Riff
A riff is a repeated
David Brackett (1999) defines riffs as "short melodic phrases", while Richard Middleton (1999)[3] defines them as "short rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic figures repeated to form a structural framework". Rikky Rooksby states: "A riff is a short, repeated, memorable musical phrase, often pitched low on the guitar, which focuses much of the energy and excitement of a rock song."[4]
BBC Radio 2, in compiling its list of 100 Greatest Guitar Riffs, defined a riff as the "main hook of a song", often beginning the song, and is "repeated throughout it, giving the song its distinctive voice".[5]
Use of the term has extended to comedy, where riffing means the verbal exploration of a particular subject, thus moving the meaning away from the original jazz sense of a repeated figure that a soloist improvises over, to instead indicate the improvisation itself—improvising on a melody or progression as one would improvise on a subject by extending a singular thought, idea or inspiration into a bit, or routine.[6]
Etymology
The term riff entered musical slang in the 1920s (Rooksby, ibid[where?], p. 6) and is used primarily in discussion of forms of rock music, heavy metal or jazz. "Most rock musicians use riff as a near-synonym for musical idea" (Middleton 1990, p. 125).
The etymology of the term is not clearly known. Ian Anderson, in the documentary "A World Without Beethoven",[7] states (repeatedly) that "riff" is the abbreviation of "repeated motif." Other sources propose riff as an abbreviation for "rhythmic figure" or "refrain".[8]
Usage in jazz, blues and R&B
In
The riff from
In classical music, individual musical phrases used as the basis of
Riff-driven
The term "riff-driven" is used to describe a piece of music that relies on a repeated instrumental riff as the basis of its most prominent melody,
A few examples of riff-driven songs are "
See also
References
- ^ Capuzzo, Guy. Neo-Riemannian Theory and the Analysis of Pop-Rock Music, pp. 186–187, Music Theory Spectrum, Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 177–199. Autumn 2004. Capuzzo uses "+" to indicate major and "−" to indicate minor (C+, C−).
- ^ New Harvard Dictionary of Music (1986) p. 708. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
- ISBN 0-335-15275-9.
- ISBN 0-87930-710-2.
- ^ BBC Radio 2 website.
- ^ "Definition of RIFF". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2019-09-30.
- ^ "A World Without Beethoven? | Music Documentary with Sarah Willis (Full length)". YouTube.
- ^ "Definition of riff". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
- ^ Best Guitar Riffs. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ISBN 978-0679737285.
- ISBN 978-0-631-21264-5.)
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The song (Black Dog) represents a defining moment in the genre of hard rock, combining the elements of speed, power, an artful and metrically clever riff
- Blender Magazine. Archived from the originalon May 30, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f "50 Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time". NME. October 25, 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
- ISBN 0-87930-736-6.
- ^ a b c d e Chilton, Martin (October 22, 2018). "15 Of The Best Guitar Riffs". Udiscovermusic. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
- ^ Gallucci, Michael (10 September 2014). "Top 10 Joe Perry Aerosmith Riffs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
Sources
- Covach, John. "Form in Rock Music: A Primer", in Stein, Deborah (2005). Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-517010-5.
- Homo, Bruce; Swiss, Thomas (1999). Form and Music: Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-21263-9.
- Middleton, Richard (2002). Studying Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-15275-9.
- Rooksby, Rikky (2002). Riffs: How to create and play great guitar riffs. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-710-2.