Weekend Music - Recognizable Riffs

last month

No key words this week. Post your favorite songs containing instrumental riffs that make you instantly recongize the song. If not obvious, or at the very beginning, include where in the video it can be found.

Let's start with a tribute to Brian Wilson and the unmistakable first 25 seconds of California Girls.

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Comments (27)

lettersatoz
Original Author
last month
And of course, at the 3:40 mark, probably Phil's most famous drum riff...
Elmer J Fudd
last month
Sticking strictly to the category described, this is the definitive one in rock music. An opinion widely held, it's not just mine.
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
last month
Ice Ice Baby/ Vanilla Ice
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roxsol
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lettersatoz
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
@carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10...love that one, though it of course always makes me think of this one:
roxsol
last month
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arcy_gw
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arcy_gw
last month

Don't bother, I know I don't know a riff from a____ but these are recognizable everytime anytime.
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Sweet Betsy
last month
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chloebud
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Sweet Betsy
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Elmer J Fudd
last month
You're not alone, arcy. Some of the preceding posts suggests others also don't know what a riff is.

It's a short musical phrase/series of notes, usually first heard at the beginning of a song to introduce it, that often repeats later in the song, sometimes as a type of theme. When you hear a few seconds, you immediately know the song.

Another example might be the keyboard intro to Light My Fire.

Here's another iconic riff, same artist as Layla - Clapton
chloebud
last month
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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chloebud
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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eltonjohndenver
last month
Keith Richards came up with so many great riffs. Here are just a few...
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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eltonjohndenver
last month
A few organ riffs from the "summer of love"...
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chloebud
last month
This one’s pretty instant for me.
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Michele
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Michele
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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
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lettersatoz
Original Author
last month
Starting Part II:https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6498950/weekend-music-recognizable-riffs-part-ii
petalique
last month
Elmer, I wasn't fast enough — Layla