Top 15 Velvet Underground Riffs

[@dashstarkiller913]

“One chord is fine. Two chords is pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz." - Lou Reed

[@hsjshahs1305]

@Brecken Kase no one cares at all

[@kaderpdi1982]

@Brecken Kase nice virus you got there

[@PW-le6cr]

All of the songs are three chords or more

[@theknightsofawesomeness2701]

Have we been playing jazz all this time?

[@KaleEb449]

@@theknightsofawesomeness2701 No

[@JohnLee-iw1fn]

Venus in Furs has perhaps the most menacing chord sequence I've ever heard.

[@galgadelic]

it's almost like an egyptian tune or something like that, it reminds me of the end by the doors, it has the same spirit

[@al89712]

Wait till you hear black metal

[@lo_01140]

@@galgadelic it was written in an Arabic scale so that’s why it has the weird feel to it

[@projektpsychodeliczny4620]

This version is in normal tuning?

[@junlee3515]

@@lo_01140 pygirian

[@jxomxo]

What’s so powerful about Heroin is that the song is just those two chords played throughout as the song distorts into highs and lows, it’s magnificent.

[@juanfilipwinifred]

One of the best songs ever made yet it is very simple. Just one viola note never gets boring.

[@Hbm1923]

such a great song. love it every time.

[@cervgiovanni]

Sweet Jane is such a Beautiful chord progression

[@MuscleDad420]

Yep, it is the best jazz composition

[@UnitedFeodor]

it's pretty much as basic as it gets

[@forestfire1232]

@@UnitedFeodor and.....

[@anuragdeshpande9601]

I couldn't even get over the starting 15 seconds. Just listened to it again again

[@anuragdeshpande9601]

@@MuscleDad420 lol 3 chords? ( I don't know music theory)

[@rick.d]

Every time I turn on the radio, there ain't nothing goin' down at all.

[@briansmith9455]

Not even a tiny little bit!

[@sonamhf]

i sang this comment

[@raybbaby]

Nice. My introduction to this song came via Jane's Addiction on that triple x ep, or album, or whatever it was.

[@comedownmachine4682]

SHEEEE started dancing to that FINE FINE muuuusic!

[@cockylady2067]

Not at all.

[@mannyvelizofficial]

I love how the Velvet were capable of creating such a distinctive, experimental, and unique sound with a few chords. One of the best bands ever

[@jermyhopkisn9654]

This made me want to listen to the Velvet Underground. Spot on job with everything.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you.

[@CarlosVargas-cn7rx]

Lou Reed is such an underrated rythmic guitar player

[@jeremywu222]

there she goes again was so insanely accurate - I could hear Lou’s voice coming in!!!

[@nicotobiasmusic]

That riff is actually lifted straight from the Rolling Stones' cover of Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike"

[@II-xl7lj]

@@nicotobiasmusic No, it's namely from Marvin Gaye song, don't spread your stupidity to others

[@omegajrz1269]

@nicotobiasmusic How do you know they copied it from that cover and not the original?

[@losangulos]

"Riffs that spawned 50 bands or more"

[@BernardLangham]

far, far more than 50 :)

[@losangulos]

@@BernardLangham yes, each.

[@jedediahjehoshaphat]

And the 50 bands that spawned generations after.

[@michaelgraham9774]

More like 50,000

[@RansomGangsterBox245]

I couldn’t get into their riffs so I automatically think they’re dookie and not my cup of tea 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@numsiskit]

Sterling Morrison is so underrated and ahead of his time. Love this band.

[@Mcgovern124]

Randomly found out during Halloween that our neighbor/guest is Sterling’s daughter. Never know who you’re gonna meet

[@synthmalicious7541]

@@Mcgovern124 I don’t want to get too much into people’s private lives but is she doing alright?

[@mesolithicman164]

Sterling Morrison's stuff came right out of old school rockabilly and blues. Such s great fit for the VU.

[@sakonbutthead9829]

He is dead rip

[@Bnk12x]

probably the greatest guitarist we ever had he just never used his talents for money or fame, such a legend

[@greytoeimp]

Each of these riffs tells a different story, all by itself.

[@camilopibi]

😎 the only emoji for velvet underground

[@dlawlis]

💉💊🚬🔪🍬👠💄

[@trashAndNoStar]

🍌

[@mesolithicman164]

"Girl Watchers" as Lou Reed once said.

[@lacanian1500]

@@mesolithicman164 is that kerouac on your pfp?

[@mesolithicman164]

lacanian Nearly was. But I went with Robert Mitchum in the end.

[@silenceofthehills7610]

I love the guitar solo in “Sunday Morning”.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Me too

[@aestheticaltwat]

Don’t forget the heavily-reverbed guitar in the background. Shoegaze and dream pop a good 30+ years before either was a thing.

