Dilemma of the disappearing riff

[DankStar]

You choose to keep a riff with no solos and it sounds one way. You solo over it and the riff disappears/sounds different, and you basically just hear the solo.

This has always posed a problem for me, as I don't like disappearing riffs. The riffs mean something, they're not just backing tracks. The solos mean something too, but shouldn't overshadow the riff. But you can't have the best of both worlds, thus the dilemma. Unless you play the riff a few times by itself then solo after a few bars, but that doesn't always sound right either.

Any of this making sense?

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

It do make sense.

Normally I'd do what you said and play the riff a few times by itself THEN instead of going into a solo of it I might harmonize the riff or octave it just to really hit it home.

But there are times where ya just gotta let the song take ya where it takes ya. If that means sacrificing some of the awesomeness of a riff so be it. There are many more riffs to be created!

And besides, a person listening with fresh ears might still hear and dig the riff even while there's lead **** all over it. I know I've liked some rhythms better than the solos that were in front of em.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

It do make sense.

Normally I'd do what you said and play the riff a few times by itself THEN instead of going into a solo of it I might harmonize the riff or octave it just to really hit it home.

But there are times where ya just gotta let the song take ya where it takes ya. If that means sacrificing some of the awesomeness of a riff so be it. There are many more riffs to be created!

And besides, a person listening with fresh ears might still hear and dig the riff even while there's lead **** all over it. I know I've liked some rhythms better than the solos that were in front of em.

I guess mixing would come into play too, where as long as you can still hear the riff going on, then it's maybe not so lost.

Great points, thanks!

 

[everdrone]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

pan the solo right, and the rhythym guitar left. then you preserve more of teh tonez...might try that for a song or two, like sabbath and stuff

 

[P.A.Foholic]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

You choose to keep a riff with no solos and it sounds one way. You solo over it and the riff disappears/sounds different, and you basically just hear the solo.

This has always posed a problem for me, as I don't like disappearing riffs. The riffs mean something, they're not just backing tracks. The solos mean something too, but shouldn't overshadow the riff. But you can't have the best of both worlds, thus the dilemma. Unless you play the riff a few times by itself then solo after a few bars, but that doesn't always sound right either.

Any of this making sense?

I feel you there, bro. BUT

Now when I've started practicing recording and stuff I've noticed that those awesome riffs you write to support the solo don't necessarily disappear. What I mean is: When doing your own songs you tend to hear what you want from them. When someone who doesn't know your song listens to it he/she has nothing to expect from it and those objective listeners hear the song as a whole. In the writing process some parts you write ''bond'' with you more than the others. So sometimes: you focus on the riff when listening to your songs or you focus on the solo depending on which sounds ''better'' in your opinion.

I have a habit to bring solos to very front on my recordings and very often I find that it's too loud and the mix is not in balance. Or I feel that some subtle textures on the background don't come through as much as I'd want them to because I find them so good so I rise the volume. But other listeners can hear them very well even if they were very low volume. I notice this from myself when listening to other people's work. Writer comes... hmmmm... blind to his own work and wants (sometimes) subconsciently accentuate some parts.

This is just me though, wanted to share because I've been thinking about this for a long time. And yeah, mixing really matters in these scenarios. You have to make proper space for everything so that you can have an even mix, so that even those subtle things shine through.

I hope someone understands what I'm trying to say... haha

 

[DankStar]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

Great ideas and thoughts!

 

[P.A.Foholic]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

:fing2:

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Dilemma of the disappearing riff

Any of this making sense?

Totally. and it's not just under a guitar solo. I've been mixing a tune with a chorus where a bunch of backup vocals come in over a guitar riff.
How in the world did Dokken do it on "In My Dreams"? I just listened to it. In the chorus, even Lynch's guitar disappears a little. I hear the clean open strings but the power chords kind of get buried under the vocs.