The reason the riff is so pivotal, particularly in blues-rock, is because this cyclical combination of notes, or sometimes, chords, can add life, vitality and an additional hook that can really make a song or arrangement stand out and stick in the memory.
In almost any genre you can think of, the bass or guitar riff, if executed with precision, can propel a song from plain to prolific in a flurry of repetitive, cyclical notes.ĭespite being irresistible to the ear in genres like jazz and funk, it’s in the blues-rock arena where the riff really shines.