Guitarists: what are some of your favourite riffs/licks/whatever? (include TAB)

[Retinend]

Capo 1

   e  e  e  s s  e  e  e  s s     e  e  e  s s  e  e  e  s s     e  s s s s e  e  s s s s e
e|------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
B|------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
G|----------0-------------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|----------0-------------0----|
D|----2-------4-----5-------4---|----2-------4-----5-------4---|------2-------------0--------|
A|-0-----0-------0-----0--------|-3-----3-------3-----3--------|----2---2---0-----2---2---0--|
E|------------------------------|------------------------------|-0-------------3-------------|

   e  e  s s e    e  e  s s e
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-----------0--------------0----|
D|-------0h2------------0h4------|
A|-3--3-----------5--5-----------|
E|-------------------------------|

%u25B6%uFE0F https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659pppwniXA&t=24s
%uD83C%uDFB8 https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/kurt-vile/pretty-pimpin-tabs-1753863

Pretty Pimpin'
Kurt Vile

I've been a fan of this song since it came out but learning how it all works on guitar is something else: check out this insanely intricate riff for the verse. The bolded A-string bears the steady 4/4 beat. The strings above it provide rhythmic "texture". You need a lot of pinky-strength for the first two bars - it makes for a good exercise of that finger. It also requires three picking fingers or you risk "stuttering". edit-redacted: actually I won't compare this song to Bach, but it's still really nifty, as guitar riffs go

What riffs would you recommend that others learn?

[PlanktonSideburns]

nice thread, will think of something in a bit

[markburgle]

My favourite bit of rock guitar composition ever is the verse bit of Beefheart's Ink Mathematics. It's everything I love - really angular, distinctive and melodic, totally off in its own realm but still grounded in standard chords (thereby still accessible rather than weird for weird's sake). I did work out how to play it but it'd take me forever to write out.

https://youtu.be/WZphejqckiY

[Retinend]

TAB Template

(press the "Insert" key once and you can write the notes without having to delete the characters you want to displace)

e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|

use

Code Select Expand

"[tt] [/tt]" tags to keep parity between the lines

[Nobody Soup]

A favourite of mine to play is the 15 step riff by radiohead. It's a finger picking one. I'll link a live version as the album one is very processed. It's a really nice one to play with a good rolling feel as it's in 5/4. you can also put your own spin on it as Jonny frequently throws in embellishments on the high strings. It's also a good example what you can do with basic chords, it's just outlining a G#m, C# and an D#m, but the note choice and rhythm makes it it's own thing.


e|------------------------------------------------------4----------4----------------|

B|-------------4--------------2----4\-------------------6----------4h6--------------|

G|-------------4--------------4----4\-----------------------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

A|---------------------------------------------4------------4-----------------------|

E|-------4---------------4----------------------------------------------------------|



e|---------------6------------------------------------4-----------4-----------------|

B|---------------7-------------6----------------------6-----------4h6\--------------|

G|----------------------------------8-----------------------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

A|--------6-------------6---------------------4------------4------------------------|

E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|






May favourite "lick" is this spicy offering from Marc Ribot in the Hoist that Rag solo. That hammer on sounds amazing when done right, the bit after it is a bit tricky though, my advice would be to play it as a mini sweep on the 2nd and 3rd fingers. it does sound a lot better picked than hammered on so it requires a little speed flourish. (which is kinda what makes it cool)

e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------6-5---5-|

G|-----7-5-4-7-5-4-7-5-4-7-5-4-/9--9--7-5--4h5p4-----------4-7-5-4---4-5-7-----7---|

D|7--------------------------------------------7-------6---------7---------------|

A|-----------------------------------------------8-8-7---------------------------|

E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|



tbh I think this tab is wrong, but the correct one is a gp pro file on ultimate guitar or a guy called eric haugen does a lesson on youtube (incidentally a great guy to follow for more off beat songs and lesson ideas). Or if worst comes to the worst I can post a mini demo on here, which will sound awful as I have no proper recording software, but I'll still do it.

[Retinend]

I like this Radiohead chord progression - it's nice and syncopated. Could you link to a timestamped recording for the lick from Marc Ribot?

[Nobody Soup]

doh, I did have it ready, just forgot to paste it in.

https://youtu.be/aw3mFXOwRgw?t=144

it has a sort of brother on Jockey full of bourbon, which is a bit easier to play



e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------5----------------------|
G|---4h5p4---------------------------4-----4-------------------|
D|------------7--5--4--------------5------------5---------------|
A|----------------------7--6--7---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|


https://youtu.be/IgMP9O-cIV8?t=101

good to practice your "c shape" chords up and down the neck


I also like the opening riff to doves don't cry,


|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------14h15p14-|
B|-12--15--13--12h13p12-------12-----------------------------x---|
G|-------------------------14---------14p12-----------------x----|
D|---------------------------------------------14p12--------x-----|
A|------------------------------------------------------14---------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG3VcCAlUgE

[Inspector Norse]

Jonny

I find that his guitar parts are pretty much always fun to learn - he uses a lot of unusual structures and his parts can be challenging without ever getting noodly or frustrating.

