Sadly, I think the funk is not in me...

phillys · #1 07-09-2006, 01:50 AM

I remember reading from somewhere that to be able to 'funk' or to play 'fingerstyle funk', one MUST have this strange little thing called 'funk' to add funky-ness into one's playing. I try really really really really hard to play funky but I don't think I'm born with it.

Here's an example of two tracks that I've recorded with my lovely drummer friend(who unfortunately isn't in the Kitchen Utensils band although I would love to have him in). Oh and please excuse my lead guitarist's singing in the first song

Can you smell the funk?

K2000 · #2 07-09-2006, 01:57 AM

Just keep playing. To be good at funky bass, you have to be an excellent player... playing behind the beat and around the beat, and still sounding fluid. It may just be a matter of time and experience.

I don't really believe that only certain people are able to play funky. ("The funk's not in me"). Keep practicing. The answer to most playing questions is usually "Practice more".

Cerb · #3 07-09-2006, 02:33 AM

Funk is not strived for. Funk simply is. Funk is nothing more than a feeling. Just feel the groove, and play it.

KeithBMI · #4 07-09-2006, 02:38 AM

Keep on tempo and feel the groove. During the first song, it sounded like you were too tense. The second one was better, but you still fell off tempo in places.

Dragonlord · #5 07-09-2006, 02:46 AM

You just need to relax. You need to feel good with the rythm and not be afraid of it. Practice with a metronome every day. When you're confident enough, you can let yourself feel the rythm and the groove will flow. Good luck!

bass349 · #6 07-09-2006, 03:30 AM

to reiterate what the others said... you simply need to work harder on your own internal rhythm..

work your ass off with a metronome and you'll be on your way. practice tapping your foot to a metronome or even simply try dancing to music. to have funk you need to FEEL the beat and feel the synchopations! another thing you can do is get a rhythm book (the louis belson 'modern reading text' is a good one) and, using a metronome, play the rhythms, clap the rhythms and sing the rhythms. IMO this would be the only way that you're going to get the 'funk' you desire

good luck!

Jazz Ad · #7 07-09-2006, 03:56 AM

Do you listen to much funk ?
Do you ever dance to it ?
What you play must get booties shaking.
Your playing isn't bad but smells too much like rock.

First, your tone is very fat and round, with a slow attack. You want something with less fat and more growl. More bridge pickup maybe ?

Second, you have poor control (sorry if it comes harsh) on note length. You're pretty well on time but don't control decay too well. Each note must be short and the same length. Play staccato and tight. Mute right after attacking. Long notes don't bounce. Silence participates in the groove just as much as notes.

Third, use more syncopated lines. You play too many 8th notes that reek of rock. Funk is thought in 16ths. It doesn't mean you can't play 4ths or even full notes but it must be syncopated.

Fourth, learn Papa was a Rolling Stone. It's the epitome of a funk line. Everything's in it. Short, simple, wicked timing. If you can play it properly and make it sweat, you're good.

Finally, relax. Be loose, let music flow. Your feet will do the job for you. Hope it helps.

GSPLBASSDC · #8 07-09-2006, 05:33 AM

Y'know, Jazz Ad said it best in his first line....do you listen to Funk (capital F) at all?

Being funky, IMO, is really a matter of locking with the groove....If you can't find that booty shakin', head boppin' (NOT head bangin'...there's a difference) beat easily, then you'll have to do some work....but you CAN get it!

If you haven't already, check out some of the following bands (mind you, this is a VERY short list and several threads on TB have been devoted to being funky...search is your friend)

James Brown (a MUST for original funk!!!!)
Parliament/Funkadelic
Cameo
Lakeside
Tower of Power
Brass Consstruction
Brothers Johnson

Please use your TB resources..there are some really good threads on this topic from bassists FAR better than me....

phillys · #9 07-09-2006, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Do you listen to much funk ?
Do you ever dance to it ?
What you play must get booties shaking.
Your playing isn't bad but smells too much like rock.

Thanks a lot for the comments. I really appreciate your frankness. At least now I know what's wrong with my playing instead of groping in the dark.

Well, honestly, no. I don't listen to much funk. I listen to James Brown once in a blue moon when I got tired of listening to other stuff. Most of the time I would be listening to pretty rock-ish stuff(which explains why my playing reeks of rock). Recently for the past few weeks(or months), I've been listening to a LOT of Red Hot Chili Peppers stuff.

Much thanks to GSPLBASSDC's list of 'funky' bands, I think I will check them out. I guess I'll check out Jamiroquai too since I really like what Stuart Zender(if I remember correctly) did for Space Cowboy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

First, your tone is very fat and round, with a slow attack. You want something with less fat and more growl. More bridge pickup maybe ?

Regarding my sound, I think I need some help in this department. I must admit that most of my church or youth group gigs require me to play lots of rock-ish tunes and apparently, for those kind of music, a fatter and 'fuller' sound is need and my mind have kinda been 'primed' to tune into such sound automatically.

Considering I'm using an 'el cheapo' Ibby GSR205, dubbed 'the Love machine', how can I dial in a funkier sound? Would bridge pick-up alone do the job? I heard what Jaco did but I thought he sounded a bit too sharp and snappy. (or would that be what I should be aiming for?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Second, you have poor control (sorry if it comes harsh) on note length. You're pretty well on time but don't control decay too well. Each note must be short and the same length. Play staccato and tight. Mute right after attacking. Long notes don't bounce. Silence participates in the groove just as much as notes.

