Composing metal

So the story is this... I have an amateur band with few of my friends. And I ended up to be our composer (at least most of the time). The thing is that we are making metal music (mainly power-metal) and I only have classical training behind me and almost none composing experience. Well... we completed one song witch I really liked, but I composed it pretty accidentally :D (just played something whitch sounded good). After our first song I started really compose and I made some quite cool sounding peaces (at least I think so :D). Now when I have composed a while the songs I'm making are sounding quite similar... So what can I do to compose songs that differ from each other?? Any idea is welcome :D

So what can I do to compose songs that differ from each other?? Any idea is welcome :D

Lol, you have picked the wrong genre for that. :whistling:

Loud annoying music that people whose brain levels don't exceed an snail's would listen to.

But seriously. It doesn't matter what you play. It's how loud you play. Just do generic chords (ex: I, IV, V, I) really fast and really, really loud. Oh, and scream a lot. Make lyrics (when you're not screaming) about society and how the government sucks and how life sucks and everything else sucks.

There you have it. Metal.

Actually, to create metal, you need to get some elements and perform covalent or ionic bonding.

Loud annoying music that people whose brain levels don't exceed an snail's would listen to.

But seriously. It doesn't matter what you play. It's how loud you play. Just do generic chords (ex: I, IV, V, I) really fast and really, really loud. Oh, and scream a lot. Make lyrics (when you're not screaming) about society and how the government sucks and how life sucks and everything else sucks.

There you have it. Metal.

Actually, to create metal, you need to get some elements and perform covalent or ionic bonding.

Well... what kind of music do you suggest to listen/compose then??

Classic?? Pop??

What? I was just telling the truth. That's how you compose metal.

I compose classical, and I listen to rock (mostly punk rock) and classical.

Lol, you have picked the wrong genre for that. :whistling:

Well... I think that if you don't stick into any specific genre of metal. I mean playing both heavier and lighter stuff... you get quite different songs.

What? I was just telling the truth. That's how you compose metal.

Well... that might be how you compose metal like Black or Death Metal. But I meant more like this

Our first song in fact sounds pretty much like Nightwish.

Try some different chords and progressions, try things like power chords in fourths as well as fifths, throw in some augmented fourths, anything different. Also, there are some ways to avoid the V - I.... try some progressions with bVII , bIII , and IV, maybe even the occasional bVI or iv. Also try different scales, don't use the same notes in conjunction with each other, whenever you realise that you starting to go down the same path as in another song before, switch up some notes to make it different, it should take you down a whole new path. Try some major and minor scales, as well some dorian, phrygian, and mixolydian. Heck, if you put in some transitions with classical modulations in a short period of time, then you might come up with something really creative for metal.

<-- first really clear and good reply... :D

<-- first really clear and good reply... :D

Ja m

well, I'd say listen to different music first, gather musical Ideas, make some sketches combine ideas, do whatever you can to make your own distinct voice in music.

For bands, check out King Crimson, Yes, Gabriel-era Genesis...prog rock with strong classical influence, in turn huge influences on prog metal (Dream theater, Symphony X, etc.)

Classical check out 20th composers Bartok, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich

Ja m

Quit the Finnish please.

L

If I were you and I wanted to try something different I would start by writing the lyrics and seeing what kind of melody develops and then add the harmony. Try it, see what happens.

Go back and listen to metal songs or early metal songs. This will help you a lot with composing for this genre.

You may want to try writing overdriven, catchy riffs and writing rhythmic chords underneath. Next, write a drum part to accompany and emphasize a the important beats. After that, you want to make sure your bass follows the chords while emphasizing the beat of the drums.

I hope this makes sense. Older metal songs usually followed this formula. They were really simple in composition, but catchy.

I think metal music needs a different approach than classical music... though you might sit, take a coffee and write chord progressions, it's more usual (and let's face it: more productive) to JAM. Or as one might say: search and develop hamonic, melodic and rythm ideas.

I'm not really a hardcore metal fan, but I totally disagree with the ones who think metal can't be original. There's a lot of not original classical music too... For originality, I suggest you add other instruments. Keep guits, bass and drum, but consider adding pads, keyboards, noises (industrial noises would work well in this genre). Also go in contrasts, don't let the guitar plays the same riff all the song, nor let the drum play all the time. A calmer section (either at the begining or in the middle) is going to make the crazier section following much more violent/energetic.

Lastly, since this kind of music is mostly about BEAT, put a special attention on rhythm. Usually, metal is harmonically simple (though you might get original and change that) but rhytmically complex... there's a lot of odd meters 7/8 especially. Work the drums and make abuse of the double bass drum pedal ;)

I think metal music needs a different approach than classical music... though you might sit, take a coffee and write chord progressions, it's more usual (and let's face it: more productive) to JAM. Or as one might say: search and develop hamonic, melodic and rythm ideas.

