How To Turn Your RIFFS Into FULL SONGS

Here's my method behind turning guitar riffs into full songs.
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[@KeyanHoushmandLive]

Hey dudes, leave all your tips for turning riffs into songs below! You can download the tabs/tones/producer pack for 'Arrhyhtmia' here: keyanhoushmand.sellfy.store/ Also, don't forget to thrash the track, add it to a playlist and give me a follow here: spoti.fi/3g1ALht

[@maxalaintwo3578]

Utter hax tips. Borrow a bit from the sonata-allegro form. Exposition-Development-Recapitulation. You got theme A, theme B, then the playing around with both of them. It makes things pretty straightforward and it's not a verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, so it sounds proggier if that's what you care about. I'm fully with you on the John Browne stuff, he said you can write a whole album with 5 riffs if you know how to milk them for their worth properly

[@theshillpill6937]

I don’t write metal or even play guitar, but I’m for sure going to use these concepts in techno.

[@KeyanHoushmandLive]

I hope it helps!

[@theshillpill6937]

For sure! One technique I used recently was, like you mentioned, accenting parts of the riff. But in another section using the same riff but different accents. Changes the groove entirely but still recognizable

[@brianbergmusic5288]

Where would industrial metal be without techno influences? Welcome aboard!

[@ExplorerOfTheGalaxy]

Me too.. but in Electro Funky and Led Zeppelin's style..

[@Dollyo98]

More videos like this man! Everything about songwriting or mixing is top tier content 🔥

[@KeyanHoushmandLive]

Definitely looking to make more in the future!

[@TheMetalFreshTiger]

Totally agree

[@TheMetalFreshTiger]

@@KeyanHoushmandLive great! It would be very helpful

[@willgunawan4232]

"You can never break out of the box if you never put yourself in one". 🔥

[@ksaavedra_Immortalbelovedmusic]

Great tips, dude! I try to incorporate all of these things in my music as well (I'm also super big on the motif idea that Browne mentions often).

[@ksaavedra_Immortalbelovedmusic]

Also my tip would be to break down the notes, rhythms, and patterns in your initial riff and use the elements in a different context. It helps keep the song feeling cohesive and not like a bunch of random parts. Every part of the song should be referencing or implying something from another part.

[@CarlGonzalesGuitar]

Videos like these are essential for musicians trying to find their own voice in the instrument ❤️ Thanks Keyan!

[@joshwhite7158]

Next video: “How to make riffs that will get you coochie”

[@KeyanHoushmandLive]

Impossible

[@brandon_caelum]

@@KeyanHoushmandLive coochie is a construct of the human mind, there is only djent

[@maxalaintwo3578]

If you play guitar you already lost on that part, I'm afraid

[@jasonsheets2694]

Write songs that require tons of over showcased finger dexterity.

[@MemoROFL]

Your instructional videos are so thoughtful. Cool to always see the influence of Browne in your playing and approach to songwriting. Great stuff

[@worldaswar3784]

the evolution of Keyan is amazing. He got so much better at every aspect

[@FrancoW1]

Thanks for sharing some of your thoughts and for giving an insight into your thought process. I appreciate you and your music very much. 🤘🏻

[@chrisnaishguitar]

This is really helpful. Thanks for making this kind of video!

[@averagest]

That's a great rundown of how to improve your songwriting by being very intentional about your choices - nice one!

[@HarshFrequencies]

I fucking LOVE your videos and everything you release.

[@brandon_caelum]

Im not sure if other do this, but when I sit down and write I do have a structure in mind like what you suggested. I just have the mindset of treating the song like a story or film. foreshadowing things to come subliminally or even bringing things back like motifs all leading into the climax of the song much like in storytelling. I like to think of music as storytelling

[@joshdelacour4586]

Excellent content as usual dude! I would love to see a video on constructing synths that sit well in progressive metalcore songs. I always get so stumped trying to replicate the atmospheric layering and crushing rhythmic accompaniment to riffs that bands like Invent Animate and Silent Planet achieve in their production. Your videos make these concepts so accessible to budding producers and songwriters like myself 🤘🏻

[@jmsilva81]

Great vid. More of this would be nice! 🤘

[@jesseanderson991]

Love the motif move, turns out I semi-consciously bookended 4 of 5 songs for an EP I'm writing! I like re-using concepts from earlier in the song at the end in different scales/modes or time signatures to create the feeling of progression and resolution in the story telling of the track. Changing the instrumentation can give you so much mileage for the same idea it's crazy

[@realitydisconnectband]

Great video and very informative for us musicians.

[@leadguitarmiked]

This was awesome! I’d watch more of these vids 👀👀👀

[@demodeiowa]

Excellent topic and advice

[@olliehuxford680]

Awesome tips dude. Got lots of new riffs which I want to make into a song. 🤟🤟🤟

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

I rarely even think about structure when writing. I just follow a standard structure when writing sections and then rearrange it as needed to finalise it.

[@NeoGarlick]

woah, this information it's very interesting keyan!! i hope see more of this style of videos in the future :'D

[@bandkrafter]

Thanks Keyan! I'm not a technical guitarrist but i can use these tips for sure in my own style.

[@Connorharding180]

One of my biggest struggles cheers for the video. 🤘

[@dabble.3134]

best guitar youtuber atm, very well communicated and wellspoken imo.