[Nobody Soup]

I find that his guitar parts are pretty much always fun to learn - he uses a lot of unusual structures and his parts can be challenging without ever getting noodly or frustrating.

yeah he's one of my favourites ever (with the glasto paranoid android tremolo solo being the moment I felt like guitar was the coolest thing in the universe), thoms parts too to be honest (for such a lauded musician the insanely talented git is probably under-rated as a guitarist), in rainbows was just a great guitar record to learn all these interesting patterns.

another thing vaguely related to jonny is this year I've sort of discovered hybrid picking (using the 2nd and 3rd fingers to finger pick while still using a plectrum) and now I've seen it, I've noticed it pops up every where. it's used in lots of radiohead riffs.

[Retinend]

Which ones do you consider "obligatory"?

I feel hypocritcial, because I didn't learn this one until last year, but it's one of those songs you feel like you've always known how to play.

e|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---0-------1-------3--------/12----12--12----12----12--12----|
G|-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------0-------2--------/10------10------10------10------|
E|---3---------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------3---------------5---------------------------------------|
B|---5---------------7---------------8-----8---8-----8-----8---8-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---3-------4-------5-------6-------7-------7-------6-------6-------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------3----------------------------------------|
B|---7---------------5-----5---5------4-----4---4-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0--------0-------0---|
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|---5-------4-------3-------3--------3-------3-------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---3-----3---3-----2-----2---2------1-----1---1------0-----0----0------|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0--------0-------0--------0---------0---|
D|------------------------------------0-------0--------------------------|
A|---2-------2-------0-------0-------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------3--------3--------|

but I think the real alchemy comes with the chorus:

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---10------8-------6-------5---------3-----3---3-----5-----5---5-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---8-------7-------5-------3---------1-------1-------3-------3-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---10------8-------6-------5---------3-----3---3-----2-----2---2-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---8-------7-------5-------3---------1-------1-------0-------0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------|
B|---1-----1---1----1---|
G|-------0-------0------|
D|---0-------0----------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|

[SweetPomPoms]

Needle and the Damage Done
So much Neil Young is endlessly satisfying but I winged the E fingering when I learnt it and am stuck with lots of busky hammer-ons :(

e|---2---0---------|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------0---------|
B|-----------3---3-|---3-3-----3---3-|---3---3---3---3-|---3-3-3---3---0-|
G|-----2-------2-2-|-----2-------2---|---0-0-------0-0-|---0-0-----0-----|
D|-0---0---0---0---|-----0-------0---|-0---0---0---0-0-|-0---0---0---0---|
A|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-2-------2-------|-1-------1---1---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


e|---------0---0-----0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0----0-|---0---0---0---0-|
B|---1-----1---1-----1-|-1-1---1---1---0-|---0-----------(0)|---0----------(0)|
G|-----------0---0h2---|-3---2---0-------|-2---2------------|-1---------------|
D|-2---0h2-------------|-------------3---|-----2---2---2----|-2---2-----------|
A|-3-------------------|-----------------|---------2--(2)---|-----2---2---0---|
E|---------------------|-----------------|-------------0-(0)|---------0-------|

His main theme from Dead Man is another corker, very simple but a bit more off the beaten track and a sweet pedal transition if you arrange it as a single part.

https://youtu.be/YkG7P8i64x8

[easytarget]

e:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------|
B:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------|
G:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--5----3------|
D:---------3---------|---------3---------|---------3-------|--5----3------|
A:-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-----3-4---5-4-3-|--3----1------|
E:-3-6---------------|-3-6---------------|-3-6-------------|--------------|

e:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------|
B:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------|
G:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--5----3------|
D:---------3---------|---------3---------|-3-------3-------|--5----3------|
A:-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-----3-4---5-4-3---|---5-4-3---5-4-3-|--3----1------|
E:-3-6---------------|-3-6---------------|-----------------|--------------|

e:-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------|
B:-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------|
G:-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------|
D:---------3---------|---------3---------|-3h5-3---3-----------|---------3-5---|
A:-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-------5---5-4-4-3---|---3-4-5-------|
E:-3-6---------------|-3-6---------------|-------------------3-|-6-------------|

e:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|-----------|
B:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|-----------|
G:-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|--5----3---|
D:---------3---------|---------3---------|-3-------3-------|--5----3---|
A:-----3-4---5-4-3p0-|-----3-4---5-4-3---|---5-4-3---5-4-3-|--3----1---|
E:-3-6---------------|-3-6---------------|-----------------|-----------|


Jump in the Fire (Metallica).
Not that hard and makes you feel like some kind of riffing metal monster.

