The issue of “Funk” is something all musicians have to address eventually. Some folks are naturals. Others are hard-workers with creative minds, and yes there are a few who no matter what they do will not play Funk. Whether it’s by choice or Interest, they will not or can’t nail the funky stuff. Are they bad Guitarists?  No but they aren’t having that much fun!  Because you can’t spell Funk without F.U.N. !

Keep Reading to get Funky and listen to Jimmy’s “Funky Apples” & Who’d A Funk It”

To play Funk is to be a six string melodic drummer . You find a place in the groove that only the Guitar can play. Checkout the 70’s Funk Bands for research. Just listen at first. That’s right NO playing - yet! Funk has history. So, go be historical. Listen up on the Ohio Players, Kool and the Gang, Rufus, and of course Parliament Funkadelic. Do Not pass up the Brothers Johnson or The Gap Band or The Godfather - Mr James Brown.

When you’re listening make sure you ” feel ” the groove. Not just the beat. The groove. The beat will get your foot moving , the groove will get yo’ head and body swaying. The mathematical process of “where ” your part will fit will be “felt” not calculated at first. The Drummer & Bassist will lay it out and you will, if you listened to bands I mentioned, be intuitive and silly enough to grease it up with a 9th chord or a single “muted” line plucked out of a chord that makes all folks smile. I will use one or two of my own tunes to demonstrate: check out “Who’d a Funk It” and “Funky Apples”  for some of these concepts I mentioned.

“Who’d a Funk It” 

Notice at about the 56 sec mark the entry of the rhythmic statement. Its an F# chord , not the whole chord but a portion of the chord. Its performed with accuracy and consistency and because of where it entered in the song it takes on a position of attitude and groove. I learned that ” guitar Chuckas ” are not always easy and require practice. The ” non-musical” muted parts are as important as the audible harmonic statements. Its the management of these two components that present the challenge. Where does it enter and how long does it hang around?

Another example is “Funky Apples”

It starts with a 70’s Bass line with a jungle groove that was a perfect setting for a funk-wah groove. Remember the “wah” hits are integral to the rhythmic punch. It’s a two bar statement with a repetitive- 1,2,3 rest, chunkachunk gagachunkachunk - sort of …yes its gnarly but you get the idea.

My next posting will be focused on timing in the Blues and Bop setting. I’m outta here.

Shalom from Jimmy

http://myspace.com/jamminwithjimmymac

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