Stop Hoarding RIFFS - Turn Them Into SONGS!

#RiffToSongChallenge

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[khristopherkomodoensis]

"they were all FINISHED and PUT OUT"
Never have I felt more personally attacked.

[bloxboi]

Loving this shift in focus from gear to songwriting. Let's be honest here, modern metal guitar players don't need yet another demo of some overdrive boost or some modeling amp or sim. They need songwriting help. You can only do so much chugging on tight amps and writing ADD riffs. I feel like the song competition really exposed a huge problem with modern metal players. We've become nerds that only try to impress other nerds with our playing, tone, or production. But no one outside that bubble cares for any of that. Not saying to make top 40s pop music but definitely bring back proper songs, choruses, anthems, *tasteful* playing that workings in context with a song, etc.

[lightninboy]

I'm confused. After I play "the riff" and its variations 20 times in each section, my song is now 17 minutes long. Is that what we are going for?

[rezolution]

I feel like this video is directed at me. I have 11 partials, Furthermore, I want all these songs to be bangers! I have never written a song in my life, and never tried until I started watching this channel.

[TheLateBoyScout]

This is excellent advice. Maybe you already made a lyrics video and I haven't seen it... if not, let me add some thoughts on that.
1. Don't try to write the Sermon on the Mount. You're not saving the world with these words, you're just breaking down one basic little thought in your head. Pretentious lyrics sound... pretentious.
2. Explore your thought well, and sincerely, but also try to make it open to interpretation. People want to apply these words to themselves. If they can't, why would they listen? Also, cryptic lyrics can be cool, but don't make them hieroglyphic... don't go nuts with the metaphors.
3. Work out the rhythm of the SYLLABLES first, and limit yourself to as few as you need to carry the melody. Once you have the syllables blocked out, and the thought clearly in mind, words fall into place pretty easily. You can shoe-horn in extra syllables, or run longer than expected sometimes—that can be a cool effect, but don't overdo it.

Again, great video. Finished is MUCH better than perfect.

[necroticpoison]

Great vid man, production quality (visual & audio and everything) is f'in great right now. Super concise, thanks for sharing the knowledge of how to riff-to-song to the masses

[wmxx]

The back half of the song is where I usually get stuck. I finish that 2nd chorus and think "Ok, what now? Bridge? Interlude? Solo? Breakdown?" and then "What order of the selected options would be most effective?"

[tbaudio]

I've honestly been putting some of these things into practice as I've been writing my next album. Getting more mileage out of reimagining the same riffs is something I've been working on a lot with some of this new material I've been picking away at. Thanks for all the great tips, Trey. :)

[lightartorias]

Hey bro, I just watched your video today because I needed some ideas on how to turn this riff I had into a song. Well, after taking some notes in my notebook and applying my own version of a “strong structure” I now have a 3:30 minute song written out in less than thirty minutes. THANK YOU!

[jchristian]

I swear I watch this video every day to get the idiocy of my pride out of the way that I think I’m going to be the next Misha Mansoor tomorrow morning

[xisotopex]

you got me with the "crappy riff idea" into "smash mouts masterpiece" that sir was comedic genius AND truth...

[chiparooo]

Was just suggested your channel for songwriting by YouTube. Really good stuff and inspiration. Enjoy you video style and humor as well. Subscribed! Thanks for sharing!

[alexanderadley]

Trey's persona is basically your friends older brother who is really good and is begrudgingly giving you a guitar lesson

[aaronolson]

I really appreciate your kind and friendly approach!

[tylercady]

One thing I've found really helpful for trying to finish songs is to take what I call the "Iron Maiden approach", although it's really just NWOBHM in general. And that's to make your riff the intro/outro, then switch to regular chords and/or power chords for the verse/chorus.

Think of the song "Wasted Years". Great song, right? Well the intro and bridge are the riff, the verse is just the Maiden standard A string power chords, and the chorus is actually strumming full open chords. If Iron Maiden can make that work, then why can't us normal people do the same

[johncabrales]

Sweet, I just signed up for the challenge. Thanks.

[xanataph]

I have been using a similar approach for years now, and written countless songs. Slight difference being that the standard structure I usually go for is intro (sometimes skip), verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge (often a two part), verse 3, chorus 2x. And since it's metal pretty much all of those parts are riffs (but usually ones that suggest a chord progression), breaks between the a verse and chorus will simply be the verse or chorus riff without vox.

However, I make them all on the fly when I am writing the song, and often they tend to be variations. I like the three verse structure. Lyrically one can set the scene in the first verse, say something about what's happening in the second, then come to some kind of conclusion in the first.

I moved into this style of songwriting from the more typical "riff salad" structure of a lot of extreme metal pretty much when I stopped working with live drummers in the classic get together in the rehearsal room type deal. Once it was a more production approach, it just becomes more natural to go for more solid and typical structures.

Haven't really hoarded riffs for years, except on *very* rare occasions where a particularly interesting one pops out. However, when I was younger though I did that a lot and have a fair few cassettes stacked full of 'em. I reckon it would be very fun to use your exact structure suggested here and pull one of those old riffs out and build a song around that. :)

[zachary]

This is awesome, dude. Five freaking stars.

[woodward_alan]

Omg I needed to hear this! Afternoon of perfecting riffs yet nothing really productive.

[mikedegarmo]

This was THE most informative and funny "how to" guide ever. From someone who has gigs worth of garbage riffs and ideas, now I have a template!!! 🤣EXCELLENT!!!