Riff

A riff is a short melodic or rhythmic phrase that repeats through a piece, usually a few bars long. Riffs are common in blues, rock, funk and jazz, where a horn section or a guitarist plays the same figure behind a soloist or singer. A riff is built to repeat, so its shape and rhythm matter more than its length. Many riffs sit on a single chord or a short progression, and the repeated figure defines the mood. A bass riff, a guitar riff and a horn riff can each be played in unison or in harmony. Riffs often overlap with the hook, the memorable element a listener recalls. In performance, the rhythmic placement of a riff matters, because a short figure is easily thrown off by a slight shift in timing.

Related terms

• HookA short, memorable melodic, rhythmic or lyrical idea, often repeated, that makes a song easy to recall.
• GrooveA repeated rhythmic pattern, usually syncopated and locked to a shared pulse, that makes a passage feel steady and move the body.
• BackbeatThe accent on beats two and four of a 4/4 bar, the emphasis that gives rock, pop and soul their driving feel.