A "good surf song' is completely subjective. However, my writing is based around jamming. I play and eventually come across a good melody. When I do I just try to see where it leads through either jamming alone or with my band. Sometimes the melody will come and I realize that it fits well with other riffs that I have had on hold for some time. The names, on the other hand, come from many different places. Somtimes they are just based on the way a song makes me feel. Other times they are based upon the samples we choose to use in the song.

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Although it's yet to be proved to anyone here, I've come up with a few interesting tunes using some deliberate techniques. Some of them may be obvious.

One is to stick to a basic song structure: verse, chorus, middle eight (or bridge). An intro and outro usually follow relatively easily. This is the structure of Pipeline, for example. Intro, chorus, repeat (with variation), bridge, intro, chorus.

I was listening to an interview with Trevor Horn (some big-time producer) and he says that a song should have at least four or five ideas in it. A verse is one, a chorus is another, a middle eight is one, intro, outro. He says a lot of people come to him with verse and chorus and that's it.

Another technique that works for me is to attempt to tell a story. I come up with a theme for the song and let that inspire me. Since there are no words, the story doesn't have to be expressed eloquently, but it's there in the back of your mind suggesting musical themes.

For example, the song could be about breaking off your key in the lock of your door. Everything's fine, la-la-la (verse), then, snap! (percussive hit?) Everything goes wrong (chorus). Rising anxiety. How will I feed the cat (bridge)? It doesn't matter what the story is, it just guides you. Like any story, it should have a beginning, middle, and end.

Another thing that's been working for me lately is collaboration. A friend and I have been exchanging song fragments. One of us usually comes up with a riff and then, exhausted, can't figure out what to do with it. The other is then free to be inspired by the riff and can usually come up with a melody or whatever's missing to fill it out. I find that it's easy to improve other people's crappy riffs than my own since I'm not as attached to them.

RK

Great question. As I've gotten better, lots of melodic fragments have started coming out of my guitar as I noodle, from where I don't know. I suppose some are phrases from classical music or European folk melodies (redundant in many instances).

I'm going to start writing these down. It's a start.

Right now, I'm listening to rain pouring down on my roof. How can I turn that into music? There are several storm passages in symphonic music with phrases almost everyone now recognizes as a rain storm. I'll play them for ideas.

It's the same with waves crashing on the shore, or onto rocks, the sound of rolling waves out in deep water. Ever notice how different the shore sounds in the morning compared to the hot afternoon? Or during a rain storm? My favorite is how the shore sounds after dark.

The idea is that musical themes can actually sound like something real or even living, or they can evoke emotions that convey the ideas you have. Listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 to hear what I'm describing.

If I ever write a surf album, it will have to be about a day at the beach from dawn to after dark. Lapping waves on an empty beach at dawn, the rising sun, shore birds, laughing people, surfing, beach volleyball, an afternoon rains storm, dancing, more surfing, sunset, a bonfire, lapping waves on the empty beach at night, the new dawn. I can almost hear it in my head but I don't know enough to write it. I'm sure I'll need to collaborate on it.

I wrote this to inspire. If anyone want to do it before I can, feel free. I wants to hear it even if I'm never good enough to compose, record or perform it.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Nov 23, 2011 09:37:54

A few threads on the subject:

http://surfguitar101.com/ygroup/thread/1689/#p1689
http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/74/?page=1
http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/621/

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I am now playing trumpet with Prince Buster tribute band 'Balzac'

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Last edited: Nov 23, 2011 09:50:11

Noel wrote:

If I ever write a surf album, it will have to be about
a day at the beach from dawn to after dark. Lapping
waves on an empty beach at dawn, the rising sun, shore
birds, laughing people, surfing, beach volleyball, an
afternoon rains storm, dancing, more surfing, sunset, a
bonfire, lapping waves on the empty beach at night, the
new dawn.

That was beautiful man.
Do it! Just start, with whatever.
Great thread, BTW.

I realize the opening question was about GREAT songs, but anyways:
As a gremmie myself, I sometime have a melody in my head, then I pick up the guitar and something completely different comes out.
I do not insist, I flow with it. Interesting stuff then happens.

i like to write regular songs with lyrics and everything and then play the vocal melody instrumentally so i end up with this instrumental song with secret lyrics

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One thing I'd like to add to that scree is the need for a strong work ethic. If you should get writer's block or find yourself in a rut, or if you find you're repeating yourself (this happens when you start to get to song #100 or so), sometimes you can't wait for a visit from the muse, you have to just sit down and work it like a 9 - 5 job, bang that sucker out. When this happens, I find I'm usually not happy with what happens, but then I'll listen back a few weeks later and really like it.

guitarslinger1 wrote:

A really good summary on how to write a surf song was
done by Ferenc and posted in SG101 back in 2006.
http://surfguitar101.com/news/story/31/

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Hell if I know..........sorry. ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Noel, you have an idea, and that's the start. So go with it. Write stuff. If it sucks, change it or throw it out. Rinse and repeat until you have what you want. Sucking isn't failure. Stopping is failure.

One thing that might help is to find existing songs that fit each of your time of day ideas. Not just one for each, but several. Then figure out WHY each of those pieces evokes that time of day. Now you have a sort of vocabulary for that time of day, and you can use that to make your own songs.

This isn't copying someone else's stuff. It's figuring out what is in their stuff so that you can use it.

Once your vocabulary is large enough, you can start making up your own words, so to speak.

Maybe people could upload some ideas to share and see what others come up with to add to their incomplete tunes/riffs. Come to think of it, im stuck, ive got what I think is a great little riff but havent been able to add to it for months. I will try and do a vid tomorrow and get it uploaded.
Cheers

Last edited: Dec 04, 2011 14:31:05