Genres

Every genre has its own set of chords, scales and techniques. Pick one: everything on the page makes sound, and riffs open in Riffonic for practice. Genres are listed in the order they appeared, from flamenco and blues to post-rock and nu metal.

• Flamenco

  The Andalusian cadence, rasgueado and fast runs.

  19th century80–200 BPMrasgueadoAm–G–F–E

• Blues

  12 bars, shuffle, bends and vibrato.

  1900s60–130 BPMseventh chordsshuffle

• Jazz

  Seventh chords, swing and solos built on chord tones.

  1910s80–240 BPMseventh chordsswing

• Country

  Boom-chick bass and chord, bass walks and bright bends.

  1920s90–160 BPMboom-chickG–C–D

• Rock and roll

  Boogie, double stops and a fast shuffle.

  1950s140–190 BPMboogiedouble stops

• Pop

  Four chords, a steady strum and a catchy melody.

  1950s80–130 BPMC–G–Am–Fstrumming

• Folk

  Acoustic guitar, fingerpicking with an alternating bass and simple chords.

  1950s80–120 BPMG–Em–C–DTravis

• Ska

  Short upstrokes on the offbeat and a walking bass.

  1950s130–180 BPMC–Am–F–Goffbeat

• Bossa nova

  Thumb bass, syncopation and soft seventh chords.

  1950s100–140 BPMseventh chordssyncopation

• Soul

  Sixths, soft hammer-ons and a part that leaves room for the voice.

  1960s70–110 BPMC–Am–Dm7–G7sixths

• Surf rock

  Tremolo on the low strings, lots of reverb and an exotic mode.

  1960s140–180 BPME–A–B7tremolo

• Russian chanson

  Minor keys, three chords and bass-chord accompaniment.

  1960s70–130 BPMAm–Dm–Ebass-chord

• Funk

  Sixteenths, muted strums and a groove on one chord.

  1960s90–120 BPMsixteenthsDorian

• Reggae

  Short chords on the offbeats, one drop and a singing bass.

  1960s60–90 BPMskankone drop

• Hard rock

  Open-string riffs, bends and wide vibrato.

  1960s90–150 BPMriffspentatonic

• Metal

  Palm-muted gallops, fast riffs and tremolo picking.

  1970s100–200 BPMpalm mutinggallop

• Punk

  Three chords, fast downstrokes and lots of energy.

  1970s150–200 BPMpower chordsdownstrokes

• Post-punk

  The bass carries the melody, the guitar picks the chord, the beat runs like a motor.

  1970s120–160 BPMBm–G–D–Amelodic bass

• Emo

  Twinkly arpeggios with open strings and hammer-ons inside the chord.

  1980s100–160 BPMAsus2–E–F#m–Darpeggio

• Indie

  Jangly arpeggios, open strings and melodic parts.

  1980s100–150 BPMarpeggioscapo

• Math rock

  Note groups across the beat, clean arpeggios and tapping.

  1980s110–160 BPMCmaj7–Em7–Am7–Dsus23+3+3+3+4

• Shoegaze

  Ringing open chords, arpeggios and a “wall of sound”.

  1980s70–120 BPMsus chordsarpeggios

• Grunge

  Power chords, quiet–loud dynamics and pentatonic solos.

  1980s90–130 BPMpower chordsDrop D

• Post-rock

  Ringing arpeggios, a slow build and tremolo at the climax.

  1990s60–120 BPMEm7–Cmaj7–G–Dsus2tremolo

• Nu metal

  Choppy muted hits, a half step up and low tuning.

  1990s90–120 BPME5–G5–A5–D5syncopation

• Gypsy jazz

  Soon

• Garage rock

  Soon

• Prog rock

  Soon

• Britpop

  Soon