[@Prey.Rock99]

Gotta agree so hard on having a definite song structure in instrumental stuff

[@necroux13]

These are all solid tips. I find that after I get a really good idea down, the song starts writing itself.

[@funshorestudios]

Just saw you in Brisbane with AAL. Man what a dream come true and it was a nice surprise to see you on stage performing. I was the big guy that shook your hand after AAL on the way out. Great show, sound and performance. All the best in your future brother!

[@vrbna1578]

I find when i write songs i never rlly think or try at all, it just happens

[@casualpequod6054]

Those tend to be great songs but most people dont have that kind of intuition. Having a path to follow is really helpful

[@zeroriff4134]

Oh men... Thanks for videos like this. ❤

[@attilabalaton981]

Deadlines can also help. I finished my first song because of a songwriting contest. I didn't win (obviously!), but it pushed me to progress with the song instead of sitting on it forever.

[@calonordstoast]

Like you said, we've heard it before, but having live examples and making an actual point out of structure and repetition is something the bedroom prog community needs for sure. Thanks man!

[@sebastiancamillusnielsen228]

Great video

[@crybaby9954]

I'd love to hear more theories about motifs, themes and structures and how you apply it to your composition. It's using these techniques that turn your ridiculously and hilariously djenty riffs..into art!

[@seanempson1099]

Well Said

[@unknownpmc5581]

Hey mate, saw you live at the Metro for Animals as Leaders. Good show man, sounded great!

[@ConFamGaming]

Arrhythmia is SUCH a cool sounding song. As far as personal goals that is definitely the style of song I'd like to make. New goals just dropped!

[@Straightedge63]

Yup this is the kinda lessons I like

[@MickHakkert]

Sounds like collapse - AAfter the Burial.... Love it!

[@RedNovaStarlight]

One thing I like to do is think about dynamics when trying to write a song. If you write a really fast paced chuggy riff, you can then think about writing something to contrast it, something more low energy to bring the vibe down. You can then follow the thread of that using similar themes within the riff or melodies you wrote to create a cohesive theme and track that flows that isn't just riff after riff. Another thing that helps me is immediately thinking about a theme or name based on the riff. For example, if I was thinking about some badass knight when I wrote a riff, I might call the track "Black Knight", literally after recording the riff then that alone helps me think of potential other sections to create a song and add to the concept. Hope this approach helps 🙂

[@StanSinitsky]

I'd add my 5 cents which are very tied with the tip 1: CONTEXT. You can have same riffs but in a different context to create whole new parts. Like switch your guitar sound to a filtered lo fi thing, switch drum groove from aggressive and tense to something more relaxed/grooved/vibey, add new harmony and instruments, and voila - you just created some atmospheric ambient section from a very same riff.

[@stijnbos7614]

Great video! Still waiting on that 8 string content dude!

[@beatgoddynasty5526]

I like the guitar solo

[@dbwastooshort]

this ones gonna be great , time to take over the world with the stored up riffs

[@donovanolguin977]

There are so many projects in my cubase files that i go through them to remember if it was actually good or just random shit

[@currentlyvibing9916]

I personally think that a good thing to do that I found feels less annoying to write the chorus and verse riffs is that it’s nice to have context from the intro and such so like it could be just basically the variation intro but also not at the same time if that makes sense? Idk just felt happier with writing and I can actually put it together without getting song paralysis and I end up a lot happier with it. And then maybe the verse completely changes but you know it was the verse and instead it goes into the bridge or the “extra” riff I guess you could say. But yeah idk it sounds weird and I can seemingly only make things that sound like your songs pulse, grey or white which is annoying cuz I can’t seem to write heavier shit while writing really riffy songs. Anyway have fun reading this😂

[@bolillo5013]

I just figured out how to do this on my own and it feels like I just figured out the meaning of life lol

[@savoirfaire8979]

Younger guitarists seem to grasp modeling amps much easier. Older folks, myself included, have hangups about using computer software over tube amps.

[@johnerickmarzo7278]

Do you make riffs idea on guitar pro first before you translate in real guitar?

[@ACABSTUDIOS]

What is a motif?

[@paulantoc]

Are we getting a Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia song as a progression from arrythmia? 🤔

[@LunaRisingBand]

Aka - Dead!

[@user-zv6yh3zp7y]

could share how do you write drums please? That would be awesome

[@maxalaintwo3578]

Most generally, as far as modern metal is concerned the kicks generally follow the guitars the snare is usually on the upbeat (beat 3, beats 2 & 4, the eighthnote upbeat, etc) the cymbals usually follow however the metronome clicks, straight ahead 1 2 3 4 the toms can really go wherever but it's best to not have them overstay their welcome and use them usually for fills and special moments Of course you can break all those rules but those are some general guidelines

[@user-zv6yh3zp7y]

@@maxalaintwo3578 Thanks man! Appreciate your help

[@maxalaintwo3578]

ARIFFmyia

[@ashlyace438]

I think you're should put your guitar cable in to guitar in your music video when you're in black bro)))

[@northtimo666]

Why? Everyone realizes it is not a live playthrough.

[@ashlyace438]

@@northtimo666 Yep, but psychos like me are annoyed by this kind of things((

[@7riXter]

But be careful guys or you end up with nonsense like periphery’s wildfire… well thought out concepts don't justify unimaginative clutter. Do you feel the hate... 😂 Don't worry it's just a little disappointment… You rarely get what you want.