A Beginner's Guide To Funk Guitar

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  • čas přidán 24. 08. 2024
  • Funk guitar is one style of playing that I think is useful for just about every guitar player out there. The techniques and ideas behind the funk guitar style will help you find the pocket and step up your rhythm chops, plus its super fun to play.
    Huge thanks to ‪@TomoFujitaMusic‬ for helping me teach this guitar lesson today.
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Komentáře • 467

  • @TomoFujitaMusic
    @TomoFujitaMusic Před 3 lety +725

    Rhett, Great funk lesson! Thanks again for having me!

  • @JustSomeGuy
    @JustSomeGuy Před 3 lety +530

    I love Tomo Fujita. He's such a great teacher. I also love when he teaches something simple and then proceeds to do 12 chord changes in a quarter of a second.

    • @StockportJambo
      @StockportJambo Před 3 lety +10

      Tomo is an amazing dude. I would so buy his autobiography.

    • @TheFir196
      @TheFir196 Před 3 lety +10

      Yep. 1 lesson video from Tomo can keep you busy for days.

    • @normanperkel139
      @normanperkel139 Před 3 lety +1

      He has two great DVD’s that are definitely worth getting!

  • @ItsMrMcFly
    @ItsMrMcFly Před 3 lety +55

    The most amazing part of Tomo's playing is his level of precision. You only hear the exact notes that he wants to hear. That level of accuracy and precision is always amazing to see.

  • @jmabs5096
    @jmabs5096 Před 3 lety +264

    Everybody funk: Single coil, Strat
    Rhett:Gold top Les Paul.

    • @RhettShull
      @RhettShull  Před 3 lety +82

      It’s the funkiest guitar I have.

    • @ryaneggleston4585
      @ryaneggleston4585 Před 3 lety +15

      @@RhettShull To be fair, it's a Deluxe

    • @jmabs5096
      @jmabs5096 Před 3 lety +7

      @@RhettShull it's a beautiful guitar and envy it, just busting Rhetts chops, love you Rhett glad the injury is healing nicely!

    • @TrainwreckNC
      @TrainwreckNC Před 3 lety +9

      A lot of funk guys played LP's SG's and es series

    • @tedonyszczak3029
      @tedonyszczak3029 Před 3 lety +2

      Mini humbuckers rock! I have a 71 deluxe with minis and it is the most versatile ever.

  • @mjohns908
    @mjohns908 Před 3 lety +80

    If anyone is wondering, the knee slapping exercise that Tomorrow is doing early in the video is a foundational drumming concept called gridding, which is the fundamental way that drummers develop extremely accurate syncopation even when not filling the space with ghost notes. Maybe not necessarily a concept that's too common for pitched instruments.

    • @CatmanJimbo
      @CatmanJimbo Před 3 lety +1

      Just saw a Cory Wong interview where he talks about playing drumline in high school, and I've seen him discuss that same warm up in a different video. I bet that's where he took it from!

    • @PragmaticDany
      @PragmaticDany Před 3 lety

      Yeah the dude is a living metronome

    • @charliemoody7168
      @charliemoody7168 Před 3 lety

      I’ve been asked countless times, how do I “keep track” of left hand, right hand, feet…it more than just muscle memory, though that’s important: it involves what I call rhythmic memory, or ‘embodying’ the beat. You can see dancers doing it if you watch them - the beat and it’s ‘fragments’, or pulses, get distributed to the head, the shoulders, hips, hands and feet, and a dance comes out. Or a drum rhythm. Or a funk strumming patterns. It’s called ‘syncopation’: “the placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't ‘normally’ occur… the correlation of *at least* TWO sets of time intervals.

    • @nuthinbutlove
      @nuthinbutlove Před 2 lety

      I'm a guitarist and I've practiced the same exercise almost the entire time I've been playing. I would recommend it for almost all musicians.

    • @rikoguitar
      @rikoguitar Před rokem

      Tomorrow huh 🤣

  • @EthanTheMighty
    @EthanTheMighty Před 3 lety +44

    corey wong taught me the shifting-the-accent practice technique and it slaps

    • @ThrillHouse666
      @ThrillHouse666 Před 4 měsíci

      "Cory Wooooong!" Love that guy! One of the few guitarists that makes me happy just watching him play!

  • @yoniyampolsky2597
    @yoniyampolsky2597 Před 3 lety +39

    Best style to emulate- Fruscantie's. Perfect blend of rock and funk. Great technique that creates a rougher, more modern punk sound

    • @jarryd2018
      @jarryd2018 Před 3 lety +4

      Was thinking exactly that watching this. I find myself trying to emulate him even when I'm not.

