How to Write Synth-Metal Songs

You want riffs that bruise and synths that haunt the lobby of your dreams. Synth metal blends the visceral punch of metal with the cinematic, sometimes futuristic textures of synthesizers. It is a hybrid that rewards bold choices. You need riffs that cut and pads that float. You need drums that hit like a truck and production that makes everything sound massive without turning into loud mush. This guide hands you a reproducible process from idea to mix to stage, with weird but practical exercises and real life scenarios that actually happen when you are writing at 2 a.m. with ramen sauce on your shirt.

Everything below is written for artists who want to build songs that feel modern and dangerous. You will find workflows for riff writing, synth design, vocal delivery, arrangement, mixing tips, live considerations, and release tactics. If you want to do synth metal right you need craft and attitude. This guide gives both with a vintage chainsaw grin and a helpful toolkit.

What Is Synth Metal

Synth metal is metal that embraces synthesizers as primary sonic elements. The synths can be aggressive or cinematic. They can replace guitars in certain textures or sit above guitars as a distinct voice. Think of it as metal wearing electronic armor. Bands you might already know include Nine Inch Nails in heavy moments, Perturbator style riffs crossed with modern metal production, and some of the later work from bands that grew out of industrial metal.

Key characteristics

• Heavy guitar riffs with clear low end
• Synth parts that create atmosphere melody or rhythmic drive
• Powerful drums with punch and clarity
• Production that balances analog grit and digital precision
• Lyrics and themes that can be dystopian personal or cinematic

Real life scenario

You are in a tiny rehearsal room with a blown amp and a modular patch that refuses to behave. You play a riff that sounds like a collapsing bridge and you patch a saw wave under it. Suddenly your drummer stops counting and says that you have a song. That awkward moment is synth metal in the raw. It happens when two worlds collide and someone else in the room gets goosebumps.

Core Ingredients

Every good synth metal song combines these elements. Treat each one like an instrument you can turn louder or softer.

• Riff source. A guitar riff, a synth arpeggio, a bass groove, or a hybrid combination. The riff carries identity.
• Textural synths. Pads, drones, atmospheres, and cinematic beds that set mood.
• Synth leads and motifs. Short memorable phrases that can double as hooks.
• Drums and rhythm. Hard hitting acoustic or electronic drum sounds with clear transient and controlled low end.
• Bass. A synth or bass guitar that locks with the kick to form punch.
• Vocals. Clean aggressive screams spoken word or processed voices. The delivery defines the emotional register.
• Production approach. Mixing choices that maintain clarity and power across streaming platforms and live PA systems.

Songwriting Approaches

You can start a synth metal song from different places. Here are three repeatable approaches.

Riff First

Start with a guitar riff you cannot stop humming. Record it loud. Use it as the backbone and design synths to underline or contrast it. This is classic metal workflow adapted to synth metal. The riff gives you the grooves for drums and bass and the synths can either double the riff an octave up or breathe under it with pads.

When to use it

• If you are primarily a guitar player
• If the song needs that physical metallic bite
• If you want the chorus to explode on a familiar guitar hook

Synth First

Begin with a synth motif or an arpeggio. Build drums and guitar to match the groove. Synth first songs can feel more cinematic and less conventionally metal. The synth can carry harmonic destiny while the guitar adds texture and aggression.

When to use it

• If you want a strong cinematic feel
• If you are inspired by electronic producers
• If you want the synth to be the hook in the chorus

Hybrid Loop

Make a short two bar loop with guitar, synth and drums. Keep it minimal. Loop it and improvise melodies and vocal ideas over it. This is a quick way to find a motif that connects all elements.

When to use it

• If you want immediate chemistry
• If you are collaborating and need a quick jam idea
• If you want to experiment with counterpoint between synth and guitar

Tempo and Key Choices

Tempo choices shape energy. Here are safe starting points with suggestions.

• Slow heavy: 70 to 90 BPM for crushing downtuned grooves. Use half time feel with double time hi hat for tension.
• Mid tempo: 100 to 130 BPM for head nodding and industrial vibes. Great for synth arpeggios and tight grooves.
• Fast metal: 150 to 200 BPM for blast or thrash influenced parts. Use drum programming for tightness and let synths add texture.

Key choices

• Minor keys create darkness. Natural minor supports bleak textures.
• Phrygian and Phrygian dominant work for exotic aggressive riffs. These modes add tension because of the flat second.
• Mix a minor scale with synth pads in a parallel major for moments of eerie uplift.

Riff Writing That Feels Like a Body Slam

Riffs in synth metal need to be rhythmically interesting and harmonically simple enough to leave space for synths. Here is a three step riff recipe.

