Does anyone know a site/video that will teach me how to do black metal music? Guitar, vocals, etc.

donno about any websites, but Ihsahn has a column in Guitar World nowadays, so you could always check that out.

Just learn black metal songs if you wanna know how to play black metal.

Its easy: Drums: od a lot of double-bassing and blastbeats
Vocals: High Pitched and Phlegmy (duh). Ideally, it should sound liike crap.
Guitars and bass pretty much just do a bunch of "frightening" half steps with tremelo picking.

I doubt it was helpful, but writing Black metal songs is one of the easiest things ive tried so far.

QFT

Just play along with your favorite song or band and you'll catch on to the style.

But writing a good black metal song is not.

This is true. Following that guys formula is going to make you sound just like the millions of generic myspace black metal bands. Expiriment, music shouldn't be formulaic. Anyways the best way to get a grasp for writing music is to look at how band you like(even non-black metal ones!) write their music. So basicaly learning to play songs of other bands will be of great help in your own writing process.

...and by generic i hope u aren't including "norsecore" bands...THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE <b>GOOD</b> "norsecore" bands OUT THERE!
=P

GOOD black metal, is complicated to write, and if you had written anything REALLY GOOD, you probably wouldn't be saying that it's SOOOOO easy...

Tune to B standard and sing about war. It helps if you're from Canada.

Neither Darkthrone's nor Gorgoroth's music is especially complicated, off of the top of my head.

But if you need someone to teach you to play sufficiently in your genre of choice, you're probably better off choosing again.

The problem here is that there is no real formula for writing black metal music. It's all your own interpretation. Listen to Darkthrone, I Shalt Become, Shining... None of them sound the same, but all black metal. You can add so much to it and keep the core. I write a lot of stuff that sounds like slightly deathened BM, some rock/BM. Just depends on my mood. Whatever comes out. It's all from inside, not some formula based on Transylvanian Hunger or something. Listen to some stuff and see what you like, learn that a little, then play what sounds good to you.

Be more descriptive as with what is troubling you about the style!!! I don't really understand the concept of people asking for help to play a certain style. Do some research yourself and put down the cheetos.

Darkthrone's at least is rife with subtle touches and delicate atmospheres, though. Complicated doesn't have to mean structurally or instrumentally complex. Good luck reaching the same calibre using goatman's formula.

I wouldn't advise trying to learn black metal "by the numbers", as sites / videos would tell you. You could play some typical black metal stuff, and that's great, but you might not come up with anything original. Not that originality is an absolute necessity, but it's nice.


What I WOULD advise is looking at the roots of black metal. I don't know what you've played, but I'd say look at thrash, punk, rock, and possibly blues if you want to go further back. You can't just "learn" black metal by viewing a video, for those videos contain no inspiration. That stuff is all by the numbers. There's a lot you can learn from history. By understanding at least some history of black metal and that which precedes it, you can make something more substantial.

You don't have to express direct influence in the black metal - you don't have to have a blues section or whatever in any of your songs - but subconciously it will influence, create a more well-rounded musician.


What I see is people saying "I will play black metal", before they really look at anything else. These people tend to create less inspired music, sticking more to the one influence of black metal. I don't see anything wrong with this, motivations and intentions for music creation vary vastly, but going further requires more understanding.


Also, don't write a genre. Write a song. Otherwise, if you are writing for a genre, just go with what you know and what you can learn from existing black metal. I can't link you to any videos, mostly because I don't know of any that would teach you the "black metal way", partly because ideally you should seek for yourself.

Yes, and in Gorgoroth's case one could argue that it is structurally developed.

Tritones are obvious. Blastbeating too.
Just look up a bunch of black metal songs and you'll see a general pattern.

And I thought the "Ways to not become another shitty band." thread was horrible.... This is hopeless.

The only thing you could "learn" about playing a genre is really the fundaments that make a genre what it is. Honestly, you will be so shitty at first. Just take what you like, and write your own. At first it will be derivitive, plain, and well, just plain sucky. But over the years, if you keep writing songs, your influences will grow and so will your songwriting. It's all a process. You cannot expect a video that says "Tremolo these minor chords and screech over top" to teach you how to play and write good songs. Like others have said, learn your favorite bands songs and build from that.

What's wrong with asking for advice?

Mate, just.... forget it.

"How to be a fucking gimmick?" or "How to be an unoriginal cunt"...

What's wrong? You don't see what is wrong in asking "How to play black metal?" You honestly think black metal purpose is to have some sort of guideline? Well, I'll tell you what, there is. And it would be 'individualism'. While I may sound like a douche, it basically means to think for yourself, and not to rely on worthless advices given by peers.

Since individual thinking seem to have fled this forum, I see no interest in lingering on this any more....