What Are The Best Black Metal Harmonies? - How To Create Harmonies In Black Metal

[@EarlHare]

"The best black metal harmonies are the ones that sound the best" - Simon Smith 2017

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Haha!!

[@nihilist1680]

Genius!

[@bealtown]

Just can't argue with that... logic.

[@Peter-by3ox]

Simon sat in a dark freezing Norwegian cave contemplating this ice crystal of knowledge to share with us

[@lucas-jesse5287]

WHAHAHAHAHAHA 😂🎉

[@MistaHahn117]

0/10, wasn't recorded on a Fisher Price tape recorder

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Mine broke because the last tape I put into it chewed up....

[@jessecovey1778]

It's not a BLACK METAL Fisher Price tape deck if it doesn't have a Pepper Pig sticker on it!

[@flecktards3126]

the first three notes are from Hans Siste Vinter. idk why, but it was very noticable. props to darkthrone for creating something so iconic.

[@Dovahkiin0327]

Firehead I was going to say I know a darkthrone song that starts off with that riff

[@AMB666]

Firehead Exactly

[@DorothyGameplays]

just noticed your comment, thought the same haha

[@christophercortez7191]

You can sing GAY FISH by Kenye West to this melody

[@jaboibrodie1687]

@@christophercortez7191 😂😂😂😂😂😂😭

[@froggore52]

Really awesome. Simon, your channel is the only one I've found that applies beginner level music theory with the kind of music I want to play!

[@DorothyGameplays]

1:21 I thought for a second that it was the riff from Hans Siste Vinter from Darkthrone

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

1st 3 notes are :)

[@funny-hippo2995]

Simon Smith also sounds a lot like la vent du mord

[@kimanmusic]

Check 1:39 of this song congruity.bandcamp.com/track/falling-from-my-heart

[@DorothyGameplays]

first seconds of this song reminds me of Tomhet by Burzum

[@Sneric]

was just about to comment that aswell kek

[@deadhorsecomedy242]

I don't feel enough people have commented this but thank you. As an aspiring black metal musician this has been very helpful so thanks

[@jasonturner2206]

Do not aspire, that’s not Kvit..

[@Zeagods-CyberShadow]

Im not even aspiring to be a black metal musician but i am using these as to just learn guitar since im a new beginner that wants to play metal

[@svartsjokolade]

Love the woodgrain on that tele on the wall. Just stunning!

[@haf816r]

Obie I'm not a huge fan of the usual tele sound, but especially in this case it's beautiful!

[@arkadeepm]

Sire! you are the greatest teacher! I am just thrilled in the way you actually started from the basics and then progressed! Big fan of you sir!

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Thank you buddy

[@benosborn267]

Wow I was playing around with that exact same riff an hour before you uploaded this video

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

\m/

[@Gaff.]

If you're going to use multiple tracks (which is a great idea), it's honestly just basic counterpoint/harmony stuff you need. It's very rudimentary in terms of music theory. The more interesting thing is which chords to choose, and if you have a good melody, that can dictate this. I still follow classical music theory for all my metal arranging and it sounds really good. So looking up standard chord progressions and non-chord tones can be a great help. To sound a little more metal, stick to minor and diminished chords where standard chord progressions allow it. Go too far with the minor and diminished chords and it starts to sound almost like a parody of 'evil' music, though experimenting to determine what works best in a given situation can teach you a lot. It's important to know music theory rules and then break them consciously if you want to do so. Not knowing any doesn't make your music sound any more metal and it definitely doesn't make it sound better. I imagine Ihsahn knows a _tonne_ of music theory by now. _As for theory, I do not have any formal training. Me and my wife went_ _for private lessons with a composer some years ago and I tend to read up_ _on a lot of composition and orchestration in general, as I am always_ _looking for new ways to approach my basic material._ --Ihsahn, like fifteen years ago.

[@Gaff.]

Also, fully diminished seventh chords may be the darkest sonority in the world, and they are incredibly versatile. Looking up all the different ways to use them would be of great use to anyone that wants to play interesting black metal.

[@florin8049]

@@Gaff. that is awesome!

[@Gaff.]

Oh, someone read it. Nice.

