FF 2.8 | Riff Writing
8 Riff writing (3 Days)
Objectives
Apply the chromatic scale to find notes on the E string and use landmark frets to make identification quicker.
Procedure
Listen to songs on the Single Note Metal Riff playlist. Sometimes I like to present songs historically so students can hear riff lineage:
Black Sabbath → Iron Maiden → Judas Priest → Metallica → In Flames → Deftones → Avenged Sevenfold.Identify the pattern of open strings (chugs) and upper notes in the riff.
Watch and play along with the “Playing With A Pick” Video.
Watch the “Metal Riff Writing” video in the Write tab.
Write a note sequence sequence on the board that uses open strings and upper notes similar to ones in the metal playlist. I use lower case letters for notes higher than an octave.
Give students time to practice the note sequence independently.
Play it with the drum backing track as a class.
Assign students into partners and have them come up with a band name. I usually make this a five minute, timed activity.
Have them find a reference metal song from the playlist or one that they already know that has single note riffs.
Have them write a single note riff together by writing the letter names of the notes in a sequence using space between letters to represent rests. Partners can use the Soundtrap drum loop template to help with writing the pattern and they can change the tempo to best fit their reference song. Prompt students to record their riff at the end of practice sessions so they don’t forget what it sounds like between working periods. They can also sing their riff to help with creating the rhythm, contour, and structure of the part.
Students can prepare the composition for recording or presentation for assessment.
Assessment/Presentation
Presentation: Instruct partners to prepare a presentation slide with their band name, the name of their reference song, the notes of their riff with spacing for the rhythm, and their tempo. During the presentation, groups should share the information on their slide and play their riff for the class with or without the backing drum track at the tempo of their composition.
Recording: Have students practice their riff until they can play it at the target tempo with repeatable accuracy and confidence. Use acoustic guitars and a microphone in a quite part of the room or use audio interface and electric guitars to record the audio of the riff on the provided Soundtrap template. Have each student record their own track and assign the student that isn’t recording to act as the engineer to set the playhead to the beginning of the track and press record. Make sure students have the metronome enabled and encourage the use of headphones when recording to keep the metronome sound out of the recorded audio. Use a headphone splitter to allow multiple students to hear audio from the same device.
What To Look For
The Process: Partners should share the responsibility of the composition and the presentation/recording process. They should communicate their ideas and experiment with different notes and rhythms together.
The Product: The composed riffs are played as written with confidence and pitch accuracy by both players. The performance or recording is in time with the backing drum track
Feedback: “Catch” students that are demonstrating a methodical transcription process and tell the class what you like about their process. When conferencing with individual students, prompt them to follow the transcription process and encourage them even if they are struggling with some notes. Try not to over-guide their riff learning by giving them notes, instead ask them students questions about pitch direction and interval so they can find their own notes.
Opening and Closing Activity Ideas:
Opening 5 min: Have the question, “What does positive partner work look/sound like?” on the board as students come in to class. Have them write down their answer in their practice journal after they take their seats. Discuss both positive and negative experiences students have had with partner work in the past and create expectations and “look likes” for partner work during this project.
Closing 5 min: Have partners record themselves either saying or playing their incomplete compositions at the end of class. Instruct students to reflect on their composition and partner work in their practice journal by answering the following questions: “Did I feel valued as a collaborator today? How can I be a better partner? What is difficult about getting the sound from your head onto the instrument?”
Differentiation
Remediation: Some students will have a hard time starting their riff. Give them the pattern X X E E X X E E X X E E to start with where the X’s are higher notes and the E’s are chugs on the E string. This will provide them with a framework to have a successful beginning and can act as a springboard for more creative riff writing.
Enrichment: Encourage students who have completed their composition to listen back and make improvements. They can lengthen their composition or use the method in the project walkthrough video to write a harmony part. If students have a well composed riff with a harmony part, have them focus on playing style to match their reference recording.
Notes
To foster positive interactions among partners, I often initiate group activities with an icebreaker question. These questions can be straightforward, like "What is your favorite food?" or "Which class do you like the least?". I've observed that students collaborate more effectively after they've had a chance to get to know each other.
For many students, this will be their first experience with writing music. It's crucial to create an environment where they feel comfortable and confident about expressing themselves. I always remind them that their initial compositions are just the beginning, and they shouldn't let self-criticism hinder their creative process.
A useful tactic I employ during this project is to emphasize the importance of listening. I encourage students to record their unfinished riffs and then play them back. This practice allows them to step back from their instruments and use their auditory skills for iterative composition. It's a reminder that, for a composer, the ear is the most important tool.
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