Funk Guitar Lesson #1

[seanSHRED87]

Pertty sweet.

Great tone too!

[elvago77]

Este amigo esta bieeen marihuano.

[LinzyMcMurter]

funkin groovy! im gunna go work on my swing

[shufx]

Nice work. I had a hard time seeing the shapes on that Roger Troutman lick. Wish I had the tab for that.

[Detman101]

I saw this video a few years back and had no idea of what you were talking about. Now years later, I finally get it and can do what you teach in the video.

thank you!!

Dm

[melbookermusic]

@Detman101

Cool man!! That's what I want to hear!! I have been MIA on here but I'll be back with new videos soon. Thanks for watching, and please pass this channel along to your friends.

[Welamgrey]

nice ;-)

[ceriffl]

Wow that was so beautiful good job!

[kleanouille]

what is the model of guitar he use ?

[Lan2Wave]

thank you great job Nice.......

[chuckwestband]

Nice job. Orange amps do kick ass. You probably have more than ample volume in ANY venue huh? I have an Orange class-a Tiny Terror that I run at a mere 7-watts in every crappy bar I play at and jealous musicians STILL tell me to turn it down. I have come to the conclusion that most effects just emulate a class-a tube in saturation and and are therefore worthless if you own a class-a tube amp. Transistors sound weak and humbuckckers or a Telecaster STRAIGHT into an Orange amp is like Heaven

[melbookermusic]

@chuckwestband

I think I will be going on a Low watt class a amp kick here pretty soon... :-)

[chuckwestband]

@melbookermusic Jimmy Page did in the studio and look what happened there.

[faopus14]

great lesson !

[callasexperience]

nice

[EmotionalShredd]

nice bro

[pnbibbins]

Almost a lost art man.........great stuff!!!!!!!

[xobeht]

Good lesson Mel, Greetings from Palmdale! Lots of views man....post more!

Paul

[melbookermusic]

@xobeht

Yep-Yep!

Thanks! :-)

[hurting]

Funny, I feel like people trying to play funk usually over-swing. When you listen to James Brown the guitar is super tight and the swing is very subtle.

[bmaniac1]

do you have any chorus or phaser on?

[melbookermusic]

@bmaniac1

No just the amp.

[bmaniac1]

@melbookermusic ..Ok, I am a bebop jazz guy. Just started this whole funk thing, getting the sound is confusing. I like your sound. I am playing a strat through a old crate vintage club 50 tube amp. I have been told sometimes they use some phaser, lots of treble, no mids, some bass.....Maybe I need a different amp. what do u think? the sound u have here is perfect!

[melbookermusic]

@bmaniac1

I usually look for an amp that gives a little "kick" when I hit the clean chords-no effects. No you will hear phaser in a lot of parliament,so song wise use whatever you want. But make sure your amp sounds good and punchy clean.

Thanks for watching.

[pissballs]

Good stuff make it funky.

[BuDzManson]

how are we sposed to the see the cords you playing

[Jewfee43]

@BuDzManson with your eyes duh.

retard

[guitarspectre]

Lots of comments about this cool and good lesson;

I can say bends are important so

[AllKillA]

Oh dude, that gear on the left is expensive.. You're awesome btw!

[TheJustinStyla]

yuuhhuuu

[SilverSleeping]

how do you get that clean 'chuck' sound? whenever i play this my amp picks up some sound and it makes it sound so unclean. and im keeping my fingers on all the strings...

[melbookermusic]

@SilverSleeping

Could be a lot of things. If the amp doesn't have enough headroom,it may clip.

[JeromeDude24]

can you do a lesson on "fast strumming fills" if you know what im talking about? I've listened to some funk and they play 16th notes strumming, but then sometimes theyll incorporate even faster strumming patterns in between. Idk how to explain it.

[WalkinDude91]

Could be 32nd note strumming. 32nd notes are twice as fast as 16th notes.

