Riff - a short, repeating instrumental part, usually with some ‘hookiness’ to it (we can distinguish between a catchy riff and a dull one). It might appear as an intro, or it might be the harmonic backbone of the song - functioning as the chord progression. I don’t think there’s a clear distinction between a fast, snappy chord progression and a riff.
Melody- the monophonic lines delivered by vocal or sax, guitar etc., esp those that are more prominent in the mix and sitting one vocal frequency range.
Hook - the catchiest repeated moment of a song. Usually part of the vocal, usually the chorus. Sometimes a riff is a hook.
1 Like