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Riffs That Sound Easy, But Are Difficult To Play

Volt

Volt

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May 17, 2008
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Bluesville, The People's Republic of Ohio
While learning a few Larry Carlton riffs I am finding that some of them are waaaaaay more difficult to play than they sound. Tongue-twisters for the fingers I call them.
I visualize him sitting around with his guitar trying to find the most difficult to play patterns possible just to make hacks like me feel like.........well.........a hack. LOL
A few songs that exemplify this phenomenon are "Don't Give It Up", "The Prince", and "Room 335".

Have you run into songs that have riffs that sound easy to play but are actually difficult?
 
I would say anything from Steve Morse but that stuff doesn't sound easy either. Country Colors is a fine example. It sounds slow and simple but in playing it, the song just keeps moving. And there is no repeating pattern within a phrase.

The amazing thing is how much easier it is to learn other guitar players stuff after you get these under your belt.
 
Yeah...I love Larry Carlton's solo on "Kid Charlemagne." It just flows. As far as Morse goes, my band learned "Cruise Missile." I had to work on that one. I want to learn "Cut to the Chase" next. "Tumeni Notes" just scares me. I might be able to tackle that one in...5 years? If I'm lucky!
 
I'm at present trying to learn "Kid Charlemagne". I'm having trouble playing the 4-string up-pick riff that is in there, at speed..
I won't even attempt "Tumeni Notes" at this time. I'll need to get way better for that one.
 
Larry Carlton and Steve Morse sound easy? You guys are making me feel pathetic. ;)

I was going to say the opening riff to Brown Eyed Girl. It sounds easy, and actually is easy, but took me much more practice than I thought it would to play it well.
 
Don't Give it Up is very tricky to play but I will have to agree that Brown eyed girl sounds so easy and looks so easy but is actually very tricky to play well. I find those high position double stops quite awkward some times.
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG2804ggsI0]YouTube - Michael Romeo: Sea of Lies[/ame]

the riff at :41 seconds.
hahaha im kidding
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ7xlgzBvMk&feature=related]YouTube - Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather - Room 335 (2001) HQ[/ame]
 
I have that DVD. Carlton/Lukather, it's a great duo. I highly recommend it.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Carlton-Lukather-Band-Paris-Concert/dp/B000AS1HKY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1229307510&sr=1-2"]Amazon.com: Carlton Lukather Band - The Paris Concert: Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather: Music[/ame]
 
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Volt,

It's funny you said that about "playing licks that are like tongue twisters"!! It's a term I use all the time.

In fact, some of the best sounding licks in many songs, that appear very simple, well, once you try and learn them (exactly) you quickly realize "why" they sounded so good!!!

Some are much, much, more difficult than even the very fast sounding licks of Vai, Van Halen, etc. . .

Hotel Calif, Easy Lover and Beat It (just to name a few) are very deceptive lead solos (if learning them exactly as recorded, in the exact locations on the fretboard).
 
it may sound cliche for the prog world, but i think dream theater's erotomania sounds so much easier then it actually is..the intro. Everything seems like it would just fall so perfectly, and then its tougher then that!
 
Nik_Left_RG said:
tumeni notes was on of the first songs that i learned (atleast the intro). It is a great piece to warm-up for alternate/sweep picking.. Like the way it sounds too :)
Click to expand...

Yeah.....I need to quit being such a (insert your favorite slur here) and learn it. I've been running his modal exercises from "Power Lines." and need to start incorporating some arpeggio work. That one should do the trick!

Candid X, I'm digging that video! I had no idea it existed. I saw Larry Carlton on a "Superband" tour with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. Badass. I'm wasn't familiar with that tune. When it started, I thought they were about to rip into "Peg."

Whoo. That Lukather guy knows how to end a lead, doesn't he?
 
I dont think anyone can impliment diminished scales like Romeo, very underated...I think he endorses Camparison(sp) he use to play ESP.
as for riffs...hmm Iron Man is pretty hard.
 
Come to think about it.. Skin o my teeth(Megadeth) is a pretty tough one to nail at first.. But,its one of those riff that you nail after some serious hard work :D and say - Helllll Yeahhhh!!!
 
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