Write Metal Songs Like The PROS!

[@treyxaviermusic]

My songwriting course is finally HERE: bit.ly/SONGWRITINGCOURSE

[@michaelcraig9449]

😂

[@loganforsythe3966]

Every time i try to write a riff i end up figuring out how to play somebody else's song

[@MikeF031]

I feel that, hard to make something original and good.

[@relaxingsounds1386]

We learn by imitating. Keep at it, and eventually you'll write your own riffs. Having said that, there are only 12 notes to work with. Great songs are really about STRUCTURE. You can blatantly steal a riff, but if your song structure is good and engaging, almost no one will notice. Don't worry about being 'original.' Just keep at your craft.

[@georgejanho30]

Man, I can relate to that. It used to be the case for me as well, but in time I've learned that by not actively listening to my biggest influences while I'm writing my own stuff actually helps a lot with coming up with more original riffs. The more you do that, the more you'll "shed" the other bands' stuff and find yourself more and more in your music. Try it out and keep at it bro! \m/-.-

[@lincolnpepper816]

in my experience i've learned not to worry about stealing riffs. turn it into your own either by changing it or changing what's around it and the role it plays in your song, and no one will care or even notice. as long as your vision for the song is different than the final product of whoever came up with the riff first, it's your riff.

[@ragekidsmusic1627]

@@MikeF031 same bro for my riffs that i learn or make i always palm mute them to make it heavier

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

My previous lead guitarist needed to see this. He only wanted to play fast and shreddy, and only wanted me to play two-note power chords. The moment I started playing extended chords, or playing in blues scale, or playing melodic, or the gods forbid I play SLOWER, all he would do is whinge. That said, I did figure out that moving to bass would stop that problem. That way, if he didn't like my melodics or blues scales, I could tell him to come play the bass line, to which he would say "I can't play bass." Exactly, so shut up! Basically, there was no creative freedom in that band. We played what he wanted, the way that he wanted. Of course, the fact that he had word-for-word copied Dave Mustaine's rig, that should have been my red flag the moment I joined that band.

[@treyxaviermusic]

Send it to him with my regards as a recovering shred addict who couldn't write a song - I understand haha

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

I will. Thank you.

[@jaimyyelvington6625]

Lead guitarists am I right?

[@himynamesslimshadyjkhi5436]

Jaimy Yelvington heyyy some of them are nice

[@XMetalChefX]

Just say: Gojira. You'll win every argument with him

[@yeahnahmateyeah6470]

I love doing variants of the same riff, it makes it so much easier to write and not go off on a tangent

[@reillocb]

As a bassist, #5 is really appreciated

[@gregmerritt9366]

I personally find riff salad kinda tasty.

[@treyxaviermusic]

I mean, I own every BTBAM album 🤷

[@kshitijk14]

Megadeth also do in some songs kindof same

[@jampula6352]

Wanna hear a tasty riff salad? Try my band Pakana's song Noitavaino ;)

[@kshitijk14]

@@jampula6352 yaa sure.... is it on Spotify?

[@jampula6352]

@@kshitijk14 yes

[@despondency7895]

really never been a fan of programmed drums but these are by far the best I've heard and I can appreciate the usefulness

[@saberreiter8569]

quarts and fifths want love too :D great video, thanks for uploading.

[@treyxaviermusic]

That's a topic for another, longer video I think haha

[@michaelcraig9449]

Getting a lot of mileage out of the same idea is right, you said it..Metal is all the same. "Play with fire you get burned" "Cuts like a knife". devil, blood, pain, graveyard, misery, followed by screaming.

[@ThroughShadowIntoLight]

This video alone has enough great tips to help finish a bunch of songs, nice work!

[@SingleMaltIdiot]

I'm going to be having another look at my next metal EP this winter for a bit of reworking, and this video is friggin invaluable, honestly. Such obvious advice, but a lot of stuff I'd have never thought to try. Definitely going to be referring back to this one!

[@TheBlackKoma]

Instructions unclear, harmonized diabetic turds. This music theory stuff be harderer.

