Chords make you a strummer. Riffs make you feel like a guitarist. A riff is a short, repeated musical phrase, usually single notes or small two-note shapes, and it is the hook that makes songs from "Johnny B. Goode" to "Iron Man" instantly recognizable.
Riffs are also a brilliant training tool. They develop fretting accuracy, picking control and timing in a way strumming alone does not. This guide teaches you to read tab and gives you five original practice riffs written for this guide, each targeting a specific skill.
How to Read Guitar Tab
Tablature, or tab, is the most common way guitar parts are written down. It shows six lines, one per string, with the thinnest string (high E) on top and the thickest (low E) on the bottom. That is the reverse of chord charts, and it trips everyone up at first.
e|-----------------| B|-----------------| G|-----------------| D|-----------------| A|-----------------| E|--0--3--5--------|
Numbers are frets. This example says: play the low E string open, then at fret 3, then at fret 5, from left to right. Numbers stacked vertically are played together.
Tab shows where to play but not always how long. Listen to the recording, or count along, to get the rhythm.
Basic Technique for Riffs
- Alternate picking. Pick down, then up, then down. It is more efficient than all downstrokes for faster lines. That said, many classic rock riffs use all downstrokes for punch, so practice both.
- One finger per fret. For riffs around frets 1 to 4, assign one finger to each fret. It reduces wasted movement.
- Mute what you are not playing. Let the fretting-hand fingers lightly touch strings you are not using, and rest the side of your picking palm near the bridge. Clean riffs are as much about silence as sound.
Practice Riff 1: Low-String Groove
Skill: accuracy on a single string.
e|---------------------------------| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|---------------------------------| A|---------------------------------| E|--0--0--3--0--5--3--0------------|
Use downstrokes. Keep the open E notes even in volume with the fretted notes. Use finger 3 for fret 5 and finger 1 or 2 for fret 3.
Practice Riff 2: Two-String Walk
Skill: moving between strings.
e|---------------------------------| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|---------------------------------| A|-----------0--2--3---------------| E|--0--2--3---------------3--2--0--|
This climbs up and back down the notes of an E minor sound. Try alternate picking: down-up-down-up.
Practice Riff 3: The Boogie Pattern
Skill: two-note shapes and the shuffle feel that powered early rock and roll.
e|---------------------------------| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|--2--2--4--4--2--2--4--4---------| A|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---------| E|---------------------------------|
Play both strings together. The open A stays the same while your first finger (fret 2) and third finger (fret 4) alternate. This figure is the backbone of countless blues and rock songs. To hear where it comes from, read our history of the "Johnny B. Goode" riff.
Practice Riff 4: The Power Riff
Skill: moving a two-note power chord shape.
e|---------------------------------| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|---------------------------------| A|--2-----5-----7-----5-----2------| E|--0-----3-----5-----3-----0------|
The same shape slides up and down the neck: first finger on the low E, third finger one string over and two frets higher. More on this in Rock Rhythm Guitar.
Practice Riff 5: Top-String Melody
Skill: playing on the thinner strings with control.
e|--------0--3--0------------------| B|--1--3-----------3--1--0---------| G|-----------------------------2---| D|---------------------------------| A|---------------------------------| E|---------------------------------|
Higher-string riffs expose sloppy picking. Keep your pick strokes small and close to the strings.
Practicing Riffs the Smart Way
- Slow it down. Learn a riff at half speed first. If you cannot play it slowly, you cannot play it fast.
- Loop small sections. Master two or three notes at a time, then join them.
- Use a metronome. Speed up 5 bpm at a time only after three clean repetitions.
- Play along. Once you can play a riff, play it with the record or a drum loop.
Famous Riffs to Try Next
When you are ready for the real thing, these are commonly taught first because they rely on the skills above. Each links to TGP's story behind the riff:
- "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath: power chord shapes and slides.
- "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks: two-note power chords.
- "Sweet Home Alabama": melodic picking around chords.
- "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin: a tougher single-note challenge.
For a bigger list, see 20 easy guitar riffs that sound hard and our top 25 guitar riffs of all time.
Next Steps
Riffs and chords meet in Rock Rhythm Guitar and Blues Guitar Basics. Keep building your foundation with the plan in Start Here.