GT RATING nooenare wriceng Use of sycopation The recently deceased funk legend Rick James not only played in a band with Neil Young, and had a young Prince open for his 70s tours, but he was also sampled by MC Hammer HOW TO FUNK LIKE RICK JAMES he odes things can b month I was in New York and while Iwas there 1 bought a basket full of funk CDs that I haven’ been able to find in the UK, Some of these were by the funkier Rick James who ha played at NYS Madison Square garden the nigh before T touched down at JPR airport. Now back in England and wing his mone’ funk col on hi fin ou thas coincide with his death in TA, What a dresdful shame. Twi sad cant hi ia NY Inman respects, Rick James's funk stylings ft imevhere between Chie andl Geonge Clinton's P-Funk Tick’ aio savey production, colored with memorable guitar Licks ancl head bobbing basslines is certainly reminiseent of Ne Rodgers and Bernard Edvard brand of diseo funk. P-nk leanings, on the other hand, can be detected in the ‘mix all up" atituce where rook’ intensity sits happy with funk shyttuns and ‘Although Rick enjoyed long carer, his hghpoints ith two alte from the early 80s; Strest Songs (1981) and Tarowsin’ Down (1982) sen. Last Having already released four albums, he was Motown’ biggest star at this point and with Sireet Songs he not only upped his success but also made (for many erties and fans) his finest album, Much of this sucess cat be attributed to two of the albums singles, Give I.'Te Me Baby and Super Peak immensely catehy bassline is claed by legendary The former son (by Riek) to have been borrowe producer Quincy Jones for Meh But it the latter song tha gnined tae most farme tic ‘over. Riek claims he hac finished recording Stee Songs and was listening ta the tacks jist fing on ry bass, whe Lit on tis punky-funky sounding line 1 eminded me of how punkers lok fanay’ when they fay to dance, I heat it asa goof and never thought it movil take off.” However, with The Temptations on backing vocals, the song's infectious dance flor groove formed the backsrop to isres that focused on a woman 1 don't Want to take home to mother", Fst-Forwar 10 years and the song saw chart action again, this time sanipled by MC Hamme for! Cant Touch This. As Rick recalled: "When I hear i¢ on the radio, 1 feoaked, called my lawyers and started serearing ~ unc the Tole me how much money Twas making, Sudcleni was no longer na ‘footnote it may be of interest that MC Hammer also visited Ricks Give I'To Me on iis 1988 song, Let's ‘Get Started, Maybe we should consider blaning htm for providing MC Its Hammer time’ Hammer with a platform for chart success FRETBOARD FUNK Having been a batsit and gularst himself, Rick knew that» sone success Crusicalyas well as chart-sise) 72 Ghar Tetuigus Noveraes 2004 @ TRACK RECORD. ‘lo oF Ries abs are had to se these da (nae they willbe “ Fe-sied soe) but yeu do seo few n your loca muse sare, ry iit bi lowing Motonn burns. Confe Get (1878) Fre x Up (0579) Svee: Sore (1981). “Troy Down (1982) ig thay he bo CO Rk amet -Arthoig CDDD) dees a good es of erin! hiss ange on one reese could often be achieved with a memorable baseline ot guitar Nook, All things considered, Rick's musi is on his approach, ashi fonds ate ful of nis earn omments making hima _sreat reference for us funstrs! thave already mentioned the great bassine-ed ve It To Me Baby and Super Freak, but other cnes worth checking out too are You And I (Come Get ‘Care Into My Life (Fire Up, 1979) aad You Tum Me (On rom Reflections, 1984) ‘But what ofthe guitar, [hear you ask? Well, there are the mellow funk leks an sweet thirds in Mary Jan (he 1978 sung thats his most sampled - in 19 both Coolio and Dr Dre ‘borrowed from It), the elippe Single notes in Fire It Up and the funk powerchord it fo Bt The Freak Out (Col Blonde, 198). As the latter song ventures into funle rack, I