[@dankmetalmemes]

I love that part so much

[@iejcwejheiowcnlwekn]

It’s nice to know that there are this many Velvet Undergrounders out there. It’s another perfect day and I couldn’t hit it sideways.

[@mesolithicman164]

No ding dongs either.

[@yunarukami14]

@@mesolithicman164 But Sister Ray said...

[@markjohnson7910]

You know who I discovered recently that sounds like the Velvet Underground? Nobody.

[@booshfan24]

Les Rallises denudes are about as close as I’ve found

[@lucagarcia1]

@@booshfan24 amazing band

[@andyisdead]

Galaxie 500

[@awienc]

@@andyisdead I was just gonna write Luna. 23 Minutes in Brussels must have been inspired by Some Kinda Love, incredible song. Check out their Penthouse album

[@chrissvitreoushumour]

beat happening

[@Paul-gf6kp]

You know it's good when the man gets a new guitar

[@killbot_factory]

What Goes On is such a great guitar jam. on the 1969 live album there is a killer 12 minute long version that gets hypnotic with the guitar and especially organ. rhythm guitarists are underrated and Lou was a great one, attacking those chords with a real ferocity.

[@robertmiller532]

Incredible top, i was amazed by hearing the Lady Godivas Operation riff, thats a very dirty sound.

[@andrewpappas9311]

These guys were definitely ahead of their time, man, Lou Reed was such a great songwriter and a hell of a guitarist as well

[@ayyayyron5064]

some kinda love has one of the best riffs i've ever heard in my life. props to you man. you nailed it.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@hecubot]

You just elevated "Lady Godiva's Operation" into the top ten! Never been done before.

[@JonManos]

The intro riff from I'll Be Your Mirror is one of my favorites. Great video!

[@msimmo4]

Great work. I wish this had been available back in 1973 when I was struggling to play these songs.

[@berry541]

That’s two of us!

[@dgarr2224]

Imagine clicking on this- knowing who TVU is, and not liking the video.

[@joenouveau7109]

I never realised how downright weird the Venus in furs chord progression was-

[@lewistyler462]

''Hey white boy, what ya doin' uptown?''

[@juanaloulehoux]

Nothing... just chasing some women around

[@aestheticaltwat]

Pardon him, sir. He’s just looking for a dear, dear friend of his.

[@annan1200]

He's just lookin for a two different of his

[@annan1200]

He's just lookin for a two different of his

[@annan1200]

He's just lookin for a two different of his

[@nickbarthram1112]

Sister Ray needs that played-for-15-minutes-straight out of tune-ness

[@micpoc4597]

At the very least!

[@Selvikus]

You should hear their version of Louie Louie

[@joycejames8461]

@@Selvikus Had a good night, had a good night.

[@schnellpress7683]

@@Selvikus classic album!

[@berry541]

Nice JD reference🤣

[@giganixon6994]

We needed this for a long time thanks!

[@scottjones7005]

“Some kind of love” was awesome brother. Playing it now . My favorite VU tune. Thank you mate. 👍

[@HP-sg8kd]

Lady Godiva’s Operation was perfect in tone and everything. All the riffs were so well executed. Great job!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it. The Velvets are still among my favourites out of all these vids I’ve ever done. I don’t play them often but it’s always special.

[@kevinminer1293]

Great work! I really enjoyed how you played these songs with their original tuning. It just adds so much more to the uniqueness of this amazing music.

[@danichiva1804]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, man!!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@lrwiersum]

Rock and Roll makes me “lift up” inside !! Something inside of me RISES whenever I hear those licks, it’s wonderful, exhilarating.

[@kidbear8449]

Great work I really enjoyed hearing this, I was a young 16 yo Aussie who found VU in the mid 80's. Started a band a year later because of them and we played Sweet jane, White light/heat, and over VU influence songs such as Road Runner, Egyptian Reggae from Modern Lovers.

[@benbates4302]

tones are spot on

[@micpoc4597]

Great job! "Venus In Furs" gave me chills.

[@user-bv9cr9zp4z]

You've got a new guitar!!! This Jazzmaster is amazing!!!

[@jan_Travis]

Nice! Most people don't notice that Bm chord in Sweet Jane. Also, cool way of playing Lady Godiva. I need to play it like that now. Lots of love was put into this video I can tell. Velvet Underground amazing!

[@AdaptivePhenix]

Except he's in the wrong key...he's playing c#m.

[@jan_Travis]

@@AdaptivePhenix yeah I was gonna point that out but I didn't know if he was in E standard or D standard.

[@jan_Travis]

@@AdaptivePhenix 2 years too late but he's playing the right key. His guitar is in D standard so he's playing the right chords.

