How To: Play a simple melodic riff on electric guitar

To play a guitar riff is to do more than simply to memorize a short musical phrase. Guitar riffs are like any other musical exercise; practicing them can be a terrific means of building manual dexterity and improving your overall playing technique. We can say of riffs, then, that they are not so much about rote repetition as making available to the guitarist new and different ways of playing. Every new riff you learn will make you a more able and versatile guitarist and better equip you to stay away from rock clichés. In this installment from his Riff of the Week series, Dave Weiner demonstrates how to play a simple, melodic riff on electric guitar as well as a more complicated, complimentary riff in D Mixolydian. For more, or to get started playing these riffs on your own guitar, watch this free video guitar lesson.