Shuffle Dance Metal (Patreon)

I had my FUN practice session yesterday. This is when I don't worry about drilling technique and just enjoy playing guitar

I'll often work on my composition and arranging skills during free play. This is the studio musician approach. Basically, the idea is to come up with parts that compliment a song. This is how it works when an artist hires a band to bring their song to life

The SHUFFLE DANCE is something I see scrolling through short form content. It has a catchy theme I wanted to make metal. So how do you write parts for a song?

The first step is to determine the key of the song. Shuffle dance is in B minor, containing two sharps (F#, C#). I find this by humming the root note, or locating it on the guitar

Next, I learn the chord progression. This is crucial if you want to make good parts that elevate the tune. It also helps you figure out the notes in the track faster. For example, once I figured out the chord sequence, Bm-G-Bm-D-A, learning the arpeggios came easily. 

Once I have the key and chords, I chose to mess around with some lead ideas. Using the shred method formula, TECHNIQUE + THEORY = MUSIC, I chose selective picking to outline the harmony. Whenever you solo, always be aware of the chord progression. Don't just wander off into scale noodling without being aware of how to accent the chord tones. For example, when B minor is playing, target the notes B-D and F#

Full tabs below!

Does this kind of breakdown interest you? Let me know in the comments if you'd like to learn more about writing parts and the theory behind it. I'd love to hear your own rendition of the track on discord!