Playing in more positions than just second position is a great way of becoming more versatile. One of the first positions to work on then is third position. I think getting to know the scales and chord tones of the new position you are working on is very important but learning a few riffs can get you started quicker. Here I have collected some third position beginner riffs to get you going.
Descending riff
First off we have a nice decending riff that uses the blues scale and resolves on the root note.
Descending riff resolving on root.
You can listen to it here in 70 bpm.
Ascending riff
Here is an ascending riff for you that moves from the root note to the root note one octave higher.
Ascending riff from root to root.
Listen to it here in 70 bpm.
V-IV-I-tunraround riff
Handling the V-IV-I-tunraround can feel a bit akward in a new position so it is a good thing to have one in your arsenal to begin with. This one has quite a standard feel to it and is quite easy to play.
IV-IV-I-turnaround riff.
You can listen to it here in 70 bpm.
Summary
These third position beginner riffs won’t make you an expert third position player but they will definately give you a place to start. In later articles I will focus on how to build your riff bank further and how to reuse what you already know in second position. To get inspiration for playing third position, Little Walter is a good idea to listen to.
If you are looking for second position riffs you can also find them in previous articles, beginner riffs, V-IV-Is, turnarounds and buildup riffs.
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