Funk!

[H2ODog]

Can anyone out there recommend a good beginner Funk book? Want to learn that style and need some material to help me.

[bassplayertom77]

Buy a James Brown greatest hits album , learn all of the tunes. That should get you off on the good foot.

I never understood the idea behind funk books. It's too deep to put on paper IMO. Keep it on the one. With any genre, I always go to the source.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by bassplayertom77

Buy a James Brown greatest hits album , learn all of the tunes. That should get you off on the good foot.

I never understood the idea behind funk books. It's too deep to put on paper IMO. Keep it on the one. With any genre, I always go to the source.

+1 You learn Funk by listening and internalizing the grooves. Clap the rhythmic patterns and feel them. Start will Funk tunes with real simple lines. Sing the lines, clap the lines, feel the groove down to your toes. Then pick up your bass and play it.

Also all music has a groove even classical has its own groove. You need to listen to music and hear its groove. If you understand the groove it's easy to apply some notes and sound good in that style. The groove is everything.

[quale213]

+1
More than any other aspect of funk is the timing, and the only way to become engaged with timing is listening. A funk book is going to tab out different bassists personalities without drums or vocals, and funk is all about the madness of isomorphism between kickdrum, bass, and vocals.

[Stumbo]

Check for funk bass videos on Youtube. You'll find lots of great lessons there.

Also search for The Hal Leonard Funk Bass Method if you really want a book.

You can always check out: http://www.basstabs.net/cat--Funk-Bass-Lessons--88