[Retinend]

Needle and the Damage Done



e|---2---0---------|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------0---------|
B|-----------3---3-|---3-3-----3---3-|---3---3---3---3-|---3-3-3---3---0-|
G|-----2-------2-2-|-----2-------2---|---0-0-------0-0-|---0-0-----0-----|
D|-0---0---0---0---|-----0-------0---|-0---0---0---0-0-|-0---0---0---0---|
A|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-2-------2-------|-1-------1---1---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


e|---------0---0-----0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0----0-|---0---0---0---0-|
B|---1-----1---1-----1-|-1-1---1---1---0-|---0-----------(0)|---0----------(0)|
G|-----------0---0h2---|-3---2---0-------|-2---2------------|-1---------------|
D|-2---0h2-------------|-------------3---|-----2---2---2----|-2---2-----------|
A|-3-------------------|-----------------|---------2--(2)---|-----2---2---0---|
E|---------------------|-----------------|-------------0-(0)|---------0-------|

Definitely "obligatory"! I have good memories associated with this one as it was one of the first songs I learned that was more than just strumming chords.

BTW if you use

Code Select Expand

[tt]  ... [/tt] it solves the issue of line parity.

[SweetPomPoms]

BTW if you use

Code Select Expand

[tt]  ... [/tt] it solves the issue of line parity.

Just seen it on a laptop, can see what you mean. On Android they nearly all wrap horribly so didn't notice it.

[Retinend]

Name that tune: 

Code Select Expand


[Intro]
e|-----3-----5-----2-----3-----0-----0-----0---------|
B|--3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3------|
G|-----------------------------------------------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

[Chorus]
   (G)            (D)         (Cadd9)
e|-----3-----5-----2-----3-----0-----0-----0---------|
B|--3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3------|
G|-----------------------------------------------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

[Ending 1]
   (Am)            (C)      (G)
e|-------3---5---3-----------------3--------3--------3---|
B|--3/5--------------5---3----4/5------4/5------4/5------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|


[idunnosomename]

that's The Las innit?

[willbo]

Which ones do you consider "obligatory"?

I feel hypocritcial, because I didn't learn this one until last year, but it's one of those songs you feel like you've always known how to play.

e|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---0-------1-------3--------/12----12--12----12----12--12----|
G|-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------0-------2--------/10------10------10------10------|
E|---3---------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------3---------------5---------------------------------------|
B|---5---------------7---------------8-----8---8-----8-----8---8-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---3-------4-------5-------6-------7-------7-------6-------6-------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------3----------------------------------------|
B|---7---------------5-----5---5------4-----4---4-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0--------0-------0---|
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|---5-------4-------3-------3--------3-------3-------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---3-----3---3-----2-----2---2------1-----1---1------0-----0----0------|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0--------0-------0--------0---------0---|
D|------------------------------------0-------0--------------------------|
A|---2-------2-------0-------0-------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------3--------3--------|

but I think the real alchemy comes with the chorus:

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---10------8-------6-------5---------3-----3---3-----5-----5---5-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---8-------7-------5-------3---------1-------1-------3-------3-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---10------8-------6-------5---------3-----3---3-----2-----2---2-----|
G|-------0-------0-------0-------0---------0-------0-------0-------0---|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---8-------7-------5-------3---------1-------1-------0-------0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------|
B|---1-----1---1----1---|
G|-------0-------0------|
D|---0-------0----------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|

which song is this please?

[Retinend]

that's The Las innit?

Yep! Intro to "There She Goes."

Like the song as a whole, the riff is deceptively simple - quite challenging to get the three fingers on the high E string in sequence - and very satisfying to finally get right and to get in a loop correctly.

which song is this please?

Blackbird - The Beatles! I suppose it's the limitation of the TAB format that you need to already have the song in mind to interpret the notes, timing-wise.

[willbo]

thanks, I sort of guessed it was the Beatles. I was trying to figure out if it was here comes the sun. I'm not good at picking strings/notes at all.

my fave stuff to mess around on growing up was anything from RATM's first album

[Pauline Walnuts]

e:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
b:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
g:------0--------0---------------------0----|------0--------0---------------------0--------
D:----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4--|----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4------
A:--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5--------|--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5------------
E:-------------------------0----------------|-------------------------0--------------------
               Now you always say             terminated,             

e:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
b:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
g:------0--------0---------------------0----|------0--------0---------------------0--------
D:----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4--|----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4------
A:--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5--------|--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5------------
E:-------------------------0----------------|-------------------------0--------------------
              I never hear you say             aborted.

e:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
b:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
g:------0--------0---------------------0----|------0--------0---------------------0--------
D:----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4--|----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4------
A:--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5--------|--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5------------
E:-------------------------0----------------|-------------------------0--------------------
               You just have to accept         mistakes happen,

e:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
b:------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
g:------0--------0---------------------0----|------0--------0---------------------0--------
D:----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4--|----5---0----4---4-----5-----------4---4------
A:--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5--------|--7--------5---------7-----(7)\6-5------------
E:-------------------------0----------------|-------------------------0--------------------
              And sometimes they have to be    sorted.