Too much funk?!?!

[Cornbread]

The other day I was jamming with my friends who have a band but no bass player. They seem to play mostly pop/rock stuff which I'm not really into, but I can deal with it. The jamming went alright, but I couldn't really jive with the guitarist who frankly isn't very funky. Anyway, after we left, the guitarist told the drummer that I play too much funk. My question is, is that possible?? I have always thought one cannot play ENOUGH funk. Does anyone have insight on this topic?

[jazzbo]

Everything I do gohn be funky.

[gruffpuppy]

next to "jimi hendrix is god" i belive to much funk is the next used term used by guitar players. i was playing at this barbaque last year, me, a drummer, and about eight guitar players, (i have a real problem when the solos in sweet home alabama take longer than the solos in free bird) well there were a lot of people just sitting around, so during a break i talk to one of my freinds, a singing guitar player and said lets get some people moving instead of sitting, he said ok after a couple of songs kick into "play that funky music" so after a 15 minute version of honky tonk woman i kicked into the song and guess what all of a sudden everyone was up and grooving, as revenge (ha ha ha) i extended the song with a two minute rocco bassed very active bass part, and ending the song by smacking the groove against the neck with my hand, the whole song lasted about ten minutes, and what was the first thing i heard a guitarist say when the smoke cleared "ok! no more funk songs"

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think this says something about most guitar players (especially in "rock") who have no sense of rhythm or where to place notes in the bar. They can only place notes squarely on the beat and have no sense of syncopation, what a 16th note is or how to play acros the bar line.

Seriously, I do find that guitarists concentrate on everything but rhythm and don't see it as their responsibility, whereas of course it is everyone's and without this, you just can't be funky.

[brianrost]

Originally posted by Cornbread
Anyway, after we left, the guitarist told the drummer that I play too much funk. My question is, is that possible?? I have always thought one cannot play ENOUGH funk. Does anyone have insight on this topic?

Yes, some music just doesn't need funky bass lines. Country western, the Beatles, heavy metal, etc.

The idea is that one should ALWAYS play what's appropriate for the music.

So, yeah, you can play too much funk.

[Cornbread]

Originally posted by brianrost


Yes, some music just doesn't need funky bass lines. Country western, the Beatles, heavy metal, etc.

The idea is that one should ALWAYS play what's appropriate for the music.

So, yeah, you can play too much funk.

My question was only partly serious, and I know that there are plenty of times when I WOULDN'T play funk. I think the problem I was having with the guitar player was that we were trying to make a new song, but couldn't fit the bass and guitar parts together. I came up with a bassline that was somewhat funky; then he wanted to do a choruse that sounded like a rock-ballad. It just doesn't work.
gruffpuppy- Right on! It must have been tough being outnumbered 8 to 1 by those pesky guitar players.
Bruce- That's a good point. It's a lot easier to pound out power chords than to play a funky guitar melody.

[Steve S]

I jam with some guitar players who have a problem with funky rhythms. When we play rock, country, blues - it works well. Whenever I play funk, one guitar player just brushes his hands against his strings looking confused and the other begins to scowl at me. I guess not everybody wants to learn different forms of music. I've begun to seek others who are more open minded.

[furtim]

Ain't no such thing as too much funk. No such thing AT ALL. =)

Unless you're playing an orchestral piece or something. Funk would be bad there. Or Bluegrass.

And if you were just making up a tune... and you came up with the bassline before he came up with his guitar part... then I say he changes his guitar part, not the other way around. Let him make up his own bloody song. =D

Then again, I might just be biased to support my fellow bassist. But I doubt it.

[Matthew West]

Personally, I think there is entirely too much funk in this world. I have begun to resent going to music stores to try out new basses, because invariably someone will come up to me and say "play something funky" or "play some of that Vic Wooten stuff." I'll play Jumping Someone Else's Train by The Cure instead.

The closest thing to funky music I can stand is Solid Gold / Land of the Free era Gang of Four or Jane's Addiction.

[LowfreqB]

Chzeack thiz out, My band's guitar player is stuck in a funk! He cant leave his wah pedal alone for more then 4 measures! Yes there can be to much funk. (not that there is anything wrong with it)

[Hambone]

Bruce's observations about guitar players are right on but to that I've got to add: They don't like Funk cuz they ain't the center of attention!

Which leads me to one of my favorite lines -

"All eyes in the room are on the star but their rumps are shakin' to the bass guitar"