I find that storms are some of the finest riff makers. Rain dripping off a roof can happen at any time, and the unevenness of it can make for some really nice fingerstyle runs, or some interesting snare or cymbal figures. You can either come up with a whole uneven line and learn it note for note, or just enjoy taking bits and pieces you copy down and combining them in new and interesting ways. Lightning flashes don't make noise, but the patterns of light, translated to sound, can be fun to try. Thunder is pretty trite, but then who says you have to copy it verbatim? Why not just use the basic notes from a good evening's booming, and see if you can do them on another instrument with the same impact, and not have it sound like thunder, just a really attention-grabbing effect?
So don't think that you have to be stuck with the same old sounds to come up with something original. Take those sounds and put your own twist on them, and then they will truly be your own, and not just your take on the same old things. With all the sound bending effects at our disposal, combined with the ideas above, anyone can come up with some personal noises, riffs and samples that others can copy from you, and you not have to worry about some contest judge questioning where you got them from. If you don't feel safe being too different, you can always fall back on using standard instrument sounds with your new riffs, or old riffs with your new sounds, but won't it be more fun to make it your own and stand out as something really original?
Hey, it's just more ways to keep writing and to keep having fun!
©2005 Cindy Lee Haddock
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