too "proggish" for my taste. Is there any use of scales whatsoever in this track?[/QUOTE]
Also, I find it humorous how your favorite riff in the song is my least favorite riff in the song. :v:
[url=http://filesmelt.com/dl/blackjazzins.mid]7/8 po(o)p rock song outro/intro whatever[/url]
[url=http://filesmelt.com/dl/e_openstrings2.mid]7/4 & 6/4 metal?[/url]
[url=http://filesmelt.com/dl/Vanishing_8d_-_kokeiltu.mid]4/4 metal influenced by Meshuggah[/url]
[url=http://filesmelt.com/dl/polyrtmmi1_ver4_mixdown1.mp3]Above song with real instruments except drums[/url]
I've always found it very hard to tab out my songs in guitar pro. I'd love to say I play djenty music, but even then I find my rhythms to be complex. Either that or I just suck at Guitar Pro.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpEH6icUcfw[/media]
Something I did out of sheer boredom one day, In retrospect I really wish I'd removed the wah as well as some of the distance between the left and right guitars... I'd also have probably boosted the level on it but whatever...
I suppose it's some kind of Doom-y Metal.
It's tuned to AGCFAD
I love experimenting with time signatures and polymetres.
[QUOTE=TimeBomb;23367958][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpEH6icUcfw[/media]
Something I did out of sheer boredom one day, In retrospect I really wish I'd removed the wah as well as some of the distance between the left and right guitars... I'd also have probably boosted the level on it but whatever...
I suppose it's some kind of Doom-y Metal.
It's tuned to AGCFAD[/QUOTE]
I don't think there's much "-y" about that, mate. That's pretty god-damn Doom. I'd personally call it atmospheric doom, or Dark Ambient/Doom, because it has a really eerie sound.
Also, I don't mean to sound like a :butt: or anything, but I really would like some criticisms on my song posted above. If you think it's absolute rubbish, don't be afraid to say so - I'm used to failure, so you won't hurt my feelings or anything.
Criticism is no good if its a lie, because then I'll just build on that lie, and then just imagine what the next piece would sound like.
:v:
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23357247]Well, I finally found one of my compositions that doesn't suck total balls.
I have no fucking clue when I wrote this - I just found it going through the bowels of my computer on a routine cleanup. Must have been about a year ago. I'm guessing from the way I have it commented (Introduction, Phase 1, Phase 2, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Interlude, Phase 3, etc) I had originally written lyrics for it. I can't find them anywhere, though.
I decided to completely redo the intro to the song, though. The original was absolutely horrible. In the little acoustic bit near the beginning, if you think that was bad, you don't even want to [b]hear[/b] the original piano/acoustic. I think the new intro is much better.
It's also pretty obvious to me, listening through this, I was listening to a lot of Opeth and Draconian at the time of me writing this - lots of fast-paced, hectic death metal moments mixed in with the slower elements (Opeth), and the slower moments are quite atmospheric and oppressive (Draconian).
Nearly 6 minutes long.
I'm going to run it through some better guitar VSTs, via MixCraft, but here's the MIDI if anyone wants to listen.
Also, whoever said to use those one chords to transition between riffs, thanks a lot - the original had about six or seven 1/4 empty measures in between riffs that sounded really awkward; I put in those transitory chords, and it sounds a [b]million[/b] times better!
[url=http://www.zshare.net/audio/78317838820d1250/]Dreams in Ruins MIDI (5:42)[/url]
Comment and criticize the living hell out of it! It's the only decent piece I've ever written! :v:
[b]NOTES:[/b] The weird guitar things during the chorus, I don't really know why they're there. But I decided to leave them, because I wouldn't put those there unless I intended to.
Also, where I end the song, I honestly don't know if that was the end. The way it looked to me, it seemed there was to be at least one more slower phrase, and then probably a proper outro of some sort. However, since I had lost the lyrics, and had no idea what my original idea for the outro was, I just decided to tie off that end and call it good. I think it ended up sounding pretty good that way, too.[/QUOTE]
I dislike the guitar.
[QUOTE=Hakita;23425334]I dislike the guitar.[/QUOTE]
The sound or the riffs?
The sound I can't really do much about. The riffs I can understand - I wrote it. :buddy:
I think it sounds too random. I get the vibe that.. you have trouble making melodies and using scales so you just make a random mess and call it prog to get away with it. Because I think it sounds too random even to be called prog. There seems to be no thought behind the riffs at all.
And yes, you can improve the actual sound. Make the guitars stereo and add [B]bass[/B]! :O
[QUOTE=Rad McCool;23427415]I think it sounds too random. I get the vibe that.. you have trouble making melodies and using scales so you just make a random mess and call it prog to get away with it. Because I think it sounds too random even to be called prog. There seems to be no thought behind the riffs at all.
And yes, you can improve the actual sound. Make the guitars stereo and add [B]bass[/B]! :O[/QUOTE]
TuxGuitar doesn't support stereo. :saddowns:
And I can't do anything with bass. I don't know why, but I can never make a bassline worth a damn...
As for the first part, okay. I personally consider it more Gothic Doom/Death, but whatever. The reason I mentioned prog was because I was listening to a lot of Opeth at the time, and I can hear it. Particularly "Heir Apparent," which is my favorite song off of [i]Watershed[/i].
But, I don't really care either way. I don't even know why I compose these things. It's completely pointless, and I know I suck at it. I should just quit.
There's a lot of things I should just quit. Like writing lyrics. They're never going to be used.
:frown:
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;23427580] I don't even know why I compose these things. It's completely pointless, and I know I suck at it. I should just quit.[/QUOTE]
...
Well duh, to become good at something you must practice.
Also to address the "no thought," believe it or not, I actually had metalyrics in my head at the time of writing this. The main verse riff is pretty bad because, and I've stated this before, I simply can not write verse riffs.
The intro is supposed to be a lot angrier-sounding, but I can't make galloping percussion, such as [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NVYBg9au5Q]"Coerced Coexistance"[/url]. The lyrics are most probably something related to the speaker blaming himself for something.
The solo I shouldn't have done. I could have sworn I've said that I suck at solos, too.
The part between the intro and acoustic part is just an interlude. Acoustic part, which is terrible, is to be a whispered dirge about the lyric subject.
The main verses, like I said, I don't really know. The pre-chorus (around 2:10), is angry snarling about descending into the pits of misery and the chasms of hell-fire (or something related). Chorus, I shouldn't have put those god-damn things in there. I honestly think they throw the whole god-damn mood out of balance. Chorus is supposed to be more angry snarling, regarding his dreams in ruin.
Post-chorus, at 03:10, I'm not really sure. Probably more angry.
Then it goes into another soft-spoken interlude. Very possibly the very same one, only slightly changed.
03:38 is probably female vocals of some sort.
You get the idea.
Yeah this whole thing is fucked up. I shouldn't have ever posted it.
If it's any consolation, any other piece I've ever written is at least ten times worse. :buddy:
Can I make up this botch by posting some lyrics? :gonk:
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