    • @DanialAbrar
      @DanialAbrar Před 3 lety +1

      Currently everything I play seems to emulate him lol

  • @J.D....
    @J.D.... Před 3 lety +87

    Stratocaster
    4th position
    Righthand motor going
    FUNK

    • @JakeTerch
      @JakeTerch Před 3 lety +1

      I like position 3 or even position 2 on a Tele for funk!

    • @abcrx32j
      @abcrx32j Před 3 lety +3

      *Me being confused for a second*
      *Remembers how pickup switch positions are numbered*

    • @unitoftemp
      @unitoftemp Před 3 lety

      Firmly flexed tape to that 4th position.

    • @ferramirez4570
      @ferramirez4570 Před 3 lety +1

      Just to confirm 4th position is Middle and Neck or not?

    • @TokeGerdts
      @TokeGerdts Před 3 lety +1

      @@ferramirez4570 Yep!

  • @RalphMercuroMusic
    @RalphMercuroMusic Před 3 lety +14

    Love Nile!!! He really unlocked my funk playing with two techniques. Never play more than three strings at a time and the funkier you get the less the chords ring out to almost playing nothing or VERY muted...

  • @bkebradley
    @bkebradley Před 3 lety +20

    The triplet thing he did at 15:28 was so sick

    • @BlueL1n3
      @BlueL1n3 Před 3 lety +1

      Yes! I was about to say the same thing! It was like muted raking or something. I keep scrubbing back to it and replaying it.

    • @mikecito1717
      @mikecito1717 Před 3 lety +2

      Play it at .75 speed to really catch the trick.

  • @PulledPurk
    @PulledPurk Před 3 lety +23

    Funk?! Dang, you must be feeling a lot better!

  • @celestxl835
    @celestxl835 Před 3 lety +36

    Rhett didn't use Tomo as clickbait for the thumbnail, mad respect

  • @Garythefireman66
    @Garythefireman66 Před 3 lety +9

    Nile Rodgers is a legend. He worked with so many greats, including David Bowie. His riffs are iconic 🎸

  • @baimun
    @baimun Před 3 lety +5

    When I was showing someone some funk and reggae licks I explained the correlation of the right hand rhythm picking and when to choke notes with the right hand is like a drummer's high hat. They don't just leave it open and do rolls.... it's the striking pattern along with when to let it ring, when to ring and cut, or to be closed the entire thing.

    • @hyramjackson
      @hyramjackson Před 2 lety +2

      That comparison is perfect, in fact I have done that without thinking of it

  • @bendayze
    @bendayze Před 3 lety +20

    Rhetts clean tone is my solo tone

  • @stevanvinter2835
    @stevanvinter2835 Před 3 lety +3

    My dear God the thing that he does at 15:29 made me stop the video and replay it several times. What a guy! :)

  • @ChristianoSts
    @ChristianoSts Před 10 měsíci +2

    can't stop from the RHCP is a great example of not playing full chords and filling very well the harmony.

  • @OokisMcFlookis
    @OokisMcFlookis Před 3 lety +4

    I love that idea of voice leading using different inversions, that's a great way to make a part more interesting

  • @guppybill
    @guppybill Před 3 lety +4

    Tower of Power! That's where my favorite funk and soul comes from. East Bay Grease. Got ya' some right here!

  • @TheJuggernautv2
    @TheJuggernautv2 Před 3 lety +1

    LOL, it always comes back to Tomo. The power behind the Throne!

  • @mrjljjl
    @mrjljjl Před 3 lety +3

    Bootsy collins has your back when it comes to funk bass. Funkadelic baby, Groovy vibes.

  • @istvandejesus
    @istvandejesus Před 3 lety +2

    Is great how good you are healing from your injury. God bless!!!

  • @CrazyUncleSam24
    @CrazyUncleSam24 Před 3 lety +2

    Definitely my favorite video based around an interview you made. You give plenty of room for the interview to breathe and the parts you give really expand on the ideas to explain it more. It also helps that Tomo is amazing.

  • @RemyTrahant
    @RemyTrahant Před 3 lety +2

    Awesome, thank you Rhett, thank you Tomo! At GIT my instructor Pathik Desai who taught the funk guitar class turned me on to the late, great Ross Bolton who used to be the funk guitar guru at GIT, and Pathik based his entire funk beginner course around Ross' curriculum and I highly recommend to everyone to pick up Ross Bolton's Hal Leonard Funk Guitar book, it's a great workbook to get you on your way!

