renegade destruction · riff pack

SEVEN
riffs

Performable phrases drawn from the actual song. Play these. Don't drill them — perform them.

PERFORMANCE VOCABULARY · NOT EXERCISES

These aren't exercises — they're real phrases you can play tonight. Each one is 1-4 bars, mapped to a specific zone of Renegade Destruction. Memorise them and you've got the vocabulary to improvise convincingly over the whole song.

How to use this pack

Each riff has its own zone tag (Zone A = Bm, Zone C = D Dorian modulation, Bridge = position 5 quiet zone). The Riff Map at the bottom tells you which riffs work over which part of the backing MIDI.

You don't need to play these note-for-note. The point is to internalise the shapes and harmonic logic so your hands reach for these moves automatically when improvising. Four moves matter most: Riff 1's bend, Riff 3's descent, Riff 5's Dorian head, Riff 7's resolution on the 5.

RIFF 01 · BARS 1-2 OF SONG

The Opening Statement

ZONE A · BM 2 BARS SIGNATURE GESTURE

The first thing the audience hears. The 5→b7 bend that opens the song. If you play nothing else from this pack, play this — it's the entire song in two bars.

Bm — The Opening

       Bar 1                          Bar 2
e|----------------------------|----------------------------|
B|--7-b(9)~~~~~~9-7-----------|----b(9)~~~~~~9-7-----------|
G|------------------9---------|------------------9---------|
D|-----------------------9-7--|-----------------------9-7--|
A|----------------------------|----------------------------|

   F# bend to A, hold,           (repeat the gesture)
   release to F# then E,
   walk down to A then E

The moves

B-string fret 7 (F#) bent UP a whole step to A pitch
Hold for 2 beats with vibrato
Release back down to F# (fret 7)
Walk down: G-string fret 5 (E), D-string fret 7 (A), D-string fret 5 (G/b6 passing)
Repeat the same gesture in bar 2

Why it works The 5→b7 bend Landau uses to open the song. The descent gives the listener a moment to breathe between gestures. Pure call-and-answer in one phrase. This bend is in bars 1, 5, 13, 25, 57, 169, 173... constantly throughout the song.

RIFF 02 · BARS 33-48 OF SONG

The Chuga Anchor

RHYTHM ENGINE 2 BARS PALM MUTED

The engine that drives the verses. Pure rhythm guitar — no leads — but if you can groove on this, the leads feel right. Open low E drone + chuga on the A string.

Bm — The Rhythm Engine

A|--7-7-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-7-7-7-7-7-7|
E|--0-0----0-0-0-0-0-0----0-0-0-0-0|
   1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a

Palm muted throughout.
Accents on beats 1 and 3
(where bass and kick hit).

The moves

Low E open + A string fret 7 (B) = a B power chord with open E drone
Open E rings under everything (the pedal point)
A string moves: 7-7-5-7 (B-B-A-B) creates the chuga rhythm
Palm mute with the heel of your picking hand resting near the bridge
Accent beats 1 and 3 — that's where bass and kick land

Why it works The open E is the 4 of Bm — a stable scale tone that grounds everything. The drone gives a pedal point. The chuga rhythm IS the song's heartbeat. Master this and the lead riffs lock into the groove automatically.

RIFF 03 · BARS 11-13 OF SONG

The Descending Pentatonic Tail

ZONE A · BM 1 BAR THE "ANSWER"

Use this to ANSWER a sustained bend or a long held note. It's the resolution after Riff 1 — call and answer.

Bm — The Descent

e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|--------5--------|
D|--7-5-------7-5--|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|

   D-A-G-D-A
   b3-b7-b6-b3-b7
   
Quick, smooth, pull-offs
where possible.

The moves

D-string fret 7 (A) — b7 of Bm, the Landau target
D-string fret 5 (G) — b6, the "dark" passing note
G-string fret 5 (also G) — same note different string for emphasis
Pull off where possible — smooth motion
End on A (b7) — open, unfinished, asking for the next phrase

Why it works Landing on A (b7) creates the "vocal" Landau quality. Touching G (b6) adds the cinematic darkness without camping there. Resolving back to A keeps the phrase open — not finished, just paused. Perfect answer to Riff 1's question.

