Riffs for Electric Guitar

Often, when listening to rock music, we memorize a melody and constantly scroll or hum it throughout the day. The repetitive pieces of music in songs that are played on electric guitars are called riffs. Usually they represent a complete drawing, which consists of several measures. They are played on the lowest notes that are played on the fourth, fifth, and sixth strings.

These fragments are found in intros, verses, and also in the discs. A striking example is the well-known Queen song "We will rock you". Many famous rock songs are composed of very catchy and catchy riffs. Below we will analyze how to perform such riffs on an electric guitar and what they are.

In general, a guitar riff is a melodic phrase that repeats in music. It can sound in any part of a musical composition: at the beginning or at the end. Such a musical pattern is currently the basis of music. It defines the tonality and overall harmony of the composition.

It should be said that the original source of the riff is the ostinato. It has been used in classical music since the Middle Ages. Then there was a gradual development of this direction of riff music. And it began with jazz and blues. And then moved on to hard rock and metal. It was bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and AC / DC that promoted and developed this music.

Nowadays, there are a large number of musical designs for the electric guitar. Among themselves, they are divided into various categories in terms of complexity, method of construction and the nature of the melody itself.

By the type of melody, they can be divided into monophonic, chord, arpeggiated. There are also pedal-tone riffs.

Monophonic riffs consist of one note. There are no chords in them.Similar riffs were used in the 70s of the last century. For example, they were used by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.

In chord patterns, as a rule, several notes at a time. These riffs are based on a relatively clean sound. This performance was often used by Keith Richards and Jimi Hendrix. At the same time, the musicians did not use the barre.

Arpeggiated performance differs from chord riffs in that it uses brute force as the sound. This way of playing gives the music a sense of direction and makes it sound quite lively.

Pedal-pitch riffs have similarities to monophonic riffs. But sometimes other intervals, notes (between the reference) are wedged into their melody. Open top strings are used in the form of a pedal tone.

Let's discuss what the main types of riffs are. So, metal riffs. It should be said that now such drawings have a great variety and features in almost every genre.

Classic metal is dominated by a fast paced game. All riffs are played on the last strings. Therefore, they sound tight and driving.

Such a well-known subgenre of metal as Black Metall has acquired a wide variety of techniques. Each country in which Black Metall is performed has its own nuances in this genre, but there are also common features.

The main distinguishing feature of blues riffs is in the characteristic rhythmic pattern called shuffle. This component of the melody uses the pentatonic scale and blues square. Combined with the shuffle, they create the typical rhythm and groove of the music.

Let's talk about the classic rock riffs that are great for beginners learning to play the electric guitar. In general, they are similar to blues drawings, but at the same time they are more understandable for the listeners.

In hard rock, the guitar is not always used, since it can be replaced by other instruments, for example: bass or drums.

Let's list the most popular, in our opinion, guitar riffs for the entire existence of the genre. These are In My Life - The Beatles, Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Come As You Are - Nirvana, Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen, Manic Depression - Jimi Hendrix, Smoke on the water - Deep Purple, Enter Sandman - Metallica, Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana and many others.

Learn to play the electric guitar from the riffs. They are for the most part the foundation. Certain auditory and technical bases are placed on them. Also, riffs are often used as a musical exercise for beginners.

Guitar riffs are mostly heavy breaks that sound overdriven. They are often played in fifths.

The fifth is one of the musical intervals that includes 3.5 tones. To build a fifth on closed strings, count 2 frets to the right from the given fret and one string down.

The guitar riff defines the basic harmonies and melody, the keys and the steps used in the song. It should be noted that The riff highlights the rhythmic pattern of the composition along with other instruments.

It is also necessary to learn about musical intervals and how to construct them. Nowadays, tabs are a commonly used way to record music. This is done so that you can easily learn how to play it for them. The tablature shows on which fret and on which string a particular note should be played.

Most of the riffs are played in the fifth. At the same time, musicians often try to diversify their compositions, for which they use quarts, sevenths, as well as discordant intervals.

There are no specific rules on how to play riffs. They are different, and there are no regularities. Each rhythmic pattern may have its own peculiarity.

An overview of riffs for beginners in the video below.