Create funky grooves in the style of James Brown, Fela Kuti, and Nile Rogers by developing a "call-and-response" approach to funk guitar.
Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Beginner
Lesson Overview:
• Develop a “call-and-response” technique by combining single notes and chords.
• Learn how to combine two parts into one interlocking, syncopated rhythm.
• Create funky grooves in the style of James Brown, Fela Kuti, and Nile Rogers.
Click here to download MP3s and a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
Listen to the classic recordings of Earth, Wind & Fire, Fela Kuti, Parliament Funkadelic, the Average White Band, the Bar-Kays, Michael Jackson, James Brown and countless unsung soul bands, and what do you hear guitar-wise? Driving the sound are two interlocking guitar parts, with one player assigned to rhythm duties and the other to plucked single notes (sometimes called ”tenor” guitar). Syncopated interlocking guitar parts can be an essential ingredient of funk, and having two guitarists in a band (or overdubbing two guitars) is one way to replicate that classic sound. Chords and single-note tenor lines create a call-and-response, intertwined pocket. Which do you want to play, chick-a-wah or pluckies?
Luckily, you don’t have to choose. You can emulate the “rhythm/tenor” division with a single guitar. Rather than just chanking away at some chords, or plucking on some muted D-string notes, you can combine chords and single notes to create interlocking guitar parts all by your lonesome self.
To get started, check out Fig. 1A. It’s pretty unmusical, but it is a good building block and exercise for developing separation between chords and single notes. Try using all downstrokes, but also get comfortable with other strumming combinations: up-down, down-up and up-up. Fig. 1B adds a muted 16th-note scratch to give some rhythmic bounce to the upper Am chords.
Click here for Ex. 1A
Click here for Ex. 1B
In Figs. 1C and 1D we take the basic concept in a more musical direction by adding a Bm chord and a more melodic lower line. We add slides on beats 2 and 4, while retaining the previous example’s rhythmic chordal feel. Fig. 1C is played by two guitars, while Fig. 1D merges the two parts. There are countless possibilities for this and once you get the hang of this concept—“calling” upper chords that are “answered” with a lower line—you can develop your own riffs. Who knows, you may even get a song out of it.
Click here for Ex. 1C
Click here for Ex. 1D
Fig. 2A is a bit like a quick Fela groove, played by two guitars, and Fig. 2B fuses the parts into one guitar part. Try playing using all downstrokes (except for the “a” of beat 1). You can play this rhythm using a more legato approach, as illustrated in Fig. 2B, or with a choppy attack, à la Nile Rogers.
Click here for Ex. 2A
Click here for Ex. 2B
Now check out Fig. 3A, played by two guitars, and then Figs. 3B and 3C, played by one guitar (with Fig. 3C adding a low a note).
Click here for Ex. 3A
Click here for Ex. 3B
Click here for Ex. 3C
Figs. 4A and 4B slow things down. These are in Bb Dorian and have an underlying swing-16ths feel. Boasting a wide range, these examples combine low notes, moving upper pull-offs composed of parallel fourths, and middle-string chords. Again, we start with Fig. 4A played by two guitars and then merge the rhythm and tenor parts in Fig. 4B.
Click here for Ex. 4A
Click here for Ex. 4B
Similarly, Figs. 5A and 5B also span more than two octaves and incorporate chords and tenor lines. Check out the nice Bb sus on beat 4 of the first measure.
Click here for Ex. 5A
Click here for Ex. 5B
The next group of examples are all played on one guitar, but have the vibe of two separate funk parts that have been merged. Fig. 6 employs an E7#9 “Jimi Hendrix” chord, with the call on the 1 and the response on beats 2 through 4.
Click here for Ex. 6
Fig. 7 starts with a “Sex Machine”-inspired call, and the answer includes single notes and parallel major thirds.
Click here for Ex. 7
Fig. 8 is very strummy, even through the single low notes, and has chords that move from F7 to Eb7 for the calls on beats 1 through 3, with a tenor line answer starting on the “and” of beat 3. At an even brisker tempo, we have Fig. 9. It’s in C minor and has a very wide range.
Click here for Ex. 8
Click here for Ex. 9
We slow things down for the reggae riff in A major shown in Fig. 10. Again, the tenor line and the rhythm skank are welded together as a single mighty force. Married to live happily ever after.
Click here for Ex. 10
Tip: I find it easiest to play rhythm guitar (or rhythm guitar with single-note lines) by holding the pick with thumb, index, and middle fingers. You get a nice solid grip by doing this. The pick strikes the strings at about a 45-degree angle, similar to the angle of the 5-way switch on a Strat. Most of the movement occurs at the wrist, which is slightly arched and moves in a rotational way, with the fingers holding the pick firmly. I find this approach gives a nice, even, and firm sound to funk rhythm, almost like you have a compressor on your guitar. Furthermore, it allows for comfortable muting of notes or unwanted sympathetic vibrations on unplayed low strings.
Another Tip: Try playing some of these examples with your fingers. You’ll sound a bit like a junior Charlie Hunter. Actually, playing with your fingers opens up all kinds of doors to polyphony, but the point of this article is you can capture some serious interlocking polyphony with a pick and one 6-string guitar.