RIFF 04 · BARS 119-125 OF SONG

The High Position Bend Climax

ZONE A · HIGH 2 BARS PEAK MOMENT

Use this to build to a climax — high up the neck, big bends, vibrato everywhere. This is where you go when the song is peaking.

Bm — High Climax

       Bar 1                       Bar 2
e|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B|--12-b(14)~~~~~12-14b(15)~~|--b(15)~~~12-14b(15)~~~~~~|
G|---------------------------|---------------------------|

   bend C to D, hold,          bend D to D# (half step!),
   back to C, bend D to D#     hold with wide vibrato

The moves

B-string fret 12 (C) — start here
Whole-step bend up to D (fret 14 pitch) — the root
Release back down to C
B-string fret 14 (D) bent UP a HALF step to D# — chromatic upper tension
Sustain the bend with wide, fast vibrato

Why it works The high register adds intensity. The whole-step + half-step bend combo creates a "screaming" quality. D# is technically outside Bm Aeolian but inside the song's broader vocabulary — it's the major 3rd of B, which appears via the B(no5) chord. This is the peak.

RIFF 05 · BARS 91-92 OF SONG

The Dorian Head

ZONE C · DM DORIAN 2 BARS MODULATION SIGNATURE

THE Section C signature. Memorise this — it's the modulation in one phrase. When the backing track hits the Dm vamp, play this.

D Dorian — The Modulation Head

       Bar 1                          Bar 2
e|--12-9-11-12-11-9-11-9------|--11-12-9-------------------|
B|----------------------------|------------13b(15)~~~10----|
G|----------------------------|----------------------------|

   D-A-C-D-C-A-C-A             C-D-A then bend F to G,
   R-5-b7-R-b7-5-b7-5          release to C

   All on the high e string!   Final move: F→G bend
                               (b3 to 4 of D — Dorian)

The moves

All eighth notes
Same shape repeated with one variation
Frets 9, 11, 12 on high e string — three notes total in bar 1
Bar 2 ends with B-string fret 13 (F) bent up to fret 15 pitch (G) — the Dorian colour move
That F→G bend (b3 to 4 of D) is what defines Section C as Dorian

Why it works This is the exact phrase Landau uses to ESTABLISH the modulation. The repeated D-A-C creates the new tonic. The final F→G bend lands you on the natural 4 (G) — that's pure Dorian, not Aeolian. Play this when the chord changes to Dm and the audience FEELS the shift.

RIFF 06 · BARS 153-156 OF SONG

The Bridge Lift

BRIDGE · POSITION 5 2 BARS QUIET MELODIC

Lower position, simpler. Use this when the music NEEDS to come down before building back up. The "breath" between intense sections.

Bm — Position 5 Bridge

       Bar 1                       Bar 2
e|----------------------------|---------------------------|
B|--7-5--5-7-----------5------|--7-5-7-5-7-5--------------|
G|--------------7-5-7----7----|----------------4-5-4------|
D|----------------------------|---------------------------|

  Slow, deliberate eighths.    Walk down chromatically
  Use vibrato on long notes.   in the lower position.

The moves

B-string frets 5 and 7 (E and F#)
G-string frets 5 and 7 (C# and D)
G-string fret 4 (B) in bar 2 for the chromatic walk-down
Position 5 box of Bm pentatonic — the "lower" zone
Pull-offs where notated, otherwise picked clean

Why it works The lower position has a darker, more vocal quality than the 12th fret screaming zone. After Section C's high climax, dropping to position 5 gives the song dynamic relief. Use this as a "breath" before going back up to high intensity.

RIFF 07 · ENDING PHRASE

The Closing Statement

RESOLUTION 2 BARS LAND ON THE 5

How to END a solo. A simple resolution phrase. Lands on F# (the 5 of Bm). The most "ended" sound possible without being completely closed.