I'm not really a hardcore metal fan, but I totally disagree with the ones who think metal can't be original. There's a lot of not original classical music too... For originality, I suggest you add other instruments. Keep guits, bass and drum, but consider adding pads, keyboards, noises (industrial noises would work well in this genre). Also go in contrasts, don't let the guitar plays the same riff all the song, nor let the drum play all the time. A calmer section (either at the begining or in the middle) is going to make the crazier section following much more violent/energetic.

Lastly, since this kind of music is mostly about BEAT, put a special attention on rhythm. Usually, metal is harmonically simple (though you might get original and change that) but rhytmically complex... there's a lot of odd meters 7/8 especially. Work the drums and make abuse of the double bass drum pedal ;)

That's exactly what I was trying to say in my post.

You did a much better job at explaining it, though.

You're right about jamming. You can get very productive just by playing around and trying to develop ideas.

Some bands don't even write their music, they just build the music from these sessions. You can have an advantage over these bands if you write everything down and try to put it together in a way that is logical and sounds good.

You're right about a lot of classical music not being original. Music scholars have found that some composers borrowed from each other and used some of the same exact themes and motifs.

You're right about a lot of classical music not being original. Music scholars have found that some composers borrowed from each other and used some of the same exact themes and motifs.

Sometimes composers "borrow" the themes of others by accident, in an unconscious level. They listen to a piece or song then years later by accident they write a piece/song that is the same as the one they heard years ago but they don't remember that piece/song they heard. So they use the idea they got to insert it in their piece. That happen sometimes to composers.

Anyway that is just the case of that happening Unconsciously, but yeah there are others that borrowed themes or parts for use them in their works.

I think it's cool as a band to just get together and see what happens. Like, I'm the bassist in my band, the guitarist comes up with something, and I just play whatever feels right to me, without any specific aim towards a style. I don't like to think about it too much, I like just jammin' around.

Lol, you have picked the wrong genre for that. :whistling:

lmao :P

Loud annoying music that people whose brain levels don't exceed an snail's would listen to.

But seriously. It doesn't matter what you play. It's how loud you play. Just do generic chords (ex: I, IV, V, I) really fast and really, really loud. Oh, and scream a lot. Make lyrics (when you're not screaming) about society and how the government sucks and how life sucks and everything else sucks.

There you have it. Metal.

Actually, to create metal, you need to get some elements and perform covalent or ionic bonding.

I'm going to go ahead and guess that you've never once heard an actual metal song. Maybe if you went out and listened to the music before hastily dismissing it as pablum, you wouldn't come off as such a supercilious donkey.

I would think that the description of loud music with boring harmony and pointless screaming would be more fitting to punk. Hrm.

Listen to Opeth, In Flames, Red Sparrowes, ISIS, and Explosions in the Sky.

That should run the gamut on heavy music that should inspire you.

Loud annoying music that people whose brain levels don't exceed an snail's would listen to.

But seriously. It doesn't matter what you play. It's how loud you play. Just do generic chords (ex: I, IV, V, I) really fast and really, really loud. Oh, and scream a lot. Make lyrics (when you're not screaming) about society and how the government sucks and how life sucks and everything else sucks.

There you have it. Metal.

Actually, to create metal, you need to get some elements and perform covalent or ionic bonding.

Sounds more like Punk music to be perfectly honest. But whatever. I used to be obsessed with metal and I'll agree alot of it sounds VERY similar and boring. But to dismiss the genre entirely, that's a bit close-minded in my opinion....

EDIT: As for composing metal, not sure what to tell you. Try to avoid using parallel fifths as much as possible and the 4/4 time signature. I noticed power chords are more effective the less you use them. I like alot of metal that utilizes weird time signatures and doesn't rely on cliched chord progressions. As for percussion, PLEASE DO NOT fall into the constant 16th note bass drum beat that so much metal uses. It's so boring and uncreative. It's effective for maybe one or two passages but please, do not use it through the whole song. As for bass lines, anything that just isn't doubling the guitar an octave down is welcome. Bass guitar isn't a very prominent instrument in metal music, but even subtle differences between the bass and guitar is appreciated. And finally, don't be afraid to experiment with instrumentation. The whole guitar, bass, drum set up is kinda old. Mix it up a bit. Strings can be very effective in a metal context. Pianio too. All I'm really trying to say is, don't limit yourself. Be creative. Metal music can be good, enjoyable, and original.

Lol, you have picked the wrong genre for that. :whistling:

Definitely

Well... what kind of music do you suggest to listen/compose then??

Classic?? Pop??

Steely Dan. Pure ownage of Pop, Rock, Jazz, Polka, Funk, Country, Disco, and Coolness.

~Kal