How to Play Rhythm Guitar in the Pocket

First, an apology. As with any genre-centric lesson, this study of soul guitar (and bass) of the 1960s will regrettably exclude more than it includes. Nevertheless, by concentrating on a few key players—in this case the studio stalwarts at Stax, the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, and Motown’s “Funk Brothers”—we’ll see how these innovators influenced countless other musicians and defined the sound of soul music.

Even with a narrowed focus, it’s still difficult to know where to begin with soul music, so why don’t we first jump in on some music theory, patterns, and basic fretboard shapes and fingerings that come up time and time again.