View source for Riff

{{Short description|Repeated refrain in music}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Radiohead "Creep" ostinato.png|thumb|350px|Ostinato from [[Radiohead]]'s "[[Creep (Radiohead song)|Creep]]" features [[modal mixture]], [[common tone (chord)|common tones]] between adjacent triads (B between G & B, C and G between C[[chord letters|+]] & C−), and an emphasis on [[subdominant]] harmony (IV = C in G major).<ref name="Capuzzo">Capuzzo, Guy. ''Neo-Riemannian Theory and the Analysis of Pop-Rock Music'', pp. 186–187, ''Music Theory Spectrum'', Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 177–199. Autumn 2004. Capuzzo uses "+" to indicate major and "−" to indicate minor (C+, C−).</ref>]]
A '''riff''' is a short, repeated [[Motif (music)|motif]] or [[Figure (music)|figure]] in the [[melody]] or [[accompaniment]] of a musical composition.<ref>''New Harvard Dictionary of Music'' (1986) p. 708. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.</ref> Riffs are most often found in [[rock music]], [[heavy metal music]], [[Latin American music|Latin]], [[funk]], and [[jazz]], although [[classical music]] is also sometimes based on a riff, such as [[Ravel]]'s [[Boléro]]. Riffs can be as simple as a tenor [[saxophone]] honking a simple, catchy rhythmic figure, or as complex as the riff-based variations in the [[head arrangement]]s played by the [[Count Basie Orchestra]].
David Brackett (1999) defines riffs as "short melodic [[phrase (music)|phrases]]", while [[Richard Middleton (musicologist)|Richard Middleton]] (1999)<ref>{{cite book |last = Middleton |first = Richard |orig-year = 1990 |year = 2002 |title = Studying Popular Music |location = Philadelphia |publisher = Open University Press |isbn = 0-335-15275-9}}</ref> defines them as "short rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic figures repeated to form a structural framework". Rikky Rooksby states: "A riff is a short, repeated, memorable musical phrase, often pitched low on the guitar, which focuses much of the energy and excitement of a rock song."<ref name=Rooksby>{{cite book |author =Rikky Rooksby |year= 2002 |title = Riffs: How to create and play great guitar riffs |location = San Francisco |publisher = Backbeat Books |isbn = 0-87930-710-2 |pages = 6–7}}</ref>
[[BBC Radio 2]], in compiling its list of 100 Greatest Guitar Riffs, defined a riff as the "main hook of a song", often beginning the song, and is "repeated throughout it, giving the song its distinctive voice".<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3CPpg0bvRvy4kVLtv49MyD6/radio-2-top-100-greatest-guitar-riffs-vote BBC Radio 2 website].</ref>
Use of the term has extended to [[stand-up comedy|comedy]], where ''riffing'' means the verbal exploration of a particular subject, thus moving the meaning away from the original jazz sense of a repeated figure that a soloist improvises over, to instead indicate the improvisation itself—improvising on a melody or progression as one would improvise on a subject by extending a singular thought, idea or inspiration into a ''bit'', or ''routine''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riff |title=Definition of RIFF |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en |access-date=2019-09-30}}</ref>
== Etymology ==
The term ''riff'' entered musical [[slang]] in the 1920s (Rooksby, ibid{{where?|date=November 2021}}, p.&nbsp;6) and is used primarily in discussion of forms of [[Rock and roll|rock music]], [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] or [[jazz]]. "Most rock musicians use ''riff'' as a near-synonym for ''musical idea''" (Middleton 1990, p.&nbsp;125).
The [[etymology]] of the term is not clearly known. Ian Anderson, in the documentary "A World Without Beethoven",<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls5XWu4PhSs&t=600s | title=A World Without Beethoven? &#124; Music Documentary with Sarah Willis (Full length) | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> states (repeatedly) that "riff" is the abbreviation of "repeated motif." Other sources propose ''riff'' as an [[abbreviation]] for "rhythmic figure" or "refrain".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of riff |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/riff |access-date=2020-11-09 |website=Dictionary.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Usage in jazz, blues and R&B ==
In [[jazz]], blues and [[rhythm and blues|R&B]], riffs are often used as the starting point for longer compositions. Count Basie's band used many riffs in the 1930's, like in "Jumping at the Woodside" and "One O Clock Jump". [[Charlie Parker]] used riffs on "Now's the Time" and "Buzzy". Oscar Pettiford's tune "Blues in the Closet" is a rifftune and so is Duke Ellington's tune "C Jam Blues".  Blues guitarist [[John Lee Hooker]] used riff on "[[Boogie Chillen]]" in  1948.<ref>[https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-guitar-riffs/ Best Guitar Riffs]. Retrieved 28 July 2021.</ref>
The riff from [[Charlie Parker]]'s [[bebop]] number "Now's the Time" (1945) re-emerged four years later as the [[R&B]] dance hit "[[The Hucklebuck]]". The verse of "The Hucklebuck", which was another riff, was "borrowed" from the Artie Matthews composition "[[Weary Blues]]". Glenn Miller's "[[In the Mood]]" had an earlier life as [[Wingy Manone]]'s "Tar Paper Stomp". All these songs use [[twelve-bar blues]] riffs, and most of these riffs probably precede the examples given (Covach 2005, p.&nbsp;71).
