Groovy Warm-Up Riff in F#

Lesson #336 • Nov 8, 2020

Video lesson

Instructional PDF 1 page

Editor’s notes

Hey friends! Here’s a quick little warm-up exercise I want to share, based on the intro riff to “Starlight” by Logan Ledger (2020). This riff takes just a minute to learn, being based on two relatively basic triad chord shapes (F#, and A-major with a flat-5th). The real magic here comes through the subtle use of dissonance within both of the chord shapes: while this may seem slightly harsh to the ear, we’ll be using it sparingly via the picking pattern I’ll show you. The result is a 4-measure riff that makes for some good practice, whether you’re playing fingerstyle or with a pick.

The song that inspired this lesson

This riff comes from the opening sequence to “Starlight” by Logan Ledger, which is the second track from his self-titled 2020 album. Listen here to hear the riff in context:

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