Top 10 guitar riffs and licks.

[hixmix]

What ten licks and riffs should every guitarist know? Choices need not be limited to one to one style of music and should range from the 1950's to the present. If you have more than ten you may list those too.

[Dogman]

I think classic rock stuff is killer, even if you want to use crunchier tones....

Almost anything AC/DC, some Steppenwolf...you gotta love Carpet, or Born...

Mississipi Queen is killer, and maybe something like Come Together, and Dear Mr. Fantasy...just some pretty recognizeable stuff....but fun.

[c7sus]

The "G" run.

DUH!

Walking blues, Travis picking, 12-bar blues, 16-bar blues, Bell Bottom Blues, US Blues, shuffle, breakdown, meltdown, get down.........

and personally, I think every guitarist should be able to tie a California hogtie knot.

[faderbug]

'smoke on the water' or, as they call it in california, 'don't smoke on the water'

DUH DUH !!

[Greg_L]

anything by ace frehley.

[Dumby]

the essentials to be cool were to know, the main riffs in Cowboys from Hell, Master of Puppets, Jump In the Fire, and foremost, Tornado of Souls.

[philboyd studge]

Ain't no money above the fifth fret.

[David Katauskas]

- Smoke on the Water
- Freebird
- Highway to Hell
- Stranglehold
- Crazy Train
- Paranoid
- Iron Man
- Blues Brothers theme (Peter Gunn?)
- Hells Bells
- Living After Midnight
- Stairway to Heaven

[Greg_L]

whats sad to me is that these days, unless you can 'shred', noone considers you a great guitar player. but those are also the type of people that like limp bizkit, so i guess it doesnt really matter.

[guitarmonkus]

I think Adam Jones had a good thing going with Aenema. Anyone agree?

[c7sus]

And roll a decent joint too!

[cello_pudding]

that every guitarist should know? nah...just some good ones...

three hours - nick drake

the stone - dave matthews

black dog - led zep

sweet child o mine - gnr

long distance runaround - yes

neon - john mayer (seriously, its really good. no i don't listen to him, yes he is quite the tool, but this riff is undeniably awesome)


..that's all i can think of...

[Jouni]

-Paranoid (B.S)
-Symptom of the universe B.S)
-hells bells (AC/DC)
-For whom the bell tolls (duh!)
-Hells bells (AC/DC)
-Symphony of destruction (Megadeth)
-Hard loving man (Deep purple)
-Easy Living (Uriah.h)
-Speed king (Deep.p)
-whoevermade the classic riff used by J.Lee Hooker and G.Thorogood.??
-Shitload of Pink Floyd
-Hellpile of more modern stuff.
-Johnny b Good (Chuck Berry)

...UN-ending list.. I personally only can play some 3-5 of those, always been lazy to learn other peoples stuff..

[random.hero]

a bunch of RHCP songs u guys prolly dont know

[ibanezrocks]

I'm surprised that the Sweet child of Mine opening has only shown up in this thread once. Definitely that, the opening of Stairway to Heaven, Purple Haze, Hells Bells, Cowboys From Hell, The Trooper, Crazy Train, and Tush.

[guttapercha]

I like this thread lots. There are definitely some snippets from the classic rock repertoire, that if played perfectly will get oohs and ahhs.

Funk #49 by the James Gang (Joe Walsh et al)
Intro lick to The Spirit of Radio (aka Spirit of the Radio) by Rush
Anything by Zep, Floyd, early Yes (others have mentioned these)

....and I couldn't agree more about Sweet Child o' Mine.


Rock on bros and sis's,

JD

[Dani Pace]

How about a few oldies? Change a note or two or the tempo and some of these keep showing up.
Pretty Woman
I Feel Fine
Smokestack Lighting
Jumping Jack Flash
Sunshine Of Your Love
House Of The Rising Sun
Roll Over Beethoven
Proud Mary
Witchy Woman
Jessica
Those are in no order of importance, just a lot of licks worth learning, I hear bits and pieces of them over and over in a lot of other songs.

[boogieman481]

I have been playing for 8 years... LOVE Zepplin... but I still have never tried to learn Stairway....

[guttapercha]

Originally Posted by boogieman481

I have been playing for 8 years... LOVE Zepplin... but I still have never tried to learn Stairway....

Oh just do it already, man. If you get the opportunity to play it on an electric 12 string like JP, you'll be glad you learned it.

[Monkey Allen]

That riff from Jam Back At The House that Jimi Hendrix did at Woodstock and any 9 others by him too, because I can't think of others and something is calling me.

[gvarko]

Originally Posted by Greg_L

whats sad to me is that these days, unless you can 'shred', noone considers you a great guitar player. but those are also the type of people that like limp bizkit, so i guess it doesnt really matter.

Who is limp bizkit???

[Greg_L]

Originally Posted by boogieman481

I have been playing for 8 years... LOVE Zepplin... but I still have never tried to learn Stairway....

please, for the love of God, dont do it. that song has been butchered, fileted, and hacked to death. not to say wont play it well. im just saying that every dude at the guitar store plugs in and plays that one - usually badly. let it rest.

[boogieman481]

Originally Posted by guttapercha

Oh just do it already, man. If you get the opportunity to play it on an electric 12 string like JP, you'll be glad you learned it.

The funny part is... I actually own a double neck...Its not the SG like Page plays though..

I play in a band that does alot of cover shows and we have talked about adding it just cause I bought that guitar.

[jimballs]

1. Rage Against the Machine - Know Your Enemy
2. Helmet - Milquetoast
3. Fugazi - Waiting Room (bass lick)
4. Snapcase - Aperature
5. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
6. Sting - Message in a Bottle
7. Pearl Jam - Alive
8. Chuck Berry - Johnny Be Good
9. Led Zeppelin - Bring it on Home
10. Stevie Wonder or RHCP - Higher Ground (bass lick)

There are so many great riffs, mine are not in any order.

[apl]

Rebel, Rebel- Bowie
Good Love is On the Way- John Mayer