Could you please elaborate a little bit more on 'long notes don't bounce'? Don't worry, that's not harsh

I need honest and frank opinions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Third, use more syncopated lines. You play too many 8th notes that reek of rock. Funk is thought in 16ths. It doesn't mean you can't play 4ths or even full notes but it must be syncopated.

And again, please elaborate a little bit more on syncopated lines? What kind of lines are examples of syncopated lines?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Fourth, learn Papa was a Rolling Stone. It's the epitome of a funk line. Everything's in it. Short, simple, wicked timing. If you can play it properly and make it sweat, you're good.

Okay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Finally, relax. Be loose, let music flow. Your feet will do the job for you. Hope it helps.

Sigh.. I've been playing for 4 years and my playing still isn't up to 'that' kind of standard yet. I guess I have a million stuff to work on and thanks a lot. You've been a great help. As well as all of you who responded too

Here's the shocking part: I'm actually considered as one of the better bassist in my church/youth group and young musicians sometimes look up to me to learn not just the bass but musicianship, etc... So, if they're learning from a blind man like me; our music ministry gonna go kaput. :-/

Mr_Dave · #10 07-09-2006, 07:27 AM

yeah, note length is just as important as it starting in time.

not all the notes have to be staccato and short, it varies...

a good example of note length creating or changing a feel is larry grahams 8th notes: short, long, short, long etc.
great feel

Dragonlord · #11 07-09-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillys

Sigh.. I've been playing for 4 years and my playing still isn't up to 'that' kind of standard yet. I guess I have a million stuff to work on and thanks a lot. You've been a great help. As well as all of you who responded too

Here's the shocking part: I'm actually considered as one of the better bassist in my church/youth group and young musicians sometimes look up to me to learn not just the bass but musicianship, etc... So, if they're learning from a blind man like me; our music ministry gonna go kaput. :-/

I've been playing for 8 years and I've stil got basic rythmic problems. And I'm also considered relatively good. There's always much to learn and the average level of bassists is mediocre, that's why a somewhat good one will always be busy if he wants.

MakiSupaStar · #12 07-09-2006, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Silence participates in the groove just as much as notes.

This is huge. When you start thinking about your sound AND the silence between it your on your way. It doesn't have to be complicated, but a lot of funk has some really sweetly placed gaps. Funk is more about feel and placement of sound than technical complexity. Keep on groovin

Jazz Ad · #13 07-09-2006, 08:16 AM

One more thing : dance is similar to trance. Keep it simple and obsessive. Most funky lines consist of a 2 bar riff repeated over and over again. Turnarounds and fiil-ins are fun but very often destroy the feeling.
Less is more, for funk more than any other style.

GSPLBASSDC · #14 07-09-2006, 01:17 PM

hmmmm.... you are a church bassist looking for funky vibe.

HEY! I'm a church bassist with a funky vibe!!!!

here's some more homework that's directed at what we christian music bassists do (and yes, there are lots of threads on "church or gospel bassists, too).

Some Gospel cats to add to your "must listen to" list...

Maurice Fitzgerald
Terrance Palmer
Andre Gouche

Also an instructional link:

www.gospelchops.com

Ther rest can be found amongst the threads I mentioned earlier..."search" is your friend

knarleybass · #15 07-09-2006, 01:23 PM

Funk is a state of mind.

bikeplate · #16 07-09-2006, 01:26 PM

HI

Its all about groove. It either fits or it doesnt. There is a space for a note. Its up to you to make it fit there. Might be a an eighth, quarter, whatever. Might be a ghost note!!. Thats groove and funk. Sometimes you have to choke it, let it ring, etc. Work on relaxing and be percussive with the drummer.

Rob

vindy500 · #17 07-09-2006, 01:27 PM

use octave walks!

phillys · #18 07-10-2006, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSPLBASSDC

hmmmm.... you are a church bassist looking for funky vibe.

HEY! I'm a church bassist with a funky vibe!!!!

here's some more homework that's directed at what we christian music bassists do (and yes, there are lots of threads on "church or gospel bassists, too).

Some Gospel cats to add to your "must listen to" list...

Maurice Fitzgerald
Terrance Palmer
Andre Gouche

Also an instructional link:

www.gospelchops.com

Ther rest can be found amongst the threads I mentioned earlier..."search" is your friend

The kind of music that we always play in church or youth group isn't exactly Gospel music. I would say it's more like stuff from Hillsong, Planet Shakers, Chris Tomlin, Passion Band, Matt Redman, etc...

morf · #19 07-10-2006, 06:26 AM

You're not pulling it off because you're trying hard. Let it flow, don't think about it, enjoy playing the line, and you'll get it right.

tZer · #20 07-10-2006, 06:52 AM

good suggestions.

I must reiterate the "LISTEN TO FUNK" suggestion. If you want to play something well, you really need to make it standard in your personal playlist. You can't just 'want' to play it and only passively listen and hope it will 'get in you' - listen, listen, listen... Spend your time away from your bass visualizing funk lines. Imagine funks lines as you are walking down the street. Nothing like a good, steady walking pace to lay down a solid four to funk over. You'll get it - if you go get it.

--tz