I have a riff that I have been fooling with for at least a year, I like the progression, the tone, the tempo, I am even happy with my playing. But I cant seem to get it passed the "really cool riff" stage. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Start with the tried and true method. Verse, chorus, bridge, etc. Stick in some words that fit just for cadence and pitch, even if they don't have meaning (you can change them later). Determine whether your riff is a groove riff/hook or a solo theme. Insert where appropriate and build around it. Don't overdo/use it ands make it all the song is about or it'll lose it appeal/specialness. Anyway, that's how I'd do it. For me the hard part is always the words. I have no gift for lyrics... :-(
Try humming along with it. If you find a melody that goes with it, try to make up some words to fit the melody.
I usually use riffs as the intro, and then coming out of the chorus; sometimes I use it again with more embellishment or maybe a different effect or overdrive level as a solo theme. I almost NEVER sing along with the riff - i.e. the riff nearly never becomes the vocal melody (although some have great luck with that) and I can't think of a time when I played the riff intact under the vocal. Part of that is just my limitation; I often can't play anything too complicated while I'm singing.
I think if I played riff-rock of any kind then I might use them as more integral building blocks.
Sooo - to sum up, usually the riff implies an underlying chord progression that I then use under the vocals in some way.
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
I look for fills, and of course - the hook. That's the hard one.
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
Try bouncing your idea off another musician. Sometimes I'll present an idea to a friend who'll come up with a totally fresh melody..one that I never would have.
After working with someone who can offer a fresh perspective for a while, you'll find that it becomes easier to be more inventive on your own.
"If you're cool, you don't know nothin' about it. It just is...or you ain't." - Keith Richards
Thanks y'all, I did manage to get a little further along with it...
Now I need a "B section" and a bass line (and a bassist) and some lyrics (and a singer) and a drummer then I am all set!
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