[@florin8049]

@@Gaff. unfortunatly, this kind of information is rare and not very apreciated today, vey wise words too!

[@Gaff.]

Haha it's honestly standard stuff outside of metal. Metal is so anti-establishment that it forgets not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Also, I'm serious about those fully diminished seventh chords. They sound absolutely _crushed._ Delicious in the right context, especially for metal.

[@sauroros]

Tasty sounds, althouh I dont know anything about theory. Keep it up Simon. Black is the shit.

[@terrierbend9886]

finally someone to explain this thing in simple manner

[@ScorpexFilms]

So helpful and well explained. Quality content right there!

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Thanks mate

[@nikolatomic5287]

i watched your video 2 years ago. and i need it again. and i found. thank you.

[@noisycrusthead6024]

Thanks for these free lessons! Very useful and easy to understand. Cheers from greece

[@wolfcult]

Absolutely brilliant lesson. Thanks Simon.

[@microsoftpain]

3:24 Octave - Up 2 frets, down 2 strings. 5:08 5th - Up 2 frets, down 1 string. 6:25 Minor 3rd - Up 3 frets. 8:14 Major 3rd - Up 4 frets OR back 1 fret, down 1 string. 10:05 - 4th - down 1 string. 11:28 - Minor 6th - Up 3 frets, down 1 string.

[@Gelato556]

Great video, Simon. Always love your instruction on black metal! 🤘

[@macabrerapkz]

That intro was devilish

[@DukeEnlil]

Great! You can write a melody with chords and then just split them for two or more guitars! Or just for each note find your own harmony!

[@George-ss9mb]

AWESOME demonstration, and fun to watch as a black metal fan

[@beatlejuice5951]

As always great lesson. Hopefully we can get more death metal stuff too. Hails.

[@brunosampaio6364]

Simon, Hail from Brazil!

[@CfOme]

Start sounds like the beginning of Morbid Tales ...perfect harmonies for black metal haha

[@Darca1996]

Here is the riff *starts playing* AAUAUAUAAUAU *nocturno culto screaming in pain*

[@voronOsphere]

Great Lesson, Simon! Very helpful!

[@juangarcia-el3cy]

every BLACK METAL band has their own seal ... but for me ... one of the best was the almighty BATHORY with the song "BORN FOR BURNING" from the album "THE RETURN........"

[@CfOme]

juan garcia I'd say more total destruction ...its obvious for me to hear how riffs like that influenced Mayhem. I love both though. HAIL BATHORY.

[@diy_mushroomguy]

Just started watching your videos. Awesome to hear a melody similar to one I've came up with.

[@sauroros]

This is a national treasure.

[@JacksonAxe]

It'd be impossible to improve on your instruction here. I could compliment it in over a dozen different areas.

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

JACKSON AXE Thanks my friend!!

[@Andrath]

I wouldn't just play these things parallel. It might work for 5ths, but for other intervals I would adjust the intervals so the scale still fits.

[@sammyjackson605]

This is awesome very helpful

[@ignaasfalk1806]

thanks simon, you are a great instructor !!

[@st9919]

A lot of useful information in this video. Thanks!

[@Vidfavne]

Hi Simon. Could you perhaps do a video about your guitars at some point? Guitar collection videos are interesting in general, but I would especially like to hear how the Crimson and the PRS works out for you as a metal-player. Both brands are on my to buy list just though I'm not sure what I would use them for.

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Good idea. Will do that at some point!

[@wesleyzimmerman94]

I used a teachers PRS (he didn't care about students using that one) for recording in an audio productions class in high school and I didn't quite like the feel. The whole time I played it, I never really enjoyed it. I mean, it was a brand I'd never heard of at the time so, it was different from what I was used to which was an Ibanez GIO and an old Dean Hollywood from the mid 80s. Be warned: it's painful to get used to PRS guitars

[@macabrerapkz]

great lesson, one more question answered, thank you!

[@arklowrockz]

The last measure of "The Riff" sounds distinctly Drudkh-ian Which makes it thumbs up in my book!

[@flyingtowel807]

riff actually reminds me of some early cradle of filth, probably off dusk and her embrace album

[@invertedprophecies9674]

Interesting video. I deal with harmonic dilemmas all the time when writing songs.