  • @danmorrison8746
    @danmorrison8746 Před 3 lety +11

    Damn Rhett. This is a supreme episode.

  • @RobHarrisGuitar
    @RobHarrisGuitar Před 3 lety +4

    Great stuff Rhett. Love the Tomo stuff too.

  • @DADA-ey2ir
    @DADA-ey2ir Před 3 lety +1

    This is why social media platforms are so great nowadays. You get to learn from great minds like Tomo when it used to be a privilege.

  • @andypomeroy7447
    @andypomeroy7447 Před 3 lety +1

    So cool to see this broke down to the elements. This was such a common style of playing in the mid to late 70's. We just played what we were hearing on the radio and records, not understanding what we were playing. Nice to hear the comments about over playing the rhythm and how to accent. Good content here, Rhett!

  • @PNWGuitar
    @PNWGuitar Před 3 lety +5

    Nile Roger's is one of my biggest influences so I was excited to hear your thoughts about funk. It's gotta swing its got to support the sing and in my Roger's opinion "If there's not many notes it's not funky"

  • @marcoscamillo6606
    @marcoscamillo6606 Před 3 lety +9

    We need a collab video between you and Chris Buck too...

  • @TheOdieD3
    @TheOdieD3 Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks for this Rhett ! So fun!!!
    My favorite video so far

  • @Rebelconformist82
    @Rebelconformist82 Před rokem

    Tomo is a Guru of guitar. I like the guy with the silver guitar technique . Nice sound

  • @stevegodard4697
    @stevegodard4697 Před 3 lety +2

    Wow! Not even a funk aficionado, but was blown away by Tomo's skill. Very nice lesson, provides great practice material. Thanks so much!

  • @TraneFrancks
    @TraneFrancks Před 3 lety +44

    Yeah, but what does Tomo Fujita know anyway? It's not like he's John Mayer's guitar teacher ... Oh, wait.

  • @sls554
    @sls554 Před 2 lety

    Fantastic, Fantastic Funk history!!!!!!

  • @GUSCRAWF0RD
    @GUSCRAWF0RD Před 3 lety +6

    4;30 this guy is a train-ed rythm machine I couldn't change accents in a tapping pattern like that, I bet real drummers train that kind of thing... Impressive

  •  Před 3 lety +1

    I love those guitar fadeouts when you change the scene, so satisfying.

  • @bryangarcia662
    @bryangarcia662 Před 3 lety +2

    Glad to see your recovering so quickly man, great video!
    Already signed up for the Inner Circle, can't wait to see what comes next!

  • @Jesse615
    @Jesse615 Před 2 lety +3

    Lately I've really gotten into funk-style playing more. I play bass too, and a lot of the same practices, like muting and a focus on the right hand, carries through easily. One thing I realize that makes the great guitar and bass funk players so great isn't so much their ability to play, but their keen ability to listen. Listening to the other players, the vocal melody, rhythm, etc. is how they find that pocket and create space. I'll take Nile Rodger's tasty playing over the flashy stuff any day!

  • @EasyHeat
    @EasyHeat Před 3 lety

    My mom took me to see the Ramones live on my 7th birthday in 1983. Forever influenced my musical journey.

  • @eadonayre
    @eadonayre Před 3 lety +1

    That strat sounded amazing

  • @michaeld.mahoney9106
    @michaeld.mahoney9106 Před 3 lety +1

    Well done, great funk lesson. Thanks.

  • @larryhall2805
    @larryhall2805 Před 3 lety +8

    So Al is playing the perfect rhythm guitar part in Serpentine Fire: one almost doesn't hear it but if it's taken out, something's sorely missing.

  • @TeeDOG6
    @TeeDOG6 Před 3 lety

    When I was a did, I was a classic rock guy. Then as I got older, I started to appreciate blues, then funk. Funk is awesome.

  • @jakeward3209
    @jakeward3209 Před 3 lety +1

    Yesss!! I needed this

  • @jeromejackson2455
    @jeromejackson2455 Před 2 lety

    Right on brother

  • @jasonmccarthy3370
    @jasonmccarthy3370 Před rokem

    Great video! I always love to see @TomoFujitaMusic . Fantastic player and musician. More please!

  • @TheDeugsy
    @TheDeugsy Před 3 lety

    thanks to Tomo and you, such a refreshing listening !

  • @ilyatishchenkov6501
    @ilyatishchenkov6501 Před 3 lety

    When it comes to learning funk quitar I will always remember that VHS with Ross Bolton's guitar course my dad gave me when I was a kid. It literally rocked my world!

  • @espalier
    @espalier Před 3 lety

    Awesome. Thank you.

