Want to learn a cool blues riff that sounds way more impressive than it actually is to play? This lesson teaches you an open string riff technique in A minor that you’ll hear in countless blues solos. The secret is using the open E string as a constant drone note while your fingers dance around the fretboard playing melody notes.
What makes this cool blues riff so effective is the contrast between the steady open string and the moving melody notes. It creates a flowing, professional sound without requiring advanced finger coordination. Once you’ve got this technique down, you can apply it to create your own variations and licks.
Understanding A Minor
This cool blues riff is based in A minor, which is one of the easiest keys to work with on guitar. The A minor scale has all natural notes—no sharps or flats—which means the notes are: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and then it repeats.
The open E string (your thinnest string) is already part of the A minor scale. That’s why it works so well as a drone note. You’re not creating any dissonance or clashing notes. Everything fits together naturally.
The Open String Technique
Here’s the core concept of this cool blues riff: You alternate between the open E string and melody notes on the same string. The picking pattern is down-up, down-up—consistent and steady throughout.
The basic pattern works like this: You play the open E string, then a fretted note on the E string (the melody note), then back to open E, then the next melody note, and so on. The open E string acts as a connector between each melody note.
Two timing variations:
Doubles: Hit the open E twice, then the melody note once. This gives you more time to set up your next position and creates a more relaxed feel.
Singles: Hit the open E once, then the melody note once. This moves faster and creates more urgency in the riff.
Starting Simple: The Basic Pattern
Let’s start with a simple three-note pattern using notes from the A minor scale on the high E string:
The notes: A (5th fret), C (8th fret), and the open E between them.
Pick down on the open E, up on the A (5th fret), down on the open E, up on the C (8th fret). That’s the foundational movement. You’re using the open E as a launching point to get to your next melody note.
The key to making this cool blues riff sound smooth is keeping your picking hand steady. Down-up, down-up, consistent and even. Your left hand does the work of choosing melody notes, but your right hand just maintains the rhythm.
Expanding the Pattern
Once you’ve got the basic concept, you can expand it to more notes in the A minor scale. Try this descending pattern on the high E string:
Start at the 12th fret (E), then work your way down: D (10th fret), C (8th fret), B (7th fret), A (5th fret), G (3rd fret). Between each melody note, you hit the open E string.
Using the doubles timing: Open E twice, 12th fret once, open E twice, 10th fret once, open E twice, 8th fret once, and so on down the scale.
This creates a cascading effect—like water flowing down stairs. The open E keeps the sound connected while your melody notes create movement.
Working with Note Groups
Instead of running through the entire scale, try working with small groups of notes. For example, just the notes E, F, and G (open, 1st fret, 3rd fret):
Open E, open E (drone), 1st fret, open E (drone), 3rd fret, open E (drone), back to 1st fret, open E (drone), back to open E.
This tight cluster of notes creates a repeating pattern that sounds melodic and intentional. You can camp out on these three notes and create variations by changing the order or rhythm.
Resolving the Riff
When you want to end this cool blues riff and make it sound complete, resolve to the A note. On the high E string, that’s the 5th fret. Land there and let it ring.
Why A? Because we’re playing in A minor. That’s the root note of the scale, the home base. Ending on any other note leaves tension. Ending on A creates resolution—the musical equivalent of putting a period at the end of a sentence.
Practice Tips
Master the picking pattern first: Before worrying about which melody notes to play, get that down-up, down-up picking motion smooth and even. Practice on open strings if needed.
Start with one hand at a time: Pick the open E string repeatedly with your down-up pattern. Then, without picking, practice moving your left hand to different fret positions. Once each hand knows its job, combine them.
Use a metronome or backing track: This cool blues riff needs to stay in time. The steady pulse of a metronome helps you maintain consistent rhythm. Or better yet, find an A minor backing track and play along.
Learn your A minor scale positions: The better you know where the scale notes are on the fretboard, the more melody options you’ll have. You’re not limited to the high E string—this technique works on other strings too.
Taking It to Other Keys
While this lesson focuses on A minor, the same open string drone technique works in other keys. E minor is another natural choice since the open E string is the root note. You can also experiment with the open B string in B minor, or the open G string in G major.
The principle stays the same: find a key where one of your open strings is part of the scale, then use it as a drone while playing melody notes on the same string (or sometimes on adjacent strings for more variety).
Building Your Blues Vocabulary
This cool blues riff technique is just one tool in your blues guitar toolbox. Combine it with other fundamentals and you’ll develop a complete blues playing style.
Start with the foundation: Learn your beginner blues chords (E7, A7, B7) to understand basic blues harmony and the 12-bar structure. Then build your rhythm skills with the one finger blues lesson, two finger blues shuffle, and three finger blues lesson.
For lead techniques, the easy blues guitar riff teaches hammer-on technique, which pairs perfectly with the open string drone approach you learned here.
The more techniques you master, the more creative freedom you have when improvising or creating your own blues licks.
For more beginner-friendly blues lessons, visit our Beginner Blues Guitar section.