Favorite Guitar Riffs

[Brandon_Webb]

I couldn't find a thread on this one, so why not.

I really love the riff that Ler and Claypool do together in "Golden Boy" at around 2:55 it's really cool for the last few seconds in the song. My all time favorite Riff though is "Open Mind" by Blackfield (same singer/guitarist from Porcupine Tree) They only do it during the chorus but it's really awesome.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I'm going to start with Classic Rock here.....

1) "A Legal Matter" Pete Townshend (The Who)
2) "Heart Full of Soul" Jeff Back (Yardbirds)
3) "I Feel Fine" John Lennon (The Beatles)
4) ""Holiday In Waikiki" Dave Davies (The Kinks)
5) "Gimme Shelter" Keith Richards (Rolling Stones)
6) "Eight Miles High" Roger McGuinn (The Byrds)
7) "Louie Louie" Mike Mitchell (Kingsmen)
8) "Sunshine of Your Love" Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce (Cream)
9) "No Time" Randy Bachman (Guess Who)
10) "Little Games" Jimmy Page (The Yardbirds)

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I would now like to add the 5 following:

1) "There's No Other Way" Graham Coxon (Blur)
2) "Sweet Child O' Mine" Slash (GNR)
3) "Crazy Train" Randy Rhodes (Ozzy Osbourne)
4) "Cult of Personality" Vernon Reid (Living Color)
5) "Roadhouse Blues" Robby Krieger (The Doors)

 

[vince56]

"Sweet Child O' Mine" Slash (GNR)

Nah, that's more of a lick than a riff.



Riff = rhythm
lick = lead

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Nah, that's more of a lick than a riff.



Riff = rhythm
lick = lead

Yeah... I don't know what possessed me to include that one....Must that I was sniffing too much Elmers glue earlier!

Although.. the other ones Ive listed are pretty much consistent with a "riff" (well.. at least for the most part)....

I would have to include:

1) "Song 2" Graham Coxon (Blur)
2) "Owner of a Lonely Heart" Trevor Rabin (Yes)
3) Anything else from earlier Kinks (Ray/Dave Davies were just awesome and
pretty much inspired what became a decade later Punk)
4) "Smoke On The Water" Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
5) "She's A Woman" John Lennon (The Beatles)

 

[vince56]

Riffs:

1. Iron Man - Tony Iommi
2. Enter Sandman - James Hetfield (maybe the catchiest rock riff ever)
3. Black Dog - Jimmy Page
4. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
5. Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix
6. The Mirror - John Petrucci (never before did only one damn chord sound so heavy)
7. Sad But True - James Hetfield (Dun!! Dun-dun. Dit-do-dit-do-dit-do dun! dun-dun!!)
8. Tornado of Souls - Dave Mustaine
9. Symphony of Destruction - Dave Mustaine
10. Damien - Criss Oliva (from the '93 Savatage album, "Edge of Thorns", the late Criss Oliva's last album)
11. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads
12. Raining Blood - Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King
13. Cowboys from Hell - Dimebag Darrell
14. Cemetary Gates - Dimebag Darrell
15. Walk - Dimebag Darrell
16. Regular People (conceit) - Dimebag Darrell

Yeah, Darrell was a riff machine. I loved his stuff. Word is Damageplan is coming out with a new album; Dime recorded all his parts before he was killed. It's going to be an interesting record to listen to, that's for sure.

Licks (not necessarily a solo, but a lead or harmony line, nonetheless):

1. The Trooper - Dave Murray & Adrian Smith
2. Summer Song - Joe Satriani
3. Surfing with the Alien - Joe Satriani
4. Flying in a Blue Dream - Joe Satriani
5. War - Joe Satriani
6. For the Love of God - Steve Vai
7. Lifting Shadows off a Dream - John Petrucci (the echoing clean guitar part is amazing)
8. Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson
9. Sweet Child O' Mine - Slash


Phew, that's all I can think of for now.