rock bassist needs to get funkier

[Baron Von Vik]

Great list, Stumbo. Nice.

 

[FunkyMan]

Use chromatism in pentatonic scales sometimes!

 

[mambo4]

To me funk starts with James Jamerson. Even tho he's the motown /soul guy, his use of rhythm and chromaticism informed all who came after. And proof that it ain't about slapping.

 

[Beginner Bass]

ok, but I'm still curious, is most funk played using pentatonic scales or something else?

It's usually a pentatonic, though I think that's because it's a nice, onobtrusive scale. Though as many have said, the key is in the rhythym. Also, lots of the seminal funk bass lines were NOT slapped. Learn both, but know that it doesn't have to be slapped to be funky.

 

[faulknersj]

Having learned 100+ funk songs for my Funk/R n B/ Soul cover band, I would like to stress that funk songs really cover a wide spectrum of keys and modes. I suffered from the same notion regarding Penatonic scales prior to this experience; I thought that was the 'funk scale' so to speak as well. While Major and Minor pentatonic scales can be really funky, major, minor, dorian, and mixolidian modes are also prevelent. Listen to 'Good Times' by Chic. That is Dorian funk. Listen to 'I Wanna Be Your Lover' by Prince. That song is in Ab minor. Listen to and learn the Jamerson line on 'What's Going On' to get a true idea of how to walk chromatically thru the major scale.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Rhythmically you need to think in 16ths instead of 8ths. It takes a while to get used to.

 

[TC2112]

As corny as this may sound, when I need to develop lines or want to push myself to learn funky stuff, I turn on a drum machine, straight beat at 120 bpm and just listen. Try to imagine and then sing whatever funky line I hear in my head, then make myself learn the line on the instument.

I tend to limit myself if I develop lines on the instrument first, but in my head, I can play anything. Write the line - then learn it

 

[puddin tame]

Thanks everyone for all the links and help. The reason I was so hung up on "what scale is used" is because I just assumed like rock is based around pentatonic scales that funk must be based around a scale too. And as to whether or not I'll ever be able to funk my way out of a paper bag, I guess only time will tell!

The only thing that's all about scales is scales

 

[Chrispurchase]

Try an exercise like this

 

[Gasman]

IMHO, funk is not just what is played, but what ISN'T played. Check out Bootsy Collins when he was playing with James Brown. Chromatic runs, inverted fifths, etc. But what made it "funky" was his rests.