How I Write Metal Riffs with Harmonies

Here's my process for writing and recording harmonizing riffs for melodic death and black metal styles.
First, we cove the main rhythm guitar. This is the core riff that defines that part of the song. We record that riff with some killer metal drums (in this video, I'm using Bogren Digital's Krimh Drums software).
Next, we start writing the harmony parts that the 2nd rhythm guitar will play. I show you an easy way to write these harmonies. Of course, I take you through the process of recording that guitar track and what I do to make both tracks sound amazing and full.
In the beginning, I cover this process with a simple melodic death metal riff. After that, I share the same process with a riff that has obscure notes. This is more aligned with the black metal subgenre.
***Guitar Sounds in this Video:
You're hearing the Bogren Digital BDH Ampknob for guitar tones and the Bass Ampknob for bass.
I have a video on the BDH Ampknob here:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWKaaIGmjKZ_bpo
I also have a video on their Trivium Ampknob here:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4qunp-katBnga8
These are some of the best amp sims I've used for metal.
***For harmonizing metal riff lessons, check out my Evil Metal Riff lesson series (here's part 1):
kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3OXeKujjbqNiLs
One last thing - even though my process for creating the harmony part with the 2nd guitar, I encourage you to try different things. We demonstrated that with the obscure harmonies for the black metal riff.
I also encourage you to focus on developing your own style and sound as a guitarist. Don't worry about what someone else says is right or wrong, or good or bad. Just be authentic and create music that you love. If you love it and your passion shows, this will feed into others who will love it, too.
Keep it Metal,
Jason
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[@rockindavebyron3960]

GREAT video Jason!!! AWESOME PLAYING!!! Stay safe from this Hurricane Brother, it's just now coming our way down here in N. Ft. Myers ( 3pm Thursday, 9/26/24) it'll be by you in a few hours according to the news. Be safe, Rock On & God Bless.

[@jasonstallworth]

Thank you dude...we're in Seffner (Brandon area), which is pretty far off the coast. Winds are up, but nothing major! Hope you guys did ok down there!

[@HuntTheTreeLord]

Love your stuff man! It has really inspired me to push myself further on my guitar playing. Once house renovations are done I will be doing your Metal Master riff course and getting Archetype Gojira X since I love the sound of Orbit Culture. In the mean time I am trying my hand at acoustic to improve my non-metal/clean playing skills. Keep it heavy and thank you so much for the inspiration that you bring every week 🤟💀🤟

[@jasonstallworth]

All of this is awesome to hear (especially that you're also incorporating acoustic!). And I'm going to be working more with Bogren Digital, so more to come on that!

[@HuntTheTreeLord]

Awesome awesome! I look forward to seeing more videos. It's your videos that inspired me to actually look into digital solutions. I tried a bunch out for myself and fell in love with the sound of the gojira archetype with the octave pedal. It just sounds so good on my seven string guitar.

[@iduncanw]

Love Gojira X and great to know it goes well with a 7 string as hoping to get one at some stage 🤘🤘

[@stewbacca2075]

Love you, bro! Your videos always inspire me to think more positively since I don't get as much time to play as I used to. Hate my job but a man has to eat. Thanks for the good vibes, sir.

[@jasonstallworth]

Yeah you’ve gotta eat. But I also encourage you to think of starting your own thing on the side and build that up.

[@ericmcgee323]

Excellent video, you can easily apply this lesson to many other styles of metal/ hard rock. 🤘🏼😎

[@jasonstallworth]

Yeah it’s a great method for any genre and really adds to the rhythms

[@Scourgeofmadness]

Hi Jason , great start up video for more and open mind for next level , please record more lessons like that , THX 🎸

[@jasonstallworth]

Definitely more of these coming 🤘

[@apodaca3629]

Love the lessons Jason 🤘🤘

[@jasonstallworth]

🙏🏻🤘

[@mikerauter1859]

Killer Jason!

[@jasonstallworth]

🙏🏻🤘

[@iduncanw]

Top shelf stuff Jason. Love the ideas and DAW tips and would definitely watch more like this. I definitely need to spend more time recording and experimenting. I think this would really help inspire me to play more and feel like I'm progressing more than I usually feel. When it comes to adding a bass track, I know you say you're not a bass player, but assuming you played the bass on all your albums. Would really love to see some videos on how you approach this. I'm guessing in this one, you followed the first rhythm guitar?

