Acoustic Rhythm Guitar Mini Course - Day 5
How To Use Rhythm Guitar Riffs In Place Of Chords For Your Progressions
A really great, but not so common way of using riffs on your acoustic guitar is in a rhythm context. Replacing the chords of a progression you play with some really tasty acoustic rhythm riffs will leave your listeners wanting more and serves as a great alternative to simply strumming chords all the time.
In todays lesson I will show you exactly how to go about doing this. Keep in mind as you work your way through each rhythm guitar riff, that at no time are you playing a chord, yet you can clearly hear our chord progression. This is because the notes of each rhythm riff are targeting the notes that make up the chords they are implying.
So here is the first acoustic guitar riff for your rhythm playing:
In the example above you are simply generating each rhythm riff from arpeggio shapes based on the root 6 bar chord form for G, C, and D chords and the Root 5 form for the Em chord. If you are familiar with these shapes then you should find it easy enough to create your own rhythm riffs on the acoustic guitar.
Here is a slightly more involved version of the rhythm guitar riff you just played:
As you can hear, by simply adding a little rhythmic variation, as well as some hammer ons and pull offs, you can create much more killer sounding riffs for your rhythm guitar playing.
Here is yet another way that you could approach using riffs in your rhythm guitar playing with our chord progression:
In the example above, I have used different arpeggio positions for the G, C, and D chords in which to create the rhythm riffs. I have also focused on using double stops for a really cool texture. This approach is very reminiscent of how Jimi Hendrix played his rhythm guitar riffs. His songs are well worth studying if you would like to take this idea of using riffs for your rhythm guitar playing further.
Time To Put It Together
As you can see, using riffs on your acoustic guitar in a rhythm context provides a killer sounding alternative to always strumming, or even forming the chords of the progressions you play.
I will leave you once again with an example of combining some of the approaches you have learned so far in this acoustic rhythm guitar mini course, including the riff concept.
The true test as to whether you have mastered a particular concept is in your ability to be able to use it freely, in any musical situation, at will. Playing the following example, and then creating your own variations, will go a long way in you being able to do this.
Here it is along with our original chord progression example just to show you how far you have come in your rhythm guitar playing:
Once again, a MASSIVE difference with the use of some cool and relatively simple rhythm guitar concepts for your acoustic playing.
Songs With Examples Of Rhythm Guitar Riffs:
- The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix
- Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix
- Superstition - Stevie Wonder
I hope you have enjoyed this mini course on how to totally transform your acoustic guitar rhythm playing. As you have learned there are many alternative ways to play a chord progression other than simply strumming.
Take each idea that I have presented to you in the last 5 days and really spend time on developing it and getting it into your rhythm guitar playing. Also, explore the songs, that I listed at the end of each day as examples of the rhythm ideas covered. Learning these songs, or parts there of, will further improve your rhythm guitar playing and understanding of how to apply these concepts into your own music.
And most of all have fun with it!
Master your acoustic playing with these fingerpicking guitar lessons