Riff Rundown
Difficulty: Intermediate
This is a track from Vai’s instrumental album Passion and Warfare. The first part of the song introduces the main theme which is repeated throughout the song. The first time the theme is played, it’s pretty much straight ahead. Each new time the theme is played, though, Vai kicks it up a notch adding more intricate lines and embelleshments. By the songs end, Vai is tearing it up.
Here we’re going to learn the beginning of the song in which the theme (melody) is in it’s most basic form.
Here is the melody. It is played 3 times.
After the 3rd time this is played:
It’s a pretty simple melody to play. Nice and slow. While it may repeat over and over it doesn’t get dull, because of the chord voicings it is played over
constantly changes. Each time the melody is repeated it sounds fresh because of this. Below are the chord voicings that are played. They are played as arpeggios This same progression is repeated as is throughout the song (except for an interlude part).
Here’s what it sounds like all together: