#1961439 - 06/22/08 04:08 PM
Favourite piano riffs
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Kayvon
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As much as I adore loads of extended harmony flowing about the place sometimes a simple repetitive riff does the job nicely in more of a 'pop' vein. So I was wondering what type of piano (or even just keys in general) riffs do you guys dig?
A couple of ones that I like;
Dukey Stick by George Duke. I think this is just a simple F# minor to G thing but I can't get it to sound like it does on the record. Plus my left hand is a bit unwilling to co-ordinate it nicely. Brilliant track though with I think one of my favourite wah bass solos.
I can't wait by Akon & T-Pain. Just heard this the other day. Fairly generic Latin minor key figure featuring a bit of an ugly flat nine when the bass moves chromatically from the C# to C but man I keep on playing this thing with the JD-800 piano preset on my Fantom XR and it sounds great.
Living for the City by His Saintly Highness Judkins Esquire. This is a little different than the others for me in that it kind of is a precursor riff that sets up the other parts of the song. I guess you can add I heard it through the grapevine to this one as they're similar in a way.
So anyone wanna chime in with theirs?
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#1961512 - 06/22/08 07:38 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Kayvon]
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Steve Nathan
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Everything Johhny Johnson ever played.
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#1961551 - 06/22/08 10:58 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Steve Nathan]
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Jazz+
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Almost everything Wynton Kelly and Herbie Hancock ever played.
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#1961554 - 06/22/08 11:13 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Jazz+]
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Bobadohshe
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Paich's part in "99", the Toto tune.
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#1961568 - 06/23/08 01:23 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Bobadohshe]
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Kayvon
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I'll have to check out some more Johnnie Johnson stuff Steve, never really listened to his stuff past the big hits he featured on.
Jazz+, Cantaloupe Island is a great riff and is definitely one of my faves. I also found it a good bass figure to start getting independance between my hands.
Bobby, that tracks nice man. I'm a big fan of the piano part in Georgie Porgie aswell which happens to sound good on this JD-800 piano patch i've got up at the moment.
Another favourite of mine has to be Green Onions by Booker T & the MGs.
Any others people?
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#1961573 - 06/23/08 01:52 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Kayvon]
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Bobadohshe
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There are 3 or 4 riffs on Bruce Hornsby's 'The Way It Is', which are all great.
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#1961576 - 06/23/08 02:07 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Bobadohshe]
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kad
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Paich's part in "99", the Toto tune.
+1  "99" is my second favorite Toto tune (just after "Africa").
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#1961582 - 06/23/08 04:02 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: kad]
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Legatoboy
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The beginning of 'Hate to Loose Your Lovin' - Little Feat, Billy Payne.
Wynton Kelly's solo on 'Freddy the Freeloader' from Kinda Blue but there are a few licks in particular that I really really enjoy!
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#1961583 - 06/23/08 04:25 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Legatoboy]
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moj
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Huey "Piano" Smith - "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu," The beginning has one of the most popular piano riffs used in rock, blues and country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PxcFZdjZqk
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#1961613 - 06/23/08 05:56 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: moj]
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King Julien
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What'd I Say - Ray Charles
Where Its At - Beck
Cantaloupe Id - Herbie
So What - Bill Evans
Mercy Mercy Mercy
Grapevine...
Hang on, I'm getting mixed up with my favourite Wurly tunes - I guess that the two tend to go hand in hand...
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#1961636 - 06/23/08 06:20 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: King Julien]
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Outkaster
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Backstreets and NYC Seranade.
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#1961652 - 06/23/08 06:52 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Kayvon]
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D-Bon
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"Home Sweet Home" by Mötley Crüe
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#1961667 - 06/23/08 07:41 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: D-Bon]
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Gismo Recording
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Bill Payne. The piano solo in the "Waiting for Columbus" version of "Willin'".
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#1961670 - 06/23/08 07:47 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Gismo Recording]
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Griffinator
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"The Entertainer"
(ducking and running)
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#1961679 - 06/23/08 08:05 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Griffinator]
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Dave E
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"Takin' It To the Streets"
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#1961695 - 06/23/08 08:46 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Dave E]
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MuMajor
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As for a simple repetitive riff, Steely Dan's "Peg" is one of my favorites.
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#1961719 - 06/23/08 09:26 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: ProfD]
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mate_stubb
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Gaucho - Steely Dan
Red Baron - Billy Cobham/Jan Hammer
Grey Seal - Elton John
Take a Pebble - ELP
Oh Atlanta - the Feat
That'll do for now!
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#1961959 - 06/23/08 05:15 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Joe P]
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sachimay
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Saturday in the Park - Chicago
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold (yes I went there)
Angry Young Man - Billy Joel (is that considered a riff)
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#1961994 - 06/23/08 06:36 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: sachimay]
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drawback
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My Own Way To Rock - Burton Cummings
Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful
Aja - Steely Dan
Still Rainin' - Johnny Lang
Runnin' On Empty - Jackson Browne
... the last chord on The End - The Beatles
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#1962462 - 06/24/08 09:51 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: MuMajor]
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Bobadohshe
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Some of the examples people have cited are not what I'd call 'piano riffs'. I can definitely tell you some of my favorite solos, but I'm thinking of repeated patterns that define the character of a song.
I forgot to mention one of my faves: 'What a Fool Believes'. Instantly recognizable, and it contains a tritone sub! I love it.
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#1962566 - 06/25/08 07:43 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: Bobadohshe]
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stepay
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For repetitive riffs, it's hard to beat Eminence Front by The Who. That's the epitome of repetitive (Baba O'Reilly too mentioned later).
Other ones that to me seem to fill this request are (some fit the bill more than others):
Oye Como Va by Santana
Walk of Life by Dire Straits
100 Years by Five For Fighting
Freeze Frame by J. Geils Band
Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
Oh What A Night by The Four Seasons
The Load Out and Stay (Especially Stay) by Jackson Browne\
Centerfield by John Fogerty (simple repetitive organ here and there)
Lights by Journey
Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas (repetitive organ and then the piano part)
All My Love by Led Zeppelin
Still The One by Orleans
You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon (if you use a keyboard for the horn part)
King of Pain by The Police
Raspberry Beret by Prince
Killer Queen by Queen
Short People by Randy Newman
Shaking Through by REM
Venus by Shocking Blue
Holding Back The Years by Simply Red
Big Bottom by Spinal Tap
Gimme Some Money by Spinal Tap
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf
Roll With It by Steve Winwood
While You See A Chance by Steve Winwood
Superstiton by Stevie Wonder
Baba O'Reilly by The Who
Mickey by Toni Basil
Africa by Toto
Jump by Van Halen
Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
Oh Yeah by Yello
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#1962568 - 06/25/08 07:51 AM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: stepay]
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Sven Golly
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Can't believe nobody's mentioned Tubular Bells, Part I by Mike Oldfield.
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#1962704 - 06/25/08 12:23 PM
Re: Favourite piano riffs
[Re: meccajay]
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herojoe
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Panic Attack - Dream Theater
Less Talk More Rokk - Freezepop
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