The 30 Guitar Riffs Everyone Should Know
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2023
- "What is the one riff every guitarist should know?" I'm asking this question to all my buddies over at the NAMM show!
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Hi, my name is Paul Davids! I am a guitar player, teacher, producer, and overall music enthusiast from the Netherlands! I try to inspire people from all over the world with my videos, here on TH-cam.
If you want to know more about me, check out PaulDavidsGuitar.com or check out my guitar courses at: learnpracticeplay.com and nextlevelplaying.com, and acousticadventure.com
Thank you for watching!
Paul
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You know you're watching too many guitar tutorial videos when you can instantly recognize every person Paul talked to.
Haha same
yes definitely! 😜
so true
😅
Guilty
So surprised no one said "money for nothing". Great video as always Paul
People have no taste! LOL
course they didn't, the song is about them!
Cause nobody can play that right lol
Cos already everyone knows they need to learn it
I’m can!
Samurai Guitarist
"The point of playing music is to make people happy!" 🎉
Thanks, Paul, for making us happy! 😊
The tone for each song is simply amazing. It is such a pleasure to listen you play those riffs although some of them might be 'overplayed'. Well, you can never get bored of such great playing!
The fact that everyone smiles at the chance of being a part of your videos speaks louder than any amount of subscribers or likes. That's what every musician should strive for, being someone who makes everyone around them happier and better. Kudos Paul, u da real mvp
Great observation. Paul is a wonderful of example of the great benefit of just being a good human.
Tomo is awesome.
I thought the exact same thing...everybody was genuinely happy to see him and pleased to help...
When Pete said "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" I rolled my eyes and thought of course he'd say that. But his explanation as to why was very touching and well thought out! I'm learning it now.
Pete rules. He doesn't feel the need to play a zillion notes, but he sure can if he wants to.
Me too
Me too.
One of my favorites to play!!
It's the only song suggested that boomers don't know. ;)
This was not what I expected, and it is all the better for it! I thought it'd be 'just another' top 30, but it was GREAT that you did it like this. Some self-explanatory ones but some lovely 'odd' choices as well. Well done, Paul.
That was incredible, Paul. Thank you so much for making my morning! Keep on doing what you're doing!!!
1.Danish Pete: Slow Dancing... by John Mayer
2.Rabea: Beat It by Steve Lukather (Michael Jackson)
3.Samurai Guitarist: Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
4.Rhett Shull: Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
5.Tomo Fujita: BB King phrasing
6.Sean Daniel: Schism by Tool
7.Corey Congilio and Mimi Sounds: Pride and Joy by SRV
8.Nathaniel Murphy: Layla by Eric Clapton (Derek and the Dominoes)
9.Pete Thorn: Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
10.Rob Chapman: Just Got Paid by ZZ Top
11.Rudy Ayoub: Erotomania by Dream Theater
12.Rotem Sivan: Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix
13.Brittany Bowman: Hihgway to Hell by AC/DC
14.Trey Xavier: Blackdog by Led Zeppelin
15.Mick Taylor: Shine On by Pink Floyd
16.Mike Bradley: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
17.Cousin B: Johnny B. Good by Chuck Berry
18.Jake Lizzio: Drive My Car by The Beatles
19.Guitaro5000: For the Love of Money by The O'Jays
20.George Collins: Lost in Paris by Tom Misch
21.San Holo: Mr Brightside by The Killers
22.Perfecto de Castro: Sunshine of Your Love by Eric Clapton (Cream)
23.Guitarraviva and Mike Cole: Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
24.Leigh Fuge: Sweet Child... by Guns 'n' Roses
25.Casper Esmann: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
26.Eddie van der Meer: anything by Tommy Emmanuel
27.Collin Hill: Classical Gas by Tommy Emmanuel
28.Brett Papa: anything by Van Halen
looks like guitarists are now all living in the past
@@jamespitman3357 nah it’s just that guitar music isn’t that popular nowadays so iconic and famous riffs aren’t being pumped out as frequently as they used to
Plus it's far harder to get anything to get into people's subconscious these days and become an iconic riff due to so many ways of listening to music and more music than ever competing for everyone's attention.
@@jamespitman3357 there are some new stuff too. Tom Misch is a good example
Thank you.
Hats off to everyone playing live at NAMM, I would never dare to play in front of SO MANY guitarists ! 😅
Same. I don't even like playing in front of my dad, who's been a multi-instrumentalist for over 65 years. He's in his mid 80s now and can still play sax, piano, violin, guitar and ukulele, all by ear, and pretty damn well.
I'm not sure, I think it could be very interesting though. Why not be there, have a great time with great people and doing your best? Afterwards there could be a chance of people hand you one or another advise to improve yourself. Of course I'd be hella nervous, too! But isn't this the point we want to get over? Improve yourself and talk to people through music. Anyways, hats off to all those musicians! Also thank you Paul, for another great video!