[@arturoolivelia]

great lesson I like it, and thanks for posting​ and takeing the the time for it...!!!🔥😈🔥

[@joolz666]

Thanks. A really easy to understand video, even for a crap guitarist like myself. I might rule out any major 6th power chords for the future though as there's no way my tiny hands/fingers can successfully spread over 5 frets. :-0

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

🤘

[@spctvl03]

2:22 he says, "slowly" I'm like.... [puts at 0.5 speed] >.

[@michaelprofita2878]

Always a good lesson .

[@laukikbamane-metalaukik4304]

Palm muting on Minor 3rds is legit. 😍

[@hasanmir]

This is great!

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

thanks mate

[@TheModernHermeticist]

Before watching Imma go with minor thirds and diminished

[@luishernandez-dz9zw]

amo demasiado el black metal es lo maximo gracias maestro por explicarlo

[@trainer1kali]

Superior black metal lesson! Thank you!

[@insertanynameyouwant5311]

nice black metal, however I prefer full minor chords tremolo picking, Emperor - The Burning Shadows Of Silence is a good example)

[@invertedprophecies9674]

Anti Phase I like both sounds, but yes that full chord sound is better at times. i also like to do it with sus chords and occasionally major chords or major/minor 7 chords.

[@insertanynameyouwant5311]

yep they`re all good. The more - the better

[@conspiraciesovravens3535]

The Tolkien Orc incantation at beginning sounds like Mayhem, Completion in Science of Agony.

[@Youcifer]

Terrific lesson. Extremely well done. Subbed.

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Thank you my friend

[@PROGamersf36]

awesome lesson!

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Thanks

[@Nergnas]

awesome lesson thank u

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

No worries mate

[@sutemeny79]

Dimmu Borgir-In death's embrace.

[@9cccaseycane]

Hey Simon, I was wondering if you would ever do a video on atmosphere black metal and/or blackgaze. It would be cool to have lesson on what chords, harmonies, effects, etc to use for those styles. Or, maybe, it would be cool if you did a lesson on something from Deafheaven.

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Any examples of bands?

[@9cccaseycane]

Simon Smith Deafheaven, Alcest, Sadness, Ghost Bath. Those are some that would be interesting.

[@corvuscadaver]

thismortalcoil696 He asked Atmospheric Metal AND Blackgaze. Last time I checked, Deafheaven's Sunbather is pretty damn blackgaze.

[@winnefeltuk7141]

Ellende

[@froggore52]

Simon, when you write a riff do you first decide which scale you want to use and then base the riff off of that? Or do you make up a melody that sounds good and then determine which key it happens to be in?

[@expendable0youth]

Normally when you harmonise you use diatonic intervals not chromatic

[@invertedprophecies9674]

expendable0youth I was thinking the same, but you can get away with it if you're showing someone who doesn't understand music theory as well.

[@wildmanstudios6534]

The hardest part is the picking, for me at least.

[@zyx6623]

Hello, I know it's too late to ask and the style is different, but how are Maiden's harmonics?

[@jeffersonash8826]

GORGOROTH THE VIRGINBORN

[@serj.danyliuk]

In the beginning of the video (0:02-0:08) it's the part of some song or it's jsut a sample?

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Just me being a bellend really!!

[@serj.danyliuk]

Oh, that's very nice. Thank you for the answer:D

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

No probs :)

[@peinmilan]

OK and how did you mix it? I heard sometimes the main riff panned to the left and the harmony over it to the right?

[@diegomelendez6630]

Mi Pe Most of the time, bands tend to pan one guitar on the left and the other one on the right so the harmony sounds better, although some bands mix both guitar on the center.

[@TheSunMoon]

I can imagine surf rock, if you take out distortion from black metal.

[@jessecovey1778]

- distortion +reverb... not that much reverb either...

[@SpartanLaserCanon]

Haha I can just Imagine some person who really likes crunchy chords being just like "tentiony ones"😂🤣

[@jeffreyshoff3472]

Fantastic video and very inspiring! Thank you so much! \m/

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

My pleasure buddy

[@Darkthrone6]

Ganhei uma guitarra..logo comprarei caixa amplificadora pedal e irei aprender a tocar...se possível black metal..claro kk●

[@jodiescott01]

Unreal dark vibes, absolutely love this, thanks. Please, can you help me translate these techniques to a piano roll, I want to write dark techno and the vibes are so similar but can I hell make them.

