Get Your Song Ideas from Symphonic and Heavy Metal Music

Russ Suereth

Last week we discussed getting music ideas from new age and ambient music. This week we’ll discuss getting ideas from symphonic music and heavy metal.

It’s hard to find two types of music that are more different from each other than heavy metal and symphonic music. But they are also similar, because both can excel at musical passages that are simple and hard to get out of your head.

Case in point is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Written around 1805, this composition starts with the famous ta-ta-ta-daa, ta-ta-ta-daa. These eight notes are part of our ordinary music knowledge, and have been used by modern groups such as the Electric Light Orchestra.

The point here is that these eight simple notes can be used as a basis for your eight-note or ten-note hook. Sometimes it’s the simple things that are memorable and that catch a person’s ear.

The same goes for heavy metal music. There have been a lot of great hooks in heavy metal for years. Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album is full of powerful hooks. For instance, the beginning of the song “Ironman” has a great guitar hook that feels like a giant metallic beast stomping across the countryside. That piece still makes me smile today.

Other heavy metal examples, of course, can be found in Led Zeppelin tunes. The song “Good Times Bad Times” starts off with a great riff from Jimmy Page that is simple and memorable.

Just because Beethoven and Page were, and are, great artists does not mean you should be intimidated. Just focus on the notes, and forget the rest of the song, and everything else. Start playing some notes on the keyboard or the guitar, and find something you like and that sounds catchy. Keep it simple. And then embellish it a little with your style and tone. Or embellish it a lot. It’s your riff!

Get Your Song Ideas from New Age and Ambient Music

Russ Suereth

I like to listen to different types of music. They provide me with different perspectives, and they fit the different moods that I have. But I also like different music because it gives me different ideas for creating new music.  That’s the topic of this article, borrowing aspects of different music to incorporate into your own music.

When you think about creating a song there are two main areas you can consider.

     
1. The song’s foundation or chord structure

2. The melody

I’ve always felt that a great source of ideas for a song foundation can be found in new age and ambient music. Those styles often focus on the atmosphere of the song. Lush pads and eerie landscapes can last for several minutes. During that time, an occasional string pluck or keyboard tingle helps provide focus.

Of course, you just can’t steal someone’s work. But you can take chord progression ideas and modify them to suit your style and taste.

When I’m listening to new age and ambient music, my mind usually embellishes the sound. It inserts a few notes here and there to fill in where it thinks something is missing. After a while into the song, I’ve created a basic melody. The song provided the foundation and I’ve added a little melody, sometimes without even noticing.

It’s the same with the rhythm. The song may have a distant repeating bell in the background, or a pulsing drone. Many times my mind will add a low bass drum to emphasize a rhythm.  Maybe even add some toms to fill in a transition.

You could even record all of this on your cell phone so you can retain it. Without even realizing it, you can have the start of a new song.

New Age Instrumental: Marika Takeuchi-Impressions

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Label: MRG Recordings

Website

When you begin studying classical music at the age of three there is a good chance that by the time you are an adult that you could be making your own adaptations of classical scores or creating your own. In the case of Marika Takeuchi she came via Japan to Boston to study film scoring at the esteemed Berklee College of Music in 2009. Since then she has released two albums, Impressions being her second with a third release coming this fall.

The release clocks in just over 26 minutes however it does make its mark in a prolific manner. Through 10 tracks Marika paints a canvas of beauty and elegance with the ivory keys. Truthfully all the lady needs to do is sit on the piano stool and play. The end result of what she creates is absolutely gorgeous and serene melodies that would relax the most frazzled human.

This is a soundtrack made in heaven; it makes you feel relaxed, spiritual and whole. I agree with the artist, music is healing. It has helped me my entire life, it makes laugh, cry, reminisce, and get in touch with my inner being like nothing else can. Marika has the magic touch with her fingers, almost as if she is channeling an entity that that comes from a higher plane of consciousness. I know for certain her music will allow you to reach that level of existence.

Although it’s a rather short journey the tracks blend into each other, each taking you one step closer to that spiritual plane that allows complete clarity and peace. Music such as this can have many valuable assets and for this listener there were a multitude of things to appreciate. Some albums are boring if one song follows another too closely; with this recording it was more of synchronicity and flow that made everything just perfect. I normally like to choose three key tracks but in this case I felt there was not one track that stood out amongst the rest, it was rather the entire recording as a complete body of work that impressed me. 

Marika Takeuchi is an incredibly gifted and talented musical visionary that has an amazing future ahead if she continues on her path of creativity and enlightenment.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: ALL

Tracks:
01.Spring Awakening
02. Horizons       
03. Sparkle
04.Milky Way
05.Cliff
06.Morning Mist   
07.Reunion
08.Far Away
09.Daybreak
10. Peace
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- New Age Music Reviews Founder

July 2, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

New Age Instrumental Review: Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda, Rahbi Crawford-Sacred Spaces

Release Date: January 1, 2014

Label: Promotion Music Records

Websites: http://www.rahbicrawford.com/

http://www.enriquerueda.com/

http://www.peterphippen.com/

Recorded live in a studio session, Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda and Rahbi Crawford have captured the essence of peace and tranquility with their unique blend of New Age instrumental music. Grammy Award nominee and three time Native American Music Award nominee, Peter Phippen is best known for his prowess with many styles of flutes. Enrique Rueda crafts his own instruments and his work is devoted to the communication of man and musical object. He works internationally specializing in traditional cultural music. Roberta (Rahbi) Crawford is an international instructor and musician. Her work is entirely devoted to deeper spiritual experience. The combination of these three highly talented musicians has given way to an exceptionally beautiful album. Sacred Spaces is pure inspiration. It is a sound experience that once I began to listen to; I didn’t want it to end. 