[sensorium3]

nice this will really help me out

thanks

[guilhermeiron]

cool

[podfunaug30]

this guy's got good tone and nice attack

[wunshiin]

wat guitar do you use?? and wat cabinet is that?? awesome stuff!!

[melbookermusic]

Well in the video it is a Michael Kelly. I am now using Vineyard PA Models. The cab is a cheap 212 from drive. I love it.

[lyricistlee]

Michael Kelly for the win man... dig the style

[cheesebowls]

I'm a beginner, and they sound exactly the same. (aside from swithing up the rythmn and speeding up.)

[cilson123]

"Here it is straight.." Slow tempo.

"Now here it is 'swung'..." slightly faster tempo.

Absolutely great lesson but i feel this change in tempo really makes it hard for beginners to hear the difference. While comparing different ideas it's important to keep the same tempo to really get the point across.

[jazzinaz]

Man I have been looking everywhere for the SO RUFF, SO TUFF guitar stum. Awesome!. Anyway you can tell me the fingering?

[ALSTONPOWERS]

teach me

[melbookermusic]

By the way everyone,I have a download page at therockshoponlinedotnet for our books,videos,and school curriculum.

Thanks!!

[melbookermusic]

Just so you guys know...make up your own mind about how to tackle stuff. If you just have to use a met-use it. I don't,BUT you need to do what works for you. Don't let nobody tell you what you HAVE to do. That's not what music is about. Esp from people who criticize,but show no love to the guys that are really tryin to learn(ie no videos of their own). ...and don't be so serious and up tight about our opinions...Let's and help each other out. Enjoy :-)

[stevefrareyjr]

No metronome = no groove!!!

So many cats get mixed up when it comes to using a metronome. I know guys that have been playing for years, and are good players, but you bust out a metronome, and they freeze all up, cause they can't do it. I know what kind of player someone is right away, if they say you can't groove, or swing to a metronome. ROOKIE!!!!!! Every time you practice you need to use a metronome, it's the only way!!!!!!!

[melbookermusic]

I for one-"do not" use a metronome to practice funk-never have. For speed-shred stuff I have quite a bit. Now I am not all the way on the side of maybe someone like Jeff Berlin. he doen't use metronomes at all-not even in his school. He is far from a rookie. I say every time you practice funk you need to follow some studio cats. On a gig you won't have a met-just good musicians-hopefully.... :-) But if a met helps you guys,then you need to do it-as long as you keep it funky-and not stiff.

[WORLDWaR358]

no u

[stevefrareyjr]

no u

[WORLDWaR358]

no u no u

[illnastic]

You can swing it and still use the metronome, just feel the beat

[ericld11]

The one thing that always gets me with those funk 16th's is my arm after 4 bars, gets very tense and they swing or rhythm/timing falls apart. Practice needed I guess.

[GIULIO19]

practice makes perfect,but also try to keep your wrist and arm very relaxed !

[ExplosiveNixon]

Try relaxing your hand and letting the motion come from your wrist instead of your arm. My arm used to tense up when I first started playing but after I used my wrist I was fine. Good luck.

[schizchris]

superfly

[Darin72000]

Gottta get in the pocket dude.

[fraylg]

nice hair dude

[NighProwler]

what pick is the best to use for funk? a softer one?

[JLJorgenson18]

whatever you are more comfortable with

[EddyBlohm]

I find you can make kinda make that panging sound on a single note a lot easier with a harder pick, but like JLJorgenson18 said it's all about personal preference,

[Rickyyy001]

Bro nice orange head!!!

[09kitty23]

what is the racist for?he just said the orange head is nice, do you even know what he is talking about?

[EddyBlohm]

yeah i knew, i was making a joke on behalf of orange-headed races around the world.

[09kitty23]

ahahaha..anyways i hope you can dress any amps or heads with those funky colors.XDlike purple and neon green combined

[chinesep1mp]

how do you buy your instructional?

[melbookermusic]

Follow the link in the description to the right.

I will send it to you as well.

Thanks!

[CaliforniaAfrican]

Yeah! Very funky.  Thank you for this. Nice.

