Q&A for How to Write a Rock Song

Yes, absolutely! It doesn't really matter which or how many instruments are in a band. You can make great music with just a guitarist and a singer.

Both are unusual choices in rock music. They have very different timbres (sounds), so listen to both, and decide which is a better fit for your the melodies you want to play and your vocal and lyrical style.

There are many bands without guitarists - this is definitely doable. However, the guitar is the key instrument in rock music, so writing rock music without it will be a real test of your creativity.

Chords are more common, and can be easier to sing over as they have a fuller sound with more notes (so you have a bigger range to choose from without sounding out of key), but you can definitely just play individual notes if you prefer.

Yes, very many rock songs - and even punk, metal, and hip-hop - begin on the piano.

The others can choose an instrument to learn, like the bass, guitar, or drums. Many bands have begun with a group of people who only know one instrument between them, such as The Gories (who went from knowing nothing about their instruments to a unique punk-blues sound by the time their first album was released). Or they could contribute another way - as a member of How to Destroy Angels, Rob Sheridan was responsible for visuals rather than the music (though he had input to the band's sound).

Yes, plenty of bassists also write songs. Since you're likelier to make the bass part more interesting than a guitarist or pianist would, your songs would have an edge over a lot of the material out there.

It certainly can. The opening riff of Enter Sandman is at least as much of a hook as the chorus. Other good examples of instrumental hooks are Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple, Plug In Baby by Muse, and Pieces of Truth by Foxboro Hottubs.

Yes, plenty of bands start this way. Nine Inch Nails was only one person (plus touring musicians when required) from the 80s until 2016! Cloud Nothings was also just a one-man band to begin with, and Panic! At the Disco and The Veils were reduced to one member several times.

Sure but it would be different. Musicians have more tools and it's much easier to make music. I think that grunge/metal will make a comeback, yes, but they will incorporate some elements of pop rock in them. Even because of the pandemic, a new genre of metal/pop rock fusion could arise because people are in need of entertaining and want to relive the 90's. I can't say for sure, but it seems more likely, even despite pop dominating the market.

Make flyers. But, due to the pandemic, start by going digital. Think, QR codes, a website where you can download sample songs, and maybe even digital concerts! If you are younger, you could ask your parents to help. If you are older and you don't mind, you can do all of this yourself. Now, for your second question, do digital advertising. Maybe do a text chain or something.

In the modern age of 2021, you have many options for this. If you have an iPhone, you can use Garageband, a free app with free loops and onscreen touch instruments. If you don't have an iPhone, there are many apps and options, Audacity for one. Try searching online for "Garageband alternatives".

Yes, that would be musically alright. Just make the instrumental solo transition smoothly into the rest of the song. When you asked that question, I thought of one song that is alternative rock but has a guitar riff at the beginning. Try "Bleeding Out" by Imagine Dragons. It's not their best song, but that riff is worth your time.