Bm — The Closer

       Bar 1                       Bar 2
e|----------------------------|---------------------------|
B|--10-7----------------------|--7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
G|------9-7-------------------|---------------------------|
D|---------9-7-9--------------|---------------------------|
A|--------------9-------------|---------------------------|

  A-F#-E-D-A-B-A (descend)    Sustained F# with vibrato
  walk down through scale      (the 5 of Bm — pure
                                resolution)

The moves

Start high — B-string fret 10 (A)
Walk down through pentatonic
Land on B-string fret 7 (F#)
Hold for the full second bar with developing vibrato
Vibrato should grow — start narrow, widen as the note sustains

Why it works Most players end on the root. Landing on the 5 (F#) sounds slightly open — like "I'm done, but the song could go anywhere from here." Perfect for ending a phrase that's been intense. The vibrato turns a static note into a singing one.

MAPWhere to Use What

Match each riff to the MIDI backing track

Part 216 BARS BM

Riff 1 (opening) + Riff 3 (tail). End with Riff 7 (closer).

Part 3BM ↔ F/C

Riff 1 over Bm bars. Use Riff 6-style simpler phrasing over F/C bars.

Part 4FULL CYCLE

Riff 1 + Riff 3 over Bm portions. Riff 6 (bridge feel) over F/C and E/B passing chords.

Part 5B(NO5) CHORUS

Riff 1 works perfectly. Build to Riff 4 (high climax) for the chorus peak.

Part 616 BARS DM

Riff 5 (the Dorian head) — drop it in repeatedly. Use Riff 4 (high climax in Dorian box) for intensity.

Part 7PIVOT DRILL

Riff 5 over Dm bars. Riff 3 over Bm bars. Switch every 2 bars.

Part 8BM RETURN

Riff 7 (closing statement). Land the final F# vibrato as the song fades.

7 DAYSThe Practice Schedule

One week to internalise all seven riffs

DAY 1

Just Riff 1

20 reps slowly with a metronome at 60 BPM. Get the bend perfect. Reference the target pitch (A) before each bend. If 20 reps in a row arrive in tune, you've succeeded.

DAY 2

Riff 1 + Riff 3 — Call & Answer

Play them as a pair. Riff 1, then 4 beats of rest, then Riff 3. The silence is the music. 15 minutes of this builds the phrasing instinct.

DAY 3

Add Riff 2 — The Rhythm Engine

Now you have rhythm AND lead vocabulary. Practice switching: 2 bars of Riff 2 chuga, then drop in Riff 1 or 3. Build the dual-role muscle memory.

DAY 4

Add Riff 5 — The Dorian Head

Practice it over Part 6 of the MIDI (the 16-bar Dm vamp). 4 reps, then improvise around it for 4 bars, then 4 more reps. Build vocabulary on top of the riff.

DAY 5

Add Riff 4 — The High Climax

Try connecting Riff 1 → Riff 4 as a single phrase build. Start low (Riff 1), then climb to high register (Riff 4). The transition is the goal.

DAY 6

Add Riff 6 + Riff 7

Now you have the full vocabulary. Practice the "shape" of a solo: Riff 1 (open) → Riff 4 (climb) → Riff 6 (breathe) → Riff 7 (close). That's a complete solo arc.

DAY 7

Play through the whole MIDI

Drop riffs in where they fit using the Riff Map. Improvise the connecting tissue between them. Don't worry about perfection — worry about FLOW. Some passes will fall apart. Try again.

The Performance Philosophy

You don't need to play these note-for-note. The point is to internalise the SHAPES and the HARMONIC LOGIC so your hands reach for these moves automatically when you improvise.

Four moves matter most

Riff 1's bend — the 5→b7 vocal gesture.
Riff 3's descent — the pentatonic answer.
Riff 5's Dorian head — the modulation signature.
Riff 7's resolution on the 5 — how to END.

These are the four moves you need to play Renegade Destruction convincingly. Everything else is variation. Get these four into your hands and the rest writes itself.