[melbookermusic]

Hey everybody!!! Thanks for all the comments. I have put my Funk guitar method on DVD. It is 55 minutes,NTSC format,and is just exercises and lessons on playing funk. No fluff, or wasted space. Just explaining my way of playing funk.

$10 + shipping. Message me for info on how to buy.

-Mel

[samuraieaux]

swing them notes. funky as hell man

[hummarstra]

great lesson.

[liaserethguitarist12]

when your in the pocket it means like fucking bang on the beat but also loose

[Ellerynum2]

Thanks for the help!

[paengdulay]

what did you mean when you said "you gotta have a pocket??"

[ACslashDC]

pocket of rhythm, like the space between beats when you are strumming

[zedrummer0]

i liked the rhythm, but I don't like you encouraging not to play to a metronome. You play swing to a metronome just as well as straight.

[melbookermusic]

"I" do not use a metronome to work on funk. Never have-never will. But "you" can if you want. If it gets you from point a to point b go for it. For me a metronome is used to work on speed.

[xis333]

very well done!

[rafaruschel]

Thanks Man!

will listen to each one of those

you're the man

keep on the groove!

[rafaruschel]

I really like your playing and you explained a lot of things that aren't in the books.I would like to get started on funk music. Would you tell me tree albums of good funky guitar musics?

[melbookermusic]

1)Zapp and Roger All the Great Hits

2) James Brown Stuff from the 70's(Think,Sex Machine,Pay Back,Pappa Don't Take No Mess etc).

3)Cameo from the 70's

[PetomHendrix]

thats awesome, thanks

[moncmon]

whats the best mode that work on Funk??

[melbookermusic]

Well-there is no best "Mode" per se,but you can work on 9th chords,7#9 Chords,for starters. I also use add 9,minor 9,and 6/9 chords too.

[moncmon]

oh i meant, mode for soloing for Funky rythm, But thanks for the info anyway, cus i was also wonderin about chords used in Funk.

[MarkusFunk]

Mixolydian works well for dominant tonalities and Dorian is great for minor.

[melbookermusic]

The harmony always determines what you will play soloing-wise. For 7th Chords(used a lot in funk) use Mixolydian-or to simplify things for you, use Dorian a 5th higher. Ex: for D9 use A Dorian. I think Pat Martino converts everything to minor-a very good idea.

[xis333]

don't forget chromatic scales :)

[planetice]

By the way, do you like or are influenced by Nile Rodgers?

[melbookermusic]

I like him too. But I didn't "cut my teeth" with the Chic stuff. He is awesome though. I did play that stuff a lot.

[nephilimz]

You forgot  2 mention ACE Frehley, remember back in the New York Groove?! Great video man, please post some more.

[melbookermusic]

I forgot about that song. I used to listen to it a lot back in the day. Take your wiskey Home-Van Halen is another good one for the rock guys.

[planetice]

Anybody know how hes playing that chord?

[melbookermusic]

Which chord? :-)

[planetice]

The Cmin6 add9. I looked it up in my chord charts and couldn't find the way you were playing it. Do you think you could tab it or chart it out please? I understand the harmony, I just don't know how to finger all the chords on guitar yet, and you kinda went fast.

[melbookermusic]

2nd finger-4th string 10th fret

1st finger-3rd string 8th fret

3rd finger-2nd string 10th fret

4th finger-1st string 10th fret

[ugrgs]

rigobert song

[thejohnofsteel]

Nice rig. Its a shame you are using that drive cab though. You need to get an orange cab.

[melbookermusic]

That Drive Cab is awesome. I have used it with a lot of different heads,and I love it. I used to use 1960's years ago-like those too. I am really wanting a Kasha head now. Looks like the Kasha is gonna be my next/main amp.

[v2vroth]

Nice playing my friend, is the axe that your playing a custom job or a vintage Ibanez artist? Great video thanks for posting and God Bless...

[melbookermusic]

This guitar is a Michael Kelly Hourglass Limited. As of late,Iam mostly playing a Vineyard. It is in my last few videos.

