How to come up with a guitar riff?

[SmFizz]

how do i come up with a main guitar pattern/riff? i've been sitting in front of the pc with my guitar and cant come up wif anythin

 

[kokz]

Inspiration!

 

[wannor]

Take a long shower
Or a dump...
OK the objective is to get into a quiet and solitary situation so your mind can flow freely with riffs. Listening to actual riffs can help too. But the best is to first get one in your head, and then tabbing it out. Then you can hear your music come to life as you slowly piece up maybe a whole song! The possibilities of the human mind is limitless my friend

 

[halfastepdown]

Sit somewhere else other than in front of your PC.

 

[economaki]

Watch stuff online :twisted:

 

[fenderrules]

listen to more music

 

[wannor]

Watch stuff online :twisted:

by stuff,he meant guitar related stuff, like video lessons on youtube, I hope.
Although,watching non-guitar related stuff does help sometimes...hmmmmm

 

[bigblackbear]

have the tune in your head before trying to play it on the guitar

 

[zamir666]

just meddle with the notes you play on your guitar. you might come up with something good

 

[wannor]

have the tune in your head before trying to play it on the guitar

I 2nd that!

 

[WindsofPlague]

HAha
WAtch "stuff with a evil face" hahaha
Just go out and take a walk?

 

[SmFizz]

lol ....i don't watch p0rn man.

and my problem is i dont kno how to come up with a tune..is there actually a structure to it?

 

[metalhead1993]

lol ....i don't watch p0rn man.

and my problem is i dont kno how to come up with a tune..is there actually a structure to it?

LIAR. Haha jk jk, err well you could take a nap. And hopefully a tune will be ringing in your head in your dream. Thats how keith richards wrote the rolling stones hit satisfaction!

 

[bigblackbear]

and my problem is i dont kno how to come up with a tune..is there actually a structure to it?

there isnt really a fixed structure, it's really up to you. coming out with the tune part gets tricky. what you need is inspiration.

alternatively, you can take your fav riff, and change a few notes here and there and make variations of it. it won't be original, but it won't sound the same as well

 

[KeDraiv]

just be daring and think out of the box.
i tired once and now i can't go back into the box.
but yea, it's fun to be out of the box.

 

[Maidendroogie]

it's actually easy, take styles of riffs from other songs, play them on different frets, change some notes around, just doodle till you find something kickass. works well for me

 

[fenderrules]

a crash course on how to make riffs...

if ya can't make one, screw one up. the guitar is basically for you to literally mess things up as well.

see a riff you like? got some tune stuck in your head but can't get it out??

JUST WHACK MAN!

i think it could use some shitty nonse
nse sounding tunes in it..unorthodox but what the hell dude..

oh yeah, maybe a muted note or two would sound nice..

a series of gallops and combined string skipping would do perfect..

oh no, maybe some tremolo picking at the G as well..

stacking small shred riff patterns on top of another would do great..

small legatos and thrills?? hmmm...

hmm maybe a dimesqueal or some whammy dive bombs..


yeah you get the picture. this is basically what runs thru my mind when i really have no ideas at all (well except the last one cuz i dont have a tremolo bridge hahaha)

but yeah man, its really about being yourself and how you wanna mess things up. punch it in with your personality and attitude and your riff is hot and fresh out of your fingers.


cheers hope ive helped

 

[Likui]

don't listen to european songs listen to asian songs, indonesian gamelan songs, chinese orchestra songs, come out with something special