# Soundcheck Riffs



## zephyrkillz (Dec 29, 2015)

What are some cool/catchy riffs or noodling you like to play when you're doing soundcheck?


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Dec 29, 2015)

I've always only played what was on the set that night as that's what soundcheck is for. We'd finish the soundcheck with the first song in the set, as everything is set and ready to go for showtime. We'd pick medium tempo songs, fast tempo songs, and a technical song, both physically as musicians, and technically with regard to midi/sequencing/sampler functions. 

Usually, only about 4 songs would be needed.

We'd due the riff thingy when we'd show up to practice and had extra time available, but for the most part, all of our time on stage was limited in time, and we had to use it productively. Even in rehearsals, we'd use the additional time to catalog new riffs, and recall them on writing night. We practiced about 4 nights a week, and one of those was dedicated at least half or more of that rehearsal for writing together, which often included matching up riffs from our riff library.


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## GunpointMetal (Dec 29, 2015)

You guys got four songs to do a soundcheck? That must be nice... Unless the sound guy asks us all to play together, I usually just give him some random chug/open/chug improv crap with my main distortion channel, strum some chords on the clean channel till I get the thumbs up.


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## Blasphemer (Dec 29, 2015)

I usually check my delay pedal with Rhubarb my Aphex Twin, and then when the FOH dude asks for my guitar, I either play Crystal Mountain, This Mortal Soil, or Station by Russian Circles. Rarely do I get to check my clean channel; It's usually just a line check.


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Dec 29, 2015)

GunpointMetal said:


> You guys got four songs to do a soundcheck? That must be nice... Unless the sound guy asks us all to play together, I usually just give him some random chug/open/chug improv crap with my main distortion channel, strum some chords on the clean channel till I get the thumbs up.



Mostly when we headlined & got there early before the other bands.

Often, it was just a line check, in that case, chug on G & E until he tells me to check my solo/boost preset, and a clean check and I usually went through mine pretty quick because of the way I have my modeling gear set. 

I always final week all of my presets against backing tracks. My cleans/crunches/leads are all set with their respective volume levels complementing each other, and 9 out of 10 times FOH never has to touch their eq on my strip. They'd just get a good unity gain signal by adjusting the trim pot/input gain, and if the eq was switchable, often they'd disengage it. Once in a while they'd do a rolloff on the low end, but that's about it.

They're basically trying to weed out any anomalies in advance, like telling someone that their clean channel is too quiet and their lead channel is too loud. They don't want to get surprised during the first song and you break out into a lead and clip on their system. I've seen some guitar players show up with some pretty ridiculous settings on many occasions. When they ride the faders, they're looking for minimal movements, and appropriately so.


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## Humbuck (Dec 29, 2015)

For some reason I always play the Mob Rules riff at sound checks.


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## Stooge1996 (Dec 29, 2015)

My melodic hardcore band sound checks to main riff of holy diver. Really fun riff to sound check, it also get's some good looks in the crowd. Might be moving onto the intro riff of raining blood. The juxtapositon between metal covers and sad band makes it fun


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## Fretless (Dec 30, 2015)

Our guitarist plays the main lead to Careless Whisper. lol.


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Dec 30, 2015)

I just alternate chugging and open notes on the low string tbh - occasionally I'll play the intro to Megalovania by Toby Fox tho


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Dec 30, 2015)

My old band's other guitarist would usually play the opening riff to Roses for the Dead by Funeral for a Friend and/or the main riff to Indonesia by August Burns Red. Our bassist would mostly just chug an open note or play one of our own riffs. I would usually either chug mindlessly or play the main riff from Breeze by Bulb. If there was time, I'd go to my lead sound and play some single-note lines and strum some chords on the clean channel just to get the levels right, but we were almost always rushed along and any adjustments I had to make would be mid-set  

I actually think about soundcheck riffs a lot since I miss being in an active band, and always pay attention to what bands play since I can usually pick out a song or two on a given night. Some of the best ones I've seen have been Flying Whales by Gojira, 5 Minutes Alone by Pantera, and Unspoken by The Ghost Inside.


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## goldsteinat0r (Dec 30, 2015)

I've played some groaners before (Layla, Stairway, etc), but lately I just strum a few chords with whatever my main tone is. Sound sucks in most of the places we play anyway.


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## feraledge (Dec 30, 2015)

This makes me think of two related stories. One time my band sound checked with a song that was in the works, played about 45 seconds of it. People were way into it, but the song wasn't done and we never played it. I think folks might have been almost more into that song than anything we did play that night! Haha. 
The other is a tale of douche baggery. We toured with a larger act briefly, the guitarist of the other band sound checked with 'Twist of Cain' and then the next night my bassist did the same while their guitarist was standing right there. Real life face palm.


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## thrsher (Dec 31, 2015)

i always riff out spheres of madness by decapitated for sound check, been doing it for a good 6 years or so now


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## youngthrasher9 (Jan 2, 2016)

When I went to Summer Slaughter, who ever was soundchecking for Veil of Maya (IIRC) tore into the opening riff for Du Hast. I got excited, to say the least.