And now a word of caution: Just because you can play chords and tenor lines in one riff doesn’t mean you should—or at least that you should all the time. You don’t want to be the obnoxious over-player. If there’s a keyboard player in the band, or a busy bass player, or lots of percussion, it’s unlikely to make musical sense to play a dense guitar part. A spare part with lots of space will be much nicer and funkier.
Create, layer, and jam with the BOSS RC-1 Loop Station and BIC cable! Enter the I Love Pedals giveaway now and come back daily to increase your odds!
Boss RC-1 Loop Station Looper Pedal
The RC-1 Loop Station is the most intuitive looper pedal from BOSS. Its compact layout provides all the essential functions—record, playback, overdub, and undo/redo—encouraging instant creativity right out of the box.
The BIC 10-A cable from BOSS delivers uncompromising performance that faithfully transfers every nuance of tone and adds a vibrant touch with color options inspired by the brand's most iconic compact pedals.
In our third installment with Santa Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover, the master luthier shows PG's John Bohlinger how his team of builders assemble and construct guitars like a chef preparing food pairings. Hoover explains that the finer details like binding, headstock size and shape, internal bracing, and adhesives are critical players in shaping an instrument's sound. Finally, Richard explains how SCGC uses every inch of wood for making acoustic guitars or outside ventures like surfboards and art.
Featuring torrefied solid Sitka Spruce tops, mahogany neck, back, and sides, and Fishman Presys VT EQ System, these guitars are designed to deliver quality tone and playability at an affordable price point.
Cort Guitars, acclaimed for creating instruments that exceed in value and quality, introduces the Essence Series. This stunning set of acoustic guitars is designed for musicians looking for the quintessential classic acoustic guitar with fabulous tone all at an exceptional price point. The Essence Series features two distinct body shapes: The Grand Auditorium and the OM Cutaway. Whatever the flavor, the Essence Series has the style to suit.
The Essence-GA-4 is the perfect Grand Auditorium acoustic. Wider than a dreadnought, the Essence-GA-4 features a deep body with a narrower waist and a width of 1 ¾” (45mm) at the nut. The result is an instrument that is ideal for any number of playing styles: Picking… strumming… the Essence GA-4 is completely up for the task.
The Essence-OM-4 features a shallower body creating a closer connection to the player allowing for ease of use on stage. With its 1 11/16’th (43mm) nut width, this Orchestra Model is great for fingerpickers or singer/guitarists looking for better body contact for an overall better playing experience.
Both acoustics are topped with a torrefied solid Sitka Spruce top using Cort’s ATV process. The ATV process or “Aged to Vintage”, “ages” the Spruce top to give it the big and open tone of older, highly-sought-after acoustics. To further enhance those vintage tones, the tops bracing is also made of torrefied spruce. The mahogany neck, back, and sides create a warm, robust midrange and bright highs. A rosewood fingerboard and bridge add for a more balanced sound and sustain. The result is amazing tone at first strum. 18:1 Vintage Open Gear Tuners on the mahogany headstock offer precise tuning with vintage styling. The herringbone rosette & purfling accentuates the aesthetics of these instruments adding to their appeal. Both acoustics come in two choices of finish. Natural Semi-Gloss allows the Sitka spruce’s natural beauty to shine through and classic Black Top Semi-Gloss.
A Fishman® Presys VT EQ System is installed inside the body versus other systems that cut into the body to be installed. This means the instrument keeps its natural resonance and acoustic flair. The Presys VT EQ System keeps it simple with only Volume and Tone controls resulting in a true, crisp acoustic sound. Lastly, Elixir® Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light .012-.053 Acoustic Strings round out these acoustics. This Number 1 acoustic guitar string delivers consistent performance and extended tone life with phosphor bronze sparkle and warmth. The Essence Series takes all these elements, combines them, and exceeds in playability, looks, and affordability.
Street Price: $449.00
For more information, please visit cortguitars.com.
Cort Essence-GA4 Demo - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Moth Electric's C. regalis overdrive pedal offers massive boost, natural overdrive, and searing distortion for guitar and bass. With active treble and bass controls, clean blend, Smooth/Crunch modes, and true-bypass switching, this USA-made pedal is a versatile addition to any pedalboard.
Adding a new model to their line of overdrives, Moth Electric has released the C. regalis. Equally suited for guitar and bass, the meticulously designed C.regalis is capable of massive boost, natural, singing overdrive, and searing mid-gain distortion. Its six op-amps power a dynamic, crunchy overdrive circuit with a suite of features including:
- Active treble and bass controls that allow for +/- 15db boost and cut. Perfect for tailoring the C. regalis to your instrument and amp.
- A powerful clean blend for introducing either your amp’s natural character or another effect into the equation. Allows the C. regalis to become a more transparent overdrive.
- Smooth/Crunch modes, provide a subtle change in feel with ‘Smooth’ increasing sustain and ‘Crunch’ introducing high-order harmonics for additional texture.
The C. regalis offers the following features:
- Bass, Treble, Blend, Volume, Drive controls
- Smooth/Crunch modes● More volume than you’ll ever need
- True-bypass switching, top-mounted jacks for easy placement on crowded pedalboards
- 9-volt DC operation with external power supply – no battery compartment
- Designed and hand-built in the USA using through-hole components
The C. regalis carries a $179.99 price and is available for purchase at mothelectric.com.
For more information, please visit mothelectric.com.