--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You really have to play with the space in…" description: "\"You really have to play with the space in a riff so it can be allowed to breathe.\" — Johnny Christ" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/johnny-christ-15337_allowed_you-really-have-to-play-with-the-space-i_2399806.jpg" --- # You really have to play with the space in a riff so it can… ![“You really have to play with the space in a riff so it can be allowed to breathe.” quote by Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/johnny-christ-15337_allowed_you-really-have-to-play-with-the-space-i_2399806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/johnny-christ-15337_allowed_you-really-have-to-play-with-the-space-i_2399806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/johnny-christ-15337_allowed_you-really-have-to-play-with-the-space-i_2399806.jpg) > “You really have to play with the space in a riff so it can be allowed to breathe.” [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing with space in a riff lets notes breathe, creating dynamic tension and release. **In simple terms:** Use silence to shape music. Key Takeaway Leave room for notes to breathe. Themes music improvisation creativity Mood thoughtful inspired Type musical instructional When to use this quote - jazz solo - rock riff - live performance - studio recording Key Concepts rhythmic spacing dynamic tension Questions to Reflect On - How does silence affect listener attention? - When should you fill the gaps? A Different Perspective Too much space can make a piece feel empty if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed/) [Allowed Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-breathe-922327/) [Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathe/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Riff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riff/) [Riff Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riff-allowed-6006449/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space Riff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-riff-6006450/) ## Related quotes > [I've always loved space in music, when songs are allowed to breathe and aren't muddied or weighed down by unnecessary production elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-ve-always-loved-space-in-music-when-songs-are-allowed-to-breathe/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [I love independent films, it's the only place as an actor you're totally allowed to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-love-independent-films-it-s-the-only-place-as-an-actor-you-re/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [You have to keep people engaged until you get them through the next commercial. I'm not complaining about working in TV, at all, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/you-have-to-keep-people-engaged-until-you-get-them-through-the-next/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [Every riff had to be perfect and heavy, collectively what we wanted it to be. If there was one person in the room who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/every-riff-had-to-be-perfect-and-heavy-collectively-what-we-wanted-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [“Wine and women should always be allowed to breathe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/wine-and-women-should-always-be-allowed-to-breathe/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [When I went through my eating disorder, I never sought medical assistance. I created myths in my head about how I should get through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/when-i-went-through-my-eating-disorder-i-never-sought-medical/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [When I got into songs like 'Exist,' I was like, 'Okay, this riff has some bass sweeping in it, I'm definitely going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/when-i-got-into-songs-like-exist-i-was-like-okay-this-riff-has-some/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [There's such a huge difference between a great arrangement of riffs and a song. Sometimes the two can be the same. But the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-such-a-huge-difference-between-a-great-arrangement-of-riffs/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [I think often times if a guitar riff is centered around the chorus or if it follows the chorus, then it often times turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-often-times-if-a-guitar-riff-is-centered-around-the-chorus-or/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [A riff can take on the aspect of a chorus in a listener's psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/a-riff-can-take-on-the-aspect-of-a-chorus-in-a-listener-s-psyche/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I got really hooked on this riff in the middle of this song called 'Minor Miracles' by my friend Eric Johnson from Fruit Bats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-got-really-hooked-on-this-riff-in-the-middle-of-this-song-called/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [I like old-school, riff-driven, hard rock music with big hooks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/i-like-old-school-riff-driven-hard-rock-music-with-big-hooks/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [When I write a song, it's all about the riff - the riff first, then the words come later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/when-i-write-a-song-it-s-all-about-the-riff-the-riff-first-then-the/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) > [“Sometimes, sometimes you find a riff that fits so comfortably, you wish it would go on forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fox-benwell/sometimes-sometimes-you-find-a-riff-that-fits-so-comfortably-you-wish/) [Fox Benwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fox-benwell/) ## More by Johnny Christ > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We are just happy to be together and out and traveling the world together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-are-just-happy-to-be-together-and-out-and-traveling-the-world/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [There were numerous times where, at the end of a week of working on a song, there was a part of it that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/there-were-numerous-times-where-at-the-end-of-a-week-of-working-on-a/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [If we're compared to Metallica, the greatest metal band in the world, I think that's actually a pretty damn good compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/if-we-re-compared-to-metallica-the-greatest-metal-band-in-the-world-i/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We're always trying to do something better than the last record; to do something different and evolve as a band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-re-always-trying-to-do-something-better-than-the-last-record-to-do/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [If I ever wanted a gnome, I guess Id just stand out on my lawn for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/if-i-ever-wanted-a-gnome-i-guess-id-just-stand-out-on-my-lawn-for-a/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [The importance of first-week sales has kind of diminished, in our opinion, in the industry, and we don't really know what it really means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/the-importance-of-first-week-sales-has-kind-of-diminished-in-our/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [I'm Johnny Christ, and I play the tambourine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/i-m-johnny-christ-and-i-play-the-tambourine/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [These fans are the reason why we're here. They're awesome and very crazy. They love Avenged Sevenfold, and we love them. Having that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/these-fans-are-the-reason-why-we-re-here-they-re-awesome-and-very/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We always mess around with riffs and stuff and kind of jam out during sound checks, but we never actually started playing covers live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-always-mess-around-with-riffs-and-stuff-and-kind-of-jam-out-during/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We definitely want to make sure that what we are making is something that we are proud of and something that we are inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-definitely-want-to-make-sure-that-what-we-are-making-is-something/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [The fans have always been die-hard and awesome. That's why we do a lot of the things we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/the-fans-have-always-been-die-hard-and-awesome-that-s-why-we-do-a-lot/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [True fans stick behind bands through thick and thin and we've been lucky enough to have some amazing fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/true-fans-stick-behind-bands-through-thick-and-thin-and-we-ve-been/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [You can definitely tell the record was made for the time that it was and on the budget that it was. 'Waking the Fallen,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-definitely-tell-the-record-was-made-for-the-time-that-it-was/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [We were about ready to go out on the road with Maiden, and Kerrang asked us to do an Iron Maiden tribute song. While…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/we-were-about-ready-to-go-out-on-the-road-with-maiden-and-kerrang/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) [Explore all 43 Johnny Christ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) ## More Allowed quotes > [I just think that things should be allowed to run their course, and not turned into a Disney ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-shaw/i-just-think-that-things-should-be-allowed-to-run-their-course-and/) [Fiona Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-shaw/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. 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In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [As a child, we lived in flats, and I was never allowed pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pigott-smith/as-a-child-we-lived-in-flats-and-i-was-never-allowed-pets/) [Tim Pigott-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pigott-smith/) > [I'm not allowed to date. My dad said so. Not until I'm, like, 90.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-hogan/i-m-not-allowed-to-date-my-dad-said-so-not-until-i-m-like-90/) [Brooke Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-hogan/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I respect Chris Brown. I'd like to call myself a friend - I don't know if I'm allowed to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-respect-chris-brown-i-d-like-to-call-myself-a-friend-i-don-t-know/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. 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