Run or Riff?

[ManofPraise]

What is the difference between a run and a riff? Please give examples.

                   ManofPraise

[nubornbabyboy]

Ye pls tell because I dont understand the difference yet either.

[T-Block]

A riff, run, or any other facny name is nothing more than a piece of a scale or a broken chord.  It can be from any scale (major, minor, blues, pentatonic, etc.) or chord (major, minor, augmented, diminished), it doesn't matter.  The key to most runs is to play them fast using the correct notes to make it seem like you are hitting random notes.  Most people would say, "Man he just hitting any old notes," but in reality the musician knows exactly what notes to hit and how to hit them.  Example:

Key Eb  RH only

Play very fast: Gb, Ab, Bb, Ab, Gb, Eb  *this run is usually associated with preacher chords

Gb, G, Bb, C, Eb

Gb, A, C, Eb,   A, C, Eb, Gb   C, Eb, Gb, A    Eb, Gb, A, C  *fully diminished chord being played in arpeggio form

[Da Man]

I always thought that a riff was the basic theme of the song, the rhythm section.

Da Man

[Da Man]

...a run being a quick succession of notes then hurry and fall back into the riff, or the song.  Just my opinion...

Da Man

[playhear]

I always thought that a riff was the basic theme of the song, the rhythm section.

Da Man

I always thought of that as the "hook".

Anyway, I tend to agree with what T-Block said.  Riff and run are used loosely and interchangeably.  Statements like "That was a nice riff!" and "You did a tight run right there!" can refer to the exact same piece of music.

[ManofPraise]

Thanks for the posts.

[Da Man]

Now, I always thought that the hook was the repeated chorus part that would draw the listener in. 

Da Man