Writing Surf Songs

[Offshore Angler]

Been putting together tracks of surf songs for the band. Man, I forgot what drudgery writing was. The surf stuff is even harder. You need to have an instrumental with enough variety to hold the listener whlie still keeping the hook intact.

I have learned a few tricks.

1) Neil Hefti inspired intervals sound "right".
2) Change intervals between ascending and descending phrases.
3) ANYTHING GOES for progressions.
4) Eighths are better than sixteenths inside of melodies.


What else? I could use some inspiration.

Chuck

[Rickenjangle]

Why not sit down with a good friend who writes songs?

<wink, wink, nudge, nudge>

Like that guy who wrote Horsepower Dude...whatshisname...

[Gris]

How about a medley of non-surf tunes woven into a surf tune?

[Fripperton]

How about a medley of non-surf tunes woven into a surf tune?

That's just crazy enough to work.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-3d2a6LGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7ynM9HHfy4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nStt5x14_I


Here's a demo from the new CD. We recorded this at the last rehearsal so the guys could have something to play along with while they learn the song.

[Offshore Angler]

How about a medley of non-surf tunes woven into a surf tune?

Thought about it, but I need to do original material. I want to put a new CD together.

[Mikey]

Hey Vince, i really liked that cut. Thanks for the access.
I'm looking at you and Wave invasion for the majority of inspiration for how to do it right. It's not that we don't know what we're doing, it's just the first time for this style for most of the band. Also, we're going to be a bit more Dangerous and "rip your face off" in approach than you guys but Y'all been doing it a long time and I'm happy to steal whatever i can from the "Good Guys' which you are.

Thanks again.

[CJ Neel]

Listen to Link (which you already do), Billy Strange, Hank Marvin, Duane Eddy, Me (listen to Powerglide on my myspace thingy ), Ventures, Fripperton, Davie Allan, Dick Dale, etc. Rhino put out a great box set a few years ago, find that. I think you're gonna do some great stuff Chuck, just think about melodic hooks that people can remember. It's no all about wankage, but you knew that too...

[Offshore Angler]

Good stuff Chris. I've been all over that as you know. I've actually started listening to 60's television theme songs too. Lot's of good stuff in that catalog to show how to get a good hook in without over wanking.

[Fripperton]

Check out the Aqua Velvets especially their Guitar Noir CD. Really cool moody stuff.

[Gris]

I've always wanted to do a surf song medley of different old TV show theme songs woven together tastefully. Ya know, just change the tempo to fit. Start off with a dose of 'Bonanza' down real low with the volume coming up - do a bunch of other stuff - then end up trailing off into reverb land with the tail end of 'Get Smart.' It'd be cool and hilarious all at once. Call the tune 'TV-Land.' :-)

[Fripperton]

We're big on medleys. We start off with Ghost Riders and then go to Riders on the Storm, then back to Ghost Riders on the tail out of Ghost riders I do the intro to Bonanza, then the band kicks in with F Troop, Shenandoah, Theme from the Rifleman, The William Tell Overture, Comanche, Rawhide, High Noon and finally Happy Trails on the fade out.

We play the James Bond Theme in a medley with Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, Mission Impossible, Secret Agent Man and Get Smart.

[CJ Neel]

Vince rocks.

[Gris]

We're big on medleys. We start off with Ghost Riders and then go to Riders on the Storm, then back to Ghost Riders on the tail out of Ghost riders I do the intro to Bonanza, then the band kicks in with F Troop, Shenandoah, Theme from the Rifleman, The William Tell Overture, Comanche, Rawhide, High Noon and finally Happy Trails on the fade out.

We play the James Bond Theme in a medley with Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, Mission Impossible, Secret Agent Man and Get Smart.

WOW! I would LOVE to hear/see that - waaay cool... :-)

[Fripperton]

Thanks. I forgot to mention that in the Ghost Riders on the Storm medley we play the Theme from the Magnificent 7 in between Bonanza and F-Troop. I never forget onstage but it's hard to remember when you're not playing them and just listing them. We offer our audience a free CD if they can name all the songs in that one. Nobody's done it yet.

[Rickenjangle]

Youtube? I'd love to see/hear that but can't get out to the Left Coast...

[Fripperton]

I've got a couple of takes from this summer on Digital 8 but my camera took a dump halfway through the season and I haven't been able to upload them. I may have an earlier audio version we recorded at a rehearsal. I'll try to find it.

[Gris]

I've got a couple of takes from this summer on Digital 8 but my camera took a dump halfway through the season and I haven't been able to upload them. I may have an earlier audio version we recorded at a rehearsal. I'll try to find it.

Yes, please! I want to steal your mojo... :-)

[muddy]

Good stuff Chris. I've been all over that as you know. I've actually started listening to 60's television theme songs too. Lot's of good stuff in that catalog to show how to get a good hook in without over wanking.

And don't forget about spy movie themes?

Just wanted to follow up and see how your surf format is progressing?

I've written about 5 songs myself thus far and the crowds seem to really like them. I'm performing them solo so that's been kind of a challenge.

[Custom 5]

mix in a few notes from the demolished scale alongside the minor.

[gibsonjunkie]

Chuck, my old college roommate has a tune on this album. He adapted this song Dance of the King of the World of Maya (Dance of Maya and King of the World) by Pegleg.

I suspect the whole album is full of weird (but good) stuff.

[Rickenjangle]

mix in a few notes from the demolished scale alongside the minor.

LOL

It can be helpful, also, to use notes from the defenestrated, denuded, depredatory, or declamatory scales... ;-)

[Doc W]

I think you need to surf, even if it is only knee-slappers.

[Custom 5]

the argumented scale is not as useful as the demolished in surf. too androdgenous.

[Gris]

Liked the PBS docu on Neil Young last night. Great footage of his early instrumental surf band 'the Squires.' Cool to hear that his hero was Link Wray and his other first heavy influences the Ventures and Shadows. His original surf instrumental compositions were pretty good too, esp. for their time. Neat stuff.

[Offshore Angler]

Gris, cool stuff. I never made the connection between Young's style and Link Wray, but now that you've enlightend me some of it is obvious.

[thegeezer]

That is cool I wish I would have watched it.

[Gris]

Song starts at about 1:42

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4KDBJ90oBI

[ES350]

Take a page out of the Euro/Shadows playbook and look at common practice classical cadences and modulations...

[gibsonjunkie]

Chuck - did you ever get the tune I e-mailed you?

[Offshore Angler]

Yeah, but I've been too busy fishing lately to do anything with it.

[Fedora]

Well, to me this song is the ultimate in what I would label "neo-surf.
It's gotta pretty good groove. Might be something to glean if you wanna get the crowd goin. I have always loved this tune..alot of fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQgAC...eature=related
Here is with the original guitar player. Check out the Mosrite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkFq_Jtc4wk
Also check out the studio version. Then ending is killer.

Plus...it's got cowbell!!