Riff
noun
A short repeated tune, especially in jazz and rock music.
The guitarist played a catchy riff throughout the song.
Often appears as...
- guitar riff
- catchy riff
Usage tips
Approving
Musical
verb
To play a short repeated tune.
The band riffed on their instruments, creating a funky beat.
Often appears as...
- riff on something
- riff away
Usage tips
Musical
verb
To speak or write in a desultory or casual manner; to touch on a variety of subjects.
He riffed for over an hour on a number of topics during his talk show.
Often appears as...
- riff on something
- riff through
Usage tips
Colloquial
noun
A short repeated tune, especially in jazz and rock music.
The guitarist played a catchy riff throughout the song.
Often appears as...
- guitar riff
- catchy riff
Usage tips
Approving
Musical
verb
To play a short repeated tune.
The band riffed on their instruments, creating a funky beat.
Often appears as...
- riff on something
- riff away
Usage tips
Musical
verb
To speak or write in a desultory or casual manner; to touch on a variety of subjects.
He riffed for over an hour on a number of topics during his talk show.
Often appears as...
- riff on something
- riff through
Usage tips
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Music Styles
The term 'riff' is mostly used in jazz and rock music, but can also be found in other genres.
Her piano riff gave the pop song a jazzy feel.
Pro Tip 2/3Catchy Repetition
Riffs are designed to be memorable and are often a song's most recognizable feature.
The song's bass riff was so catchy, everyone hummed along.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Solo
Unlike a solo, a riff is typically not the focus but rather a repeated background pattern.
The saxophone riff played quietly behind the vocals.
Pro Tip 1/3Music Styles
The term 'riff' is mostly used in jazz and rock music, but can also be found in other genres.
Her piano riff gave the pop song a jazzy feel.
Pro Tip 2/3Catchy Repetition
Riffs are designed to be memorable and are often a song's most recognizable feature.
The song's bass riff was so catchy, everyone hummed along.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Solo
Unlike a solo, a riff is typically not the focus but rather a repeated background pattern.
The saxophone riff played quietly behind the vocals.
Pro Tip 1/3Music Styles
The term 'riff' is mostly used in jazz and rock music, but can also be found in other genres.
Her piano riff gave the pop song a jazzy feel.
Pro Tip 2/3Catchy Repetition
Riffs are designed to be memorable and are often a song's most recognizable feature.
The song's bass riff was so catchy, everyone hummed along.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Solo
Unlike a solo, a riff is typically not the focus but rather a repeated background pattern.
The saxophone riff played quietly behind the vocals.
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Video examples
Young-ha Kim: Be an...
miming the guitar riffs. Usually they sound awful. Awful indeed. Some people turn into rockers like this. Or some people dance in clubs. People who would have enjoyed telling stories end up trolling on the Internet all night long. That's how a writing talent reveals itself on the dark side.
Video examples
Robots with "soul" PIPE Guy...
and it also fits very well robots and artificial intelligence. But I thought, if I use the same ideas I used in the theater play and in the teamwork studies, maybe I can make the robots jam together like a band. Everybody's riffing off each other, nobody is stopping for a moment.
Video examples
Johanna Blakely: Lessons...
from the history of fashion and incorporate it into their own design. They're also notorious for riffing off of the zeitgeist. And here, I suspect, they were influenced by the costumes in Avatar. Maybe just a little. Can't copyright a costume either. Now, fashion designers have
Video examples
Everything you need to...
and destiny riffs on romance, while the tales of working-class narrators are generally comedies filled with scatological language, sexual deviance, and slapstick. This variation includes something for everyone, and that’s one reason why readers continue to delight in the work
Video examples
How frustration can make...
he had to set up these rumbling, repetitive riffs in the bass. And he stood up twisting, pounding down on the keys, desperately trying to create enough volume to reach the people in the back row. It's an electrifying performance. It somehow has this peaceful quality,
Video examples
How data helps us...
in the future you know how you come to almost anticipate where a song is going like if you hear a jazz song playing you think yeah I kind of feel the general groove no matter how many riffs and variations maybe it can't exactly predict the next note but you can kind
Video examples
Lessons from fashion's...
designers can sample from all their peers designs they can take any element from any garment from the history of fashion and incorporate it into their own design they're also notorious for you know riffing off of the zeitgeist and here I suspect they were influenced
Video examples
Desperate Husbands PIPE...
in a situation where I'm the only one at home the dog is making a mess in the house don't pee I'm asking for help I'm not getting help and there's a riff going on I mean every time a program comes on of yours I I tell her say honey come here sit down
Video examples
The pleasure of poetic...
Ultimately, this is the poet's balancing act, learning when to repeat and when to riff, when to satisfy expectations, and when to thwart them, and in that balance, it may be enough to remember we all live in a world of wild variation
Video examples
The Rise of Vanilla Ice...
don't care who takes it to the world ice ice baby doesn't that are than thin under I mean come on it's a riff on like
Video examples
Young-ha Kim: Be an...
miming the guitar riffs. Usually they sound awful. Awful indeed. Some people turn into rockers like this. Or some people dance in clubs. People who would have enjoyed telling stories end up trolling on the Internet all night long. That's how a writing talent reveals itself on the dark side.
