Riffs Can Be Improvised or Kept in a ‘Trick Bag’

Guitar riffs are developed from scales. Some guitarists have a "trick bag" of riffs they can use in a pinch. Painting: "Jazzy Guitar" by Debra Hurd.

A riff is a short melodic phrase used as a building block in improvisation. All fields that make use of the art of improvisation make use of the “riff.” There are jazz riffs, country riffs, bluegrass riffs, blues riffs, etc.

Riffs can be played on any type of acoustic or electric guitar. Most players develop signature riffs and use them frequently in their solos. Riffs can be learned from other players, copied from recordings, or invented.

All riffs come from scales. Depending on the musical style, a riff will come from a scale typical of that style. Country music uses the Nashville Pentatonic scale. Blues uses the Blues scale. Jazz often uses the Dorian scale. A riff can be developed and used from any of these scales.

I have never copied a riff from any source to use in my own playing. I have always felt that the riff approach to music tends to produce a predictable solo. Many players however find it beneficial to integrate specific riffs into their playing.

The great jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery wrote and recorded a cute song on his Boss Guitar album called “The Trick Bag.” He told me that this song was a reference to any set of personal riffs that guitarists use over and over in their solos.

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