Riff Diary #1: Serenity – How I Found a Melody and Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Create
When a metal guitarist dares to go for calm, can something... calm come out of it? If someone who knows me had to describe me, they'd do so through heavy riffs, metal, and prog. But with the new song Serenity, I said to myself, "What if I didn't go to extremes this time, but rather went for atmosphere?" I've always tried to incorporate atmosphere, but with this song, it was a priority. And so my tribute to mood was born—a calmer, orchestral-backed song that has more in common with Plini than Clayton King. I knew only one thing: I wanted to do something different. Not to be afraid of a genre shift. To honor the mood, the melody, the tone, the color. And also to try a new way of composing. Welcome to the first episode of my Riff Diary.
Music as a mosaic: it all started with one melody
It all originated from one motif – a short melody that sounds right at the beginning. This line then winds its way through the entire composition, but it never sounds exactly the same. Sometimes it is played by orchestral strings in the background, sometimes by a clean guitar, and at the end by a distorted lead. It's not complicated. It's mainly about the feeling. About gradually uncovering and evolving the melody. I recorded the entire composition at home. Nothing fancy—just my guitar, sound card, Cubase, and the desire to create. Today, it's not necessary to have a professional studio; you can start with what you have at home. And above all, don't wait for "when I have this and that... and I don't have inspiration, I don't have time" and so on. You have to want it!
Create from an idea, not from plugins
In the two and a half years (not counting the one-year break) that I've been playing, I've understood one thing: the guitar is more versatile than one might think. It's an instrument that can be adapted to your mood, tempo, and even your own voice. By the way, voice is also important to me when composing. When I have an idea for a melody, I try to sing it first. I don't look for it on the fretboard straight away. The head is faster than the fingers. And once I have the melody, I can find the chords to go with it. Sometimes it's the other way around. I come up with a cool melody, but those almost always come about by accident.
When it's not working, I go for training
Honestly? I enjoy creating. But when it's not working and I'm exhausted, I don't push it. I turn off my computer and go for training. I do triathlon. I clear my head, my body gets a workout – and the ideas come back on their own. They don't come from ten hours of sitting with a DAW. It's about letting things be for a while. By the way, you can hear this from the guitarists of Periphery! Whenever they run out of ideas, they go and relax! Gaming, TV, a walk. They talked about it on an episode of the Riffhard podcast, I recommend listening to it (EP132)!
Whatever works for you. For me, it's triathlon. And like everyone else, I'm always learning new things! For example, right now I'm completely absorbed in the world of orchestral percussion. So many instruments, textures, possibilities... I had no idea how diverse that world is. Serenity is the first song where I've played around with this sound a little more.
Why is it a great idea to start creating?
The process of creation itself is worth it. Every song teaches you something. About music. About yourself. About patience. About concentration. About the fact that your idea is worth it – even if you only have an old guitar and no fan base. You don't have to release it, but you have something you created – and that's a great feeling! So if you're hesitating about whether or not to start creating your own music... give it a try. Find a melody. Sing it. Play it. And then it's up to you.
And Serenity? It's already out there.
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