2009-10-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

What makes a great guitar intro? Could its success be judged by the instantaneous effect it has on its listener, like the instinctive nodding to the rhythm? Or should a good opening riff trigger the overwhelming compulsion to play air guitar, accompanied by face contortions and an affirmative “yeah?”

Born in the late 1960s, I was just a child when the world lost the musical talent of Jimi Hendrix. Decades later, my children know his name and recognise his songs just by the opening chords.

My family has always had a great appreciation of music. My mother’s younger brothers and sisters were a huge influence on my interests. One of them was a friend to a Motown legend. Another proudly claims that he and his friends helped carry the kit of probably the greatest Reggae band ever, into their concert venue in London.

My first love is Soul music but I am a big fan of many other genres. Bob Marley’s music moves me and Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing gives me goose bumps. The Doors were way-ahead of their time and for chilling out, there’s none smoother than Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. As for Elvis…the king, need I say more!

However, when talking of the instruments that make the music, my favourite by far, has to be the guitar. The mid-way riff of “All Along the Watchtower” is magical, while the solo in Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” is nothing short of fantastic. Brilliant rock guitar provides the burst of energy during the tempo change in Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the string bending of Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” is captivating.

Back to the guitar intro, it is this opening sequence of chords that has made some songs famous and instantly recognisable throughout the decades. TV and film has used the guitar intro to dynamic effect. I remember Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” starting just as Crockett hit the throttle of his Ferrari Daytona in Miami Vice. In Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, Robert De Niro’s character decides the ill-fate of a fellow gangster and his dastardly smile is complemented perfectly by the intro from Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” – genius!

Compiling a list of my top ten guitar intros was harder than I thought. There are so many brilliant pieces of music that it could easily have been a top 20, 30 or more, but here goes:

1.   Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream 1967
2.   Voodoo Child – Jimi Hendrix 1968
3.   Can’t Get No Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones 1965
4.   Layla – Derek and the Dominos (Clapton) 1970
5.   Rebel, Rebel – David Bowie 1974
6.   Johnny B Goode – Chuck Berry 1958
7.   Black Magic Woman – Carlos Santana 1970
8.   Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf 1968
9.   Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses 1987
10. Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top 1983

So there it is – my top ten favourite opening riffs. Once again, this list could have easily been much longer. I’d like to learn the electric guitar just so that I could play a medley of the above intros. My wife calls this an early mid–life crisis!

What makes a great guitar intro? I’m not sure of the technical terms but one thing I do know, a great guitar intro can make a song!

Music fans and Rock aficionados – Do you have a top ten?

Thanks
Mike M

Great Guitar Intros