[@treyxaviermusic]

I've got your harmonic insulin right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYOxfaVod7t8bas

[@koffieverslaafde627]

This made me laugh thanks guys

[@DC11music]

Awesome job. Thank you for sharing.

[@guitar_nerd]

Thanks for the tips! I like to use the ending of the previous riff as the beginning of the next riff and mess around with it. makes it really easy to write a bunch of riffs. I also use the Ola Englund Presets alot :D

[@tylercady3985]

On tip #2, one of my favorite Megadeth songs, In My Darkest Hour, just circles around one very simple riff. As I was learning that song I started to notice that song is entirely the same riff with only small variations to the tail

[@pre_ow5494]

Thankyou for this Im starting a band and a lead guitarist this really helped thanks

[@theturtlerguy1236]

Same

[@treyxaviermusic]

I'm interested to know what you guys do to spice up YOUR metal jams! Do you do any of these or are there some cool things I left out that you use a lot?

[@WizardOfArc]

I use the harmonized lead a fair amount

[@308media74]

Beer !!

[@erikrandan7294]

I like to utilize harmonies and variations on a theme. I've used that one ever since watching a lesson by John Petrucci, where he showed ideas on how to take a riff idea and get several parts out of it. Pretty crazy if you think outside the box! Another concept I love is Joe Satriani's "Pitch Axis" where you utilize several different modes to shift the song into new territory.

[@relaxingsounds1386]

I listen to music other than metal.

[@methodovermotive9275]

Drummer Here. Have the "Power Hand" play upbeats instead of downbeats. Or do 3 against 2 if you're a real baller.

[@jaredt3985]

After having spent a long while learning the guitar, and getting really good at playing other people’s songs, I’ve decided to start writing my own. And it’s a lot harder than I thought lol. I can write all these different parts, like cool riffs, big open chordal type choruses, nasty breakdowns, etc. It’s just putting everything together so it flows nicely and fits together. That’s the true art imo. Too many people (myself included) spend too much time trying to be god tier on their instrument, and give no care to composition. Not a bad thing per se, but misguided. I’ve decided my primary focus from now on will be composing, with technical proficiency coming in second. I still work on that though, but the way I do it now is I’ll write something just outside my abilities and then force myself to learn it.

[@ragnadrabinowitz7629]

i don't play metal, but lots of good stuff in here that i can apply to what i do.

[@craigjames1082]

For sure, it's really just good songwriting tips in general

[@SteveStrummerUK]

Some really good stuff in there Trey, thanks. Also - #7: More Cowbell

[@TheDeathJesters1337]

If in doubt, cow bell it out!

[@crypticreality8484]

This is world class stuff here. Greatly appreciated!!

[@RNAMusic]

Great tips all around!

[@gothnev]

Great video dude. I do some of these already, but it was great to have a pile of new ideas in one place

[@ericwilliams538]

It's not that I can't write decent material, it's that I lack funds for my own personal home studio to record my ideas. Yes, I have slowly been trying to piece together one here and there. I feel once I achieve gather the basics for recording at home, the music will just flow so much easier. Also, knowing how to use the equipment will be a huge help as well. Am I expecting to record ground breaking material???? Maybe not necessarily so, but I know what I do write is good enough to catch some people's attention.

[@mjstories7181]

your home studio can be like 200 bucks, you don't need alot of money. You need a scarlett solo interface (100 bucks), a decent guitar and some earbuds. I assume you already have a laptop or computer, you're good to go! Find some freeware plugins and start creating. There's not really a barrier to entry anymore, just gotta start doing it.

[@ericwilliams538]

@@mjstories7181 I'll have to replace my laptop.....that will take a few weeks. An interface, I just found one. They come with useful software...

[@firstreality3867]

@@ericwilliams538 Honestly just pirate some good software. Pay for it if/when you're making enough money from your music. Not to say that there aren't good freeware stuff but there's nothing stopping anyone from using paid software and plugins for free nowadays. Just make sure you're downloading off of a trustworthy site.