[@garylarson420]

On his Hooky Wooky Tour, Lou mentioned that the " secret chord" in Sweet Jane is what made that song so good.

[@labelledejour802]

My favorite is there she's goes again! And you are one of the guys who showed me rock!

[@ethanhill9460]

YOU BETTER HIT HER.

[@labelledejour802]

@@ethanhill9460 lol

[@jakek1735]

Velvet Underground is the most well-known band that's somehow still incredibly underrated by the average person

[@johncale814]

The average person knows nothing of VU

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Bro, EXCELLENT JOB ON RUN RUN RUN.

[@alexm8859]

I’ve always loved Run Run Run

[@berry541]

Fantastic job on all of them. Particularly loved “Lady Godiva’s Operation” Great work!

[@nickaglyc]

I like Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes and Femme Fatale. Smooth af.

[@SceneComparisons]

great!

[@dankmetalmemes]

Such an underrated band. BTW their debut is easily one of the 10 best albums of all time

[@sebastianfitzptraick7395]

Lou Reed was a guitar pioneer. Invented the power chord and innovated sonic experimentation with amps and volume.

[@WakeBakeSkate410]

No, he wasn't. Link Wray invented power chords and distortion

[@mjjames2442]

Yeah probably as did every teenage garage band playing gymnasiums in the 60’s with small amps turned up to maximum volume. Bobby fuller, the Seeds, playing buddy holly tunes.

[@petercrowley41]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2OZlXWnYp5rhtE

[@petercrowley41]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKjRcouKZpiKidEfeature=shared

[@jordi9698]

John lennon used the feedback in 1964 before Lou reed

[@RC-fi8nn]

So many great riffs and progressions. I was humming along to so many of these. What a band! Great vid.

[@aisle_of_view]

All Tomorrow's Parties intro always gives me goosebumps

[@friendsofjackketch860]

Dammit Bloxsy, you did it again. Another outstanding video. As one Velvets loving guitar player to another, you nailed it! Seen too many Velvets videos that miss it and don't get it right. But you did. You made me want to get a Fender Cyclone after your other video. Worlds collide with that guitar and I'm sold.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! Yeah they have a unique style. I’m thinking of doing some more Velvets stuff. The cyclone is kind of unique too!

[@matthieuforte7618]

OMG, makes me want to buy a Jazzmaster 😄 Not sure that I would sound like you anyway... it's just perfect ! Thanks for posting all these riff videos. It is always very inspiring.

[@justincarpenter1052]

I can't begin to thank you enough for making this, after hours of trying to learn by ear and bunk online tabs you have finally created a video in which I can learn my favorite band's riffs. Bloxsy, you are my hero. Peace and love, Carp...

[@evanperry252]

Lady Godiva song didn’t realise it would be that difficult looking Lou was a fantastic guitar player

[@timotheelaperriere5212]

it always amazes me how you get to hit a tone that’s so close to the original. what’s the secret?

[@bloxsy_]

I don't know, I just try and get as close as I can to the ear. I use the same equipment usually.

[@altdelet3778]

Semi-hollow body with some mild OD + reverb works for me.

[@Alifesalife]

Yeah just use reverb and a bit of overdrive

[@xammai9679]

@@bloxsy_ damn bro what amp are you using it sound so good

[@jakereedman2881]

@@bloxsy_ for real though these are all very very close to the original recordings which is deceptively hard. Nice going!

[@jimdavis8391]

Takes me back to being 19, sitting, standing, crouching, lying in my room with Lou Reed's drawl forming a backdrop to my drunken attempts to paint.

[@fedeesna2604]

👏👏👏👏👏excellent work, not only the riffs, but the sound itself is spot on!!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@BanjoLupus333]

Love for Lou and the VU. Good job, sounds great.

[@willdann7497]

great video Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison were a great duo on guitar - Live at the Matrix is genius

[@erichhonecker1717]

Cool video, Velvet Underground's guitars work is great, and it's so unfairly undervalued, they can do a lot with not much complexity

[@UnrealGamer099]

You should do top 10 alternative tuning songs (Like all tomorrow parties where its some way out there tuning)

[@bloxsy_]

That's a pretty good idea.

[@hickorymccay2994]

It could just be Sonic Youth songs honestly.

[@loudlove2987]

Yeah, I’d love to know what that tuning is, please? Thank you .

[@hickorymccay2994]

@@loudlove2987 It's EEEEEE

[@andrewpappas9311]

A number of Sonic Youth could be on there then since they’re known for using weird tunings

[@skum73]

I was lucky enough to see the Velvet Underground twice when they reformed. They were great gigs.

[@emscott2705]

Fantastic playing of these riffs.

