Being one guitar player who can handle both rhythm and lead at the same time — that’s the whole game. Playing enough rhythm to keep the song moving, then dropping in a riff that fits right inside the groove. No second guitarist needed.
This lesson is inspired by classic Rolling Stones-style rock and roll, and it’s all about putting your chords and your riffs together into one movement. We’re using three chords — E major, D major, A major — and a riff that comes out of the E pentatonic minor scale.
The Chord Strum Pattern
The strumming isn’t complicated, but the feel matters. For the E chord, strike the bass note first, then down-strum the rest of the chord, followed by an up-down. For D and A, it’s single strokes with a mute at the end of each stroke.
That mute is important. It gives the rhythm a percussive snap that keeps things tight. Without it, the chords just bleed together and you lose the groove.
The Pentatonic Riff
The riff comes out of a two-position E pentatonic minor scale. You might know the basic box shape already — this is just a slight extension of it.
Start with your third finger on the third string, second fret. Strike the string once and slide up a whole step to the fourth fret. Hold the string down firm enough that it keeps ringing through the slide — you’re only picking once, so if you let up, the note dies.
Then drop your second finger on the second string, third fret, and pluck up. Let both notes ring together.
Go back to the fourth fret on the third string (downstroke), then add your pinky at the fifth fret on the second string. Again, let the notes overlap and ring out.
Now repeat those first two notes — the slide and the pluck — and finish with a one-fret slide on the third string using your first finger (first fret to second fret), immediately followed by the second string. Use your first finger as a bar to mute the first string so it doesn’t ring out by accident.
Putting Chords and Riff Together
The riff fits into exactly one bar of music when played in time. So you can alternate: one bar of the chord strum, one bar of the riff.
If you’re not fully comfortable yet, try strumming the chord two or three times before dropping in the riff. There’s no rule that says it has to be one-and-one. Play it in twos or threes or whatever feels natural. You’ve got to be creative with it.
The key is making the transition smooth between chord and riff. That’s why I prefer the closed E at the fifth fret second string rather than the open first string — the next transition flows better from that position.
If you enjoyed the Chuck Berry rhythm lessons, check out Rock and Roll Rhythm Part 1 and Part 2. For more lessons in this style, browse the full guitar riffs collection.
Cool. If you want to find out more about the full course, come check it out at riffninja.com. See you later.
