A riff is a short, repeated musical idea that forms the basis of a pop or rock song.

A power chord is a two-note chord often used on guitars, which uses the root note and the fifth of a triad chord.

A fifth is a distance of five notes. For example, the distance from C to G is a fifth.

Riff without power chords

British English CC

Riff using power chords

Task A Q2a

Task A Q2.2

Task A Q2.3

Finding power chords on the keyboard

Creating a riff using power chords

Task B feedback

Power chord riff

Bass line

Changing the rhythms

Creating a simple bass line from your riff

Developing your bass line with rhythm

Task C feedback

Riffs and power chords in grunge

Music

The use of the drum kit in grunge

Fills and variation in grunge drum beats

Writing an instrumental melody

Contrast in grunge

The intro, outro and vocal melodies

This unit introduces pupils to 90s Grunge music, including the context of the style and its other musical influences. Pupils learn about the main musical features and about extended pop song structure, riffs with power chords, harmonic rhythm and phrase structure in melody and lyric writing.

The sound of 90s grunge

The common type of guitar chord that uses two notes is called a {{ }} chord.

because it is the fifth note down the scale from the root

because it is the fifth note up the scale from the root

because you always play it on the fifth guitar string

Which note or notes would you remove from a triad chord to create a power chord?

Which two words best describe the effect of a power chord?

If you were to create a bass line from a power chord riff, which note or notes would you mostly use?

Which of these are typical features of grunge?

Which of these are common features of most rock music?

more than one note played one after another

more than one note played at the same time

A short repeating pattern in rock and pop music is called a ...

intro - verse - chorus - verse - middle 8 - chorus - chorus - outro

intro - verse - verse - chorus - chorus - middle 8 - chorus - outro

intro - chorus - chorus - verse - verse - middle 8 - chorus - outro

intro - verse - chorus - verse - chorus - middle 8 - verse - outro

intro - verse - chorus - verse - chorus - middle 8 - chorus - outro

Which of these is the normal structure of verse-chorus form?

In grunge, guitarists often add a fuzzy effect to their sound. This is called ...

Riffs and power chords in grunge

Lesson outcome