subject: Guitar Basics Including Riffs For Beginners [print this page] To understand the need for guitar riffs for beginners, one needs to first know what a riff is. A riff is basically a series of notes, musical phrase or chord patterns that are repeated in music. Unlike a hook, which is a lyrical phrase that is repeated and which summarizes what the song is about, riffs are musical notes. Due to their repeated nature, they are very easy to learn to play. Jazz, pop and rock are the most common music genres in which the term riff is used. In the classical music, however, instead of using riff to describe these repeated musical notes, the term "ostinato" is used, which is an Italian derivation of the word "stubborn".
For beginners, there are many riffs one can use to start learning playing the guitar. There are also different forms of training you can use to achieve this. You can use online software like the Riffmaster Pro, online video training or having physical one on one coaching and training from qualified professionals.
Depending on the music genre of choice, be it rock, blues or jazz, there are some awesome riffs you can use to learn the guitar playing skill fast. Some cool rock guitar riffs include "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, "Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple, and "Purple Haze" By Jimi Hendrix. A good blues guitar riff is "Crossroads" by Eric Clapton.
Regardless of the genre choice, learning to play the guitar needs practice and patience. Discipline also comes in handy. Whether your fingers ache, or you just feel awkward trying to play this instrument for the first time, it is not yet time to quit. The following are some good tips to help you get started effectively, with the most basic one being having or generating a great interest in the music genre of your choice.
Basically, you will need to learn to hold the guitar. A good hold is the one where you feel comfortable and relaxed. You should not feel pressure on your back or discomfort when trying to move your hands along the guitar neck to hit notes. Depending on whether it is an acoustic or an electric one, you should hold it appropriately. An acoustic guitar should rest on your stomach while an electric guitar goes slightly below the stomach level.
You need to invest in a good guitar. Quality play and better sound, when you are practicing, is a huge motivator. As the strings get more used, they start loosing sound quality due to the continued contact and soaking from sweating of the hands. In time, they change their peak quality and don't sound as well. If possible, get yourself a new guitar for the training lessons.
Regular practice is a must for perfection to come by. This is the only way to learn effectively. On top of this, you need to teach yourself. As much as you may go for one on one training sessions, when you are alone, you will be more relaxed and able to experiment, without the fear of retribution. It is therefore, important to practice on your own with no supervisor. These tips, on top of using the best guitar riffs for beginners, will make the learning process fun.