1. Find your guitar tone. Tight low end, scooped mids if you prefer clarity or mid forward for bite. Record a five second palm muted idea and loop it.
2. Pick a rhythmic motif. Use short repeated notes and syncopation. Think of a heartbeat pattern the drummer can lock to. Example pattern: one two rest one rest rest two or similar. The point is repeatability.
3. Add a hook note. A single sustained note that acts as a landing spot in the riff. This is where vocals or a synth line can answer.

Practical exercise

Set a timer for ten minutes. Tune to dropped tuning or standard. Play eighth note palm mutes for the first two minutes. Then change one string to a sustained note on beat three. Do not think. Record everything. Choose the take that made you want to throw your phone through a window. That take is probably usable.

Synth Design and Sound Choices

Synths are not just wallpaper. In synth metal synths can be primary drivers. Design them to occupy separate frequency space from guitars to avoid sonic collapse.

Categories of synth parts

• Pads and drones. Wide slow evolving sounds that sit under everything.
• Arpeggios and sequences. Rhythmic synth patterns that can lock with drums.
• Lead synths. Short melodic motifs that cut through the mix.
• Bass synths. Sub driven low frequency content that can replace or augment bass guitar.
• FX and textures. Risers, impacts, granular noise and processed vocal chops for transitions and emphasis.

Design tips

• Use saw waves or hard sync for aggressive leads.
• Layer noise and low pass filtered saws to make pads feel thicker.
• Use distortion on synths for grit but use it selectively. Heavy distortion can mask pitch.
• Use unison voice detune to make leads feel huge. But do not over detune or leads will lose clarity.
• Sidechain pads to the kick to maintain punch. We will explain sidechain later.

Real life scenario

You have a chorus where the guitar lives at 100 Hz to 1.5 kHz. The pad sits at 200 Hz to 6 kHz. The two are stepping on each other and the chorus feels muddy. The fix is simple. Filter the pad low end under 300 Hz and leave the guitar low end clear. Or carve the guitar around the pad with a notch or a tiny EQ boost on the guitar where it sings. Both work. Choose one and move on.

Harmony and Chord Choices

Synth metal does not require complex jazz chords. Often the power is in simpler shapes with color notes from synths. Here are useful harmonic devices.

• Power chord foundation. Use root fifth for guitar stability. Let synths supply the third for mood.
• Parallel movement. Moving triads in parallel with synth pads creates epic feels.
• Pedal tone. Hold a low note while chords change above it for tension.
• Modal interchange. Borrow chords from the parallel major or minor for unexpected color. For example use a major IV in a minor key for hopeful lift.

Drums and Groove

Drums in synth metal can be acoustic, electronic or hybrid. The goal is punch and clarity. Program around the energy not just the pattern. Here are practical guidelines.

• Kick and snare. Tight kick with clear click for the high end. Snare with body and crack. Blend an electronic snare for consistency and an acoustic snare for character.
• Hi hats and cymbals. Use them to define tempo and build contrast. For big choruses keep hats minimal and let the mix breathe.
• Double kick and blast. If you use double bass keep it tight and in rhythm with the bass synth. For blast sections program short decay to avoid low end smear.
• Room and reverb. Use short room on snare for metal clarity and longer ambient on toms for cinematic moments. Avoid long reverb on kick or bass.

Bass That Glues Guitars and Synths

Bass must lock with the kick. Use one of these approaches.

• Electric bass. Use real bass for warmth. Tighten with compression and parallel distortion to add grit.
• Synth bass. Great for sub content. Layer a sub sine wave for low end and a mid synth for presence.
• Double up. Blend synth bass and electric bass. Low synth handles sub. Electric handles mid and attack.

Mix tip

Sidechain the bass pad to the kick slightly so the kick punches through. This is not about pumping excessively. It is about letting the transient of the kick and the body of the bass coexist without mud.

Vocals and Lyrics

Vocal style in synth metal can range from melodic singing to harsh shouting to spoken word. Choose a primary delivery and then color it for parts.

Delivery options

• Clean singing. Use for choruses to create contrast and anthemic moments.
• Aggressive vocals. Screams or growls for verses or drops. Keep intelligibility in mind.
• Spoken or shouted. Great for verses when you want attitude and presence.
• Processed vocals. Vocoder, distortion, pitch modulation, and granular stutters can become signature textures.

Writing lyrics

Themes can be personal or cinematic. Common topics are technology and alienation, dystopia, rebellion, heartbreak, and cinematic revenge. Use objects and locations to ground images. Replace abstract statements with physical details.

