Write a riff
Compose a short riff of your own from the pentatonic scale and power chords, and record it.
Write a riff
This is a project course: instead of learning someone else’s music, you make a small piece of your own. A riff, a short, repeatable phrase with a strong rhythm, is the smallest complete musical idea on this planet, and writing one is the fastest way to stop feeling like a student and start feeling like a musician.
You’ll build a riff from a handful of notes in the minor pentatonic scale, rhythm first, the way most of Earth’s famous riffs were built. Then you’ll learn power chords and palm muting, and bolt a heavier answer phrase onto your riff. Finally you’ll record it, looped four times over a steady beat, listen back, revise once, and keep the take.
No theory beyond what the riff needs, and no pressure for it to be good. First riffs are allowed to be three notes and an attitude; plenty of great ones never grew past that.
Exercises
- Exercise 00Interview✓Tell your tutor what you already know about this course's topic and what you want to get out of it.
- Exercise 01A riff from the box✓Learn what makes a riff work, then build two of your own from a few notes of the minor pentatonic box, rhythm first.
- Exercise 02Power chords✓Learn the movable power-chord shape and palm muting, then give your riff a heavier power-chord answer phrase.
- Exercise 03Record it✓Record your riff looped four times over a steady beat, listen back for timing, revise once, and keep the take.