[@RodneySagorScreams]

Basically on a piano roll, write your main melody. Copy it. Paste it up: 3 half steps up - minor 3rd 4 half steps up - major 3rd 5 half steps up - 4th 6 half steps up - dim 7 half steps up - 5th 8 half steps up - minor 6th 12 half steps up - 1 octave up

[@jodiescott01]

@@RodneySagorScreams Cheers dude ;)

[@gat1gigs782]

dude that all wood tele in the begining holy christ tell me how to buy it lol!!!!where!

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Crimson Guitars Raw Series Descendent mate. They are amazing guitars.

[@gat1gigs782]

thank you so much dude looks like it shreds!

[@SuBZer0lp]

hey simon, what part of england are you from?

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

Dorset mate

[@nathanielcole3681]

Isn't it ironic how primitively consonant and harmonically conservative (almost Christian) Black Metal is?

[@vishmonster]

Nathaniel Cole I definitely prefer my black metal to be puritanical, narrow, and created within strict boundaries.

[@nonperson9825]

black metal is perfect for christianity. satanism and christianity are best friends.

[@wesleyzimmerman94]

Does not Exist They really are. The Church would be out of business without Satan

[@vampiremcrhim]

Nathaniel Cole Totally! Hahaha. In general terms, metal tends to be that conservative haha.

[@FaceFeeder]

Creativity and ideas > Music Theory many times though. Music theory doesn't always help you out with sound and feelings in the same way. Even though it sure helps when you compose or play improvisational music.

[@noahperez185]

how do you get that good black metal guitar tone?

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

I normally put the gear I use in the description

[@rogerhirasawa8072]

Great video, thanks for the exapain, great Harmonies.

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

My pleasure Roger

[@americancelt426]

AFTERLIGHT

[@vishmonster]

Musical epiphany.

[@fredericadda]

This is not how you make harmonies usually. When you harmonize a riff to the third you use the same scale and shift it by three notes in the same scale. It is not moving everything by an amount of tones. Or is it just the way black metal guitarists do it to sound weird??

[@kestfarm6662]

Simon why did u look like Gollum from lotr in the beginning

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

We're distantly related

[@nikmellin9480]

best harmonies? disharmonies..

[@G0rilla2829]

Why not using a major 7 harmony ? I haven't tried yet but I think it would bring a lot of the harmonic minor to shine.

[@nenutteim]

S L O W !

[@aktivitat6397]

Before watching, I think a harmonized octatonic scale could work.

[@aktivitat6397]

That or just moving minor chord voicings up and down, regardless of key.

[@dubiousdevil9572]

Fifths were best

[@rockmusiconguitar9018]

You are the best?

[@ladygrim412]

Hmmm... not the best representation of teaching a guitarist harmonies there bud. First 75% of the video was unnecessary. It could have been explained in a simpler way, particularly by removing the focus on music theory terms. Theory is silly in beginner lessons like these.

[@조성진-g2x]

I cant play drum well but i can do black metal vocal.Actually i am 17 years old dude😂

[@SimonSmithGuitar]

\m/

[@margolianteberuthiel5405]

Mayhem band members were not much older when they started...

[@ricardillapujagut8073]

조조성진 and actually Ihsahn was 16 he started Emperor and had already been in Thou Shalt Suffer since a like a year ago

[@Goryptor]

Actually, black metal is easily likeable by kids so a lot of the second wave black metal nobility from Norway took on black metal when they were doing high school...I had my first BM band at the age of 15 and I was not the youngest there...

[@CT-Dana]

조조성진 I started death metal vocals when I was 14. Too that :3

[@Rolly.Polly.]

Hahaha wtf

[@CyberChrist]

Not enough tritone, unsubbed ;)

[@lecturehc]

booooooring....

[@jeffreyjayallnix]

Tooo looong and boring

[@SteelsAL]

no

[@oidfuakhaha3860]

boring