What an amazing idea. What a great community! I also think that all the stuff Henning is doing (bringing YTer together) really is contributing to the overall vibe of "togetherness".
AMAZING Video paul. Love how you edit all your videos along with all the great guitar content
It's a blast seeing the different perspectives of what professionals believe are the best riffs that can enhance a guitarist's journey and ability. SO many different answers that give variety and opportunities. Thanks for this one man
*Disclaimer: difficulty ratings are based on the skill of Paul Davids.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing for beginners. I am new to this space of TH-cam
Oh oh
Any rating over 2 Paul Davids is completely unplayable bye a mere mortal!
Love the mix of answers! Great video Paul!
Absolutely Love the personal opinions and how how the video was made!! Thank you Mr Davids, thanks to those good people sharing their taste!
Paul, thanks so much for having me in the video! Always great to catch up and hang out! Some great riff suggestions from everyone included... I'm going to learn some too!
Great ZZ Top choice with "Just Got Paid".
Brilliant, man. Thank you
This video is actually perfect. I’m just getting back into guitar after not touching it since high school and I’ve had no idea what to learn, cause I’ve retained enough to be bored playing the basic beginner stuff, but I also need to rebuild my dexterity. This gives me a wide range of stuff to choose from based on what I like, and more importantly, it highlights the skills I’m learning or relearning from each one. Thank you ❤
Loved this! What a wonderful way to start my week seeing and hearing what brings so much joy to all those players. Thank you Paul.
Love hearing all the different answers from so many great musicians. Great video Paul 👌
Such a great premise of the video! And how perfect are the guitar sounds, they’re spot on!
love this. Great to hear so many great musicians give their rationale for must have riffs and your (as always) excellent reproductions
Thank you so much for uploading! I love seeing the riffs you have to play for us.
WHOLE - LOTTA - LOVE
Fabulous!! Loved seeing some friends on this!! Thanks Paul!! Play on!!!!
I ❤️ this and thank you for sharing and the lessons 🙌🏼🎸 keep them coming.
I love all the different opinions. nice to see the variety of genres and difficulties shown. awesome idea paul, keep it up✌
More than a feeling by Boston was my favorite album. The harmonies and that special Tom Schultz's unique sound effect is classic!
I was surprised More than a Feeling wasn’t mentioned as well. It even has two classic riffs in one song :)
Tom Scholz is the Rodney Mullen of electric guitar and that should be talked about more
The whole video, I was wondering whether there would be any love for Boston.
Easily best album from the 70s imo. Foreplay / longtime is phenomenal.
More than a feeling is a song, not an album.
Soo many iconic riffs in this video! I've just started learning guitar and I've been working on most of these.
Love your videos! They’re all different and well done. Keep it up!
The riff of Drive my car... completely unexpected. What a pleasant surprise!
If anyone wants a list, here's what I got. I think there is one missing.
1. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer (5/10) Emotion, control, and touch.
2. Beat It - Michael Jackson - (3/10)
3. Here Comes the Sun - Beatles (uses capo) (7/10)
4. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynrd (6/10)
5. BB King - kind of anything - phrasing using only 2 notes (3/10)
6. Schism - Tool (4/10)
7, 8. Pride & Joy - SRV (2 votes) (7/10)
9. Layla - Derek and the Dominos (6/10)
10. Nothing Else Matters (“nope”)
11. Just Got Paid - ZZ Top (3/10)
12. Erotomaina - Dream Theatre (3/10)
13. Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix (5/10)
14. Highway to Hell - AC/DC (2/10)
15. Black Dog (correctly!) - Led Zeppelin (7/10)
16. Shine on You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd (1/10)
17. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (4/10)
18. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry (6/10)
19. Baby You Can Drive My Car - Beatles (3/10)
20. For the Love of Money - O’Jays (3/10)
21. Lost in Paris - Tom Misch (9/10)
22. Mr Brightside - Killers (7/10)
23. Sunshine of Your Love - Cream (2/10)
24, 25. Smoke on the Water (0.5/10) 2 votes
26. Sweet Child O’ Mine - GNR (5/10)
27. Stairway to Heaven - (4/10)
28. Classical Gas - Tommy Emmanuel - (hard - impossible - opinions vary))
29. Jump (chords of opening piano part)- Van Halen (varries) - Jump just the chords to start.
Here Comes the Sun is more like a 4 on this scale, definitely not harder than Layla or Johnny B Goode.
Nice track and refreshing delivery of guitar content 👌
Goes to show…there are endless great guitar licks! Keep on rocking!
