Riffing is a term that guitarists use a lot, but not so much with pianists.
But what do you call it when pianists can add their own style to a chord and create a catchy motif? Yeh... we're riffing! Here's why it's important that you start developing this skill.
What is a riff?
A riff is a term used to describe short isolated patterns that can be used in many different settings. A riff can be rhythmic, it can be melodic, it can even be based on the way we play something instead of what we play (articulation).
What good is riffing to pianists?
To graduate from simple block chords, to endless interpretation and expression.
For filling in lead sheets (learn more about this skill)
To flow through rhythms, jamming with a group or maintaining a groove.
To deliver a learned or improvised solo without sweating it.
Use it in your songwriting or composition.
Use it when creating piano arrangements of popular songs.
Basically all the things that guitarists do with riffs, pianists can do with riffs!
When should you start learning to riff?
Yesterday! In fact, you’ve probably already started learning riffs but you just don’t know it! Every time you learn a new song on the piano you are collecting new riffs that can be used in different creative situations - but you probably didn’t realise that the songs you know contain riffs in them!
Collecting riffs from great pianists and piano songs can take years to recognise, memorise and figure out what’s appropriate and when.
The shortcut way is to learn pre-made riffs from someone who’s already made a huge collection, that you can take and run with!
Even advanced pianists don’t necessarily know how to riff!
A pianist can be incredibly skilled at reading and interpreting sheet music and still not know what to do with a simple chord progression.
The beauty is even if you are an advanced pianist, you still don’t necessarily have a great riff-bank- or one at all. Collecting riffs is a lifetime pursuit, you can always learn more riffs!
If you don’t think you’re good enough to start riffing, think again!
You can start exactly where you’re at, even if you can only play a simple block chord right now. You make that slightly more complicated and practise until you get it. Then you start learning a slightly more complicated riff and practise till you get that...
You can develop your riffing ability one challenging riff at a time.
Riffing is for everyone, pianists & guitarists.
If you’re a guitarist who wants to learn piano, then you can definitely apply that riffing mentality to playing the piano.
If you’re a pianist who wants to play freely, try to apply this mentality of ‘riffing’ into any free-playing situation and see how it improves your confidence and ability.
