How to Play Guitar Riffs & Leads

Riffs and leads are the building blocks of rock music. In order to have a great song, an artist needs to incorporate both of the elements and use them to their full potential. Although there are many guitarists who pride themselves on speed and virtuosity, a million notes will never surpass a good solid riff and a sharp lead. Remember, feeling is the most important aspect of music--if you can play leads and riffs that make you and others feel instead of just listen, then you have accomplished true musicianship.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar tuned to standard tuning
• Guitar pick

How to Play Guitar Riffs and Leads

1. Concentrate on writing a riff first. One of the best progressions in rock music is the E-C-D power-chord progression. It's used quite often by bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and the Scorpions. In order to make this a little less bland, do some palm muting on the low E string to keep the tempo going--this will also give the riff more of a chugging sound. First, strike an E power-chord twice. This is done by fretting the A string behind the seventh fret (the note is E), and fretting the D string behind the ninth fret (the note is B, the fifth harmony of E).

2. After striking the E power-chord, palm mute the low E by resting the edge of your palm on the bridge--where the strings come from--of your guitar. Then pick the low E five times, so that it synchronizes with the two pickings of the E power-chord to complete the 4/4 time signature that the riff is in. What this means is to start off on the E power-chord and count 1,2,3,4 to keep the beat. 1 will be the two plucks of the E power-chord, and the five plucks on the low E will complete the 2,3,4.

3. Now move down to a C power-chord by fretting the A string behind the third fret and the D string behind the fifth fret--pick it twice, just like the last power-chord. Repeat the palm muted pickings of the previous section in between power-chords.

4. For the last part of the riff, after playing the palm muted low E part, pick a D power-chord twice by fretting the A string behind the fifth fret and the D string behind the seventh fret. If you keep palm muting after you hit the D power-chord and hit the E power-chord again, you complete the riff. If you want to, you can keep the riff going for as long as you deem necessary. All riffs are constructed off of different chord progressions. Mess around with others to figure out some of your own riffs and give your playing a truly unique and personal spin.

5. Now on to the lead. Leads are made up by using different scales and using different techniques to enhance them. For now, let's start with a basic scale, the pentatonic (meaning five notes), in the key of E, so that we can match our riff. Start out by fretting the high E behind the 12th fret (that's an E note) with your index finger and pick it. Then fret behind the 15th fret on the same string with your smallest finger (making it a G) and pick it as well. Pluck the E note at the 12th fret again after that.

6. Pluck the B string as you have your smallest finger fretting the note behind the 15th fret (this is a D note), then fret behind the 12th fret on the same string and pluck it (this is a B). Pluck the D again (15th fret) and then pluck the E on the high E (12th fret). This should sound like a somewhat Oriental melody. If you have a friend or recording play the riff, you can fit this lead in right over the top of the riff; the speed of how you do it is up to you, but make sure you have it down solid before you try to be Eddie Van Halen. Leads are just like riffs--all you need to do is pick notes and put them in different orders to make up a lead. Just fooling around with a scale will make you familiar enough so that you can come up with your own. You can even fit in little melodies to your leads to make them even catchier.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, practice makes perfect.