So happy to see Jake Lizzio!!! Dudes channel taught me sooooo much. Sad he isn't posting as much now
His videos are really instructive and really allow beginners and even intermediate players to open up the creative side of their playing. We miss you Jake!
He's also perhaps the nicest of them all
Happy to be on this video!!!!!
definitely pride and joy! the rhythm is contagious and you move involuntarily while playing
The best mixed video I have yet seen on TH-cam. Period.
This is a brilliant video. I was not that big on Hendrix until I started learning some of his songs and now I love listening to his stuff. It's not just about learning the riffs, but there's a good chance people may start listening to other artists more and more which is a great thing.
That's actually funny because it's true ;)
paul never fails to entertain us and that is why we love him
Everybody loves Paul because he's such a good human.❤🌍🌎🌏
I love the fact that there are many years of experience and many genders of music and the different perspectives that's so beautiful, great video Paul.
Fantastic vid... enjoyed it so much. Thankyou Paul
If I may say it without being able to play ANY of those riffs, I think "Slow dancing in a burning room" answers the question for me, and for the same reasons Danish Pete spoke about. Feeling, control, ability to convey emotions. What could one ask more? And it implies technique, knowledge, and pretty much whatever else. 🙂
That said... "Difficulty: impossible" and "Difficulty: Yes" broke me.😅
Loved the video. The questions were totally the "right" questions to ask, and the answers somehow showed what is important for each one of those who answered. Very VERY interesting. 🙂
Thank you a lot. 🙂
See you next time! 🙂
You are my favourite guitarist. Lots of love from India David sir
Great video. Smiled from ear to ear the entire time
What a genius and perfect video. Thank you so much.
Always love it when Tool gets some love
Who is Tool?
For me, the intro to Crazy Train-Ozzy(Randy Rhodes). Timeless riff and great for building dexterity with the pinky finger.
agreed!
Hard to beat that one.
Rhoads
killer video, killer editing. amazing job man
I've stalled out a little bit lately having spent a couple years learning acoustic guitar mostly by hearing a song that I liked the sound of and following along with the chords/tabs on the Ultimate Guitar app. I don't listen to a lot of rock music, but I do enjoy it and recognize several of these riffs. This video and the answers given are great because A) they sound cool, B) most aren't too difficult, and C) there is some specific learning opportunity and skill demanded in each riff. I've wanted to start learning more lead and rhythm guitar and this feels like the perfect gateway! Thanks!
Nice ! most of the selected riffs are the simpler ones, don't need too much to be good.
other good riffs:
Kansas - carry on wayward son
April Wine - roller
Alice Cooper - no more mr. nice guy
Ozzy Osbourne - crazy train
David Bowie - rebel rebel
...I could go on and on, music is great ! 👍
Carry on was on my list.
Thank you, now I got 30 riffs to learn.
I love this because it's so many different people's answers across several different genres.
Most I knew, a few I did not. Time to learn something new!
few days left, and finally ill get my guitar!!! i waited it for so many years!!! more than 25!! and now the dream comes true!!! I'm so impatient to put my fingers on, and finally play these gorgeous artwork. Thanks a lot for ligth me on again Paul. Ciao!
As a beginner i loved wish you were here by Floyd and Unforgiven by Metallica. Catchy riffs
Run to you, Bryan Adams
One of THE most iconic guitar riffs. Unmistakable when almost anyone in the world hears it.
Or “It’s only love!” 🤩
Agree, top riff, but you can't speak for anyone in the world lol
Yes, what a killer riff. And song in general.
So dope seeing san holo on this one. Just the breadth and variety of guitarist and thoughts on simple riffs that at the core of why we play is so great.
So good to hear guitar played with that smile and that (seems to be so easy) technique !!!
You should compile these riffs into a book of tabs or a guitar course that goes through each riff from easiest to hardest. I think it would be cool to have each person teach each riff too. I would buy that in a heart beat and I bet it would make for a great learning tool. Loved this video.
that's a10/10 idea that i'd love to buy as well, but the amount of licensing required for that would be otherworldly
good idea though, genuinely
Was curious what @MarySpender would have said. Thanks for this Video Paul. Lots of good ideas to put on my practice list. (And I have to buy an Harmonious Monk now to practice Shine on your Crazy Diamond. Thanks Mick! @ThatPedalShow)
What a great video 🙌may I also say you should add one more riff and that would be your Open D riff from your “tuning of the gods” video if I’m not mistaken. What you created in that video is amazing. It challenges you in all manners of playing and it just makes you want to learn it. Thanks again for a great video and all you do.
OMG, this is so unexpectedly good! Love it, made my day!!!)))
the verse section of walk this way is really good to get your fingers going
If by fingers going you mean hand cramping, then yes. I do love to play that though...and like everything I play it sounds....close enough. :)
Shame on me… I only know 28 of these 30 riffs that everyone really should know…
Thank you Paul for inspiring me to be better ❤
Yeah truly shameful
What was Tomo playing at 8:55??
