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Post by scionofdarkness on Mar 1, 2009 17:48:39 GMT -5
Hi I'm a novice, When I write songs I find myself sticking to one key/scale throughout a song and things become monotonous. when I try to switch it up my transitions become sloppy, When I listen to some of my fav bands they transition to all sorts of different keys and scales all the time so seamlessly, any advice on what I need to do to fix this problem? Sorry for the newb questions Peace
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n3r3m4c
IG Regular
Poop?
Posts: 195
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Post by n3r3m4c on Mar 1, 2009 22:21:01 GMT -5
just keep playing, you'll get better eventually.
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Post by Tungus on Mar 2, 2009 4:43:30 GMT -5
just keep playing, you'll get better eventually. Agreed 100% Your ear will develop......................and when it hits you, youll know it.
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Post by SHRED FAN on Mar 2, 2009 6:30:00 GMT -5
Your ear will develop......................and when it hits you, youll know it. I guess it hasn't happened to me then yet... I think the ear side of things is more gradual. You wont really notice it until a few months later you think back to how you used to be. Id say don't write with just one scale sorta thing ie trying to remain diatonic. (Used to be a big problem for me) Relate scales to music after its been forged...
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Post by Torkin on Mar 2, 2009 7:46:39 GMT -5
I have been through this not so long ago, when i had 3 badass riffs in different keys that I wanted to link together. What I did was I wrote them all down in guitar pro and made bridges in between. Thing about guitar pro is that you can arrange songs there, so that was what I did, arranged riffs for the whole band. I also do a lot of instrumental songs and chapters (not metal, more for synth and clean guitars and bass) and I find that using guitar pro to arrange them and create bridges between is veryyy useful. To make the transition sound smooth sometimes all you need is bass and drum backing track (and maybe change some notes at the last bar of the transition riff) You will learn how to make good transitions in time, yes, but don't only rely on patience (its kinda overrated). Much better to rely on persistence. So go and get it now If you can't, keep trying and you will eventually get the trick.
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Post by thenotshredder on Mar 2, 2009 8:40:36 GMT -5
Take some community college classes in theory. Common-chord modulations are your friend.
One of these days I will get around to writing an article on tonal harmony for metalheads. Not today.
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Post by scionofdarkness on Mar 2, 2009 10:10:38 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. Yes guitar pro is my best friend I would be lost without it lol. Being a self-taught player is a tough route, I always find myself having to ask stupid questions:) as far as the theory side of things.. I've been told that when modulating its best to end on the V chord of the key you're modulating to, or to do chromatic/diminished runs in between, I don't know if this is correct information, and Im sure theres 100 ways to do this but I'm trying to get better with theory so I have to start somewhere. thanks again!
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Post by Torkin on Mar 2, 2009 10:57:25 GMT -5
Being a self-taught player is a tough route, I always find myself having to ask stupid questions:) I can't but agree, that's not the easiest way. But it may be the fastest/most efficient way in some sort I think, since you are pretty much doing what you want and not what someone else tells you too. Besides its fucking cool to say that "I learned to play guitar myself fuck off" if you have become good ;D And I have asked my deal of stupid questions, I mean, if you check out my first posts on this forum they are full of fail and misery. Your question is not stupid at all.
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Post by thenotshredder on Mar 2, 2009 13:10:44 GMT -5
I've been told that when modulating its best to end on the V chord of the key you're modulating to, or to do chromatic/diminished runs in between, I don't know if this is correct information, and Im sure theres 100 ways to do this but I'm trying to get better with theory so I have to start somewhere. thanks again! That's basically right. Modulating via the V chord is basically what common-chord modulation is (you find chords that fit in both keys), and the chromatic/diminished/whatever runs is called a "monophonic modulation" -- because there's no harmony going on during the part that you're using to modulate. Make sense?
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Post by thenotshredder on Mar 2, 2009 13:12:09 GMT -5
You will learn how to make good transitions in time, yes, but don't only rely on patience (its kinda overrated). Much better to rely on persistence. So go and get it now If you can't, keep trying and you will eventually get the trick. +1 for tr00th.
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Post by Torkin on Mar 2, 2009 13:24:01 GMT -5
Just be careful with chromatic and especially dim runs, they are quite overused and abused and raped in heavy music. I try to make harmonic and melodic shifts but then again, for shifts you can use just something since its only a shift. Also you can give it a go and play harmonized chromatic passages, at least with those you CAN in theory create a unique sounding something
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Post by scionofdarkness on Mar 2, 2009 16:36:47 GMT -5
Yes makes sense =) thank you! I'd probably take lessons if I could afford it but you gotta do what you gotta do another stupid question, If I want to switch things up in a song, would transitioning to different modes in the same diatonic key be a good idea? if so how do I know what modes/scales would go good together through transitions.. and how do I get there? also, I have a riff in E minor, then it goes to G Major then to E Phrygian and it sounds good and I don't exactly know why because I am theory retarded I understand the relative major but I dont know why E phrygian sounds good in that situation. I've basically been noodling around on guitar for a year, I have some technique but thats no good if you can't write a good song so I'm trying to get serious and begin this quest of music theory Thanks everyone, IG is probably the nicest guitar forum there is
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Post by Torkin on Mar 2, 2009 19:00:41 GMT -5
I am theory retarded as well but E min: E F# G A B C D E phr: E F G A B C D
one note difference, and kinda subtle I must say, more like a coloring note. Its perhaps similar to harmonic / melodic minor relationship, I juggle between F harmonic and F melodic minor a lot (e.g. writing a lead that doesn't neccesarily sound arabic in f harmonic is harder than in melodic)
F harm: F G G# A# C C# E F melo: F G G# A# C D E
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Post by thenotshredder on Mar 2, 2009 20:05:10 GMT -5
The thing to remember about harmonic and melodic and natural minor scales is that they are basically completely interchangeable. Certain chords you can't use certain of those over, or it'll sound bad (of course you can), but melodic minor is basically the scale for upwards runs when you want some "pull" towards the root at the top, without making it sound too grating with harmonic minor.
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Post by scionofdarkness on Mar 2, 2009 21:12:10 GMT -5
Thanks again guys! Lots of useful information! <3<3
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