  • @TheDankCat127
    @TheDankCat127 Před 3 lety +6

    “You see, the funk is a living creature. It’s about the size of a medicine ball, but covered in teats.”
    -Old Gregg

  • @rochellecarter7683
    @rochellecarter7683 Před 3 lety +2

    That was useful. My main take aways were use expensive chords, voice leading (good thing I learned my triads), and most importantly, you don't have to scratch every sixteenth note; just the important ones. Thanks :)

  • @mattquinn8022
    @mattquinn8022 Před 4 měsíci

    Awesome mate, loved this!!

  • @BryanSorensen
    @BryanSorensen Před rokem +1

    Where I live, we are lucky enough to have an original Detroit “funk brother” (Leroy Emmanuel) that fills the dance floor with nothing but a 335 (sometimes wah) and a Fender Twin (clean).
    You can actually hear his guitar on the opening sample/riff of Snoop Dogg’s “Who am I”.
    After hearing him play, you realize the power of great clean guitar playing. (You’ll get rid of your pedals and your on-the edge-of-breakup amps...)

  • @ChaseandMelia
    @ChaseandMelia Před 3 lety

    Soooo cool!!! Can’t wait to go practice this!!! Love the accent exercise! Soooo tricky!

  • @davroshalfbeard8368
    @davroshalfbeard8368 Před 3 lety +1

    Anchoring the pinky genius just tried it funk is the toughest style for me some times you get the groove sometimes you don't lol. thanks for all the very interesting content . digging that gold top at the start the only les paul i like to cheers now

  • @davidshortino1138
    @davidshortino1138 Před 3 lety

    Rhett, great funk lesson by you and Tomo Fujita. I learned some new funk techniques. Glad you're back to playing again!!

  • @AF-fb6yp
    @AF-fb6yp Před 3 lety

    Playing less to create more space and not playing full chords etc! So simple but very easy to not realise. Great video

  • @didyma
    @didyma Před rokem

    Loved this video. Just what a former metalhead needs to get out of his comfort zone when realizing what he's been missing out 😊

  • @DavidLightWill
    @DavidLightWill Před 2 lety

    that was awesome---thanks for the post

  • @Bomber848480015
    @Bomber848480015 Před 3 lety

    Perfect video for me as I am working on this now.

  • @michaelgray1642
    @michaelgray1642 Před 3 lety

    man, you got it, funk, all about "the spaces".

  • @theviper5952
    @theviper5952 Před 3 lety +6

    Ooooooo, yay funky time

  • @brutalslam8443
    @brutalslam8443 Před 2 lety

    This was great Thank you!

  • @jamaisvu2815
    @jamaisvu2815 Před 2 lety

    Thank you

  • @brianwilson3133
    @brianwilson3133 Před 2 lety

    That's also how a lot of old country music guitarists played. Lift off the frets to mute the chords to create rhythm

  • @tomflynn2912
    @tomflynn2912 Před 3 lety

    Thanks so much, so cool!

  • @suzannecoholic1467
    @suzannecoholic1467 Před 3 lety

    whew! that was fun! 2 of my fave Rhett and Tomo - amazing

  • @scottfrommaryland7658
    @scottfrommaryland7658 Před 3 lety

    Thanks Rhett, this was a great introduction to funk playing. Something I had been avoiding because I didn't understand it.

  • @charliemoody7168
    @charliemoody7168 Před 3 lety

    Terrific…*and* USEFUL. Thanks, Rhett, and Tomoe!

  • @santiagohaller2414
    @santiagohaller2414 Před 3 lety

    Rhett!! Love your new studio

  • @ZacCostilla
    @ZacCostilla Před 3 lety

    Love the mini-humbuckers!!!

  • @titus2120
    @titus2120 Před 3 lety +1

    I hav always been impressed by you nce first ran accros you. But now.... FUNK!? Wow... And this is weird. I'm a 66 year old black guy who grew up on rock in Los Angeles. II'm a Rock guy. But FUNK!? Wow. I am so impessed. More please!!! Oh. And Ell done, sir!!

  • @NoNameNo.5
    @NoNameNo.5 Před 3 lety +1

    Rhett, this was dope. Looking forward to more of these, and I love the funk guitar intro lessons.....(cant wait for the bluegrass lesson!)

  • @Stu-Vino
    @Stu-Vino Před 3 lety +1

    Wow, really useful stuff, cheers, Rhett

  • @bobo3838
    @bobo3838 Před 2 lety

    i love tomo fujita! especially his casiopea - ayasake lesson.

