How to Write a Locrian RIFF • Music Theory from Metallica "72 Seasons"

<p> </p><div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="eKytsWilJ_Q" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eKytsWilJ_Q?rel=0&amp;wmode=transparent&amp;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><h2 style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-huge"><strong>How to Write a Locrian RIFF</strong></span></h2><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"><meta charset="utf-8"></p><h3 style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-505e3880-7fff-2136-13c0-83881fbe07b0"><span class="text-huge" style="color:#000000;"><strong>Step 1. Octaves</strong></span></h3><p style="text-align:justify;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Set your grid to 1/16 notes and your tempo to 97 BPM. You’re gonna start by writing a creative pattern using only octaves. If you’re writing this on guitar, use your low open E string and the E one octave higher. And be sure to play every 1/16 note, as that’s what gives the riff that heavy momentum. At the very end of the riff, though, play four 1/8 notes. That creates variation, and gives the circle pit a few seconds to breathe!</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Quick shoutout to Metallica, as this lesson is based on their song “Too Far Gone?” from the new album “72 Seasons”.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"> </p><h3 style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span class="text-huge" style="color:#000000;"><strong>Step 2. Mode</strong></span></h3><p style="text-align:justify;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Now that you’ve got an outline of your riff, it’s time to start thinking about the melodic element. For this, we’re gonna use the Locrian mode, like Metallica. So, to get the E Locrian mode, which is what they use, start with the E natural minor scale.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Now