Metal riffs don’t need to be hard to sound heavy. Some of the most iconic moments in the genre come from patterns that a beginner can pick up in an afternoon. The trick is palm muting, power chords, and knowing when to let a note ring. That’s it. Three ingredients.
This video walks through ten riffs that are perfect if you’re starting out or if you just want something satisfying to play without bleeding fingers.
The riffs
Rammstein - Rammstein (0:00, E Standard) Open string chugging at its finest. The whole thing runs on rhythm and attitude. If you can count to four and mute a string, you can play this.
Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction (0:18, E Standard) One of the most recognisable riffs Dave Mustaine ever wrote. It moves in a way that feels intuitive once you get the pattern down. Perfect for building alternate picking confidence.
Behemoth - Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel (0:46, C# Standard) Lower tuning here. The riff is slower and deliberate. Every note has weight. Good for learning how to let heavy notes breathe instead of rushing through everything.
Annihilator - The Box (1:11, Drop D) Jeff Waters made technical thrash look effortless but this riff is surprisingly accessible. Clean fretting matters here. Sloppy playing will show.
Pantera - Domination (1:40, E Standard) That breakdown. Everyone knows it. Playing it yourself hits different. The power comes from the spaces between the notes as much as the notes themselves.
Motley Crue - Looks That Kill (2:03, D Standard) Hair metal gets a lot of grief but this riff moves. It’s catchy without being simple. Good lesson in how melody works inside a heavy context.
Avenged Sevenfold - Shepherd of Fire (2:17, Drop D) Chunky, driving, built for stadiums. The Drop D tuning gives it that low-end punch. If you’re into modern metal, this one will feel immediately familiar.
Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls (2:32, E Standard) Cliff Burton’s bass intro is legendary but the guitar riff underneath it is a masterclass in simplicity. Heavy, repetitive, unstoppable. That’s early Metallica in three words.
King Diamond - Halloween (3:02, E Standard) A bit more melodic than the others on this list. King Diamond riffs always have that NWOBHM flavour. Great for learning how to add character to simple shapes.
Iron Maiden - The Wicker Man (3:22, E Standard) Galloping. Harmonised. Pure Maiden. The dual guitar attack here is what made this band famous. Even playing one part on its own sounds massive.
Start slow
Every one of these riffs sounds better when played cleanly at half speed than when rushed at full tempo with mistakes. Use a metronome. Build up gradually. Your hands will figure it out faster than you think.
Tabs and sheet music are available on Patreon for anyone who wants to follow along note by note.
