Introduction

Funk Guitar is found in many muysic styles from Rock, 
Blues, Disco, Hip-Hop and Rap. This lesson is an 
introduction to the playing style of Funk Guitar.

Funk Guitar Chords

Here are some of the more common guitar chords that
are used for playing "Funk Guitar". Some of the most
effective funk guitar work is done with as few notes
as possible. The old saying or rule of thumb is applied
here, which is: "It doesnt have to be hard to be good".

Artist from Prince to Wild Cherry, Andy Summers of 
"The Police", the Edge and bands like "The Fixx"
are well recognized for their use of playing funk guitar
chords. 

These chords sound different when played in different
octaves and different keys, so it's a good idea to move 
the chord patterns around and experiment with their sound
as well as the additional sound that may be added by the
use of special effects like delay, chours, flanger, wah,
and phaser guitar effects pedals.

These funk guitar chords are all taught and played in
the key of E.
 
roote notes indicated by *

    7th   7sus4  alternate 7th   m7    6th 
e :*12----*12------*12-----------*12----*12---------|
B :-15-----15-------15------------15-----14---------|
G :--------14-------13------------12----------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|

   m6       9th(barre chord)   7th (barre chord) 
e :-*12-------9-----------------10------------------|
B :--14-------9-----------------9-------------------|
G :--12-------9-----------------9-------------------|
D :-----------8-----------------9-------------------|
A :----------*7----------------*7-------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|


Funk Guitar Strumming Patterns
Here is a basic common guitar strumming pattern used 
to play funk guitar, much of which relies on alternate 
picking (down, up) indicated by d=downstroke, u=upstroke. 
This basic outline will help you get started and provide 
a basic idea. Trying these strums at different tempo's 
is also a good practice method.

Exercise #1
Note the symbol x=muted or muffled strings
    7sus4
    d   d    d  u  u      u   d
e :-12--12---x--12-12-----12--12--------------------|
B :-15--15---x--15-15-----15--15--------------------|
G :-14--14---x--14-14-----14--14--------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|

   alternate 7th

    d   d    d  u  u      u   d
e :-12--12---x--12-12-----12--12--------------------|
B :-15--15---x--15-15-----15--15--------------------|
G :-13--13---x--13-13-----13--13--------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|

Funk Guitar Soloing Tips
It's most common for many funk guitar players to 
use the "pentatonic" or "blues" scales & runs for
funk guitar soloing, as these scales provide a
"bluesy" sound and add a feeling of "soul", when
combined, make a good choice for improvising a 
lead guitar solo when playing funk lead guitar.

See Free Scales Lesson's

See Guitar Scales & Modes DVD Lesson

 
Funk Guitar Licks
Here are a few basic funk guitar licks to help give
you an idea of where to add the lead guitar technique's
(such as hammer-on, pull-off, string bend, slide, etc...)
to the scale's to begin improvising your own funk
guitar lead solo. These licks sound best when enhanced
by using the wah pedal.

Guitar Lick #1
    f.v.      f.rel       f      v
e :-----------------------15-----15-----------------|
B :-15-------15-------12----------------------------|
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|

Guitar Lick #2 
    f            p            s  p              v
e :--------12---------------------------------------|
B :-----12-----15-12-----12-------------------------|
G :-14---------------15-----15-14-12-----14-----14--|
D :----------------------------------14-----14------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|


     p   p p s     p.b   v
e :-------------------------------------------------|
B :-------------------------------------------------|
G :-9-7---------------------------------------------|
D :-----9-8-7-5---7---5-----------------------------|
A :----------------------7--------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|

Guitar Lick #3 (Played as a lead guitar pattern)
play 6x...........                   end
    f          p                      v
e :-----12------------------------------------------|
B :-15-------15-12-------------------15-------------|
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|



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