[@andrewlilly7802]

Now I, too, can write Born of Osirs' second album!

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

Thank you! I needed this! I’m working on making original metal songs but making each sound different in style from the others. I think this will help me.

[@UnderGunnedProductions]

Hell YA! Great tips to help me get out of a rut. Thanks Trey!

[@treyxaviermusic]

my man

[@metalvisionsongcontest7055]

I like to do a constant variation of harmonizing in thirds (above or below the main melody), then flipping into octaves for a few bars, and also, most importantly, harmonize in sixths! Because sixths are basically only inverted thirds, or thirds in wide position. Never use one too long in a row within one song, and boom - you can harmonize any of your solos like DragonForce! 😁

[@Vazaqin]

ahhh just the motivation i needed!

[@CoreyAllgood]

I’m gonna throw this in for drum variation, and it’s a matter of taste, really. The section where you change the power hand is also a good time to add some complexity to the kick drum, particularly on a riff like this. With something like this, I’d play the riff twice with the first drum pattern, and 1-2 more times with the switch of the power hand and putting in alternating 1/16 patterns. Maybe throw some 1/16 triplets in as well, depending. -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-, etc. Again, matter of taste, but it totally hits harder when used properly.

[@BreadBoys]

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[@liamphillips2918]

bread boys djent? who knew

[@dergianni]

11:55 whenever I make a joke

[@lukasszlaur6246]

Legend

[@stubennett7364]

Great video some really good valuable tips.

[@wasdwasd12321]

This vid earned my sub 😃

[@rajeshkapoor8549]

thank you for the lesson. Can u do a MESHUGGAH riff from scratch using whole half diminished scale?

[@Mississippi_Martian]

Solid advice! Thanks! \m/

[@Klbz13]

Thanks Trey Im just kinda stuck writing music and this helped me out. Great video!

[@hbomb495]

Awesome tips, will try out some of these as I have a song I'm currently stuck on at the moment. Also curious Trey, if you've tried the Modern Metal amp pack for EZ Mix?. I've seen a couple of demos of it, one of which featuring Mendel formerly of Aborted and it sounds awesome. No doubt you'd have some sick, nasty riffs that would couple really well with the tones on it.

[@skatepark02]

I’ve been desperately trying to write breaking Benjamin, avenged sevenfold style stuff. But it keeps turning into either rage against the machine or ZZ top (in a bad way).

[@harrisontownsend910]

Good advice: Learn a lot of Breaking Benjamin and A7X. What you learn is what you'll write. I've learned a lot of Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Alice in Chains, and Pantera, so what I write ends up sounding somewhere in between.

[@ThomasFarrow]

thanks Trey

[@treyxaviermusic]

you are most welcome

[@shadowflame005]

You are good at what you do

[@Rigley911]

I feel proud that I’ve done some of these things on my own

[@mercilessforever]

I have always referred to the first example as the “metallica method”

[@joancastillo828]

The last tip (Slower and Lower) Slipknot maybe uses it for the breakdown (Eyeless could be an example), but not for ending the song, at least, I don't remember any example from Slipknot: in the ending, they play faster, watch (Sic), or Purity. The ones I realised they play slower in the ending of the song (apart from a lot more of groups) are Nirvana, whatch Mr. Moustache.

[@quantumofburningsteel5881]

Very nice! Good ideas well presented, I like that.

[@tembangsuara2268]

Thank you!

[@zero420hour]

This was the best song writing video I've seen. So inspired to write. 🤘

[@zAvAvAz]

i need simplist way to record tracks and what with, i have a guitar and an amp with speaker, do i get superior drummer3?

[@treyxaviermusic]

get EZDrummer

[@zAvAvAz]

@@treyxaviermusic ok thank you so much, do i need some other program for recording anything? or mic the speaker or interface to EZ?

[@Jimmyoldfield]

Awesome video man! very Helpful! :) \M/

[@MikeF031]

Helpful video, thank you!

