Learn a Classic Riff – Wishing Well
This riff from the late, great Paul Kossoff from Free is a great example of how a classic riff does not need to be complicated. It’s a great demonstration of how just a few notes can make a very powerful, catchy riff work.
For this, you ideally want a big, overdriven 70s style rock tone with a bridge humbucker to get that classic Kossoff style amp bite. Don’t go too heavy on the gain here, just dial in the right amount of 70s crunch to simulate a screaming loud valve stack.
This riff is a simple E Minor riff that uses notes from the 1st and 3rd shapes of the Minor Pentatonic scale.
The first phrase is a descending line in the 3rd shape of the scale. Bar two does the same phrase but in the first shape and ends with an E power chord. The third bar is just a copy of the first.
The riff ends with a big G chord which rings out for 2 bars before another E power chord is played. This rings out for a further 2 bars into the verse.
If you enjoyed this riff, check out the other Classic Riff lessons on the Blackstar Youtube channel.