Learn to play four easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs with Guitar Control instructor Darrin Goodman. Be sure to get the free tabs to go along with the step by step video and instruction to learn Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs.
Introduction
Hey everybody how’s it going? This is Darrin with GuitarControl.com bringing you this video lesson. Today I want to show you how to play four easy iconic guitar riffs from the 1980s. So these all consist of just using your regular power chord shape that you probably already know with the exception of one of them and we’ll explain that when we get there. So be sure to click on the link in the description for the tabs and let’s get close up and take a look at Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs.
Guitar Riff-1 Down Boys – Warrant
All right so the first Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs we’re going to look at is Down Boys by Warrant. So this one we’re going to start off with a D5 power chord; so I’m on the fifth fret of the A string with my first finger and I’m on the seventh fret of the D string with my fourth finger. Now typically when I would do these power chords I would just use my first and third sometimes I’ll use these fingers though especially for what’s about to happen with this particular one. All right so we start off with three strums of that and the first two are sixteenth notes and the third one’s an eighth note and then we’re going to go to a D5 over C sharp (D5/C#) and basically what we’re going to do and this is the reason why I’m using my pinky here is that we’re just going to take that note on the A string and we’re going to flatten it a half step so now we’re at the fourth fret on the A string but we’re still on the seventh fret of the D string and we’re going to do that same strum… Then we’re going to go to the ninth or excuse me the seventh fret of the of the low E string and the ninth fret of the A string and then we’re going to move that down a whole step here to a5 so it’s kind of that same timing for all of it. Then we’re gonna do the same thing we did up here we’re going to flatten this A5 down to an A5 over G sharp (A5/G#); so we’re just going to flatten our first finger down a half step so it’ll now be on the fourth fret of the low E, but our fourth finger is still on the seventh fret of the A string and then that’s the end of it…
Guitar Riff-2 Metal Health – Quiet Riot
All right the next Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs we’re going to look at Metal Health from Quiet Riot and this is another one that is completely based out the standard power chord shape. So we’re going to start off here with the G5; so I’m on the third fret of the low E string with my first finger and the fifth fret of the A string with my third finger. We’ve got a dotted half note so this is going to get three beats one two three and then we’re going to move up a step and a half so we’re just going to take that shape and move it up so our first finger is now on the sixth fret of the low E and our third finger is on the eighth fret of the A string. Now this is a B flat five (Bb5); so we’ve got one two three four and then on the downbeat of the next major we got F5, so again we’re just going to move this shape we’re going to move it all the way down so our first finger is on the first fret of the low E string and our third finger is on the third fret of the A string and that’s a whole note. So we’ve got one two three four one two three four and then the third measure starts off with this same F5, but it’s going to be kind of like on the first measure where it’s a dotted half note so it gets three beats one two or excuse me it’s just a half note not a dotted half note so it gets two beats one two and then we’re going to come back up here to the Bb5 and this is an eighth note so it’s three and then on the end of three we come back down to G. So third fret and fifth fret on the low E string and a back up to the Bb5 and then back down to the G5 again on the downbeat of the next measure for four beats. So that whole thing slowly… one two three four one two three four one two three and four one two three four and that would just repeat and that’s all there is to this Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riff.
Guitar Riff-3 Balls To The Wall – Accept
All right the next Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs we’re going to look at Balls To The Wall by Accept. So this one is a little bit different as far as it’s not using the regular fifth power chords, but it’s actually what it is it’s inverted, so it’s the same notes like in this case G5. G is one and then if you count up five from there g a b c d, but if we was and so that’s five but if we reversed it made d the lower note and G the higher note d e f g now it’s a fourth. So we’re going to start off and those when you do these fourth shapes it’s just on the same fret. So like if I was gonna do it here at the fifth fret I’d be on the fifth fret of the low E and the A or the A and the D or the D and the G, so it’s just a mixture of those things… All right so we start off we are on the fifth fret and I’m on the A and D strings and I’m going to take my third finger and barre that and then we’re gonna go to the low E string open and this is eighth note so it’s like; one and, and then on the downbeat of two we’re going to go to the second fret and then the A and D strings open… and then back to the second fret and then two more open low E’s and that’s the first measure… All right then starting on the second measure we’re back to the fifth fret again on the A and D strings, open low E string to the second fret of the A and D strings and then the A and D strings open… and that’s the first two measures. All right then on the third measure it’s actually the same as the first measure with the exception of it doesn’t have the two open E strings at the end and we start fifth fret A and D strings, open low E to the second fret of the A and D strings and E string open, back to the second fret and then this time that when we hit that it’s a dotted quarter note, so it’s going to get the equivalent of three eighth notes… Then we go back to the fifth fret again and that’s a half note, one two, and then five six seven… like that and then the whole thing would just start over again…
Guitar Riff-4 Rock You Like A Hurricane – Scorpions
Alright and then finally the last Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs we’re going to look at Rock You Like A Hurricane by The Scorpions. So for this one we’re back to the regular power chord shapes. So I’m up here on the seventh fret of the A string with my first finger and the ninth fret of the D string with my third finger and this is E5 and we have three strums of this; two eighth notes and then a quarter note, so it’s like one and two and then on the downbeat of three we rest and then on the and of three we’re gonna come down here and do a G5 power chord. So first finger third fret of the low E string and then my third finger is on the fifth fret of the A string and this is on the and of three and an eighth note. So we strum it there and then we also strum it on the down beat of four and then rest on the end of 4… so that’s the first measure. Okay and then starting on the second measure we have A5; so we just take the shape of G5 and move it up a whole step and we’ve got one and and then on the downbeat of two we rest and then on the end of two we have a C5. So now we’re going to come back to the third and fifth frets, but we’re going to move up so we’re on the A and D strings and my first finger is on the third fret of the A string and my third finger is on the fifth fret of the D string and this is on the and of two and then we rest on the downbeat of three and then on the and of three we take this shape and we move it up a whole step so it’s D5. So now I’m on the fifth fret of the A string with my first finger and the seventh fret of the D string with my third finger and we strum this for the downbeat of four and then we rest on the and of four and that’s the second measure; one two and three and four and then it just repeats. So the whole thing slowly…
Conclusion
All right so there you have it. Four easy cool guitar riffs from the 1980s. So like I said these are really simple to play and if you’re a beginner and you’re just kind of getting into power chords these are just some cool sounding riffs that are easy to play to kind of get you going with it. So if you like this Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs video give me a thumbs up and leave a comment down below if you have any questions about these Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs or other guitar related topics. If you’ve not already done so please subscribe to the channel and hit that notification bell so you don’t miss out on any of the content that we upload throughout the week. Well that is all I have for you today. Thanks for watching Four Easy 1980s Iconic Guitar Riffs and have a great day.
