Single note riffs

There's no magic formula, but I'd recommend a couple of things: playing scales, and just playing.

Play scales so that you get intimately familiar with where the notes are, so your fingers know in, your body knows it, and you don't have to worry about it. Then, just play--sit and doodle with your guitar randomly and you'll come across patterns or riffs that make you say "oh that sounds good".

When you're just playing, one thing you can do is to think of a simple rhythm in your mind--"do do DO do", "do do DAAAA do", and play notes in that rhythm, see how it sounds.

Of course, we can learn a lot from the riffs we love, so getting to know the classics helps too. Play riffs you like, learn Day Tripper, Voodoo Child, Satisfaction, whatever you think is good. Then play around with them, try them in different rhythms, different notes, etc.

Hope this helps!

Jeff

very simple method...
play the B string (second form the skinny E string.) start on the third fret and run up the neck..listening for the proper intervals (frets between the notes). sometimes hit the open G string at the same time.
then listen and search for a perfect note on an adjacent string like the G or E. let the open strings ring.

Thats a good suggestion dogbite......also you can sometimes find a little riff from a chord it might be easier to remember. Try a chord shape and play the notes, hammer on or pull off while keeping your chord shape, you can move to another chord and do the same thing

Thats a good suggestion dogbite......also you can sometimes find a little riff from a chord it might be easier to remember. Try a chord shape and play the notes, hammer on or pull off while keeping your chord shape, you can move to another chord and do the same thing

thanks. and I agree. many times I play a lead lick stright from the chord shape. I find the melody and keep it simple.
as an example, next week I am in a throw together band; we've never played together at all. we're backing a showcase of pedal steel players. we just fill the background while they play the fills, leads, and melodies.
when I will be tossed a bone (take a lead) I plan to keep it simple. play the chord changes by playing the melody or somethime like it keeping it short and sweet. there're be no complex stuff, as this'll be all off the cuff, as Ive never played alot of the songs we'll be backing.
if a one string 12 bar lick works Im on it.
that way I'll sound good by not getting myself in too deep with pyrotechnic playing.

I tried your B string thing and on other strings too its a good thing to do. And yes staying in a chord is safe for me anyway :wink: Look what neil young did with a simple hammer on in the intro to heart of gold

AudioBoy

If the problem is that you come up with great riffs in your head, but before you can figure them out on guitar you forget them, then I would get a small portable tape recorder you can carry around with you. When you get a great idea, then hum or sing the riff as best you can and record it. This way you will not forget, and you will probably also be able to find the notes later on your guitar.

I saw Keith Richards in an interview once and he said this is how he came up with the famous riff for Satisfaction. He said he woke up in the middle of the night with this signature riff in his head. He played it a few times and recorded it and fell back asleep. Then he completely forgot about it (alcohol may have been involved :D ). But days later he listened back to the tape and heard the riff. The rest is history.