Licks are words, Riffs are sentences, Solos are monologues

Riffs: Repeats in the song Solo: ok, how is this one not self explanatory Licks: Basically a riff that doesn't repeat

Guitarists arguing over the difference between riffs, licks, and solos meanwhile the rest of the band just wants them to turn their amp down.

A solo is where a guitar is the main focus of a specific part of a song. A lick is essentially a riff, but shorter and it happens either once or not much at all. A riff is a structure that continues throughout a song, and also constitutes the main structure of parts.

That literally cleared nothing up.

I always thought riffs were what constructed an intro, verse, chorus, bridge and so on. A solo is what was played over top of those in certain spots either by themselves, with a rhythm behind it, with or without vocals. A lick compliments the constructed riffs and rhythms (almost mini solos of a few notes). That’s basically what you showed here.

Riff is your rhythm,solo is melody or voice,licks are your fills and runs.

„She told me to come, but I was already there“

The way I think of it is that riffs make up the song, licks are just little tricks and fills, and solos are awesome

Forget explaining those three things, somebody needs to explain to him how to tune his guitar!

Here's another metaphor. A lick is a building block. A riff is a basic structure, made of blocks, around which a house is built. The song is the house. The solo is the Christmas decorations on the house

Riffs: Motifs used throughout a guitar line, which are perfectly timed to repeat starting at beat 1. Solos: Long melodies with no real motifs, that usually use single notes as opposed to chords. Licks: A musical idea which could become a solo or a riff, but is short and underdeveloped.

Riffs are repeated phrases and are core to the structure of the song. A lot of the time they outline chords and and chord progressions but they dont have to. Licks are similar to drum fills as in they are short musical phrases used in passing (between vocals, part changes, empty spaces.) They can be repeated note for note but a lot of players like to improvise their licks in different sections because its fun. Solos are long form and fit over top the songs structure. They can be any combination of rhythm and melody and can be as long or short as you want None of these guidelines are drawn in stone. This is just how i categorize these ideas

A guitar solo is a part of a song that highlights specifically the guitar, a riff is typically a repeating phrase, and a lick is like ornamentation. The lines between the last two can be blurry though, one man's riff is another man's lick.

You are an artist on guitar man. Kudos and Thank you

It's perfect

Thanks for clarifying now I can listen to music peacefully

Well, that clears it up.

I would describe these as - lick, solo, lick. A guitar riff drives the song, like the one in Whole Lotta Love.

Licks happen once or twice, riffs are repeated, and solos are when the rest of the instruments die down

Many thanks for your post excellent and I can definitely relate to. Have a most wonderful day 💙

Riff: repeats throughout the song Lick: one part of a solo Solo: a multitude of licks put together

I feel so much smarterer than before I sawer this informative video. Thank you for the update.

✍️ So a part of a Riff can be a lick ✍️, a solo is made out of Licks, ✍️ A lick can be a solo if long enough ✍️ a lick can be a riff if repeated ✍️ … got it

Back when I started playing guitar, I thought,lick, and riff, was the same thing, but then I started listening to ACDC, then I was like ok Malcolm is playing the riff, Angus is playing the lick,/solo

The answer is subjective. But I would at least say that licks are generally building blocks to both a solo and a riff. 🤟

I think everybody knows what a solo is. The confusion seems to be between a lick and a riff, because they are so similar. And I don’t think it really matters. If you’re in a band, and you tell your band mates I’m gonna play this riff here, and it happens to be what one or more of them consider to be a lick, they’re still going to know what you’re talking about, and it’s not really going to be an issue.

I disagree but I dig you and love your instructional videos - you’re such a genuine person and real musician.

Licks are like the phrases that make up a solo. Solos are just licks stitched together that make sense together. A solo is self explanatory. A riff is just a repeating set of notes that make up the rhythm. Can be anything.

Wow spot on tone

Riffs: A guitar part that repeats, is usually played in the lower register, and contains things like chords. Solos: Idk they're solos Licks: Short little phrases contained in a solo that don't repeat.

Thank you, thank you.

I love your videos. Popcorn ceiling?

Excellent info

I guess I would have presented it lick, riff, solo. The sequence from smaller and simpler to rhythmic and longer and finally thematic and more expressive. I love how you're able to dissect and explain what the electric guitar can do. You could develop a glossary of the musical terms with demonstrations how to produce all the wonderful sounds and effects from the music we love so well.

I love the part where he explained the differences between the three…

Miss the hammer on in the riff :) love ya!

only thing is this varies depending on what genre of music you listen to and which artist/band

Guitar riffs are often used for intros or rhythms. Guitar solos are fillers or ad-libs Guitar licks are often favorite scales or patterns used by guitarists.

The angle on that pick up switch will haunt my ocd forever 😂

Riffs are what stay throughout the song, solos are parts where the guitar the is main event, and licks are the details thrown in to spice things up.

Damn Jordan Peterson can shred

Why did it take me so long to notice the framed Fitter Happier poster in the background?

Riffs are rhythmic complete sentences that make up the verse and chorus of the songs (and intro and pre chorus/bridges if there are any). Solo is a lead melodic statement that is made of a bunch of licks.

Sweet LP

A combination of licks (lick: a series of notes complimenting a chord) makes a riff (licks that follow the chord progression) usually repeated throughout the song, often creating a motif. A solo is a unique part that is used in lieu of chorus following the bridge. This is a simplistic explanation, but it's a starting point.

