djroge1 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 What do you think it takes to make a truly great and even a timeless riff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I've often wondered that. What makes one combination of notes "Bithchen" and another annoying. Or even the same combination of notes, played differently can make a riff good or bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I think it's like asking what makes a painting great? I don't know much about painting so I look for what pleases me to the eye. If someone tells me "such and such" is a great painting, I may say "well that's nice but I think it's ugly." Same thing with music riffs. I love every Alex Lifeson riff, but some people don't. Bottom line, to each their own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swmcv2007 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Day Tripper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Every guitarist ask them selves that question...no answer besides play what you are and what you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Like "La Villa Strangiato" or the opening of "Round About," "Break Down" or "Johnny B. Good", some music just has a hook that gets ya'. I can think of so many more songs that are that way. Guitarists like Page, Clapton, Young, Gibbons, they all have these great hooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Hand Grenade Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Just be more about the Melody and it will come to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I know, but I ain't tellin' :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Just be more about the Melody and it will come to you. Oh sort of like Heart breaker or Black Dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamienAzrael Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Something that gets stuck in your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Something that gets stuck in your head. so you cant have bad riffs stuck in your head? I had one today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamienAzrael Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 so you cant have bad riffs stuck in your head? I had one today... Luckily I can block most horrible music from my memory...so yeah...sucks for you though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Lock your self in your room...best advice i got from a guitarist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Today I was noodling around on one of my Les Pauls, and the riff from Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith came to mind. Put the disc on the stereo and joined in to see if I remembered it correctly. Yep, that's it! Started the song over, cranked it up and ripped thru it flawlessly. Killer riff! Also did the next song on the disc - No More, No More and got it worked out for the most part. Not hard to play, but it makes the fur stand up on my arms. THAT is the trademark effect a great riff has on me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Luckily I can block most horrible music from my memory...so yeah...sucks for you though. that must be a nice super power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Hand Grenade Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Oh sort of like Heart breaker or Black Dog? Exactly like Heart breaker and Black Dog one thing people forget about Jimmy Page is that he was a Session musician and is experience on what sells and what doesn't. Led Zeppelin and early Hard Rock bands all played with the Blues Scale to make riffs, Jimmy Page is notorious for using the Blues Scale he practically used it for every song he composed, My advice to you is to learn Music theory if you do know it mess around with the Pentatonic scale a little and impose the blues scale when necessary. Word to the wise the Blues scale and pentatonic are practically the same scale the blues scale just adds one more note into the mix. Here goes a website that goes into more detail about Triad theory and the other scales. http://www.markmusicman.com/ When i was young i was reluctant to learn music theory but once i got into it everything got really easy to play. I am still learning to this day and plus its a great excuse to go and learn some theory and jam on the guitar with my teacher if you could record all our lessons we probably would have around 10 songs a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamienAzrael Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 that must be a nice super power. Oh...it's quite useful...especially when you end up in a band with a drummer that thinks he's Fred Durst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Livin La Vida Loca ... Timeless sh!xt right there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Oh...it's quite useful...especially when you end up in a band with a drummer that thinks he's Fred Durst. Oh God No !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Oh...it's quite useful...especially when you end up in a band with a drummer that thinks he's Fred Durst. I didn't know Fred Durst was a drummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I didn't know Fred Durst was a drummer. He's not but he thinks he is. Oh and he's the rest of the band as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 About the greatest riffs: IMO the best riffs are those that sound effortless and flow naturally. Your ear and mind don't have to work to find the pattern. From the moment you hear it, you know that is the way it's supposed to sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 When it sounds familiar but isn't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 So from the posts replies it seems that: 1. It's in the ear of the listener 2. We should just play what we like (I guess hope others like it) 3. Hook - it's all about the hook a. A good hook sticks in your head 4. Use the melody 5. Flow naturally 6. Sounds familiar but isn't I don't know? I think there is something missing, but cannot put my finger on it. Would a "hook" played on electric guitar have the same effect if played on an acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano, or banjo? Would "Walk this way" have been as big a hit if it was played on piano? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Hand Grenade Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 So from the posts replies it seems that: 1. It's in the ear of the listener 2. We should just play what we like (I guess hope others like it) 3. Hook - it's all about the hook a. A good hook sticks in your head 4. Use the melody 5. Flow naturally 6. Sounds familiar but isn't I don't know? I think there is something missing' date=' but cannot put my finger on it. Would a "hook" played on electric guitar have the same effect if played on an acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano, or banjo? Would "Walk this way" have been as big a hit if it was played on piano? [/quote'] Why don't you experiment and mix a Piano and a Organ with an Electric guitar to make your riff. Listen to Whipping post by The Allman Brothers Band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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