Five Awesome Guitar Riffs Too Good Not To Learn

Summary

This guitar lesson highlights five unique riffs designed to enhance various guitar techniques. The first riff, a mysterious slide in E minor, introduces sliding techniques with melodic phrases. The second riff explores thumb slapping and strumming on an E7 chord, adding percussive flavor. The third riff incorporates a cascading scale approach, blending open strings with fretted notes for a Spanish Andalusian feel. The fourth riff, based on a G7 chord, emphasizes shuffle rhythm and bluesy phrasing. The final riff features octave shapes in E minor, using arpeggios for a smooth and engaging sound. Each riff targets specific skills to make you a better player.

Takeaways

• 😀 The first riff, 'The Mysterious Slide,' focuses on mastering slide techniques in E minor, using both whole step and half step slides across various frets on the second string.
• 😀 'The Blues Band' riff emphasizes thumb slapping and strumming on the E7 chord, developing a percussive and rhythmic blues feel.
• 😀 'The Spanish Tell' riff introduces a cascading scale approach, blending open strings with fretted notes for a unique sound, moving between E major and F major 7th sharp 11.
• 😀 The 'Bluesy Seventh' riff works over a G7 chord, teaching shuffle rhythm and the integration of minor and major third intervals, enhancing blues performance.
• 😀 'The Mysterious Octaves' riff uses octave shapes and arpeggiation across the 5th, 4th, and 2nd strings in E minor, building a smooth and harmonic sound.
• 😀 The key to the 'Mysterious Slide' riff is the combination of melody and slides, requiring precision with finger placement for smooth transitions between notes.
• 😀 In the 'Blues Band' riff, thumb slapping is used as a percussive technique, creating a rhythmic, groovy vibe that is essential for modern blues playing.
• 😀 'The Spanish Tell' challenges players to rethink scales, utilizing a cascading technique that combines descending scales with open string notes for an expressive sound.
• 😀 The 'Bluesy Seventh' riff involves intricate string slides and emphasizes the importance of rhythm in blues, particularly in mastering shuffle patterns.
• 😀 'The Mysterious Octaves' riff teaches players to use octaves creatively, offering a clear example of how to add depth and texture to an E minor progression.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this video tutorial?

The video tutorial focuses on teaching five different guitar riffs, each emphasizing a unique guitar technique to help players improve their skills.

How is the first riff, 'The Mysterious Slide,' structured?

The riff is played in E minor and involves a series of slides on the second string, alternating between whole-step and half-step slides. It also includes color notes played on the first string, as well as an E minor chord to finish.

What is the thumb slapping technique used in the second riff?

The thumb slapping technique involves using the left side of the thumb to slap the sixth string while simultaneously strumming the fifth string with the index finger. This creates a percussive, bluesy effect.

How does the 'Blues Band' riff differ from traditional blues riffs?

The 'Blues Band' riff uses thumb slapping and strumming, which is a unique percussive technique that gives it a more rhythm-driven feel. It focuses on fretting and slapping certain strings in a rhythmic pattern.

What is the Andalusian flavor in the third riff?

The Andalusian flavor refers to a Spanish musical style that blends classical scale patterns with flamenco-like techniques. In this riff, a cascading scale approach is used, incorporating both open strings and fretted notes for a distinct sound.

What is a cascading scale, and how is it applied in the 'Spanish Tell' riff?

A cascading scale involves playing notes in a descending order, with a focus on mixing open strings with fretted notes. This creates a flowing, cascading sound. In the 'Spanish Tell' riff, it is played using a combination of open E string and various frets on the second, third, and fourth strings.

What is the key concept of the 'Bluesy Seventh' riff?

The 'Bluesy Seventh' riff is played over a G7 chord and emphasizes a shuffle rhythm, combining both major and minor thirds in the melody. It also introduces a swing feel that is characteristic of blues.

How is the 'Bluesy Seventh' riff structured rhythmically?

The riff is played in a shuffle rhythm, which is characterized by a 'one-two-three' timing pattern. This creates a swinging, syncopated feel that is typical in blues music.

What is the role of octaves in the final riff, 'The Mysterious Octaves'?

In the 'Mysterious Octaves' riff, octaves are played in various string combinations to create a fuller, more dynamic sound. The riff utilizes an octave shape on different strings, starting from Fret 7 and moving to other positions, with an arpeggio picking pattern to highlight the octaves.

How are octaves played in the final riff, and what is the benefit of this technique?

Octaves are played by fretting pairs of notes that are spaced apart by an octave. This technique helps in creating a more powerful sound while maintaining clarity and pitch. It is easier to play on certain string combinations and is common in both rock and blues genres.