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## Ibycan7 (Jan 25, 2016)

End of a Heartache by KSE. it our go to song for soundcheck.


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## UV7BK4LIFE (Jan 30, 2016)

ministry - new World order


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## Dabo Fett (Feb 3, 2016)

The intro/verse riffs from love on the rocks with no ice from the darkness. Nice mix of dynamics, single string stuff and chords with muting in that one


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## Solodini (Feb 3, 2016)

Cemetery Gates is usually a good one, but I enjoy silly sound check songs, too.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Feb 3, 2016)

^silly soundchecks are the best! There was a local band that my band played with a few times who's vocalist would do the Stewie Griffin "MOM" bit for his vocal check. Oh, and one of the times I saw Periphery, Jake did both vocal mic checks and was screaming about farting on people and how much Pantera rules. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOLxQGLJouI

I was actually working on a full-on metal band composition of Ellie Goulding's I Need Your Love for my old band to do a full band check to, but the whole band just sorta fizzled out before we got a chance to use it


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## cult (Feb 4, 2016)

I play Deftones - Bloody Cape
Some Low notes, some weird chords to check for clarity.


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## Andromalia (Feb 4, 2016)

Haven't done one in a while, when I was in a band that actually got soundchecks (that was 20 years ago mind you) we usually played the friest minute of Electric Eye by Judas Priest, good mix of single notes and chugging for an overall mix.
I now play in a reggae band with nothing more than "Ok I hear you, next" soundchecks.


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## TedEH (Feb 4, 2016)

I usually end up sound checking with the intro to Go Into the Water.


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## leftyguitarjoe (Feb 6, 2016)

I just hit a note pretty hard over and over to get it over with.


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## MrBouleDeBowling (Feb 7, 2016)

A chuggier version of the middle riff in Holy Wars. In the band where I play bass, it's usually the intro of King Nothing by Metallica. For vocals i just do random growls and Metalocalypse impressions.


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## Alex Kenivel (Feb 7, 2016)

I strum all the strings through all volume levels, not fretting a single note


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## NicePants (Feb 16, 2016)

Free Bird or Raining Blood so then they have to yell something else in-between songs.


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## youngthrasher9 (Mar 17, 2016)

When Veil Of Maya was playing Summer Slaighter in SF, the guitar tech played the opening riff to Du Hast. We were into it.


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## akinari (Mar 17, 2016)

Back in the day when I tuned to drop D, it would always be something by Discordance Axis. Now I'm in Bb so it's Epiphany by Starkweather.


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## Cameron French (Mar 27, 2016)

The first riff in Omega by Periphery. It's all over the place  makes for a quick soundcheck =]


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## ZXIIIT (Mar 28, 2016)

Intro riff from "Blind"
Intro from "Duncan Hill Coffee Jingle"
Intro from "Go Into The Water"
Outro riff from "Domination"
Intro riff from "Smooth Criminal" (Alien Ant Farm version)
Intro riff from "Demanufacture"
Saxophone part from "Careless Whispers"
Intro from "Wicked Game"

And most recently,
"Pagan Fears"
"I Am The Black Wizards"
"Dead Skin Mask"


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## wheresthefbomb (Jul 24, 2016)

The intro riff to Earth's Pentastar.


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## Science_Penguin (Jul 24, 2016)

Recently, I've been doing the intro riff from Strung Out's 'Analog' when checking my distorted tone. It's a faster riff than we play in any of our songs, but I figure if it doesn't sound muddled, everything else should be good.


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Aug 3, 2016)

I used to always play the opening to Synthetically Revived by Suffocation because I loved that riff and it had a few different riff types that I played in some of our songs. Palm muted power chords, open barre chords and single string notes.

A lot of times I will just do a quick run of a few different riffs. I always just try to cover as much ground as I can as quickly as I can when I sound check to give the sound guy a good range of what I will be doing.

As far as catchy tune for a sound check, I do it sometimes. I do lean more towards just a quick run through of some different riff types but I think next time I play I will be sound checking with the opening to Nocturnal by The Black Dahlia Murder because I have been playing the crap out of that song and I love it.


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## CircuitalPlacidity (Aug 3, 2016)

I don't .... around. I get up there and throw him some chugs, a few ringing chords, some single line stuff, and we're good. 45 seconds to a minute max. I will be playing live with a new project soon where I'll be using cleans and distortion and am unsure how to handle that.


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## jase (Aug 8, 2016)

Something really simple, just chugs and chords, octaves, etc. Anything simple, short and repetitive for the soundman to quickly dial in the EQ necessary for the guitar tone to the venue. 

But when I'm waiting around for the other members to set up, I like to play the main riff of Tool's 46&2, and the outro of Pantera's The Great Southern Trendkill.


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## Tukaar (Sep 13, 2016)

Most soundguys like it when you play riffs with some chunk and sustained parts, so they can get an idea of the low end swing in your tone. My go-to is usually the breakdown in the last quarter or so of "Heaven In Her Arms" by Converge.


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