Your favorite non-guitar riff?

[johnny k]

Apocalyptica, "Hall of the Mountain King"
Granted, I'm pretty sure they use distortion on the cellos, but it just sounds so friggin huge and intimidating and mysterious, just like it should.

You might know it is a classical music tune ? If not, well now you know.

 

[johnny k]

and the guitar version

and primus because primus.

 

[suthol]

I may be wrong but I feel like a single clap is simpler.

May not be a riff but certainly qualifies on the non guitar bit

 

[tomasz]

Proto Cosmos by Alan Pasqua:


Avishai Cohen - Chutzpan:

 

[burtonfan]

The synth is killer!

 

[acoustic rob]

Speaking of The Who and classic synth riffs.

 

[lupowitz]

It's a Brecker, played on an EWI (electric wind instrument)



Another Brecker's composition, played by both Breckers on tenor and trumpet



This is a Zappa, for baritone sax

 

[Big_Bend]

I don't know if a bass riff counts as "non guitar" but I'm going to nominate this song anyway.



Les Claypool is a monster!

 

[tomkatf]

Nary a guitar on this track…

 

[Kansas]

Which riff or riffs do you love, that aren’t played on guitar?

I especially love riffs from electronic from the 90s that aren’t guitars, but would make sick guitar riffs, and I always thought Breathe from The Prodigy was an epic riff.

What’s yours?

I’ve got a keyboard riff I’ve stolen that I think is pretty darn cool on guitar. in Bad Guy by Billie Eilish there is that odd little signature riff she uses for the solo. I’ve used it in minor key blues things and it always turns heads. It’s fun to play something nobody is expecting and it’s easy to play out if it too.

 

[gazzie]

Are Friends Electric? was going to be my choice, not only a favourite riff but one of my all time favourite songs (of all time).

 

[TeleTubby]

I borrowed The Associates piano riff from "Party Fears Two" for a song my band wrote- used it as a guitar solo and it was a killer hook.

 

[Peegoo]

The recurring Hammond B3 riff that precedes the verses in Gimme Some Lovin'.

Totally badass!

 

[hooey]

The sax intro on Wham’s Careless Whisper.
The sax intro on Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty.
The steel drum/marimba solo on the Hollie’s Carrie Ann.
The sped up harpsichord solo (George Martin?) on the Beatles’ In My Life.
The brass band on the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love.
The pan flutes on Simon & Garfunkel’s El Condor Pasa.

+1 on George Martin's piano part on "In My Life". God I'm old...

 

[StoneH]

Hi.



Pax/
Dean

My ringtone.

 

[Fretts]

Which riff or riffs do you love, that aren’t played on guitar?

I especially love riffs from electronic from the 90s that aren’t guitars, but would make sick guitar riffs, and I always thought Breathe from The Prodigy was an epic riff.

What’s yours?

or

 

[memorex]

 

[RyCo1983]

Dire Straits.
"WALK OF LIFE"

 

[Hoof Hearted]

Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Brain Salad Surgery.

 

[donnyrocker]

Opening four measures of second movement to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: he composed a slap-back delay!