bigevilman Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Im trying to advance as a player, and have recently listening to funk such as jamiroquai and james brown. I know my basic scales and whatever, and can play basic slap bass, but I wondering how I should go about advancing in that style? Is there any chord structures of finger techniques you guys can recommend? Or shall I just practice songs by funk artists? Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 (edited) This [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Guitar-Tips-Jazz-Fusion/dp/0757999964"]book[/url] has been highly recommended before.I have it myself and I've found it very helpful for findin' the funk. Edited October 19, 2009 by kennyrodg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 This is it: [url="http://www.amazon.com/Fingerstyle-Funk-Francis-Rocco-Prestia/dp/B0000633EX"]http://www.amazon.com/Fingerstyle-Funk-Fra...a/dp/B0000633EX[/url] The notes don't really matter, it's about how and when you hit the strings! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 16th note pushes are your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='alexclaber' post='630835' date='Oct 19 2009, 10:06 PM']This is it: [url="http://www.amazon.com/Fingerstyle-Funk-Francis-Rocco-Prestia/dp/B0000633EX"]http://www.amazon.com/Fingerstyle-Funk-Fra...a/dp/B0000633EX[/url] The notes don't really matter, it's about how and when you hit the strings! Alex[/quote] That's not exactly right Alex, the note choice when held in balance with rhythm and technique is possibly more evenly distributed than with other styles of music. But to say they don't really matter is a bit misleading. So to the OP: Listening to what great funk players play both in terms of rhythm and note choice is definitely a good approach, in fact for any type of music. Also learning to play with a consistent feel helps. Try to make all the things you do now for practice sound funky by playing them with a certain feel eg play an E major scale over 2 octaves in short punchy notes as though you were locking with a bass drum and avoiding a snare... Edited October 20, 2009 by jakesbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I'd say with finger Funk you have to listen for space... try not to overplay.... less is more sorta thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombywoof Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Use your ears before you even attempt to get your fingers out of their box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 This may be useful: [url="http://www.dmanlamius.com/#"]http://www.dmanlamius.com/#[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKenrick Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 A few that I find useful: [url="http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=245"]http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=245[/url] [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-Shadows-Motown-Legendary-Jamerson/dp/0881888826/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256035502&sr=8-5"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-Shadows-M...5502&sr=8-5[/url] [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sittin-Rocco-Prestia-Tower-Like/dp/1575605953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256035534&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sittin-Rocco-Prest...5534&sr=1-1[/url] I'm a big advocate of transcription as a means of really getting deep into a genre, so I'd suggest getting hold of something like this and stealing as many licks as possible: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Time-Greatest-Hits-Brown-James/dp/B000001DUP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1256035594&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Time-Greatest-...5594&sr=8-1[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='crez5150' post='631181' date='Oct 20 2009, 10:53 AM']I'd say with finger Funk you have to listen for space... try not to overplay.... less is more sorta thing[/quote] Unless you end up at the Tower of Power end of the finger funk spectrum He doesnt over play, but he plays way more notes than the above would imply! Heck, Bootsy wasnt note shy even when he was playing with JB way back when... You want to get ghost notes down, and really listen to a massive amount of funk, whenever you hear a funk track figure out the bassline, then run it agains a click on 2 & 4. It shouldnt take too long to get a good cross section of the funkiest stuff (see previous threads on good examples of funk to listen to). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='jakesbass' post='631179' date='Oct 20 2009, 10:52 AM']That's not exactly right Alex, the note choice when held in balance with rhythm and technique is possibly more evenly distributed than with other styles of music. But to say they don't really matter is a bit misleading. [/quote] Well you know what I mean! I'd focus on getting the 16th note pulse happening, getting the feel for muting and ghost notes, work the root and octave and then start using parts of the minor pentatonic. Just feel your way into it. Once you've got that feel internalised then have a go at more stripped lines where you hardly play anything but still manage to imply that feel. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairobill Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Meditate on these Two Words... James Jamerson.... Listen to this... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-iW51idC0&feature=fvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-iW51idC0&feature=fvw[/url] Then buy this... [url="http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Motown-Legendary-Jamerson/dp/0881888826"]http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Mot...n/dp/0881888826[/url] Then study it deeply and enjoy. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 A good drummer helps no end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 [quote name='Cairobill' post='631906' date='Oct 20 2009, 10:43 PM']Meditate on these Two Words... James Jamerson.... Listen to this... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-iW51idC0&feature=fvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-iW51idC0&feature=fvw[/url] Then buy this... [url="http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Motown-Legendary-Jamerson/dp/0881888826"]http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Mot...n/dp/0881888826[/url] Then study it deeply and enjoy. Nick[/quote] Very good advice indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Zombywoof' post='631198' date='Oct 20 2009, 11:09 AM']Use your ears before you even attempt to get your fingers out of their box.[/quote] Very true, apparently a pro player once said (I don't know who) "The answers to all your musical questions can be found in your record collection". Listen to all the recommendations suggested here and feel what works for you. I like what Prestia and Rainey do a lot, even though they have wildly different styles. If I can ever channel these guys, even a little bit, I'm a happy bass player. [quote name='EBS_freak' post='632170' date='Oct 21 2009, 10:30 AM']A good drummer helps no end.[/quote] So true, my two inspirations above had Bernard Purdie and David Garilbaldi, nuff said Edited October 21, 2009 by ezbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairobill Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I don't know what is about Jamerson but his bass playing makes me very happy indeed Nick [quote name='jakesbass' post='632244' date='Oct 21 2009, 11:39 AM']Very good advice indeed [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I quite like to tap the strings rhythmically in between notes like dead notes, mimicking the drums and emphasising the rhythmic content of the groove. It's hard to explain, but I guess it helps me with keeping the groove and I feel really comfortable venturing around with different grooves and keeping the click/tap/clank of the beat under it. ped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 [quote name='ped' post='632632' date='Oct 21 2009, 06:11 PM']I quite like to tap the strings rhythmically in between notes like dead notes, mimicking the drums and emphasising the rhythmic content of the groove. It's hard to explain, but I guess it helps me with keeping the groove and I feel really comfortable venturing around with different grooves and keeping the click/tap/clank of the beat under it. ped[/quote] Ped that's a very natural self contained groovy thing to do which can sound very funky if done right... but a word of caution. If you learn to rely on those little taps as part of your groove they can be very difficult to eliminate should the need arise, that need is likely to be when you realise in playback in a session that your taps and clicks are competing with the drums especially the snare on the back beat, it can be doubly problematic if you're not as accurate as your drummer because it can create a flam effect on the backbeat. So it's a cautionary tale... I'm not saying don't do it. I am saying be able to play without doing it with no loss of groove for the sake of squeaky clean recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 [quote name='jakesbass' post='632756' date='Oct 21 2009, 08:15 PM']Ped that's a very natural self contained groovy thing to do which can sound very funky if done right... but a word of caution. If you learn to rely on those little taps as part of your groove they can be very difficult to eliminate should the need arise, that need is likely to be when you realise in playback in a session that your taps and clicks are competing with the drums especially the snare on the back beat, it can be doubly problematic if you're not as accurate as your drummer because it can create a flam effect on the backbeat. So it's a cautionary tale... I'm not saying don't do it. I am saying be able to play without doing it with no loss of groove for the sake of squeaky clean recording.[/quote] I used to do that a lot. I do it less now but it's still an important part of my playing. But then I'm not so much of a studio musician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Thanks, good advice. I tend to do it when I get carried away and I am definitely more of a studio player, so I will watch my bad self. Cheers ped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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