[cynical126]

cm16 chord? how!

[mrscojoe]

Great advice. Thanks.

[shabadaows]

Thanxs man good lesson ! Check out my vids !

[mattamfox443]

great job man!

if youre REALLY into funk than I suggest single coil pickups

[melbookermusic]

What you hear is the pickups tapped-so yeah I use single coils 99% of the time.

[lafiiit]

I´ve been playing guitar for 2 years and i recently got interested in funk music, and i got to admit, it is harder than it looks, i am having trouble with the strumming, and your videos are really helping me :) thnx alot for the lessons, they are really good!

[melbookermusic]

Thanks!!! I am still working on the Funk book/video. Some new things have developed,so it's going to take a little longer,but well worth the wait. :-)

[fateof7]

damn dude, your just plain badass on your guitar! I love it!

[melbookermusic]

Thanks man! I just noticed you got a lot of Prince on your site-that's cool. James Brown(from the 70's),Prince,and Roger Troutman are responsible for my funk chops-that's good stuff. :-)

[dvnstvn9]

how do you give the guitar that pop sound in between the chords you play?

[melbookermusic]

Mute the strings with the left hand as you strum.

[PalebobUK]

I've only just started learning the guitar, but this a cool insight into the style and direction i wanna go in. Cheers!

[darkhurd]

Thanks ....

[MICROBIAL]

You are Fu(n)cking awesome!!!!

That's the way!!!!!!

yes man, That's Funk!!!!!!

and your orange is beautiful!!!!!

Now you're one of my favourites

Greetings!!!!!

[melbookermusic]

Thank you man!! Let's keep the funk alive!! Check out my cd if you can. Thanks for watching!!!

[dsilver010010]

is that a micheal kelly

[melbookermusic]

Yes-an Hourglass Limited.

[mellomax11]

This is tha real FUNK!

[thailow117]

pocket pocket pocket

soooooo true.

this guy clocks right in

[nickwentinsane]

Thanks man, this helped a lot, puttin the swing in my sixteenths really livened up my rhythm!

[nickwentinsane]

THANKS A LOT!!!

[AnobDracir]

ouuu great tone man!! nice groove!

[shoewax]

great man ;] this sound is awesome! what kind of compressor do u use? is it one of those small ones - marshall ed1 or boss cs3?

[melbookermusic]

The compressor side of the Route 66 from Visual Sound.

[shoewax]

cool, thanks for fast answer, you're amazing man! ;] do you think Comp 66 from Visual Sound (i just need a compressor, and comp 66 it's just half of a Route 66) is better than cs3 and ed1? i'm about to buy that kind of pedal for some funky songs, but in Poland (where i'm from) i dont think i could find comp 66 or even route 66 to check it out.

[vetdoc3]

Great lesson, Thank your very much! Regards from Germany. Peter

[melbookermusic]

Thank you!

[basketballboy608]

i liked that funky jazz riff at the end

[elgordoquenohnm]

great rythm man!

[Jamminn555]

Fantastic lesson, Mel. Sick pocket, brotha! And the best explanation of swung vs. straight 16th notes. Keep up the great work!

Benjamin Black

[LtProfty]

what kind of peddle is used there?

[melbookermusic]

Just a compressor-it is usually on when I am playing funk stuff.

[Karasu192]

What exactly does the compressor do? i've seen them but i ahve no clue what they do T_T

[melbookermusic]

It takes your sound and "squashes" it so it is kinda smoothed when you strum/pick.

[leakeg]

oh gawd... way over my head

[cuirax]

calla negro y toca coño

[Curbswirvin]

oh yeah! dope homie.

[kwd007]

Yeah man!! That sounds very good!! Love the Roger influence!

[BZapp]

dang u funked it up with that roger lick

[melbookermusic]

Roger is da man.

[BZapp]

that he is that y ill always keep the talkbox alive for him

[tommybrown2068]

talk box blew up like wild fire after he passed..lot of pop artists have been using it...