[@oyoystein]

What Goes On is simply 5 minutes of pure auditory serotonin.

[@russnator3217]

great job on the vid. i love the tuned down rifts. i just realized that i cant get enough vu/ lou reed because today i listen to loaded and lou reeds solo album berlin today, fuck that is a sad but some how also an incredible album to listen to.

[@joxidearmageddonator882]

OMFG you are the big don, thank you so much!!! always wanted to know how to play Lady Godiva. Rock n Roll soundsgreat, they all do. Amazing

[@arminfazeli7989]

Impressive the tones were spot on

[@ianjohnson2284]

You’re a life saver by listing all those tunings! Subscribed 👍

[@stephenparis9595]

I didn't know it but this is is exactly what I needed to see tonight. They were all excellent but you nailed Some Kinda Love. That's impressive. Cheers friend.

[@marcclaydon6296]

This is one of the most awesome things I have watched. Superb stuff.

[@MickaelBeaulieu]

Venus in Fur ! What a cool riff ! I made an instrumental cover of that a couple months ago. Nice job Bloxsy !

[@alexthomas7923]

one of their lesser known ones because an official studio recording was never released but guess i’m falling in love has an amazing riff too

[@clashpoet]

Sweet Jane and Rock and Roll will always be my #1 and 2, but this was a great video. Thanks!

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks!

[@grosstross2218]

What a great video, thank you for making this. I love it how number 1 is what goes on, perfect choice

[@ohmysthohmysth5241]

I totally agree with you about the top number of this ranking. The song, it seems to me, has also great guitar-solo part. Nice guitar playing!

[@nicoscarda6054]

thanks for showing so much love for this band ❤ superb playing

[@krishanpaul2]

Whenever the Sweet Jane riff starts, I'm put into a slightly better mood.

[@jonpearse6465]

This was great, thanks. Its inspired me to check out more of velvet underground's back catalogue

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you for watching.

[@noah.161]

I just checked out your channel because this video was suggested to me and I think it's really great. Now I have to give you a compliment for your good taste in music!

[@marceloBAdARI]

Awesome riffs! Great playing and guitar sounds as well.

[@sk8knight]

I love Velvet Underground so fucking much. I’ll never forget seeing the banana cover and being intrigued by it and then having my mind blown by the music

[@mesolithicman164]

Lou Reed had a brilliant ability to put basic chords together and make something interesting out of them. I guess that's what being a real songwriter is all about, hearing something different to other people. Thx for this, nice selection of riffs. How about a Pt.2?

[@Mushiikata]

This is the video that started my day, things are looking up!

[@davesaenz3732]

I keep hearing Clearance Clearwater Revival here. I can see where they got that inspiration. Great video. 🎸

[@ghghhbbffghv6895]

Ah man I love the way you play Venus and furs, any chance you could do the whole song?

[@alexrezel8860]

At last something sophisticated. Way to go, man!

[@SpiritStoneWarrior94-yx3gs]

All tomorrows mornings is such a hauntingly beautiful riff

[@BettyOneBettyTwo]

This was excellent, really nailed the tone and everything. Today will be a day of revisiting the VU now!

[@anjelkastipanovich1815]

This is my sounddddtrackkkkkkkkkk mannnnn Yes!!!!! Thank you! So many lazy golden afternoons w these riffs

[@valentinch0]

I’m glad that the VU version of I Can’t Stand It made it to your list

[@Proutt]

Wow amazing job, these all sound spot on. You really nailed the tones and these songs are deceptively hard to play/figure out.

[@peterlorenzo615]

You have excellent taste in everything!!!!! Music guitars and even clothes….great videos!!!

[@jorgemiguelgonzalez7866]

Excellent video, I'm glad to find someone who plays other bands and not the same ones as always, I'm a big fan of VU, take you so much bro, happy new year from México 🇲🇽🎊🎆♥️

[@stevenc4374]

You nailed that tone on Waiting for the Man.

[@MrBeatlefan123]

Stephanie Says is my personal favorite VU riff, I love the beautiful descending, arpeggiated chord progession and how muffled the guitar tone is, it's such a lovely tune.

[@jackdc2130]

Great work man. Really nice tone. I was hoping ‘I’ll be your mirror’ and ‘ride into the sun’ would make the grade!

[@moople72]

Well done. Not just the chords but the feel.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you.

[@Tony-lv8uh]

Great work! The tone for each song is spot on as well.

[@connorcorn7309]

How did you get the exact same tone as the record for Lady Godiva? It's amazing.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. I'm not sure about that. I don't know if it's played correctly, but I added a bit of distortion and finger-picked it. It may be played with a plectrum though.

[@23malaise]

Thank you. It makes sense that a VU fan would know how to make such a vid.