Deep Purple - Burn - Famous Riffs - Guitar Lesson

About Burn - Famous Riffs

"Burn" contains one of the most recognisable riffs in hard rock, built around a descending run that sits right at the intersection of blues and classical thinking. Deep Purple introduced a line-up change on this track, with Ritchie Blackmore driving the song through a riff that demands precise picking and confident left-hand position across the neck. The challenge is keeping that descending figure clean at full tempo while locking in with the driving rhythm underneath. Getting the pick attack consistent through the run is where most players struggle, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop the riff slowed down until every note speaks evenly. Pay close attention to where your fingers land on each position shift, because sloppy fretting here is immediately obvious. Once the riff is solid, the rhythm feel asks you to sit slightly behind the beat for the heaviness the song needs.

• The signature descending riff combines blues-rock phrasing with a classical intervallic quality, making clean execution across position shifts the main technical challenge.
• Consistent pick attack is critical through the riff's fast descending run, so practise it at reduced speed before pushing the tempo.
• The rhythm guitar feel benefits from sitting slightly behind the beat, giving the riff its heavy, driving character rather than sounding rushed.