Intro to funk - suggest me a song

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PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
I fancy tightening up my left hand a bit and thought some funk stuff might be a way to work on a weak area which is putting down multiple fingers at once in differnt chord shapes, I tend to do the 1 finger move at a time thing where possible and its made me a bit lazy.

Any one got a song suggestion for something to learn?

Helps if it has some cross over appeal for rock/metal too.
ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    https://youtu.be/8P-y0mD442I

    Lots of Cory Wong videos will give you a start!...
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    I'd start off with some Nile Rodgers, like Chic, Sister Sledge, David Bowie's 'Let's Dance' and whatever he's graced 

    Paul Jackson Jr's The Science of Rhythm Guitar is great


    The late great Ross Bolton has some lessons on YT



    Corey Wong and Mark Lettieri, both in The Fearless Flyers Shown above) and in Vulfpeck and Snarky Puppy, respectively, are great shouts.


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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    He has a lesson video

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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    edited May 2019
    I stumbled on the TastyGuitar channel on YouTube a while ago, has some nice bite-sized funk lessons.  Some good tips on the left hand in there.  Just bang 'tastyguitar' into the search.

    I've been listening to the New Mastersounds a lot lately (not very rock or metal, sorry!) and am really appreciating Eddie Roberts' comping - really helps the band's swagger, never getting in the way of anyone else.  Here's a simple one, he's playing pretty much one chord under the piano solo (sounds and looks like a C9) and nails it.



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  • randersonranderson Frets: 187
    I would say James Brown is a good place to start. Simple guitar parts but there's not much funkier..
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    Sly & The Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On
    Funkadelic - Maggot Brain

    Are 2 of my favourite albums from the genre.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    Kebabkid said:


    Paul Jackson Jr's The Science of Rhythm Guitar is great



    In other news - Semi-hollow wine red LP custom with P90s?!?!?!?
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16254
    I fancy tightening up my left hand a bit and thought some funk stuff might be a way to work on a weak area which is putting down multiple fingers at once in differnt chord shapes, I tend to do the 1 finger move at a time thing where possible and its made me a bit lazy.

    Any one got a song suggestion for something to learn?

    Helps if it has some cross over appeal for rock/metal too.
    I’m not entirely convinced that Funk is the answer to your question. However, I’ll suggest Thinking of You by Sister Sledge which has a very clear and rather beautiful guitar  intro by Nile Rodgers which climbs around the fretboard. No obvious rock/ metal crossover in Sister Sledge but it requires    quite a disciplined approach so I guess that carries across. Several tutorials on YouTube for the song.  
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • BellycasterBellycaster Frets: 5834
    Some David Bowie Stuff can give you that good chord work out. Some has the Nile Rodgers playing.

    China Girl

    Let's Dance

    Some doesn't have Nile Rodgers but still good to learn

    Golden Years

    Young Americans


    Only a Fool Would Say That.
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    I fancy tightening up my left hand a bit and thought some funk stuff might be a way to work on a weak area which is putting down multiple fingers at once in differnt chord shapes, I tend to do the 1 finger move at a time thing where possible and its made me a bit lazy.

    Any one got a song suggestion for something to learn?

    Helps if it has some cross over appeal for rock/metal too.
    I’m not entirely convinced that Funk is the answer to your question.
    +1 Sounds more like you need "block chords" and jazz if that's how you want to build finger independence. Bebop standards, Freddie Green style four to the bar, or Gypsy Jazz "la pompe" comping; pick whatever you like the sound of best.
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  • dcgdcg Frets: 228
    edited May 2019
    Suggestion: you listen to the complete works of James Brown for a week, and then get Sex Machine down...using a metronome is vital. 
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  • JerkMoansJerkMoans Frets: 8775
    Echoing the above, really: to try to sharpen up my chops (the battle of evermore) my old guitar teacher got me doing Sex Machine by JB, a bunch of Nile stuff - Lost in Music doesn't have too many tricky chord changes so you can concentrate on your right hand action; Le Freak; Standing on the Verge of Getting it On by Funkadelic.

    Another good one I found by accident was 'Superstition' - everyone knows the Stevie Wonder version, but apparently Jeff Beck had a hand in writing the song and he did a scorching version as part of a combo called Beck, Bogert & Appice.  Great fun for the funk/rock crossover thing.

    Enjoy the journey, man: get your funk juices flowing!
    Inactivist Lefty Lawyer
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Some David Bowie Stuff can give you that good chord work out. Some has the Nile Rodgers playing.
    Some doesn't have Nile Rodgers but still good to learn
    That'll be Carlos Alomar. A complete mofo.

    Any one got a song suggestion for something to learn?
    There might be something amongst the back catalogues of Talking Heads and Prince.
    Be seeing you.
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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Assuming you're right handed, if you want to work on your left hand chord fingering I think some of the Steely Dan stuff is good:  such as Josie, Peg, Black Cow, Green Earring etc.  All use more ambitious chord shapes than your average funk or rock song and there are plenty of youtube lessons.

    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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