riffing

Riffing is the act of creating or performing a riff—a short, repeated melodic, rhythmic, or chordal figure that forms the core theme or groove of a composition. Riffs are typically looped and serve as a musical hook that guides the listener through a song.

In practice, riffing is central to many genres, especially rock, blues, funk, and metal. A riff is most often guitar-based, but it can appear on bass, piano, or other instruments. In jazz, similar ideas exist as repeating motifs or ostinatos, though the term riff is used more loosely and may refer to a recurring figure rather than a fixed hook.

Techniques for effective riffing include crafting repeating patterns that outline the underlying chord progression, using simple, memorable intervals, and employing scales such as pentatonic or blues scales. Riffs may be melodic or rhythmic, and players often vary the figure across repetitions, layer riffs with harmonies or drums, and incorporate call-and-response or pedal-point devices to create tension and release.

History and usage: the concept of repeating musical figures predates modern rock, with blues, boogie-woogie, and jazz traditions featuring analogous ideas. The term riff began to appear in early 20th-century jazz and entered popular usage in rock during the 1960s and 1970s to describe distinctive guitar hooks that drive songs.

Examples and impact: notable riffs include the guitar lines in Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, AC/DC's Back in Black, Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water, and Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Riffing often shapes song structure, provides a memorable hook, and can function as a springboard for improvisation within a composition.