A riff is a progression of notes, usually played on top of some chords (could be played a capella, could be played over one chord, could be anything). There isn't any rule that specifies how long a riff is. A riff could be half a measure, could be 3, could be 6. A chord progression is a progression of chords.
Riffs are catchy melodic lines that give the listener something to grab onto and remember, as opposed to chord progressions, which exist in music to provide predictable and structured harmonic content. Listeners almost always remember riffs but rarely remember chord progressions.
A riff in music, a riff is a repeated sequence of notes or chords. A guitar riff is often catchy and helps give structure and character to a piece of music. Riffs most commonly appear in rock, funk, jazz, and Latin music, though they can be found in almost any genre of music.
Fundamentally, a riff is a specific pattern played in a solo fashion. For example, the short, repeated phrase can be made out of chords or done with individual notes and play on the lower part of the guitar like a rhythm, or you can play on the higher frets as a lead guitar part.
"Smoke on the Water" (Deep Purple, 1972)
“Smoke on the Water” has enjoyed widespread popularity since 1972, when guitarist Ritchie Blackmore conjured what is possibly the world's most famous guitar riff ever.
The main difference between a guitar lick and a guitar riff is how a melody or idea is used. If the idea is a key part of the song, it's a guitar riff. If it's a once-off idea that is part of a solo, it's a lick.
Chords are the quickest way to get started with songs. I think it's a good idea and I teach my new students chords first.
A riff can be made up of notes or chords that form a pattern in a song. Some of the most recognizable riffs are repeated throughout a song. Other riffs can be heard only once in a guitar solo. A riff can form the melody of a song, or provide a steady counter to the song's vocal melody.
A guitar riff is the hook of a song. It's a sequence of notes and chords that gives a track an identity. It can open a song, and be repeated throughout as a distinctive motif. The journalist and music critic Greg Lot once said: “A riff, when done right, can shape a song and often rule it.”
Riffs are typically rhythmic repeated patterns but will often have a melodic element and comprise a tune.
The riff is a short and catchy melodic idea and it recurs so often that it gives character and structure to a song. The hook is any part of a song that is meant to grab the listener's attention. The hook is also catchy but it doesn't recur as often so that it makes a greater impact when it turns up.
However, the legend of exactly why it is banned in guitar stores actually goes much deeper than the comfortable combines of a local music shop. In fact, the opening notes of Stairway to Heaven are known in some other circles as the “forbidden riff” or the “forbidden song.”
Truth be told, riffs aren't unique to guitar players and guitars. Any instrument can utilize riffs. Even non-melodic instruments like drums can create rhythmic riffs. But in most popular styles, the idiomatic instrument for riffing is the guitar.
Learning riffs on the piano is an awesome way to sound amazing quickly. In this lesson, I'll teach you three simple blues riffs that pack a lot of punch! Not only are these really fun to play, but they will also help you to understand the blues scale on a deeper level.
Depending on your vocal range, riffs and runs are also two of the hardest techniques for many people, including myself. The truth is that singing riffs and runs are easy when you learn to sing with lots of flexibility and you know which scales to use.
A few examples of riff-driven songs are "Whole Lotta Love" and "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin, "Day Tripper" by The Beatles, "Brown Sugar" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones, "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple, "Back in Black" by AC/DC, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, "Johnny B Goode" by ...
Unlike a guitar riff that remains the same every time and serves an important role in establishing the main musical idea of the song, a guitar lick is an improvisation on the way the notes are played to make them sound a little different.
A guitar riff is a musical phrase that serves as the backbone of a section of a song. It's played with chords, notes, or a mix of both, and is repeated many times throughout the song during the verse, chorus, or a bridge.
Smoke on The Water – Deep Purple
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple may be the first riff most beginners learn on guitar. You can get away with just the root note of the power chords that make up the riff. Start with those root notes on the low E string while you listen to the song for timing.
Your riff can be 1 bar, less than one bar, 2 bars, 4 bars, or more. It doesn't really matter since a riff is something that's meant to be repeated and added to that, you can make variations to your main theme later on.