Thank you 🙏🏽

What solo is that? I have it on the tip of my tongue and I have every note memorized but I just can't figure it out

Riff is part of the composition itself. Solo is an addition to or played over the composition. A lick is a building block of a larger guitar part.

The opening of YSMANL is more of a thematic figure, in that it never occurrs again in the song. The real riffs in that song is what happens in the verses and choruses, in that those chord progressions, with some connecting licks attached throughout, repeat consistently for the duration of the song. As for solos and licks, you got that part right.

-A riff IS the actual song, it’s played continuously, like how come as you are is 0 1 2 yata yata. It’s the background, the baseline. -a solo isn’t the entire song, it’s basically the equivalent to a guitar singing. It’s a special part. -a lick is just a specific technique or part that can be used in a solo, but it’s pretty short so obviously can’t be considered a solo in and of itself.

What are guitar vamps and guitar grooves.

For the duration of the video I thought I was going to lick the guitar haha

A guitar riff is played throughout the whole song. It's the swagger of any song.

Thank you

Your Awesome.. Beautiful Gibson BTW Have you watched THE TRAGICALLY HIP live at the Misty Moon Halifax .. I'm ALMOST positive that the album UP TO HERE was recorded right off the board that night..

I am more confused than I was before

A riff is any melody repeated throughout a song (or a song section). Licks are short leads used to construct solos over top of the rhythm section.

I’ll clear it up for you. A riff is a repeated pattern of notes or chords played throughout the song, also the basis of the song. A lick is usually played as an intro or to enhance the song, but not played throughout like a riff. A guitar solo is added to a song to sometimes enhance the song taking a break from the verse/chorus vocals & can be based around the melody.

In my opinion, a riff has to combine equal parts melody and rhythm to form the structure of the guitar work for the whole song. A lick is a short melodic motif that can serve as accents for the riff or building blocks for the solo. A solo is a long melodic tangent composed from several different licks in order to make a song stand out.

Fully expected to get hit by the weezer lick at the end

What version les paul is that??

the video and comment section is hurting. i blame the lack of music education funding. a riff is a MOTIF or repetitive idea easily recognizable. examples are smoke on the water's overly abused line before they get to singing the verse same goes with seven nation army or ace of spades. its not a full lyrical melody, its little noodles that is set to a rhythmic pattern. a LICK, is just a phrase extracted from a solo or other piece of music. it's usually referenced , transposed, or just pasted onto another solo. A Solo is self explanatory, its when a musician deviates from the rhythm section to highlight changes within a certain amount of bars in the music with melodic ideas. you can paste licks onto solos or embellish the riffs on certain tunes to make em into solos.

I always saw a solo as a well made sequence of licks. Licks are phrases, solos are full speeches.

Guitar riff the things that repeat through out the whole song. Guitar solo the cool part. Guitar lick that one part of that weezer song.

i was fully expecting to get weezered

Thanks.

Bad explonation ngl Better one: 1. Riff, some cycled chords that making rhythm. 2. Solo, the melody that plays when the guitar is becoming lead instrument in the certain amount of time. 3. Lick, short solo, can be played when song is modulating.

Lick: cool little phrase that doesn't usually come again Riff: cool little phrase that a song is usually built on Solo: cool big phrase that everyone is focused on

What’s the riff he played??

I always thought riffs were the guitar parts of a song that didn't involve chords or leads. Riff and Licks were synonyms as far as I knew. Nice playing.

Listen to THE ROCKER by THIN LIZZY. Eric Bell does it all in his solo.

Riff=Rhythm Solo/Licks = Lead

I saw the dead milkmen play live at Mississippi nights in St. Louis

I agree 👍

You are right

Why do people call "Leads" solos? A solo is when someone plays by themselves. A lead is what the lead guitarist plays over the chord progression.

Missed opportunity to play the weezer lick 😢

A guitar riff is nothing more than several notes, strung together, that forms a catchy little phrase, such as the intro to Johnny be good

What’s that solo?

I can understand the difference with only one video but I can't understand a maths equation even after 10 explanation from the teacher😅

Missed opportunity to hit us with a Weezer

Jimmy Page did all three - check out "No Quarter" for an amazing solo

I'm not at all surprised that many people do not fully understand this.

Aren’t riffs and licks the same what’s the diff? Licks are smaller versions of solos and riffs are basically a loop of a lick

I'm just going play, call it what you like

I understood riffs, specifically, are one note at a time, say Satisfaction.

I appreciate and understand what you mean, but I don't think this helped the non-musicians. A riff, is a rhythmic melody. A lick is a jind fill, or flourish. A solo is when the guitar goes on a, usually improvised, tangent separate from the rest of the band. A solo still goes with the music, just to clarify.

Which is completely different to a previous video you did on a guitar riff!😂

Makes sense if you don't think about it

Use them all at once and you've got SRV ✌

Riffs repeat, licks dont and solos are just solos

I just say here Nicola (Partner) what do you think to this tune i made? 😂

Sounds like a mandolin effect going on?

Angus. Nuff said.

so for drummers: Riff = Groove and Lick = Fill

and this is a tuner. use it😊

I thought the first part was an intro

This is like asking someone to define "tree" and they point to a tree.

My son is lead dude in a band