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The best riffs!

Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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What are you favorite RIFFS!?!?! They can be face-melting, heart-melting, soul-melting, or any combination of the both. For this post I'm going to focus on guitar riffs, but feel free to post your favorite keyboard/bass/klatzenkavier riffs as well!

And for the sake of appealing to close-minded people who hate new music or think nobody rocks hard anymore, I'm going to stick solely to songs from 2000 to today (for right now at least)! Oh yeah, that's right. Get ready!!!!

"MYXOMATOSIS" by Radiohead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxOjjkgIdk&feature=related

This riff is so awesome that everyone in the band plays it for practically the entire song! This is a sound I wish Radiohead would explore a little more. It sounds nothing like them.

"POL'S VOICE" by HORSE the band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJDXjKpdEss#t=48

:50 seconds in, a really awesome groove comes on. I love the slinking snakey way the guitar punctuates and harmonizes with the synthesizer. Then when the vocals start, the rhythm pattern totally changes but keeps that same "feel". It's great. HORSE is my favorite band so I might mention them again.

"SNOW" by Red Hot Chili Peppers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9xCCjL1RZE

The guitar riff is by far the most exciting thing about this song, which is a decent song but it's a little too easy-listening poppy for me. But ****, that is an awesome lick that is actually rather tricky to play. Actually, **** it, I gotta add another RHCP lick because John Frusciante is (was) the best part of the band, not Flea!

"CAN'T STOP" by RHCP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfOdWSiyWoc

What can I say? I just think this is the coolest **** thing ever. I want his guitar tone so bad.

Anyways, I could go on for forever but I'll give it a rest for this post!
 
Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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Megadeth owns!!!!!! Dave Mustaine has an awesome style and is a cool guy as well!

My riff of the day today is!!!!:

"AESTHETIC" by Between the Buried and Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmnR-Vk4gSg#t=2m53

This song is completely packed with amazing riffs but my favorite is about 2:55 in. I can't describe it, but it sticks out from the rest of the song in an awesome way. and of course there are those signature Paul Waggoner sweeps to go along with it.
 
Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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Raider 88 said:
I've been digging these opening riff lately:
Welcome Home - Coheed and Cambria
Plug in Baby - Muse
Normal - Porcupine Tree

As basic as the guitar in this song really is, the guitar riff after the first "FAR!" at about 1:05 always induces quite a bit of head banging:
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) - Deftones
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These are all pretty cool. I used to like all these bands but not so much anymore. Plug-in Baby was the coolest thing I ever heard back in 2004.

LT's riff of the day today IS:

GOODBYE SOBER DAY by Mr. Bungle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8XYWZMHqpU#t=2m40s

This one is cool because it briefly transforms a kecak monkey chant song into a heavy metal tune and somehow it works.
 
PolarBear

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I love Electioneering because of its placement on OK Computer. It adds some much needed energy because the songs toward the end are slower. It's also a very nicely assembled song. Cool lyrics, nice riff, it has all the good stuff.

Rage Against the Machine has a ton of catchy riffs. T. Rex does too. Get it On is probably my favorite riff by them.
 
DerpDaBerp

DerpDaBerp

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Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

shattering perfection
BRoomer
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Messages
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secret room of wonder and despair
DerpDaBerp said:
Elephants by Them Crooked Vultures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbmYcVrcOf8&feature=related
The changes in tempo throughout the song (especially up at the minute mark) really keep one interested. <3 Josh Homme


Great thread btw
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This song just sold the album for me...not that I'm sure why I don't own it already. Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones!? Orgasm.

now for something a little different

"HAIRSPRAY QUEEN" by Nirvana http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWNjQD7FNXQ

Bet you weren't expecting THIS Nirvana tune to show up were you? This is from the b-side album Incesticide and is one of Kurt's oldest songs. I love the guitar in this song because it is the complete opposite of the speed metal guitar gods of the 80s. It is jam packed full of sloppy, often straight up discordant riffs, and a guitar solo that HAS to be improvised. It's just too weird and erratic. I like to think of this song as an "F you!" to the musicians who obsess over technicality and speed rather than emotion and musicianship.

Oh, and it also has some of Kurt's most terrifying and guttural vocals ever.
 
Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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BUMP

for more BTBAM! they deserve it and also because this is the song I'm currently learning and it's giving me a hell of a time

"DISEASE, INJURY, MADNESS 1:20 - 1:50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwm0mIaqVRU&feature=related#t=1m20s

this awesome thrashy-style riff/breakdown thing is when this song really starts to get amazing. It feels like the whole first minute of the song is just building up to this riff. The vocals work perfectly with it and enhance the intensity. The chord progression pops up again and again in a dozen variations through the song. and I LOVE IT :3

it's also one of the easier parts to play :X (the riff before it is pretty goddam hard)
 
DerpDaBerp

DerpDaBerp

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Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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bass guitars are still guitars.

anyways, now for some synth riffs! yeah I fux with that.

