I wanna rock and roll like Iggy pop

[colin22]

okay so I am your typical young punk who wants to be a rock and roller.I need to know the basics of writing a simple rock song on guitar.I have been messing around with writing song lyrics. I know basic things- like how to play scales and power chords. Basically what is the music formula for writing a kick ass tune? I know that it has to be in a key or pattern of notes from a scale. Then you take that scale and make a chord progression from that? Am I right? I really don't know anything about music. I only want to use three or four chord rhythm parts. Just some rude and crude jams. What chords from a progression do I play for a rock song?Are most rock songs in major or minor form? I think I am on the right track with everything- just looking for some healthy input from some seasoned veterans of the rock and the roll. Keep on keeping on.

[Shredderific]

okay so I am your typical young punk who wants to be a rock and roller.I need to know the basics of writing a simple rock song on guitar.I have been messing around with writing song lyrics. I know basic things- like how to play scales and power chords. Basically what is the music formula for writing a kick ass tune? I know that it has to be in a key or pattern of notes from a scale. Then you take that scale and make a chord progression from that? Am I right? I really don't know anything about music. I only want to use three or four chord rhythm parts. Just some rude and crude jams. What chords from a progression do I play for a rock song?Are most rock songs in major or minor form? I think I am on the right track with everything- just looking for some healthy input from some seasoned veterans of the rock and the roll. Keep on keeping on.

Well let's see......ur asking too many questions lol. Don't worry about 'patterns of notes from scales' or any of that crap unless ur going to really sit down and write an incredible instrumental or jazz song. Just play dude and put pieces of stuff you've written together. I suggest learning more than power chords, because aftter awhile that gets boring. Just write an intro, a verse, a chorus, and a bridge, and you should be good to go. Most songs I listen to are in minor but there are millions of songs in major too. But once again don't even think about "o should i write this song in major or minor, hmm i think I'll do one in major since my last one was in minor"......dont even think about that. Listen to alot of different music and play what comes to mind....xpeacex

[Bimkoblerutso]

I know this is really going to sound like a stock answer, but just let the music flow out of you. You know, the songs that me and my new band create are the most fun when one of us comes up with a melody, then the other members just mold to that melody. It's kinda like a structured jam. This is also a very good way to stumble upon some cool sounding riffs. Of course, all we play is some Rolling Stones and Faces-esque rock n' roll. But when you can actually FEEL the music (as with this kind of music) some truly amazing stuff can start being made.

If you're playing stuff that's a bit more complicated (but not necessarily better :) ) then you're gonna wanna follow a closer structure like Shredder suggested. The Beatles have a great many vocal based songs, so it was probably easier for them to write the lyrics and melody for the vocals first, before the instrumental melody. Just keep that kinda stuff in mind. Also, try and experiment as much as you can with sounds from you're guitar. Sooner or later, you're going to stumble upon something that sounds really friggin' cool. I promise.

[Millertime]

For a basic start, you can look into I-IV-V chord progressions. They are the basis for rock and roll type of stuff. You can probably find info about chord progressions somewhere on cyberfret.com