In classical music, individual musical phrases used as the basis of [[European classical music|classical music]] pieces are called [[ostinato]]s or simply phrases. Contemporary jazz writers also use riff- or lick-like ostinatos in [[modal jazz|modal]] music and [[Latin jazz]].
== Riff-driven ==
The term "riff-driven" is used to describe a piece of music that relies on a repeated instrumental riff as the basis of its most prominent melody, [[cadence (music)|cadence]], or (in some cases) [[leitmotif]]. Riff-driven songs are largely a product of [[jazz]], [[blues]], and post-blues era music (rock and pop).<ref name="RollingStoneIllustratedHistory">{{cite book |title = The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll |edition = 3 Sub |last = Rolling Stone |year = 1992 |publisher = Random House |page = 61 |isbn = 978-0679737285}}</ref> The musical goal of riff-driven songs is akin to the classical ''[[Basso continuo|continuo]]'' effect, but raised to much higher importance (in fact, the repeated riff is used to anchor the song in the ears of the listener). The riff/continuo is brought to the forefront of the musical piece and often is the primary melody that remains in the listener's ears. A ''[[call and response (music)|call and response]]'' often holds the song together, creating a "circular" rather than linear feel.<ref name="Blackwell">{{cite book |title = Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture |edition = Paperback |last = Horner, Bruce (Editor), Swiss, Thomas (Editor) |year = 1999 |publisher = Blackwell Publishing Limited |isbn = 978-0-631-21264-5 |pages = [https://archive.org/details/keytermsinpopula0000unse/page/143 143] |url = https://archive.org/details/keytermsinpopula0000unse/page/143}}</ref>
A few examples of riff-driven songs are "[[Whole Lotta Love]]" and "[[Black Dog (Led Zeppelin song)|Black Dog]]" by [[Led Zeppelin]],<ref name="Susanfast">{{cite book |title = In the house of the Holy: Led Zeppelin and the power of Rock Music |edition = 1 |last = Fast |first = Susan |display-authors=etal |year = 2001 |publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] |isbn = 0-19-511756-5 |pages = 33 |quote = The song (Black Dog) represents a defining moment in the genre of hard rock, combining the elements of speed, power, an artful and metrically clever riff}}</ref><ref name="Greatestsongs">{{cite web |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/67808/greatest-songs-ever-black-dog.html |title=The Greatest Songs Ever! Black Dog |access-date=March 2, 2010 |work=[[Blender Magazine]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530073915/http://www.blender.com/guide/67808/greatest-songs-ever-black-dog.html |archive-date=May 30, 2009 }}</ref> "[[Day Tripper]]" by [[The Beatles]],<ref name=NME>{{cite news |title=50 Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time |url=https://www.nme.com/photos/50-greatest-guitar-riffs-of-all-time-1406949 |access-date=29 January 2019 |work=NME |date=October 25, 2012}}</ref> "[[Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones song)|Brown Sugar]]" and "[[(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction]]" by [[The Rolling Stones]],<ref name="AllMusicGuide">{{cite book |title = All Music Guide to the Blues |last = Bogdanov |first = Vladimir |display-authors=etal |year = 2003 |publisher = Backbeat Books |isbn = 0-87930-736-6 |page = 477}}</ref> "[[Smoke on the Water]]" by [[Deep Purple]],<ref name=NME/><ref name=Chilton>{{cite news |last1=Chilton |first1=Martin |title=15 Of The Best Guitar Riffs |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-guitar-riffs/ |access-date=29 January 2019 |work=Udiscovermusic |date=October 22, 2018}}</ref> "[[Back in Black (song)|Back in Black]]" by [[AC/DC]],<ref name=NME/><ref name=Chilton/> "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]" by [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]],<ref name=NME/><ref name=Chilton/> "[[Johnny B Goode]]" by [[Chuck Berry]],<ref name=NME/><ref name=Chilton/> "[[Back in the Saddle]]" by [[Aerosmith]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallucci |first=Michael|title=Top 10 Joe Perry Aerosmith Riffs |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-perry-aerosmith-riffs/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=10 September 2014 |language=en}}</ref> and "[[You Really Got Me]]" by [[The Kinks]].<ref name=NME/><ref name=Chilton/>
== See also ==
{{div col}}
*[[Ostinato]]
*[[Fill (music)|Fill]]
*[[Hook (music)|Hook]]
*[[Lick (music)|Lick]]
*[[Riffusion]]
*[[Ostinato#Vamp|Vamp]]
{{div col end}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== Sources ==
* Covach, John. "Form in Rock Music: A Primer", in Stein, Deborah (2005). ''Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis''. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-517010-5}}.
* {{cite book
| last1 = Homo
| first1 = Bruce
| last2 = Swiss
| first2 = Thomas
| year = 1999
| title = Form and Music: Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture
| location = Malden, Massachusetts
| publisher = Blackwell
| isbn = 0-631-21263-9
| url-access = registration
| url = https://archive.org/details/keytermsinpopula0000unse
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Middleton
| first = Richard
| year = 2002
| title = Studying Popular Music
| location = Philadelphia
| publisher = Open University Press
| isbn = 0-335-15275-9
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Rooksby
| first = Rikky
| year = 2002
| title = Riffs: How to create and play great guitar riffs
| location = San Francisco
| publisher = Backbeat Books
| isbn = 0-87930-710-2
}}
==External links==
*[http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazzguitar_licks.html Jazz Guitar Riffs]
{{Accompaniment}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Accompaniment]]
[[Category:Formal sections in music analysis]]