What songs are good to start learning if I am getting into Funk?

[Lower-Than-Low]

Title says it all, pretty much.

What are a few somewhat easy songs to start learning so I can start chaneling the funk?
Note: I can not slap, so please recommend fingersyle or slap songs that could be played fingerstyle.

Also, what are some good ways to think in 16th notes more than 8th notes?
My bass teacher told me that I am thinking too much in 8th notes, and that funk is based off of the 16th note.

Thanks!

[fcleff]

Try:

"For the Love of Money" by the O'jays

"Give Up the Funk" by Parliament (just try the refrain)

"Shotgun" by Jr. Walker and the All Stars

Or if you are really brave:

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips

"Bernadette" by The Four Tops

"Come On, Come Over" by Jaco Pastorius

Good luck!

[Chandler Bing]

"Thank you" by Sly and the Family Stone.

[gkbass13]

anythign from stevie wonder , sly, james brown, tower of power, parliament etc.

lots ofgreat stuff to check out. have fun with it!

[uturnbass]

Brick House is pretty fun

[uturnbass]

also Good Times and Le Freak by Le Chic

[Lower-Than-Low]

Sweet, I will look into all of them, hopefully I can find mp3s or videos somewhere on youtube.

[deaf pea]

"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry

[JimmyM]

Now that the song thing has been covered, here's how you get into 16th notes. 8th notes are counted like this:

1 and | 2 and | 3 and | 4 and

16th notes are counted like this:

1-e-and-a|2-e-and-a|3-e-and-a|4-e-and-a

Another way to get into it is download "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes and check out the guitar at the beginning. It's playing a traditional 16th note funk part. Internalize it and counting 16th notes will be much easier.

[DocBop]

Great James Brown Greatest Hits, Sly and Family Stone Hit, Parliament hits, and Herbie Hancok Headhunters CD. Lock yourself in the garage with your bass and a CD player you gotz da funk.

[RollingMonkey]

A lot of the stuff from Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" is great for that, IMO... Not pure funk, but awesome to get into the funky vibe.

[Plantbrain]

Some of the video DVD's are good for learning. Your teacher should also be there to help you here. That is what a teach is fer! The suggestions are great here from other posters.
Stu Hamm, Les Claypool, Standly Clarke etc these are more fusion funk bassist than strict Funk and are not easy stuff.

I learned much of it myself on my own, the videos, advice, teacher methods etc are a much faster and better way. The other thing that will help, play play play. Play 2-4 hours etc at least a few times a week(3 or more), not 30min. Move them fingers. Faster, lighter, and turn the volume louder. It is fairly basic. Try for a nice tight low punchy note for the 16th's. They are great once you master them(which may be ongoing for life:-)

Tom

[Infern0]

I am trying to get myself into more funk, its infectious riffs. However, my strins dont have that funky sound...

[Lower-Than-Low]

I'm pretty sure mine dont either, but hey, like they say, its in the fingers man.

Also, things are going quite well in the song learning part.

I've learned some of Brick House, Chameleon, Watermelon man, might start on Play That Funky Music soon, sorta got Thank You down, and I am gonna move on to For The Love Of Money once I've got everything else down solid.

Thanks a ton for all the help everyone!

[seanm]

The Meters. I would start with Cissy Strutt. The bass line is very easy to hear and is technically very simple. But nailing the groove just right is very hard. Make sure you hold the spaces long enough.... but not too long.

[bradjonesbass]

You probably want to work on your slap technique while you're at it. Thank You by Sly and the Family Stone is a great first funk song. Technically pretty easy, but getting it right is another thing.

Meters! James Brown. For fingerstyle, listen to the master. Go get Tower of Power's "The Very Best Of" and listen and learn.

[fcleff]

Originally Posted by seanm

The Meters. I would start with Cissy Strutt. The bass line is very easy to hear and is technically very simple. But nailing the groove just right is very hard. Make sure you hold the spaces long enough.... but not too long.

+1 on the Meters. They have one called "Tippy Toes" that is great fun to play.

Also, check out Tower of Power's "What is Hip?" That is finger funk madness.

[doctorjazz]

Graham Central Station - Hair

[sk8terguy316]

I would say for ou to learn "Mister Magic" from Grover Washington JR while this is not a straight ahead funk song it is very funky and the bass line is extremely simple, but groovin. Yous should also learn a lot of Motown. Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Jackson 5. At the present moment you may not know any slap, but I suggest you learn because a lot of Luther Vandross and Graham Cenral Stations is slap. Jamiroquai is pretty damn funky. You should also check out Earth Wind and Fire. Donny Hathaway is another artist to check out.

Pretty much anythin off of Herbie Hancock's "Thrust" and "Headhunters" is funky.

[TheSuzie]

You guys already have it covered so I'm just throwing these in to be different.

For a change of pace you could try some Earth Wind and Fire stuff or maybe Rigor Mortis by Cameo. Rigor Mortis is not too hard after the intro. Cameo's song Candy has syncopation that can make me scratch my head at times.

Peace,
S