@@saucerfullofzepp4203 his song Cat Walk
Paul only showed 28 so your golden. Maybe Tomo was one making it 29. We have to come up with one for ourselfs, this is the short list.
lols Same here. My bad.
Waiting for your video explaining each one and how to learn it with your good teaching technique as always
This is reallly good job thanks
Great video. I was glad to see that Jake Lizzio is still around, one of the absolute best teachers on TH-cam and with no videos for over a year I was a little concerned.
I was literally thinking this for the last few days and then lo and behold he's on this video, glad to see he's ok
Me too man
Rumble by Link Wray is a killer riff imo. Was suprised that didn't occur on that list
Really enjoyed this videao. Thank you Paul !!!
loved this, man!
Did anyone notice that Rudy was in his most natural self?
So cool to watch him play the funny guy and to hear him off character was something else!
Nevertheless, beautiful compilation of riffs. ❤
TRUE!!!
I skipped Rudy's bit.
Did you see the first time he had his name on the bottom left of the screen. Ruby Adobe.
Brittany Bowman nailed it. My 10 year old just started learning to play. The first thing he learned was highway to hell 🤘
Love your work @PaulDavids. I have been watching you for several years. I’m studying with somebody else right now but you’re definitely on the list I’m 68 years old and I am moving out of intermediate Guitar prison . Love your videos and I hope to study more with you as my instructor down the road.❤🎸
Chapman wihout the dreads definitely caughty me off-guard; I've been out of the loop in this genre for few years, though. Phenominal video man. Loved every second of it.
Loved this so much, thank you! Should have been titled "I, Paul Davids, Can Play Anything" :)
Notice how most of them are on the easier side. Shows how the most iconic guitar riffs are often the simplest. You don't always need the flashiest technical flair
Super cool video great idea Paul
Great video. Cheers 🤘🏼
The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin. It stands out amongst every open string tuning pieces.
one of the first songs i learned!
Agreed. It’s one of the most beautiful guitar pieces ever written.
Great piece, but not really a riff
And played in standard tuning (how I first learned it as a child in the 70's) would make it easily one of the most difficult of all of these.
Note: Jimmy didn't play it in standard tuning. Just to be clear, I've known that since I first learned it in standard.
@@christianhalverson9070 : Led Zeppelin was the first discography I learned almost entirely. Later I did learn the entire discography of Rush up to Power Windows when I realized all of my originals sounded exactly like Alex, and I had to literally stop listening to Rush for years to correct that mistake. A very hard lesson learned. Unless a person wants to be a clone, it's far better to learn a good number of different styles.
Paul is warm, genuine and open, so it’s easy to see why he’s liked by so many.
BTW - Surprised to see no Morello/RATM riffs in there!
Great Video... thanks for sharing it.
I was expecting your 30 guitar riffs. Pleasantly surprised. Very cool video
Rory Gallaghers opening riff in "Moonchild" live version gives me goosebumps❤😊
Paul seems to be such a nice guy
Thanks a lot for this video!
Seeing all those faces made me smile each appearance!
This soul food!
Pete Thorn id brilliant. He highlights how key it is to get kids playing immediately.
I agree, it was refreshing to hear someone being considerate of what it was like to pick up the guitar for the first time. Being able to play something recognizable right out of the gate is huge for helping newcomers stick with it.
@@JaredPitcher Pete Thorn deserves much more recognition. Many of these people do. But especially Pete.
Yeah, then they'll reach bars 7-8-9 and start whining and toss the guitar... great idea
My personal pick is
“Whole Lotta Love”
Everyone’s heard it
Everyone loves it
And anyone can play it.
Great editing and camerawork!
You know Paul... This is such a great video. When I started playing decades ago. I always thought to myself, If I could master Voodoo Chile... I would be able to play anything. The quest continues :) Thanks for all your hard work and bringing your amazing talent to the world !
Impossible for me to accept that a top 30 of essential riffs can be complete without the other 3 bands (besides The Beatles) from "the big 4 British Invasion bands": The Kinks; The Who and especially The Rolling Stones.
Suprised no one said Money for Nothing by Dire Straits...
For me it's definitely Tabi no Tochuu by Kiyoura Natsumi. It's the op to one of my favorite shows and I especially like RemoonGuitar's fingerstyle version of that song.
It's just so calming.
What a brilliant idea for a guitar content video! This was hella fun to watch mahn.
Iron Maiden - The Trooper
I like how practical Rhett was. "You'll probably make more money playing that riff [...]"
Brilliant , thanks.
Great choices. So cool to see everyone in one video.