How do I write or sound like Van Der Graaf Generator. What are some songwriting techniques/quirks that these guys use?

How do I write or sound like Van Der Graaf Generator. What are some songwriting techniques/quirks that these guys use?

Attached: van der graaf generator.jpg (300x168, 13.13K)

Other urls found in this thread:

voca.ro/1DtTb2wowMJj
dskmusic.com/dsk-saxophones/
vocaroo.com/1osLLBUZ0WQH
twitter.com/NSFWRedditVideo

Just noodle suspended chords +/- sevenths with unusual rhythms and it will start sounding like VdGG rather quickly. Indeed, you might accidentally start playing one of their songs.

Thanks user. I will try something out. I guess D Minor is good to stay in (that's what they used in A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers intro section)

write everything minor key and on an organ or electric piano and never touch a guitar

Ok, how did I do? This is really rough obviously
voca.ro/1DtTb2wowMJj

bump

ditch your guitar and buy a dozen organs

Sounds more like Gryphon than VDGG to be desu, but not bad. I'd listen to this.

Pretty passable piano part. But you need a more prominent, legato, distorted organ and some flutes + saxophone "fills" (idk how else to put it) in there. And don't be so shy with percussion.

I think the organ melody is a little more baroque and light than typical of VDGG. The piano part is pretty good, the choice of chords is very much like them. The missing ingredient is obviously loads of saxophone both on melodic and chord parts. Drums could be more ambitious, the minor parts of the chords and melody could be even darker with more chromatic movement, minor thirds, and tritones. Adding Hammill style vocals would be easy with a melody. You could get away with some bass like on H To He. Overall a good start.

Thanks for the feedback, I'll see what I can do tomorrow. I only used my keyboard for this and all the sax and flute sounds are pretty bad (worse than 80s Pop) so I'll either try to add some vsts or ask a friend to send audio of him playing the sax. I'll take the other stuff into consideration also. I'll probably add lyrics and vocals in the second version. Drums will be a pain though (cause programmed Drums outside Post-Punk and Pop are super easy to tell). Maybe some samples from that era could work (I think I got some Atomic Rooster and Goblin samples laying around).

>voca.ro/1DtTb2wowMJj
oh damn, someone on here who can actually write/play. figured it was all zoomers playing with FL around here

This one sounds ok for a free vst. I like the tenor sax sound on this one, just play it higher or lower for different ranges.
dskmusic.com/dsk-saxophones/

I have this, its pretty good, will see what I can do.

Thank you for the compliment.

Yo, that sounds like it actually could've come directly out of a 70s jam session, especially the 2nd half. Super cool stuff. Do you have a soundcloud or something?

Wow, a super-specialized prod thread that gets accurate responses. It's incredible how disproportionately popular VdGG is on Any Forums.

i think the VdGG fans on here are more well mannered than the other progfags. And i don't even listen to vdgg, more into moody blues myself

I like this. Can /vdggprod/ be a permanent fixture?
vocaroo.com/1osLLBUZ0WQH
(not OP)

I'm a progfag that's not super into VDGG and I'd like to think I'm pretty nice :(

They're basically britishized Krautrock so play Krautrock but in odd time signatures probably

Thanks, I don't have one yet but I'll upload this on YouTube after finishing it probably.