0–3–5: The Beginner Guitarist’s Best Friend
How Smoke on the Water gained traction in the beginner guitarist community and how it influences guitarists today.
Introduction
“Smoke on the Water,” one of Deep Purple’s most iconic and recognizable songs, is arguably one of the most influential pieces of music in the modern day. Released in 1972, it was one of the singles featured in “Machine Head.” This legendary song holds one of the most recognizable guitar riffs, which left a mark on the entire genre of rock music but has also become a rite of passage for millions of beginner guitarists. In this story, we will dive into the appeal of “Smoke and the Water” and its main riff that influences so many guitarists today.
The Riff We Know and Love
The opening riff to “Smoke on the Water” is a relatively simple but powerful riff. It’s composed of a couple of notes and is super simple. This is one of the reasons that it is so accessible to beginners. The repetitive nature of the riff makes it easy for newer guitarists to understand, and it can help a guitarist feel accomplished — I know it made me feel that way when I first started!
