Guitar Riffs - What's the attraction?!!?!

So...as a new guitarist, before you even know what tablature looks like...and God forbid before you attempt to learn to read those devilish things called sheet music. That first time you caress the beautiful curves of what will soon become the master of your existence...the yin to your yang...the alpha and the omega of your being...yes I'm talking about your guitar, your AXE, your weapon of choice (i will wholeheartedly admit that I might be showering a bit too much love on my guitars, but that's a topic for a different blog entry), you always learn some of your favorite songs just by using your god given ability of hearing. Yes, you learn, as us musos like to call it, "By Ear".

Now this, as most hardened guitarists know, is one of the secrets to becoming what we like to call a guitar virtuoso...a Guthrie Govan, a Steve Vai, an Eddie van Halen...and so on and so forth. Except for the fact that 90% of us never reach THAT goal, we also don't immediately realize, that what we automatically tend to listen to in a song, is better known as a RIFF!

Yessssss...those magical notes strung together in such a fascinating way, that you simply can't get it out of your mind. I'm talking about the "dum dum dummm...dum dum da dummmm...dum dum dummm...dum da dummmmm" - Smoke on the water, or the even better known "tang tang takataka tang tang taka tang tang takataka tang tang" - Smells like teen spirit.

Now that we know we are playing riffs, it becomes a drug, something that you crave more of day in and day out...you start delving deeper into the odyssey of riffing and you start playing things like Sweet Child 'o mine...to the detriment of your neighbors and/or family. You start chasing that dragon and before you know it you are knee deep in Iron Maiden riffs and you're drowning in magical Pantera finger breaking action....STOP!

Let's rather ask the question: "What makes a good riff?"

Let's break it down:

1. It's gotta be catchy - It has to be something that you can hum, or whistle. That's when it gets stuck in your head and it starts bothering the living crap out of you until you get a guitar in your hands and you're able to play it like the pros!

2. It's gotta be fun to play - Now this is relative to your ability as a guitarist...but always remember to try and push yourself in any scenario...that's how you get better!

3. Keep it original - No one likes a copy cat. And absolutely no one wants to listen to a re-arranged version of Day Tripper or Paranoid. It's been done, it's been perfected, it's sold millions of copies...get your own!

4. Test it out on other musos - This is particularly helpful if you have some input from drummers and bassists (let it be known, that I, for once in my life, have given some credit to someone other than guitarists). If you can get a thumping drum beat and a hard hitting bass line to go with your riff, half the battle is won already! In the words of one of the most prolific riff masters out there Mr. Lemmy Killmister of Motorhead "...if you think you've got something, run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes..." RIP Lemmy

5. Keep it simple - Yes I know...I might be crucified for this, but in my opinion and the opinion of my lifelong bassist ...simpler is better. You want the non-musician to be able to latch onto your riff and hum it along. You want the housewife that's got the radio on softly in the background to hum your damn riff the whole day until it irritates her to such a degree that she starts googling and asking google : " what song goes "dumdumdumdumdum chikachikachikachika dumdumdumdumdum chikachikachikachika" (That's "You really got me" by The Kinks/Van Halen by the way)

6. Get it to groove - I don't know what else to say...it's gotta have a groove!

7. Not too long and not too short - You want a riff that can easily loop and also remember that the riff mustn't be played to death during a song. It's gotta have a hook!

So there you go...my seven points in becoming a riff master. Use them...don't use them. But whatever you do...enjoy the journey!

Rock and Roll will never die!!