[@jasonstallworth]

Yeah man, I need to put some bass stuff out there (even though I'm not a 'real' bass player!). For KZbin lessons, I typically follow the guitar on bass only because it makes things easier and I also provide backing tracks with just drums and bass on Patreon. It might make the track more confusing if I were all over the place on bass. Albums - Yes, I've recorded all of the bass tracks to this point. But I'm more than likely going to hire Rich Gray or at least a real bassist for my next album

[@iduncanw]

@@jasonstallworth I bet you've so picked up quite a bit on bass over the years though 🤘 That would be pretty cool if you bought in Rich Gray, might throw in a completely different dynamic.

[@werck09]

Make the video you’re talking about.🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻

[@jasonstallworth]

I'm gonna work on that next week!

[@dudarino666]

Awesome video. I would love to hear your clear explanations for metal theroy and music in general. I don´t know much theory, I can barely focus on it when explained in depth. But I can recognize that stuff that I play and write. I will say that even as a teenager, I often used my ear to figure riffs out. In the early 2000s guitar tabs werent as accurate as they are today. So I ended up learning lots of music parts by ear, and later learned I learned some things incorrectly, but if you don´t know you honestly never notice. My biggest tip for writing stuff is kind of already said inthe video. Get into a DAW. Record the main riff, Loop and test. If a not sounds bad? Chances are a half step up or down will fix that, and just play and play, You will hear what sounds good and what doesnt, start slow. Never underestimate simple octave duplicates, never underestimate yourself!

[@jasonstallworth]

Definitely get into the DAW and start recording ideas…that’s huge! I’m not a big theory buff by any means. But I thought I might share some things that hopefully can help and tie it all together.

[@dudarino666]

​@@jasonstallworth You did, my band Tinnitus Attack is finishing up our first album, already working on the next and we want to implement some different harmonies other than octaves, my lead guitarist and I watch this together to learn. Thanks from an American in Germany!

[@rubberbandlevin]

Do you have a Katana? If so you can also use the built in harmoniser, it’s good for basic harmonies. Mike.

[@jasonstallworth]

Yes, and I may have mentioned using pedals/effects. But that doesn’t sound near as good as doing this organically with two guitars. Not to mention the process learning how to create the harmonies just adds to your skill set

[@LordGaiciaeNocturno]

BLACK DEATH METAL tutorial when??? I’m talking about the death metal-inspired style of black metal by Canadian, Finnish, and Brazilian bands like Sarcófago, Beherit, Blasphemy, Teitanblood, Revenge, early Sepultura, Archgoat, that stuff.

[@jasonstallworth]

There are definitely many black metal bands out there. And the cool thing is there are a fairly wide variety within that subgenre. I'm listening to Strigoi (my friend Ben Ash is in that band...I had a recent interview with him on my channel about leaving Carcass and being with Strigoi)

[@mikerauter1859]

@@jasonstallworth exactly, black metal is essentially the emotion, the feeling, not all BM has to sound like Darkthrone or Burzum

[@darthstarone3532]

💪😎🎸 KILLA 🎸👻

[@jasonstallworth]

🤘

[@mallninja9805]

But going up 2 steps from E lands you on the 4th fret (G#)?

[@jasonstallworth]

I may have explained this in error…I meant two steps being step one: E to F sharp, step two: F sharp to G (2 steps within that key, if that makes sense).

[@BradRocker]

What model is the Ibanez ? Love that guitar.

[@jasonstallworth]

RG1570...its a great guitar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoOlhmp_f7yHp68

[@BradRocker]

@@jasonstallworth Thx, much appreciated.

[@lukaszorzechowski8629]

I think mostly harmonics are good addition or accent in song, not a good base or core riff, I personally like Vader and Carcass harmonics. Stay brutal Jason!!

[@jasonstallworth]

🙏 🤘

[@tokyodarkness3380]

please explain the 2 steps up tnx

[@jasonstallworth]

I plan to have that video out next week!

[@JAYJAYTOKYO]

@@jasonstallworth thanks i guess we understand the basics of being 2 steps up the scale being used.. but its hard to think outside of the good old pentatonic box.. looking forward to your next vid - will be very useful when harmonizing solos etc ⚡⚡

[@estwrios3983]

hows that ibanez holding up?

[@jasonstallworth]

It's been my go-to for many years now. Actually played it in my last live metal show: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ25aqyOZcicbpY

[@rickgrebenikpuggles56]

Why all metal in key of E minor, ugh

[@jasonstallworth]

All metal isn’t in that key. Many bands use different tunings as well. I wanted to keep this video simple for folks that dont know or want to get deep into theory.