A short, repeated, catchy musical phrase that anchors a song.
A riff is a short, memorable musical phrase that is repeated throughout a song, often forming its main hook and identity. Most associated with guitar in rock, blues and funk, riffs can also be played on bass, keyboard or synth, and many of the most famous songs in popular music are instantly recognisable from their opening riff alone. A great riff is usually simple, rhythmic and instantly catchy — easy to hum and hard to forget. For beginners, learning to play classic riffs is both motivating and instructive, because they pack a lot of essential technique and feel into just a few repeated notes.
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