LORD GOLD THRONEROOM HORSE the band 1:45-2:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAxDz_eEi5A#t=1m54s

ahh, one of my favorite musical passages of all time. This ascending/descending 8-bit riff is like crack for my ears. Of course the real magic is the way it synthesizes with the rest of the instruments, creating something really intense and empowering.

Where I End You Begin, Radiohead 2:35- 3:05

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2rlQdfZXUg#t=2m20s

Okay, this isn't really a "synth", technically. But it is the great grandaddy of synthesizers, the Ondes Martenot. It has the most ethereal, ghostly and hauntingly pretty sound I ever heard. I'm hardpressed to call this a "riff" as it is more about providing texture and atmosphere to the song but F it!
 
Pikaville

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Luigitoilet said:
Hell to the yes son!!

Here's a classic:

CEMETERY GATES Pantera, 1:33

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX_pSFXuoL0#t=1m30s

Anyone who knows this song probably knows what riff I'm talking about. Pinch harmonics are SO COOL. RIP Dime :<
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Dark Horse said:
How could I forget this one?

Pantera-Cowboys from hell
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So how have I not like talked to you guys more?

I always forget that there is a metal discussion here. :ohwell:

Pantera man, they are my life.

I'll stick with them and go for a relatively overlooked song of theirs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyc49kxqRnQ (Intro riff......actually the whole song is rifftastic)

This is also something I found pretty recently which made me go "**** yeah, that's awesome!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA6PB6oKLDo
 
Luigitoilet

Luigitoilet

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Tomo Takino said:
That's just their name. They weren't made to be lower guitars, electric basses are a replacement for the String Bass. Would you call the string bass a guitar?
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Uh, I had this exact conversation already. I conceded.

Though in most modern music, basses are just tuned an octave lower than the guitar. IMO they're similar enough.

and I hate Claudio Sanchez. I can get used to many out of the ordinary vocals, but he just sounds ****ing annoying and ruins the instrumental aspect of the band.

my riff today:

SOUND THE SURRENDER Darkest Hour :48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=978-uD8UaRE&feature=related#t=45s

Darkest Hour is ****ing awesome. So intensely melodic. I wish more metal/core bands would focus on pretty guitar melodies sometimes. This particular riff is really simple but just so cathartic. It's kind of like the "hook" of the song as it comes back again and again.
 
[oni]LoKo

[oni]LoKo

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STRAPPING YOUNG LAD - Far Beyond Metal
and usually anything by Devin Townsend x3 <3
SHADE EMPIRE - Victory
SCAR SYMMETRY - Holographic Universe
OPETH - THe Lotus Eater
DREAM THEATER - Octavarium
<333
NECROPHAGIST - Seven
^a winrar is this vvv This too
OBSCURA - Cosmogenesis
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - Disease, Injury, Madness
^^ My faves~~~~<33
ALLEGEON - Accelerated Evolution

Those are just off the top of my head atm ;3
 
Orboknown

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Luigitoilet said:
This song just sold the album for me...not that I'm sure why I don't own it already. Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones!? Orgasm.

now for something a little different

"HAIRSPRAY QUEEN" by Nirvana http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWNjQD7FNXQ

Bet you weren't expecting THIS Nirvana tune to show up were you? This is from the b-side album Incesticide and is one of Kurt's oldest songs. I love the guitar in this song because it is the complete opposite of the speed metal guitar gods of the 80s. It is jam packed full of sloppy, often straight up discordant riffs, and a guitar solo that HAS to be improvised. It's just too weird and erratic. I like to think of this song as an "F you!" to the musicians who obsess over technicality and speed rather than emotion and musicianship.

Oh, and it also has some of Kurt's most terrifying and guttural vocals ever.
Click to expand...
Kurt always had straight up riffs. He's an underrated guitarist.

Dark Horse said:
Iron maiden- the trooper.

Judas priest-Breaking the law

Metallica-Seek & destroy

Black Sabbath-Iron Man
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amazing songs

Sizzle said:
Kashmir- Led Zeppelin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfR_HWMzgyc

Vinyl. said:
I really really second this song.
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I third it.

now then,for some of my own.
The Adventures of rain dance maggie-RHCP I like the little bass riff that flea throws down.

War Pigs-Black Sabbath Iomni throws down some awesome riffs.

Peace Frog-The Doors Robbie Kreiger has an awesome solo in this song.

Smoke on the Water-Deep Purple one of the best riffs ever.

and to wrap up this post..

Rainbow in the Dark-Dio idk if the keyboard intro counts as a riff per se,but it is quite addicting.
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