Real life lyric scenario

Instead of writing I feel empty write The vending machine returns my coin untouched. That small image locks emotion to place better than a thousand adjectives.

Arrangement and Dynamics

Arrange with contrast in mind. Dynamics make synth metal emotional. Here is a reliable form map you can steal.

Form map: Modern synth metal

• Intro motif with pad and minimal percussion
• Verse with guitar and tight drums
• Pre chorus that introduces synth arpeggio and rises energy
• Chorus with full instruments and a memorable synth or vocal hook
• Post chorus with a synth motif or chant
• Second verse with added texture and harmonic shift
• Bridge with breakdown and heavy synth atmosphere
• Final chorus with extended outro or instrumental coda

Dynamic tips

• Pull elements out before the chorus for a bigger impact when they come back
• Use automation to slowly open filters for build
• Use a drum fill or a transient gap to create the perception of a larger drop

Production and Mixing Essentials

Production makes synth metal feel professional. These are the must do steps in a mix session.

Balance and separation

• High pass non low end instruments at 40 to 80 Hz to clean sub region.
• Use subtractive EQ to carve space for guitars synths and vocals.
• Pan synth atmospheres wide and keep guitars slightly wide but controlled.

Glue and power

• Bus compression on drums to maintain cohesion.
• Parallel distortion on guitars to keep clarity and add saturation.
• Use buss EQ to shape the entire mix in small broad moves.

Sidechain and transient control

Sidechain pads to kick to avoid low end clashes. Use transient designers on guitars if you need more pick attack or to tame harshness. For snares use transient shaping to give snap without adding rumble.

Reverb and delay

• Use short room and plate reverbs on drums for presence.
• Longer ambient reverb on synths for cinematic feeling but automate wet amount so it does not wash verses.
• Use tempo synced delays on leads and vocals for movement in choruses and bridges.

Loudness and streaming

Target modern streaming loudness. Mix loud but leave headroom for mastering. Aim for track RMS that matches your genre but know that platforms normalize. Focus on dynamics and clarity more than crushing loudness.

Live Reproduction and Practical Touring Tips

Translating synth metal to a live stage requires choices. You cannot bring every plugin. Decide what is essential for the song.

• Essential synth parts only. Export stems for pads and leads that are central to the identity.
• Backing tracks. Use a single stereo backing track with click fed to drummer and in ear monitors for alignment.
• Guitar rigs. Use amp modeling units for consistency in different venues and to recall tones quickly.
• Vocals. Use a hardware effects unit for real time processing like reverb and distortion. This keeps performance flexible.

Touring scenario

You are in a sweaty club and the FOH person is tired. Hand them a simple input list. Say thank you. A clean simple stage plan will make the sound better than a complicated one that no one can follow. Everyone is happier and your songs will hit harder.

Song Finishing Checklist

Before you call a song done run this checklist. It will stop the song from collapsing in the last mile.

1. Does the chorus have a clear hook you can sing without lyrics?
2. Does the verse add new info rather than repeat the chorus idea?
3. Are guitars and synths occupying separate frequency ranges?
4. Does the kick cut through on all playback systems from earbuds to PA?
5. Are the vocals intelligible at the emotional moments?
6. Does the final mix breathe and not feel over compressed?

Writing Exercises You Can Do Tonight

Use these to generate ideas fast and avoid writer paralysis.

Two bar collision

Create a two bar loop with a heavy guitar riff. Add one synth arp that plays the same notes but in a different octave. Loop for ten minutes and improvise vocals. Pick the best phrase and expand it into a chorus.

Synth swap

Take a riff you wrote and replace the guitar with three different synth patches. Record each. Choose the one that changes the emotional weight most drastically. That is the sound direction to explore.

Silence experiment

Write a section where everything dies except a single synth note. Let it sustain for four bars. Then bring the full band back. This forced silence creates impact in the return.

Text message lyric

Write a chorus that could be typed as a text message by a dramatic friend. Keep it short and visceral. This produces titles that stick.

Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

• Too many synths. Fix by muting each synth and keeping only those that change the emotion. Use the rest as ear candy sparingly.
• Muddy low end. Fix by high passing all non bass elements and carving the kick and bass with EQ. Use spectrum analyzers.
• Vocals lost in production. Fix by clearing a vocal pocket with subtractive EQ and gentle compression then add presence with a narrow boost around 3 to 5 kHz.
• Over processed guitars. Fix by reducing effects that remove attack. Bring back a raw layer for presence.
• No clear hook. Fix by writing a small repeating phrase or synth motif that can be sung back by a crowd.