Opening up the album, the first track to greet you is “Poet’s Reverie.” Lilting flute sequences and multi-instrumentation lull you into a state of relaxation.  Like a fog rolling in from the coast, the song surrounds you in a blanket of tranquility, urging you to leave the concerns of the world behind you. Phippen’s bursts of passionate flute playing resonate against the backdrop of string instruments and the echoing sound of eternity.

“Autumn Memories” flutters to life. A crisp orange leaf falls to the ground and the season of change is upon us. Walk in the open and feel the span of time surround you. Memories of days long past come to mind. Running through the piles of leaves, your breath hard and fast in your chest as you speed up before a pile of wet leaves is thrown down your back—it is life. A tender kiss on a hay ride. The shy glance of a new puppy as it awakens in your arms. The exuberant force of a child’s joy as they see the leaves in their fiery glory for the first time. Images float by, slower than they were in reality. A slide show echoing span of mind and memory, the flute and multi-instrumentation capturing the poignant moments with those of loss and victory—these are the memories of a lifetime drifting like leaves in our minds eye. 

“The Dreaming Tree” features Rhabi Crawford. Crystal bowls and pyramids provide an ethereal depth to this piece. The echoing sound of the crystals reaches out, blending with the flute to ensnare the listener with a deep spiritual experience. Haunting and vast, this track is haunting.

“Lascaux” features Enrique Rueda and his traditional style instruments. Handmade with the knowledge of a master craftsman, Rueda’s style compliments Phippen’s flute making it a solid performance with a traditionally classic feel. This is one of my favorite pieces from the album. 

Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda and Rahbi Crawford have created an album that gets back to the basics. It brings you to a basic elemental level, showing you what true musical artisans can create in the span of a few hours in a studio setting. Thirteen tracks were created and ten were hulled into the bounty of song in Sacred Spaces. Some instruments used in creating this album were: Shakuhachi, Patrick Olwell bamboo flute, Enrique Rueda quena and Native American flute, Michael Graham Allen Mojave flute replica, 1848 William Hall and Son boxwood flute, antique Egyptian kawala flute, Columbian Andean bandola, Renaissance harp, sail harp, kantele, tambor con paticas, crystal bowls and crystal pyramid. If you enjoy a musical journey as well-crafted as the finest tapestry, then you must listen to this magnificent album. It will truly take you away.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Poet’s Revere, Autumn Memories, The Dreaming Tree, Lascaux

Dana Wright

February 27, 2014

Tracks:

1.Poet’s Reverie
2.Ashes of Love
3.Violet Etchings
4.Ribbons of Darkness
5.Autumn Memories
6.The Dreaming Tree
7.Lascaux
8.Vast Fields of Forever
9.So Many Stars
10.Whispered Visions

 

Instrumental Guitar Review: Vin Downes-Unlike The Stars

Artist: Vin Downes

Title: Unlike The Stars

Release Date: Januarry 28, 2014

Genre: Instrumental Guitar

Website: http://www.vindownes.com

Vin Downes was so taken by the music of finger pickers like Will Ackerman from the Windham Hill label after listening to a sampler; he took his electric guitar and put it away. He never looked back and has been playing an acoustic ever since.

With Unlike The Stars, his third release, Downes gives you a reason to believe that he did indeed made the right decision stowing away that six string electric. The acoustic guitar can have just as much impact and power as any electric if it’s played properly. I would have to say with conviction that Mr. Downes knows his instrument quite well. 

All of the tracks presented on this album convey warm tones and atmospheres that relax and put you into a state of simple gratefulness for life itself. The title track is one of the highlights along with “Departure.” The title “Departure” is quite apt as it will force you to literally depart from whatever it is you are doing or focusing on. If you happen to be stressing out about something in particular, that feeling will melt like snow in the spring.

Good music creates an ongoing movie in your mind’s eye. I had visions of a warm summer breeze touching my face and I heard a babbling brook, which in turn gave me a slice of serenity rarely felt (except when I am asleep!). All of this beauty was brought forth by this man’s music. The delicate yet impressionable sounds emanating from his guitar will lead you down a path of enlightenment, and I do believe that is the purpose of this music. If that is a fact then this album gets the job done.

Some of the tracks are accentuated by some cello, which promotes a sense of sadness and longing at times depending on the overall makeup of the track. But in this case, because of Downes’ guitar placed just were it needs to be, those feelings never surface, he keeps everything light and airy.

Perhaps the track “Window Looking…” closing the curtain on this recording, really is a hint that the music of Vin Downes is a doorway to his soul and more importantly, you the listener. Give it a try, sit back and relax and let everything empty out of that busy mind and let Unlike The Stars show you the way.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Departure, Unlike The Stars, Window Looking…

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

January 9, 2014

Tracks: 1. where i began 2. riverbend 3. dark blue wind 4. departure 5. all we ever wanted 6. unlike the stars 7. skies and openings 8. window, looking back 9. unweaving 10. what falls away 11. turning years 12. window, looking back (solo) 13. turning years (alternate mix)

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