[@dant7955]

love it, thank you! ♥

[@himynamesslimshadyjkhi5436]

Thanks really helpful

[@relaxingsounds1386]

Go listen to 'No One Like You' by the Scorpions. Notice how the famous intro guitar melody is the EXACT SAME NOTES and nearly the exact same melodic structure as the Vox in the chorus. Nice trick, eh? Call it 'foreshadowing' or 'leading.' WHATEVER. The point is, that intro guitar melody gives the listener an UNCONSCIOUS TASTE of what's to come. It essentially delivers the melodic 'hook' right up front and pulls the listener in. This is more and more rare in modern metal. I get it. The point is . . . YOU LEARNED SOMETHING. Right? You learned one of the 'tricks' in terms of how great songwriting works. Listen to the 'Hoo-Hoo's' in Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones. They're repeated over and over again, and they never get old. Those are HOOKS. The Stones were naturals at that s't. Listen to 'Mr. Crowley' by Ozzy. He sings the words 'Mr Crowley' nearly the EXACT SAME WAY every time he sings it. He begins each verse with it the exact same way. Right now, you're hearing him sing it in your head. Right? Listen to Arch Enemy. It's all screamed Vox. Zero melodic content, for the most part. So where are the hooks? IN THE GUITAR MELODIES. Those well-known Michael Ammot guitar motifs. GUITAR provides the melodic hooks in Arch Enemy. Arch Enemy is full of guitar motifs that repeat. They show up in the intros, they're repeated in the choruses 'underneath' the vocals. Yeah, he beats this method to death at times, but essentially, it works. And he stole most all of his guitar motifs from Michael Schenker, btw. Ammot's guitar motifs are total Schenker. Why not steal from the greats? Even Cannibal Corpse has 'hooks.' They just do it their way. You have to listen for them. So listen for this stuff in music. Notice these things. 'Hey, there's that guitar melody again,' or 'Hey, the verse structure is the same in Verse 2, but it's double kicks now. That's interesting." Learn the TRICKS. And they ARE tricks ;-)

[@GreyRock100]

16:32 Grug brain 🤘

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

Dig the video. Instead of doing a harmony a third you below yo could do it a 6th above and drop it down an octave ;)

[@nykal1510]

Why though? That's the same thing

[@chrisdunnettmusic]

@@nykal1510 Yes it was a joke hence the ;) I knew they would get it

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

I like arpeggios on bass under big chords

[@digitalsea9147]

But i love what u do bro Ur a cool car and these videos i think are great!!

[@richmerlino2020]

Thx dawg

[@s0ndm4n81]

great tipsNtrix! maybe a little ambience riffing behind some of the sections gets em wet =}

[@NYCSportsNBA]

Anyone know what kind of pedal he’s using for his distortion?

[@bearjammusic]

huge video

[@vabid666]

3:06 system of a down enters the room with sugar

[@DanyGamer303]

Voice is the real RIFF ahahah

[@machupikachu1085]

"Riff Salad" Dark Angel has entered the chat :D

[@tomcarter5355]

Sick

[@treyxaviermusic]

YOU'RE sick

[@Cestariarts]

2:45 tell that to Petrucci about Endless Sacrifice haha

[@9hk38f]

0:56 yes exactly. Nothing special. I often find myself writing riffs, just like that. Not special at all. I can just pump those out like nothing!

[@markhaworth5228]

What soft where are you using I want to mix all the instruments together

[@Nick-gu4pg]

Very cool

[@2und2sind4]

Did Trey ever release his own music?

[@justinunger3526]

I feel like Car Bomb is the master of messing with expectations lol

[@thirsty_yt6481]

Riff Bread?

[@sartajhanspal5604]

3:02 the origin

[@avzarathustra6164]

Nice

[@Mmaaajjkk]

11:56 badum tss

[@enterusername4650]

Is it possible to write good songs without any musical talent or experience?

[@treyxaviermusic]

Only one way to find out!

[@enterusername4650]

@@treyxaviermusic I guess I'll do some more studying then. Thanks friend.