Release and Promotion Tactics

Synth metal sits at the intersection of metal and electronic audiences. Use that to your advantage.

• Playlists and tags. Pitch to metal and electronic playlists. Use tags like industrial metal synth wave dark synth and modern metal to reach both communities.
• Visual identity. Matching art that is cinematic and slightly dystopian will catch attention. Think neon and concrete more than pastoral landscapes.
• Short form clips. Create 15 to 30 second clips with the chorus hook and a cinematic visual for social media. These are the clips that convert casual listeners into fans.
• Remix friendly. Release stems and invite electronic producers to remix a track. This expands your reach into electronic circles.

Resources and Tools

Useful tools and what they mean

• DAW. Digital Audio Workstation. This is your main software like Ableton Live FL Studio Logic Pro or Pro Tools where you arrange record and mix.
• MIDI. Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A protocol that lets keyboards controllers and software talk and play notes. You can edit MIDI so synth parts are flexible after the take.
• VST. Virtual Studio Technology. Plugins that run inside your DAW and act like synths effects or instruments.
• EQ. Equalizer. Tool to cut and boost frequency ranges. Useful for carving space.
• Sidechain. Routing technique where one signal controls compression on another. Used to make the kick breathe through pads.

Recommended starting synths

• Serum for aggressive wavetable leads
• Diva for analog cinematic pads
• Massive for heavy bass and grit
• Arturia Collection for classic analog textures

Action Plan You Can Use Today

1. Pick a riff or create a two bar loop with guitar and a saw wave synth. Keep it simple and loopy.
2. Record a vocal idea for the hook in ten minutes. Keep it short and repeatable.
3. Design a pad that sits above the guitar by filtering out its low end. Automate a filter open into the chorus.
4. Program a tight kick and snare and ensure the kick clicks through on phone speakers.
5. Mix quick. High pass everything under 100 Hz except bass. Sidechain pads to the kick. Compress the drum bus lightly for glue.
6. Export a rough demo and play it in your car. If it still bangs you keep it. If not, change one element and test again.

FAQ

What tempo works best for synth metal

There is no single best tempo. Use your song mood to decide. Slow tempos create a crushing weight. Mid tempos balance groove and atmosphere. Fast tempos deliver intensity. Start where the riff feels right and adjust drums to support energy. Test on headphones and car speakers to judge feel.

Can I make synth metal with only software instruments

Yes. Modern DAWs and sample libraries can produce convincing guitar bass and drum sounds. Layering is key. Use realistic amp sims for guitars and combine electric bass samples with synth subs for low end. If you plan to perform live consider which parts you will reproduce in a set though.

How do I keep guitars and synths from clashing

Use frequency carving. High pass pads below 200 to 400 Hz depending on the guitar. Give guitars presence around 1 to 3 kHz. Let synth leads occupy a different register or use effects such as chorus to separate timbre. Use automation to change the balance between sections.

What vocal effects suit synth metal

Distortion saturation and slight pitch modulation add aggression. Vocoder and formant shifting work for a futuristic vibe. Use delays and reverb tastefully and automate them. Keep distortion on leads for character and keep verses more intelligible.

Should I tune guitars down for synth metal

Lower tunings can add weight and aggression but they are not required. Drop tunings are common and work well with synth sub layers. Consider string gauge and guitar setup if you plan to perform live. If you go really low support the low notes with a synth sub for clarity.

How do I make chantable choruses for synth metal

Keep the chorus phrase short and rhythmic. Use consonant heavy words that land on strong beats. Add a synth octave doubling or a simple chant backing vocal to help crowds sing along. Repetition and a clear title word help a lot.

What is sidechain and why should I use it

Sidechain is a method where one signal triggers compression or volume ducking on another signal. Commonly used to let the kick cut through a sustained synth by briefly reducing the synth volume when the kick hits. It preserves punch and keeps the low end clear.

How do I make my synth metal mix loud without losing dynamics

Use multi band compression and parallel processing instead of crushing the whole mix. Use limiting sparingly and make sure the master is not clipping. Mastering is where perceived loudness improves without destroying dynamics. Keep transient information intact for impact.

Get Contact Details of Music Industry Gatekeepers

Looking for an A&R, Manager or Record Label to skyrocket your music career?

Don’t wait to be discovered, take full control of your music career. Get access to the contact details of the gatekeepers of the music industry. We're talking email addresses, contact numbers, social media...

Packed with contact details for over 3,000 of the top Music Managers, A&Rs, Booking Agents & Record Label Executives.

Get exclusive access today, take control of your music journey and skyrocket your music career.

Unlock Instant Access