View Full Version : How to say "guitar riff" in spanish


Little
February 08, 2007, 08:44 AM
A guitar riff is like a solo on a guitar, does anyone have any idea of how to say it in Spanish?

Tomisimo
February 08, 2007, 02:04 PM
Here's a few options for you.

riff
melodía de guitarra
requinto

Little
February 08, 2007, 06:50 PM
I looked up requinto in a dictionary and it says it's a guitar. Can it mean riff to?

Thanks for your help.

Tomisimo
February 09, 2007, 04:56 PM
I looked up requinto in a dictionary and it says it's a guitar. Can it mean riff to?

Thanks for your help.

Yes, I believe that in some areas it's the name of a small guitar that has 5 long strings and one short string, and in other areas (such as Mexico) it refers to a riff or a melodic "add-in" to music.

Little
February 09, 2007, 09:34 PM
Ok, thanks for the confirmation. I also asked someone else, and they suggested the word "adorno".

Tomisimo
February 11, 2007, 07:09 PM
Ok, thanks for the confirmation. I also asked someone else, and they suggested the word "adorno".

Personally, I've never heard 'adorno' used in this context, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. It would make sense to use adorno for part of the music that adorns the song. :)

sosia
February 12, 2007, 01:41 AM
First, I'm no guitar expert
Info from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff
"Un riff es una frase musical, una figura musical o melodía que se repite durante el transcurso de una canción, especialmente en el rock y el metal. Es equivalente al ostinato de la música clásica. Un ejemplo de riff clásico es la introducción de guitarra de Chuck Berry en Johnny Be Good. Estos "riffs" suelen estar interpretados por el guitarrista rítmico con acordes de quinta distorsionados."
"In music, a riff is an ostinato figure: a repeated chord progression, pattern or melodic figure, often played by the rhythm section instruments, that forms the basis or accompaniment of a musical composition (Usually rock music, Latin, Funk or jazz, but also occasionally classically orchestrated music, Ravel's Boléro being an obvious example)."
"A short rhythmic phrase, especially one that is repeated in improvisation."

I have not find a proper response. A lot of spanish people says directly "riff". So may say "frase musical" or "figura musical", but it's also common to hear "adorno" (decoration) or "punteo" ("fingerpicking" ) refering to it as a decoration of the melody or the way you're playing.

Hope it helps

Little
February 14, 2007, 03:59 PM
Thanks for the info sosia. That helps. So I guess I can just use the word "riff" too?

Tomisimo
February 14, 2007, 08:37 PM
Great information sosia! Thanks.

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