Although it sometimes seems random, often a lot of work goes into a guitar riff. A riff or solo is made up of different concepts within the realm of music theory. Guitar players make up these little bits of music based on influences, knowledge of music theory and personal style. Here are some ways musicians "make" guitar riffs.
Instructions
1. Utilize the chromatic and pentatonic scales. These fretboard overlays help musicians craft riffs by showing them what notes belong in a particular key. These will always be really valuable to you when you're writing. Keep them in a notebook until you master them.
2. Find melodies in other songs and adapt. Whether you're playing blues, jazz or rock and roll, you'll always have your inspirations. Listen to the greats, sample and adapt to find your own beautiful concoctions.
3. Use minimalism. Lots of great guitar players don't rack their brains for intricate riffs; they create "power" riffs off of just a few notes. Some use techniques like the hammer-on (throw an additional finger on the fretboard to hear your musical note "jump") or just repeat notes in a catchy rhythm. Try finding about four of your favorite notes and playing them in cool sequences, and you might hear a great riff being born.
4. Hum your riffs out, then play them. Since we tend to think in the chromatic scale, just about anything you can hear, you should be able to play, with a little practice. Thinking about melody randomly is a great way to make riffs. Hum something new to yourself, then sit down and knock it out on your guitar.
5. Jam with your crew. When it comes to guitar, a lot of work is still done by the band. When you look at what goes into studio sessions by the big industry tribes, it's very often a collaborative process. If you're playing with other musicians, you can get a lot of great tips out of a free jam, and you don't have to sit around doing all of the work alone.
