A single-note riff is a short, catchy line on the low strings that the whole song sits on. These riffs are in E minor, built from the E minor pentatonic scale (E G A B D) in open position.
Fingering and picking
- Fret 2 with your middle finger, fret 3 with your ring finger, so your hand never moves.
- Use downstrokes on every note at first. They sound heavier and keep the timing even. Switch to alternate picking only when the tempo gets too fast for downstrokes.
The riff should sound tight and punchy, with clear gaps where the rests are. The second bar answers the first: same start, different ending.
Most common mistake: letting the open E ring through the rests. Touch the string with the side of your picking hand or lift the fretting finger slightly to stop it.
Practice with the click at 70 bpm, play each loop four times without stopping, then raise the tempo 5 bpm at a time. Say "one and two and" out loud the first few times so the rests land in the right place.