Making Your own Riffs And Solos

[diamondaveroth]

I've been wanting to make my own original riffs however i find it so hard i dont know where to begin i thought it would be so easy however its hard as hell. How do you make riffs anyways? and solos wow!! how the hell do you come up with a solo its so bloody hard ? i think you need to know all these scales i usually do it by ear thats what works best for me. but i'm not an expert i'd really like some adveice about making amazing yet sipmle sounding riffs and solos.

[SemiShred]

for solo guitar i like to make a backing track first then try and jam on it .. .recording, and doing that 10 times, and taking out the best parts

[Rythameen]

Semishred is right, just bang it out, record it all, and go back through to find the stuff you like even if it's just one bent note. Get all the good stuff together, stir and bake till done. Really it's just practice, practice and more practice, listen to everything, not just guitar players, and try to swipe whatever catches your ear and roll it all together and make it your own.

[Supersonic]

ddr..............there's no secret formula.............you gotta play. these guys are right, I find a backing track i like and just jam.....you'd be amazed what comes of it. For solos, well dude, you're gonna need to know a scale or two. they're not hard to learn. Jusy google something like "guitar scales" and check out the sites. there's no short cuts that i'm aware of. You've got to be willing to put in the time. good luck and remember, there's tons of guys and gals on this site willing to help ya out!

[SemiShred]

Originally Posted by Rythameen

Semishred is right.

I'm always right

[KC_ArtRocker]

Originally Posted by SemiShred

I'm always right

Oh no, not another nroberts!

[diamondaveroth]

Thanks Guys i really appreciate all of the help. Like is there a set way that guitarsists make there solos. Isnt there like a theoritcal way to make them? i heard that you need to know certain scales in order to make solos? (i'm willing to learn by the way, i really want to be able to make great sounding solos)

[nroberts]

Originally Posted by diamondaveroth

Thanks Guys i really appreciate all of the help. Like is there a set way that guitarsists make there solos. Isnt there like a theoritcal way to make them? i heard that you need to know certain scales in order to make solos? (i'm willing to learn by the way, i really want to be able to make great sounding solos)

This is of course only my opinion:

Not exactly. There is a thing called music theory, which can be used to guide the creation of a solo. Basically all it will do is tell you what are the 'correct' notes to play given a certain set of chords. However, what is 'correct' isn't always best. There are times when the wrong note is actually the right note. For example the blue note in the blues scale does not belong in the key you are playing in usually but it works anyway. Any note can be used as a passing tone.

So, theory becomes a tool that can be used, but trust your ear first. You don't need theory to do solos. Many great guitar players knew shit all about theory. Would they have been better had they known some theory though?

Scales can help. It is good to learn them, but no you don't *have* to in order to make solos. Diamond Darrel said one time he just uses whatever note and if it sounds bad he bends it. There is something to be said about that approach, and obviously it worked for him, but there is also something to be said about learning how western music "works".

Theory will not help without practical application. Start jamming ASAP. In my opinion, jamming is more important than learning theory.

[Mondy]

I'm pretty sure that it was Richie Sambora (though it could have been any guitarist really) that said (paraphrasing) :

"Learn as much theory so you know all of the rules. Then make sure you break them all in the best possible way !"

So, as nroberts says, theory can be used as a tool to find all the right notes, as well as the wrong notes that fit.

Unfortunately, I still have to learn my theory, and am in the category of "finding the wrong notes that don't fit" all the time !!!



But the feedback you have gained thus far is great. I know many a plyer on this site that jam a few takes and then put together what sounds best. Some of a guitarists best work is what results through mistakes or "winging" it !

Hard to be helpful. Just let go and remember what Eddie said, "If it sounds good, IT IS GOOD !"

[beria]

when I was attending Berlkee College of Music I was encouraged to sing and play the solo at the same time. That will teach you phrasing, if you can hum a cool idea, learn to play it. Get a basic understanding of how scales work (it's worth the time) because they can serve as guides. Break some of your favorite solos down by your favorite players and look for patterns, even if you don't read music you can learn a lot from the tab. Learn to use bends and vibrato, play only on two strings, all are different ways to expand and grow, and of course practice practice practice!
good luck

[Rythameen]

Originally Posted by beria

when I was attending Berlkee College of Music I was encouraged to sing and play the solo at the same time. That will teach you phrasing, if you can hum a cool idea, learn to play it. Get a basic understanding of how scales work (it's worth the time) because they can serve as guides. Break some of your favorite solos down by your favorite players and look for patterns, even if you don't read music you can learn a lot from the tab. Learn to use bends and vibrato, play only on two strings, all are different ways to expand and grow, and of course practice practice practice!
good luck

Yes, you can always tell the guitarists that do that. They all have that real nice vocal quality with room for breathing to their solos.

[Bulldog]

My approach is to listen. Simple.
Alot of the great guitarists learnt to play by ear & learned the theory after.
I personally just listen to the music I like & without knowing it draw influences
from them. the only theory I learnt was a few scales & alot of chords.

I played like this for years behind a drum kit, feel & listening in my opinion are more important than theory.
Theory can make you sound like everyone else, your restricted to the rules.
Listening and creating your own style, I feel is more important than anything else,
Its what makes you different to everyone else.
The more infuences you gain the more different your music becomes.
Theory is basically what others have invented and created from the past, If they stuck to theory alone
the guitar would be played the same now as it was
when it first arrived.

I start with a drum beat, string a few chords together & make the rythmn of the chords fit the beat, and keep messing till I find something I personally like.
My infuences and with learning techniques from covers come into play when doing this.

If you want to apply a specific rythum or lead technique that you have heard on a fave track, then learn the technique and change it to fit your creation.

Theory has to be there as a building block to move forward, maybe a balanced approach is best.

Just experiment m8, its in there already, what works for one dosn't work for all.
Especially in this game.

Most Important m8, have fun doing it

LOL the Theory buffs are gonna post in numbers now lol

stay cool
Bully

[edwin28]

I think its always good to apply theory when creating your own solos, and ofcoarse applying your own technique and knowledge to make it sound original! That's very important to me.
What you can do is follow through thechords with arpeggios which will bring lots of melody to the solo and ofcoarse using phrasing techniques.
What I always tend to do when I have this option is, I try construct my solo as in,
1 Opening Lick, 2 Main Solo , 3 Climax 4, Outro.. This gives it more a stronger purpose and solid structure for listeners purpose, and aswell a better way of telling a story with your solo (LOL).
Being a guitarist you need to know your scales! Don't try and play what you can't execute correctly and be confident in what you are playing!
I hope this helps! Good luck in the future! And Keep JAMMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MusicIsNeat]

just play.
and remember: theory is... well.. theory.

[Hand of Cobain]

2 words... Rhythm Guitarist... Learn rhythm and get a friend to play rhythm, and you guys can jam all day.. I've done it, lol it's pretty fun just coming up with stuff