Theory Books for Metal ?

[sevenways]

I seen there're many music theory and songwritings books at Amazon.
But most books are for mainstream pop songs.
And Troy Stetina's "writing killer metal songs" is out of stock everywhere.
So, please recommand me some theory books suitable for metal.
I'm just beginner in metal and I wanna know....

1. what is Technical riffs?
2. what do we need to compose complex guitars work like C.O.B, Dark Tranqullity ?
3. do I need to be an orchestra musician to compose symphonic black metal?

Please advice me the Music theory or Songwriting books that I should buy to writing metal songs like Scandinavian Metal bands...but I don't like nu-metal.

 

[sumairetsu]

3. do I need to be an orchestra musician to compose symphonic black metal?

No.

 

[Brooks]

"Music Theory" exists outside of any style of music, so you dont need a "metal" theory book to learn theory.

Just go to the store and ask what's a good general music theory book.

 

[Warden_D]

"Music Theory" exists outside of any style of music, so you dont need a "metal" theory book to learn theory.

Just go to the store and ask what's a good general music theory book.

I agree, in fact, stay away from gimmick books (sorry Troy Stetina) and keep it as simple as possible. Just identify what you want to get better at and work at it. Technical riffs? Picking patterns, play them slow and with a metronome and don't cheat on the upstrokes. Tremelo picking? Slow and with a metrenome until you build speed. Melodic death soloing? Major, minor arpeggios and scales, a little bit of sequencing and phrasing. It just takes practice, there really is no secret (although some books claim to have SUPER SPEED BUILDING KILLER CHOPS EXERCISES, just ignore those).

D.

 

[sevenways]

thanks for all of ur replies.
I decided to buy one basic theory book.
and I would like to know, for melodic-death-metal song composing (like children of bodom), do i need to know chord-progression?
and most of chord-progression and song-writingbook has mainstream pop songs as example, but no metal songs.

So chord progression is important in metal? especially i wanna compose melodic-death-metal.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

Chord progression is important in anything that changes. If you want it to be monotonous, don't use chord changes, but otherwise they are very useful for making your music more pleasing and catchy. If you listen carefully, almost all music has chord changes. In other words, unless you are avant garde or extremely percussive death metal, yes, chord progressions are important. Especially if you solo.

 

[sajien]

Alot of melodic swede metal bands alot of times follow the basic pop arrangment format anyways. chord progressions are very important in any style of music. anyways...havent you heard opeth? lol