How do I bring the funk?

Yngwie 4String · #1 05-17-2007, 10:18 AM

Ive figured out how to replicate a lot of styles, but I cannot get my playing to sound funky. Partly because I cannot slap; never had anyone show me who really knows what they are doing. Secondly i knwo you can get a funky sound without slapping, because Ive seen Rocco Prestia do it, but I do not know how he does it. So any advice on getting a funk sound would be much appreciated THNX.

need4mospd · #2 05-17-2007, 10:45 AM

Listen to all the funk you can stand and study the masters of funk. A HUGE chunk of funk music is not slapped at all, but to learn a bit of slap check out the book "Slap It".

98dvl · #3 05-17-2007, 10:50 AM

If you're looking for a good video on playing slap bass... check out the Slap Bass Program by Alex Sklarevski. It's a DVD that's really good for teaching you how to play. It moves pretty fast though (for a beginner)... You can also check out Ed Friedland's Slap Bass DVD. It moves a bit slower (spends more time on the technique).

JimmyM · #4 05-17-2007, 10:59 AM

To bring the funk, you have to have the funk in the first place. And to have the funk, you have to live and breathe it. Funk is so much more than playing notes on a bass, as are all styles of bass.

pointbass · #5 05-17-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

To bring the funk, you have to have the funk in the first place. And to have the funk, you have to live and breathe it. Funk is so much more than playing notes on a bass, as are all styles of bass.

I completely agree

Perfectly stated

Otso · #6 05-17-2007, 12:46 PM

Check this out.

And this

3rdBass · #7 05-17-2007, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

To bring the funk, you have to have the funk in the first place. And to have the funk, you have to live and breathe it. Funk is so much more than playing notes on a bass, as are all styles of bass.

a HUGE +1 on that.....it's like asking "How do I put SOUL in my playing ?" FEEl it...from the inside out.....but I don't blame put you down for asking....

....play on !

middy · #8 05-17-2007, 04:01 PM

Listen to real funk. RHCP and Primus don't count. Immerse yourself in James Brown, Parliament, Sly and the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Ohio Players, etc. Really pay attention to the bass lines and tap out the rhythms as you listen.

There's nothing funky about slap bass in and of itself. It can't help you be funky, it's just another tool in the funk toolbox.

Mark Perry · #9 05-17-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by middy

Listen to real funk. RHCP and Primus don't count. Immerse yourself in James Brown, Parliament, Sly and the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Ohio Players, etc. Really pay attention to the bass lines and tap out the rhythms as you listen.

There's nothing funky about slap bass in and of itself. It can't help you be funky, it's just another tool in the funk toolbox.

What he said. Also...

Heres a couple of useful threads:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...highlight=Funk
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...=Funk+bass+101

Lots of bands, bassists mentioned in those two threads.

middy · #10 05-17-2007, 08:34 PM

Study this video.

Meh. The sound seems to be out of synch, but you get the idea...

Try this.

Bootsy Collins is killin' 'em on Sunny.

Notice the go-go girl. That always helps.

mellofello · #11 05-18-2007, 12:39 AM

it may be good to forget about slap for awhile. the real funky sound is in the rythym. listen to all the old tunes by parliament, james brown, curtis mayfield, bootsy, etc... even the motown stuff. notice how they leave spaces utilize offbeats, swing. see how the drummer and bass player dance around each other. that's the funk baby, ohh yeaaahh, baby.

Fishbrain · #12 05-18-2007, 05:48 AM

im no funk master by any stretch of the imagination... but one thing that definitely makes my lines sound funkier is leaving spaces. you've gotta have the room to funk

Yngwie 4String · #13 05-18-2007, 10:03 AM

Yeah I saw that Rocco Prestia video a while back. That is what Im talking about, and he has going on what I want to have going on. I got the funk in me, I just dunno how to bring it out yet. I will though. So lets focus particualy on what Rocco is doing I dont want to play that piece of music, I want to understand how it is made, like the theory of what creates that sound. I appreciate yall helping me out.

mattblissett · #14 05-18-2007, 03:49 PM

There's no one path to it, but listening to a lot of it helps, not just the bassline but the whole arrangement of instrumentation, how the line sits with the drums and the guitar, where the horns and vocals come in, move to it, play air bass to it. You have to feel it, and get it out by whatever technique suits you, if you can't slap, don't worry, its a different brush to paint with, that's all. I am getting dynamite grooves with my fingers as much as I am with my thumb.

Deacon_Blues · #15 05-19-2007, 01:51 AM

Like all the other ones said already, you got to have the funk inside you. When you walk around and all you hear is funky rhythms in your head, you should be there. If your imagination can come up with some funky basslines, it shouldn't be such a big leap to know how to play them. If you know your minor penta scales, use them. That's what most funk basslines are built upon.

There probably isn't one way to describe how funk is built up, but it feels like most songs have a strong accent on the first beat (root note), which usually is at least one 8th long, mostly longer. A common way to start a funk riff is to play a quarter note followed by a short rest. Syncopation is common too.

Let the snare take care of the accents on beats 2 and 4 and play the accents on 1 and - if needed - 3 instead. That is not saying you should be silent on 2 and 4, just don't emhasize them too much.

This is a very incomplete description on my own interpretation of funk, but I'm not able to describe it more in detail. In the end, what sounds good and funky is what counts, no "rules" are definite.

However, I'm glad this thread isn't about reggae, that's even harder to define....

funkydjembe · #16 05-19-2007, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

To bring the funk, you have to have the funk in the first place. And to have the funk, you have to live and breathe it. Funk is so much more than playing notes on a bass, as are all styles of bass.

+1

You have to become the epitome of funk

4lPh4n0m3g4 · #17 05-19-2007, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattblissett

There's no one path to it, but listening to a lot of it helps, not just the bassline but the whole arrangement of instrumentation, how the line sits with the drums and the guitar, where the horns and vocals come in, move to it, play air bass to it. You have to feel it, and get it out by whatever technique suits you, if you can't slap, don't worry, its a different brush to paint with, that's all.

+1

IMO funk is all about the feel and has little to do with the actual tone. If your not feeling it, it won't sound "authentic" no matter tone or technique.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

However, I'm glad this thread isn't about reggae, that's even harder to define....

IMO, same as above.

Depth_Charge · #18 05-19-2007, 09:22 AM

I should articulate my questions better, this is an awesome thread!

DocBop · #19 05-19-2007, 09:46 AM

As everyone is saying learning to play Funk requires lots of listening to absorb the feel. I say then leave the bass in the stand and start singing the bass line and absorbing it, focus on the drums and how it works with the drums. Then listen to all the band and how they work together. Now clap the rhythm of the bass line, for me that really helps lock in to the groove. Now time to pick up the bass and start work on playing the line with a Funky feel.

I recommend starting real simple, because if you can't play a simple line Funky playing a lot of notes is just a way to try and hide. So get James Brown The Payback. After the intro its only a two note bass line. Simple enough you can focus on time and feel. Get that bass line workin and you're on your way.

Brad Johnson · #20 05-19-2007, 10:24 AM

Funk, at least old school funk, is all about feel. Move with the music, it'll probably help. Listen to the entire arrangement, there was an old saying "Get in where you fit in". It's very appropriate for funk bass playing because it's not so much about chops as "where" you do what you do. A couple of well-placed notes can do more than ripping through some "amazing" arpeggios you've worked out.

I'd be willing to bet that most people who play funk well can't really explain what it is they do, they feel the music and just do it. Of course they can show you what they do. Try to really feel the music (again, much easier if you're not sitting still) and the rest will usually come.