Riff #4: La Bamba - Ritchie Valens (Songs Guitar Lesson RF-004) How to play

Hey, how'ya doing? Justin here.

In this lesson today we're going to be
checking out the riff for La Bamba.

It's one of those classic guitar riffs I
think everybody should know how to play it

Pretty groovy little tune too,
it's only got 3 chords,

which I'll just tell you first actually
before we got to a close-up and

look at the actual riff. The chords are
just C, F and G.

So, it's normally just (♪)
C-F-G, C-F-G

Down-down-down-up-up
up-down-up-down-up-down-up

Down-down-down-up-up

So, strumming-wise, you know,if you wanna
make sure...get a good pattern on

Down-down-down-up-up
up-down-up-down-up-down-up

Down-down-down-up-up
up-down-up-down-up-down-up

C-C-F-F-G
up-down-up-down-up-down-up

Always a good idea to remember
if you're struggling with a pattern to

make sure your guitar's quiet
or just mute the chords alltogether

and just do (strumming)
Really good way to get your groove on.

Anyway, let's get to a close-up
and check out the riff.

So, we're starting off the riff here with the
3rd finger on the 3rd fret of the thickest string.

This is a little climb up, so we have this
note, this note G, (♪)

then the open A string, 5th string (♪)
2nd finger 2nd fret of 5th string(♪),

and then 3rd finger, (♪) on the note C
3rd fret of 5th string. (♪)

This is a little climb up to the C chord ♪
Doesn't hurt to put your C chord down

actually, because the next one we're
gonna play is ♪

which is here, at the 2nd finger, 2nd fret,
4th string and the open G string ♪

and then the open D.
All of these are down-picks by-the way,

every note in this riff's are down-picked ♪

Now we've got here 2nd finger, 2nd fret,
3rd string, 3rd finger, 3rd fret, 4th string ♪

3rd finger comes off, 2nd finger stays
where it is,1st finger goes down 1st fret

of the 2nd string, the B string ♪

and then both those come off
and you play the open 2nd and 3rd string.

♪

Nice, little tune, I think.

♪

You've got a little kind of a
run-up thing - ♪

So, 3rd finger, 3rd fret, 6th string,
2nd finger, 2nd fret, 5th string,

open D string, or 4th string, ♪
3rd finger, 3rd fret, 4th string ♪

Two picks on that, the note E, 2nd finger
2nd fret, 4th string, open D

♪

It just kinda stops there
on the 2nd time for the intro.

Now, some people play this 2nd part,
if we go:

♪

Instead of:

♪

They go:

♪

Which is fine,- can't really hear it on
the record to be honest 'cause there's all

just other band, people playing at the
same time and I can't really tell, but

I'll show it to you anyway and you
can pick whichever you like.

♪

So, instead of:

♪

You can go:

♪

Which is 3rd finger, 3rd fret, 4th string,
2nd finger, 2nd fret, 3rd string

♪

2nd finger moves over to the 4th string,
still on the 2nd fret.

♪

Open D string:

♪

Here:

♪

Well, I hope you've enjoyed learning the
riff from La Bamba, really good, easy, fun,

little tune to play, great at parties,
everyone likes to kinda sing along

and pretend they can speak Spanish
with this one, so it's a...

Always found this a good party favourite.
So, hope you've enjoyed it too,

See you for another riff, song, lesson,
or something like that, very soon!

Take care of yourselves!

Bye-bye!