Video examples
Robots with "soul" PIPE Guy...
and it also fits very well robots and artificial intelligence. But I thought, if I use the same ideas I used in the theater play and in the teamwork studies, maybe I can make the robots jam together like a band. Everybody's riffing off each other, nobody is stopping for a moment.
Video examples
Johanna Blakely: Lessons...
from the history of fashion and incorporate it into their own design. They're also notorious for riffing off of the zeitgeist. And here, I suspect, they were influenced by the costumes in Avatar. Maybe just a little. Can't copyright a costume either. Now, fashion designers have
Video examples
Everything you need to...
and destiny riffs on romance, while the tales of working-class narrators are generally comedies filled with scatological language, sexual deviance, and slapstick. This variation includes something for everyone, and that’s one reason why readers continue to delight in the work
Video examples
How frustration can make...
he had to set up these rumbling, repetitive riffs in the bass. And he stood up twisting, pounding down on the keys, desperately trying to create enough volume to reach the people in the back row. It's an electrifying performance. It somehow has this peaceful quality,
Video examples
How data helps us...
in the future you know how you come to almost anticipate where a song is going like if you hear a jazz song playing you think yeah I kind of feel the general groove no matter how many riffs and variations maybe it can't exactly predict the next note but you can kind
Video examples
Lessons from fashion's...
designers can sample from all their peers designs they can take any element from any garment from the history of fashion and incorporate it into their own design they're also notorious for you know riffing off of the zeitgeist and here I suspect they were influenced
Video examples
Desperate Husbands PIPE...
in a situation where I'm the only one at home the dog is making a mess in the house don't pee I'm asking for help I'm not getting help and there's a riff going on I mean every time a program comes on of yours I I tell her say honey come here sit down
Video examples
The pleasure of poetic...
Ultimately, this is the poet's balancing act, learning when to repeat and when to riff, when to satisfy expectations, and when to thwart them, and in that balance, it may be enough to remember we all live in a world of wild variation
Video examples
The Rise of Vanilla Ice...
don't care who takes it to the world ice ice baby doesn't that are than thin under I mean come on it's a riff on like
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Raphael Bob-Waksberg
American Comedian
That's all life is, I guess. Just a bunch of riffs. Look at me: I'm wearing a tie. Why am I wearing a tie? It's because I saw an adult wear a tie and I thought, Oh, that's what people do. We're all just trying to be what an adult is.
Quote examples
Johnny Christ
American Musician
You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the greatest riff, right? So you've gotta have someone there that can really bring that to life.
Quote examples
Steve Toltz
Australian Novelist
I know you're supposed to hide your influences, but I suppose I see writing as riffing, really, about whatever you have been reading or thinking about that day or that week.
Quote examples
Ted Lieu
American Politician
We have to remember the bigger picture: the U.S.-Israel alliance is too important to be hijacked by political interests or undermined by perceived riffs.
Quote examples
Zaytoven
American Musician
I use a lot of piano riffs in my production, and someone who I was working with said that I played so good that it sound like Beethoven.
Quote examples
Jeff Hanneman
American Musician
I like playing guitar I don't like talking about it. I like writing riffs, I don't like explaining them.
Quote examples
Ethel Waters
American Musician
No one in the world can beat Ella Fitzgerald as a riff singer.
Quote examples
Baron Vaughn
American Comedian
As long as the world keeps spinning, I'll keep riffing.
Quote examples
Santiago Durango
American Musician
There's fifty bands doing my riffs for ever and ever.
Quote examples
Joe Bonamassa
American Musician
I've never been known as a riff kind of artist.
Quote examples
Raphael Bob-Waksberg
American Comedian
That's all life is, I guess. Just a bunch of riffs. Look at me: I'm wearing a tie. Why am I wearing a tie? It's because I saw an adult wear a tie and I thought, Oh, that's what people do. We're all just trying to be what an adult is.
Quote examples
Johnny Christ
American Musician
You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the greatest riff, right? So you've gotta have someone there that can really bring that to life.
Quote examples
Steve Toltz
Australian Novelist
I know you're supposed to hide your influences, but I suppose I see writing as riffing, really, about whatever you have been reading or thinking about that day or that week.
Quote examples
Ted Lieu
American Politician
We have to remember the bigger picture: the U.S.-Israel alliance is too important to be hijacked by political interests or undermined by perceived riffs.
Quote examples
Zaytoven
American Musician
I use a lot of piano riffs in my production, and someone who I was working with said that I played so good that it sound like Beethoven.
Quote examples
Jeff Hanneman
American Musician
I like playing guitar I don't like talking about it. I like writing riffs, I don't like explaining them.
Quote examples
Ethel Waters
American Musician
No one in the world can beat Ella Fitzgerald as a riff singer.
Quote examples
Baron Vaughn
American Comedian
As long as the world keeps spinning, I'll keep riffing.
Quote examples
Santiago Durango
American Musician
There's fifty bands doing my riffs for ever and ever.
Quote examples
Joe Bonamassa
American Musician
I've never been known as a riff kind of artist.
Example 1 of 10
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