[@SlyHikari03]

Riff salad is a guilty pleasure for me.

[@thomasmcnallen-jones9127]

does anyone know the software he's using to record and mix?

[@treyxaviermusic]

Pro Tools

[@thomasmcnallen-jones9127]

@@treyxaviermusic cheers mate

[@marcoabyss]

drummer here. can confirm. i program myself for studio recordings, then play the songs a little different live. justifies the need to buy the studio album then possibly a live album later :P

[@robertporter113]

2:52 @periphery lmfao

[@TheZooropaBaby]

#2 sounds like how Ornette Coleman composes things, he had nice composed parts but the improv always somewhat is the result of that composed phrase

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

10:37 made me spew my drink... funny. lol

[@plexim1591]

Which DAW is that?

[@treyxaviermusic]

Pro Tools!

[@AnkothOfficial]

I write songs and some pretty neat riffs. It's just that when put together the song sounds like crap. Like it just doesn't flow or sound professional. I Idk maybe it's my self loathing. Seriously though, most of my songs have some neat riffs but then really horrible sounding drums (they sound like a fucking train) and Bass guitar that's either inaudible or too loud and sounds meh. And then orchestral parts that sound super dry and weak (that might be because I'm using a mellotron for them, and even when drenched in reverb it sounds not to great). I have an orchestral sample library by Spitfire which sounds amazing and is the tracks' saving grace so to speak, but then again, it's not the focal point of the track. Then there's my awful vocals that make me want to puke when I hear them and are just annoying and moreover probably out of tune and out of time, because I have no idea how to match a vocal melody to the rest of the composition, without just making it sound like some melodic metal song (with the guitars playing the melody).

[@theTylerMorale]

Rude you didn’t play all the pieces together. Or at least that last part again. I wanted to hear that chunky slow part come after the rest lol

[@ricksheppard31]

More than ☝️🤔👍🏻

[@comrade_horse8932]

I just have trouble writing the riffs lol

[@Deadnoise6417]

Regarding his harmonization process. I know this is for metal guitar, but I’m pretty sure that what I’m about to say applies across-the-board: I was always taught in college That you want to stay away from harmonizing in thirds or fifth “consecutively “like that. It’s too symmetrical and each part loses its independence. It’s really just a cheap trick that Should be used sparingly. I strongly recommend people learn basic, harmony theory, counterpoint, and some of the rules, and guidelines gathered over hundreds of years for creating beautiful harmonies.

[@treyxaviermusic]

This is true, usually when harmonizing I consider the chord tones above all else, except for faster parts where that kind of complex harmonization actually just sounds wrong. In those cases, thirds or sixths work best. I did a whole other video about this that you might like.

[@gideonhansen5485]

I just play what sounds good.

[@bigcheese6880]

my dream is to be metal singer for that im here :DD

[@julianaraneta5416]

I feel like there's alot of people watching this right now after losing the 200k songwriting competition.

[@OldManDoom]

“Eh, it’s stock and sounds like everything else that has ever been written. I have nothing original to say…” Meanwhile Dimebag took 3 notes and made one of the most iconic metal riffs of all time The secret trick is not overthink it, and just embrace what sounds good to you, regardless of whether guitar snobs will talk about you have reinvented the instrument

[@SexistAlexistv]

If multiple riffs in one song is called “Riff Salad” then that means Tom Morello is like the ultimate salad tosser 🥗

[@naicametal]

RIFF SALAD lml

[@GFGRRD]

Dont use only one riff Enter sandman: you mean nothing to me

[@Josell1028]

What tuning are you in? Thanks

[@Barry018018]

I thought this channel is only about gears

[@daario4278]

You've clearly never had a salad, they're pretty good

[@masterpuppet6443]

That moment you accidentally write an Animals As Leaders song

[@procrasti-nation9517]

Hmmmm... one song with one riff? ...Meshuggah/Bleed ....😁

[@adnansami1349]

Can you please tell me the name of software which is use for lyrics to add melody?