Riffs you thought you'd written.

[skins345669]

You know when you think you've written a really tasty riff, then it turns out you were just subconsciously copying something you already heard?

Mine was the motif at 0:32 in freakshow excess.

Any other good ones?

[newbieguitarmaker]

It happens all the time to me, I figure if you arent flat out copying then it is fine. You can sort of copy if you are making a song a tribute to someone though.

Check out Hendrix's Villanova Junction and compare it to Steve Vai's tender surrender. They kind of work off the same idea, idk if it was subconscious or another one of vai's tributes

[guitvai1]

12 bar blues anyone?

[DEADTUNES666]

Satch thought he'd written a song, but apparently Cold Play really did!

[custom24]

all the time. but I reckon you can use something thats been done before in a different context.

[LuredMaul]

I once got a present of a used Yngwie Malmsteen strat and a line6 Axsys 2X12.
the first thing I played was the main line of "Like an Angel" from Yngwies "Facing the Animal" of which I didn't hear until a week later. burned my ass but now I laugh when I think about it!

IT'S THE GUITAR!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear!!!!!!! LMAO

[mike570]

Originally Posted by DEADTUNES666

Satch thought he'd written a song, but apparently Cold Play really did!

Damn it to hell! You beat me to it!!!

This happens a lot with me. It used to happen more with lyrics when I used to write them. If it's too close to the original I'll drop the song idea, or cut it up and play it with different parts or a different style. I guess you can't avoid this sometimes since you are what you eat in a musical context. It makes copyright claims (like the Coldplay/Satriani thing) a bit of a gray area. Who's to say Viva La Vida didn't pop out of the guy's subconscious in much the same manner, even though he didn't intend to copy it?

PS:Coldplay didn't copy. They just finished Joe's song by putting lyrics to it.

[Cam-Vai]

yeh "close your eyes" by parkway drive
my band had written this whole siong - same structure, different chorus dif words
we were basically like "hahahahahah f*ck"
cam

[6fingers]

That crap Satisfaction riff!
It made them millionaires !

[MattyG]

I did this with Stairway to Heaven - I was so bummed when I found out 'my' riff was actually one of the most famous guitar riffs ever written!
I was pretty young when I 'wrote' it, but the chances are I had heard it at some point without remembering, then misinterpreted my memory of the song as inspiration for a 'new' riff.
Does that make sense?

[skins345669]

I know exactly what you mean.

[eviltwin]

Originally Posted by MattyG

I did this with Stairway to Heaven - I was so bummed when I found out 'my' riff was actually one of the most famous guitar riffs ever written!

I hope you realise that Stairway itself was lifted off a Randy California song (Taurus)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairway_to_Heaven#Taurus

[MattyG]

Nah, didn't know that

[Magical Muffin]

Trivium. I came up with that exact sweeping progression that he used at the beginning of the solo. Even though I had heard the song many times I never realized that it was there. I was just following a chord progression I had made up to, so it wasn't even a subconscious thing or anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_nJ2vQg3EM
Skip to around 3:10-20 if you don't like the song or something, it's a pretty awesome one imo though.


Edit: And didn't you hear? Everything on wikipedia is wrong! False! It's all made up by internet trolls and grues!