Funky feel

[bassist15]

Ive alwasy been adding a funky feel to my basslines. LAtely ive been realyl struggling to come up with lines that I really like. I wanted to know what kind of elements I should add into my playing to try to get a really good funk feel. I really love Paul Jackson's playing and I wanted to know how I woudl go abotu sounding like him without copying his licks. What elements should I add and what should I practice more of?

[Correlli]

Maybe some funky drum loops might help.

http://www.betamonkeymusic.com/Funk.html

[ras1983]

well, you can try to focus on your pentatonics. they have a very funky sound compared to the modes. also, you need to work on SYNCOPATION. this is a rythm with an off centre beat. all the great players did it, from paul jackson to bootsy collins.

the best thing is to practice sixteenths, and to practice highlighting different sixteenths. example, only play the first sixteenth and ghost notes for the other three, then play the second sixteenth and ghost notes for the other three.

coming in and playing on different sixteenths can really funk things up in no time.

same applies to triplets.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by ras1983

well, you can try to focus on your pentatonics. they have a very funky sound compared to the modes. also, you need to work on SYNCOPATION. this is a rythm with an off centre beat. all the great players did it, from paul jackson to bootsy collins.

the best thing is to practice sixteenths, and to practice highlighting different sixteenths. example, only play the first sixteenth and ghost notes for the other three, then play the second sixteenth and ghost notes for the other three.

coming in and playing on different sixteenths can really funk things up in no time.

same applies to triplets.

+1 great advice. practice your rhythm, its the key to the FUNK

you could play one note, just one note and it would be funky if you put it in the right place. finding that place is exactly what is described in the post above.

[thewanderer24]

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

+1 great advice. practice your rhythm, its the key to the FUNK

you could play one note, just one note and it would be funky if you put it in the right place. finding that place is exactly what is described in the post above.

Great rhythm advice in this thread.

Funk is a rhythm thing. A feel thing. It ain't about the notes at all.

Go listen to some Sly and the family stone. You'll hear some dirty grimy funk that is one note for a minute at a time.