|
Inspiration and ideas come
to me in various ways.
Just goofing around and
discovering a cool riff by accident.
Always...Always...ALWAYS record your guitar playing! You'll be surprised
at what gets recorded! When you review the tape after playing for a
hour, listen carefully in two ways.
Listen for obviously cool riffs and melodic patterns, and also listen
for some bits and pieces that will sound great with some adjustment.
Driving down the road
(Radio off!) and experimenting with musical sequences in my head.
This is where you may need to quit listening to other people's music for
while to clear your thoughts. This is actually a very powerful and
effective way to compose.
Your mind is totally free to explore any musical direction you want
without being limited to "what you know on guitar".
The only difficulty for me has been remembering what I like. Once you
get it right in your head, repeat it over and over so when you get back
to your guitar, you can release it.
Learning a new technique and applying it to a song.
This has played a big role in my compositions. Learning a new technique
will inspire you immediately. Once you get down the mechanics, you can
build a song around it or just fit it into a song that needs that "extra
something".
The first track of Living Digits "Change Your Mind", begins with a right
hand tapping technique that utilizes what I call
"Piano Tapping".
In "Mainstay", I use "5th arpeggios" before the solo section. Instead of
playing the 1st, 3rd and 5th of the arpeggio, I omit the 3rd and just
play 1's and 5's.
"Fill In The _____" is written entirely around the "Piano Tapping"
technique that enables large and fluent interval stretching. You can
listen to it here.
Learning a new scale or scale pattern. This always gives you new ideas
especially when you need to enhance your soloing.
Understanding what scales go with what chords
is vital.
Learning a new arpeggio.
When you're comfortable with sweep picking,
you can employ endless "twists" to your standard arpeggios. Playing 7th,
9th, 11th and 13th arpeggios will "open your sound up and give it a
whole new flavor that is pleasantly surprising.
Also alternating and mixing up the notes of the arpeggios will give you
great melodic ideas. "Fullness Of Time" is a good example of this
concept.
Learning music theory
and applying it when you really get stuck.
Once you understand music theory in general, you have the ability to
solve any musical problem that you may have.
If you need a new part to a song, but nothing comes to you by
inspiration, (I seem to have this problem frequently!)
You can solve it like a math problem using techniques such as
modulation. (Changing from one key to another in a pleasant sounding
way).
Recording my ideas,
sleeping on it and reviewing it fresh the next day.
Get a 4 track recorder and track your parts. When you get it the way you
want for the day, forget it and listen to it fresh the next day.
You will have a different perspective and you may find that some parts
need more work. If it sounds good to you, go with it!
These are just a few of
the composition methods that I use and I think will give you something
to chew on for a while.
True inspiration comes from deep inside you, and it's ok to let it come
out a little piece at a time.
When you put the pieces together, your final composition will be larger
than life!
In part 2 of this article, I'll talk about what I do to develop a tune
once the ideas are flowing.
Until then... (End Of Part 1, You Can Get Part 2
Delivered To Your Inbox Here)
 |