  • @brushstroke3733
    @brushstroke3733 Před 3 lety

    Great lesson, Rhett! This is what music is all about - rhythm and feel baby!

  • @booyakuhsha24
    @booyakuhsha24 Před 2 lety

    i love rhett! thank you so much for all you do. my mind was blown when you said Tomo was gonna be a part of the video. absolutely incredible stuff! everyone can learn from musicians like you and tomo because you're both so positive and always looking to collab with others. fookin love it rhett! thank you again this was awesome!
    BRING ON THE FUNK

    • @notbraindead7298
      @notbraindead7298 Před rokem

      I’ve been a huge fan of Rhett Shull for a long time. He’s an incredibly talented and versatile guitarist.

  • @deanbibb3680
    @deanbibb3680 Před 3 lety

    Nice job, gentlemen

  • @adriengahery9471
    @adriengahery9471 Před 3 lety

    I didn't expect you covering that genre of music! Great content, as always.

  • @elizabethanderson2968
    @elizabethanderson2968 Před 10 měsíci

    You're lucky ... my folks had the great wall of vinyl in the 70s, and a few lodgers that included founding members of the Average White Band and Blockheads, so having that kinda grounding is SO valuable! Great lessons

  • @MrWillyCC
    @MrWillyCC Před 3 lety

    Great guidance, makes it super easy to understand and follow! And kudos to ur parents for instilling the funk in u at a young age 😃. One of my favorite 80s funk rhythm guitar lines is Sexy Dancer-Prince.

  • @banditsbikeco3439
    @banditsbikeco3439 Před rokem

    So glad I watched this video. I’ve always been that guy who loves mutes, and it’s always been pleasing to me…so much that my style is pretty much all based around muting strums. Started doing it from Punk rock influence. At times I’ve thought it was a hindrance, but now I know I need to dive into funk….I think it’s going to help me branch out more.

  • @vstags
    @vstags Před 3 lety +1

    Love it Rhett!! Great coverage of funk guitar. I was born in 65 and have great memories of this type music all over the radio. Any chance of putting together a beginner lesson to counting and keeping the beat while playing? I'm a beginner and would find it very useful. Thanks bro!

  • @user-pg8pt2er9z
    @user-pg8pt2er9z Před 3 lety

    I’ve been watching Tomo for a minute now so great

  • @b.rodclark7349
    @b.rodclark7349 Před 3 lety

    Right rhythm/left mute... so on point!

  • @permit40
    @permit40 Před 2 lety

    Amazing lesson. Thank you both!

  • @gordonbezanson4710
    @gordonbezanson4710 Před 3 lety

    O man I love the color of that stratocaster .

  • @MikeKGullion
    @MikeKGullion Před 3 lety

    Awesome! I've been meaning to practice funk (and improving my overall right hand rhythm).

  • @globaltrekkerexplorer

    There is a band The Floozies that has some cool funk guitar. Groovy lesson!

  • @MichaelMYouTube
    @MichaelMYouTube Před 3 lety

    Thanks for continuing to deliver GREAT content!

  • @kojam1
    @kojam1 Před 2 lety

    Wish I appreciated it when I was a kid. Moved to Canada from Jamaica when I was 6 saw Tom Petty and KISS on TV and was only into hard rock from them on!!! Want to I was waaaaaay older that I appreciated it.
    Tomo Funk Master desu yo!!!
    You should also have Guthrie same Phil X on to wax on about it. Saw X through down stone chops ass he demo's a guitar in some guitar store. Been trying to find that vid. That kid gots some chops

  • @roballen49
    @roballen49 Před 2 lety

    thanks!

  • @marccano1609
    @marccano1609 Před 2 lety

    Great lesson and nice job!! THX!

  • @matthewh6119
    @matthewh6119 Před 3 lety

    Thanks Rhett! Love the beginner lessons.

  • @Poincianaa
    @Poincianaa Před 2 lety

    this one helped me a lot

  • @dracul74
    @dracul74 Před 3 lety

    Been a longtime subscriber of Tomo’s... love his channel. So many good tips...

  • @zedcarr6128
    @zedcarr6128 Před 3 lety +1

    LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! This lesson. I am SO trying some of these uber cool sounding chords.
    I occasionally play 9th chords but find them a bit hard and one of my favourite sounding chords, the minor 9th takes me a few seconds to nearly break my fingers to play it. 😥

  • @Alexander-rx7jj
    @Alexander-rx7jj Před 3 lety

    Brilliant video Rhett. Hope you will expand on this in the future!

  • @kennygore1395
    @kennygore1395 Před 3 lety

    that was great.