Folkisch—a rock riff

The latest result of this creative journey is Folkisch. At just 16 seconds long, it’s probably faster to listen to than to read this blog post about it! 😄

Interesting Points and Lessons Learned

The melody was initially born in the “box” between the 9th and 12th frets, without any tricks. However, through experimentation, I discovered it sounded much better when played starting on higher strings but in a lower position. I also found that adding a bit of tapping enhanced the overall feel.

Initially, the riff had no breaks or pauses. Later, during the arrangement process, I explored these possibilities and found that doubling the length of the bending break and slightly disrupting the rhythm added an interesting twist.

At first, I instinctively slid down the neck instead of pausing before the closing chord—it just felt natural. But I quickly realized that the pause worked much better, which led to the challenge of unlearning the slide and perfecting the pause instead.

I initially believed that the two “double stops” right before the (later added) bend would be the standout moment. However, after repeated listens, I realized they aren’t as noticeable as I had expected.

The title “Folkisch” is a nod to Frigyes Karinthy’s playful word “népiesch.” I chose this name because I originally envisioned a violin part alongside the guitar. I experimented with various violin plugins but couldn’t find one that worked musically or technically, so I opted for a synthesizer part instead. (Didn’t notice the synth? Listen again! 😉)

The drum track comes directly from Guitar Pro 8. As usual, I notated the idea and started arranging the piece in Guitar Pro. Interestingly, the GP drum sound blended better with the overall composition than my drum plugin in Reaper. I plan to tweak the plugin until I achieve a similar sound—a great learning opportunity!

Recording and listening back proved invaluable again. This process helped me notice that I was playing the beginning of the riff carelessly: the eighth notes following the opening sixteenth notes were shorter than they should have been. After catching this mistake, I made sure to play it more precisely.

Finally, having a mentor always comes in handy! Once I finished, I showed my work to Tamás Jónás, who gave me some minor suggestions for improvement along with words of praise!

Tools

• Guitar: Music Man Silhouette
• Guitar Sound: Headrush MX5 multi-effect, using the Glorious (Morning Glory) drive pedal, Soldano SLO-100 amplifier, and Mesa Boogie IR
• Bass: Modo Bass ’60s P-Bass plugin
• Synth: Arturia Analog Lab plugin, Funky Finger preset
• Drums: Guitar Pro drum sound
• DAW: Reaper

Closing Words

If you haven’t listened to it yet, here’s your chance: Folkisch!

The sheet music (TAB) for the piece is available here: https://ko-fi.com/s/b625ab12b6

Thank you for your interest!