Beginner Guitar Riffs

How to easily learn beginner guitar riffs.

1. What is it that you want to learn?

2. Rock, Pop, Country – maybe Metal?

3. Pick a style.

Once you have chosen a style it will be easier to find a song that you like.

Now choose a guitarist/band that plays in that style.

The best way to learn a riff is to study the way that the guitarist who wrote the riff plays it. If you can, find a video of them playing it – or if you can’t get a video listen carefully to the music.

Just plucking the strings in the right place and time isn’t enough. To be an excellent guitarist you need to hone your skills and develop you own playing style. Don’t just play a riff over and over from beginning to end, skipping the bit that you keep getting wrong.

Concentrate on those difficult bits and get them perfect.

Break the riff down into smaller parts. Even easy riffs need lots of practice. It is simple to learn hundreds of riffs and go out and play them in a pub. Any guitar player can do that – that’s why there are so many cover/wedding bands!

If you really want to make your playing shine, learn the riff using different methods. Record yourself playing, try playing it with a plectrum and with your fingers. If you have different guitars, play it on them and see what sounds different.

No guitar is the same, so a riff played on one guitar could sound a lot better (or worse!) on another. Also test out different sound using an effects pedal. ALWAYS use a metronome to keep yourself in time. Remember when you play in a band this will give you practice to help keep you in time with the drummer and other musicians.

It will become second nature.

The most important thing is to take your time and don’t rush to play the next song until you have mastered the first one. I would rather play 2 riffs amazingly well than 10 really badly.

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