Adding Funk To Your Sound

Bass_Bear · #1 01-03-2010, 10:27 PM

Hey guys,

So yet again I have need of your infinite wisdom talkbass. Basically I've been playing bass for a couple years now, and I've had a couple of band to show for it. As far as training is concerned I was taught by a pretty decent teacher about many different techniques, especially jazz theory and melodic styles of phrasing. What's always interested me however are those funky beats from guys like John Paul Jones, Flea...maybe a little Roger Waters (thinking 'money' here). The trick however is that like these guys, I'm also playing over rock style guitar and drum play.

Right now I tend to come up with some really cool stuff...I get the general idea of what I need to do and look for, I've got a nice round sound, I can pop my 8th beats pretty decent, but I'm sure I'm missing a little experience overall. In an effort to quickly gain that experience, I want to really try and delve into more bassists like the guys mentioned above, and maybe even some more rudimentary funk. Problem is, I don't know any other bands that have this similar style or any pure funk bands at that.

So here's where you come in talkbass, I need all you guys and gals have about the genre, or anything that would help me out (thinking common chord patterns like the ii-V-I of jazz or stuff like that). Anything you guys think would throw me in the right direction is more than welcome.

Thanks guys.

Jay

nemo · #2 01-03-2010, 10:49 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZU72A4

+ get some James Brown/JB's collection and learn to play their bass licks along. Not overplay, leave air between notes. Less is more.

Enjoy and good luck!

Edit: Don't forget this thread Funk 101

behemecoytl · #3 01-03-2010, 10:54 PM

go to the source: James Jamerson

itswac · #4 01-03-2010, 11:03 PM

All about the major 6th.

Whenever you sit down at your bass, try just getting dirty funky on the thing in the key of E. Toss in the occasional C# (the major 6th) and you'll be adding a critical color to any pentatonic/rock sound (root, 5th, octave) that will result in moderate funkification.

Keep your rhythms happening and cool underneath the straight eighths of your bandmates. Try switching between slap and finger funk to manipulate the energy. If your funk has attitude, it will be Rock.

Linkert · #5 01-03-2010, 11:05 PM

Don't over think the funk, that will kill the funk.

Check out the masters of funk and just jam to their tracks.

Larry Graham, Bobby Vega, Bootsy Collins and Paul Jackson are great funkers to start with.

Good teachings of Old Gregg:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZwRQDNIPog

itswac · #6 01-03-2010, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

Don't over think the funk, that will kill the funk.

This is true. Just be awesome.

fenderfunker · #7 01-03-2010, 11:15 PM

Lots and lots of Bootsy, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Larry Graham.....immerse yourself in funk. And be very, very tasteful. Or you'll sound like a 'Honky' wannabe.

bass12 · #8 01-03-2010, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderfunker

Lots and lots of Bootsy, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Larry Graham.....immerse yourself in funk. And be very, very tasteful. Or you'll sound like a 'Honky' wannabe.

Translated: "that Australian-born guy - what's his name... tick... mite... er, Flea - that's it!".

Drop-the-One · #9 01-03-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

Don't over think the funk, that will kill the funk.

Overthinking = jazz with groove

though it does pound, it's not the same

Linkert · #10 01-03-2010, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drop-the-One

Overthinking = jazz with groove

though it does pound, it's not the same

Nah, wouldn't go that way to play some groovy jazz.

More like, think much first (getting the theory and discipline in), then play freely with solid groove.

Drop-the-One · #11 01-04-2010, 12:07 AM

Instill that "awww naw, light a match, someone let off a stanky funk bomb" into your playing :P

Look into the words "groove" and "pocket". Take 2 (or other) measure basslines from above mentioned bassists... practise them to a metronome, slowed waaay down. The more you listen to that practise, the more you can tell where your notes are landing. Both through hearing it and feeling it with your body.

Jam with many drummers

Some sick tricks too are when you (and a guitarist) drag the riff behind the drummer all laid-back like, like having a jam at the end of day1 @ Burning Man.
ie. Joss Stone - Bad Habit @ 2:45 to the end

Dropping the 1: the rhythm section (not the singer or lead players) cut out on beat 1 of the measure at the beginning of the riff. Dropping 1+2, 1+3, 1+2+3 etc all work too.

If you wanna groove over a string of II Vs leading back to the 1st II V you started on while doing backflips, then ignore most of my post

Bass_Bear · #12 01-04-2010, 07:09 AM

Golden! Thanks for your input guys...keep it coming!

Cheers!

MikeBass · #13 01-04-2010, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZU72A4

+ get some James Brown/JB's collection and learn to play their bass licks along. Not overplay, leave air between notes. Less is more.

Enjoy and good luck!

Edit: Don't forget this thread Funk 101

No, less is less.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t2g2...eature=related
ANYthing can be funky. This notion of less notes makes it more funky is really odd to me.
For your listening pleasure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YO4rC3ZB7g
I don't think really anyone would argue and say that isn't funky!!!!
(wish I could find Prince's "Let's Work".......Oh man!!)

DWBass · #14 01-04-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBass

No, less is less.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t2g2...eature=related
ANYthing can be funky. This notion of less notes makes it more funky is really odd to me.

I don't know why less notes would seem odd?!?! Listen to 'Bustin' Loose' by Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers. Or 'Doin' The Butt' by EU! Or 'Slide' by Slave! Very simple 'less notes' basslines but extremely funky. Sometimes the funk needs to breathe!

varunkapahi · #15 01-04-2010, 08:16 AM

bang buck bucka bucka bang!

get a wah pedal of some sort

on a serious note, listen to all the funk you can and then just play along to some drum loops and get funky

Bass_Bear · #16 01-04-2010, 08:41 AM

Lovin' the Slave, that's some really cool stuff! And I should have figured that returning to Jamerson would have been the thing to do...thanks all!

MikeBass · #17 01-04-2010, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

I don't know why less notes would seem odd?!?! Listen to 'Bustin' Loose' by Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers. Or 'Doin' The Butt' by EU! Or 'Slide' by Slave! Very simple 'less notes' basslines but extremely funky. Sometimes the funk needs to breathe!

You missed my point.
Most automatically go to the "Less is more" when it comes to funk.
That generalization is what's odd because there is a ton of funky stuff that goes against that. More than a nugget or two here and there is what I'm saying.

Less is just less. Doesn't make it any more funky- or less for that matter.

Twnty1inRF · #18 01-04-2010, 11:17 AM

Try this...

http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shado.../dp/0881888826

Matt Dean · #19 01-04-2010, 11:30 AM

IMO, funk is in the fingers... whether it's staccato 16ths or 1/4 notes on the One.

I second the advise to listen to as much funk as possible. Check out the following link for The History of Funk on KPFA in the SF Bay Area. http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/57450

Every Friday night at 10:00 PM we sf bay area folk get schooled on the history of funk!

nemo · #20 01-04-2010, 11:39 AM

Don't know about exact definition of "funkiness", but for what its worth, less notes and more air in between has more "booty shaking power" than lot of notes with almost no space. All IMO, IME, YMMV.