recommend aso cheek out Love Gun (om Fire I 1p). Ibis E minor pentatonic-baced sd i so infos that ts possity the best overdriven funk ita ri bear (et) — imagine vambining Stove Wonders Su horr's Play That Punky aad youl be in de sight ballpark ff the best sources in funk rstison with Wil ick once sid" dug writing Sex songs onthe et To MeDeriotts gular Hck Alta funktock pocket tat Gok jus ih i (@: SOUND ADVICE SUPER FREAK, SUPER FUNKG SUPER STRAT 7 get loc to te gitar tones on Rik burs ys hed ies havea Sper Siat-tpe ptr (vec ard ‘ieee arlecols bridge hurnbuckr) That sv | used my Warmth puta wth two Purbaciars hat were oped 401 coud et selec tones t05 Ampases BS Gr & dean tore that nly Becores sight ety when ‘lying the powverchord example wih your beige pha. Fry add ri compressa, 3 popu sudo aptcn 2 {dee a Gem gitar tone rough cary and consistency to ‘ak through she overlie‘THE EXAMPLES. (ver the next few pages are seven short ‘examples that highlight Rick’ particular brand of funk. As you go through them yout notice that although some were derived fom dlferentinetruments (bass aa keyboards), they all work well on guitar (and fora change {you won't need to use hybrid picking)! You ‘ADerian mode (00 provides thebestof b EIU UNE This is a syncopated funk rock nif thats fun to play and locks in with the drum groove, The sides from the third to the fh frets Should be quick but not o the point of bkarrngheiniial note ‘larity, The second and fourth ine enclngsfeabure an A minor Stghty sung Jeng Am? E Bdge ican (onizon ‘opeat ‘wll no doubt notice to thatthe chords Am: Doce often and these are derive! fom the esof which are ABCD B PG), The Doran mode i by far the most favoured scale scuroe i unk ros {tonality which is brightened by the major th In relation to A Dorian, PY isthe major 6th incorval. fit were P natural, would become a minor 6th snd changing the seale instead to A natural minor (or for those that prefer using ‘modal names, Aeolian)! Have fun and I see you next month with 1 profile of cne of LAs bigest 0/808 session guitarist, Lee Ritenour, pentatonic hammeron ik that you may asoclate wit the jazz funk bassist, Mareus Miler. Make sure after learing the notes you fine tune the slightly swung) and watch you dont lt them ing on too tong, IDING DOUBLE This covers a good part of the fetboant ancl wil ext trough a band miei played tightly with a raucous bridge pickup eon, used all four fingers during the double-stop section but you may Sonny ong Ant Jaw, gg fide phan sg-4o-19—¥ amy oYovRe And easir using only he Sot ger vo travel down the fretboard 5 a Rmvmmy 74 Gite Tecuiques Noversen 2004CUE OTE “Tals ea smal filler part that would ideally sult a bigger band oves so this one is del to add. The neck and bride arrangement but in this stripped down presentation stl holds ction provides a typical Hs funk guitar tone that ‘rong against the drum groove and bassline. As an aspiring floes take up as much sonic space asthe previous examples fumkster you should be bulding up solid repertoire of Dorian- bridge pickup tone. based progressions (le Im-V; in & minor = Am-D) for your own, ‘hgh swung Ame ae us rn Nec &brige ups EXAMPLE 4: SYN ‘This is inspired by a keyboard intro on late-7s song by Rick The payer). A couple of voicings may be new to you (D9 and E75) chord voieings are prety similar although because ofthe tempo T but because the progression's melody doesnt move around much, have opted for energetic strumming as opposed to hybrid picking it makes fora focused rhytun part, Watch you don miss that high {offer betzer option when trying to sound ikea keyboard A octave to finish, Sighty swung amr os m7 $e Neck dg lous ¢| : 3s + ~ * x ‘ = + + + I 8 = —— . v vor ros OPO fee [ese ae [FS ae eeRick created some of Anerca’s beat funk rock muse an that afew wel-plaeed power chords could sad real atu ‘Shar sng J=uscs as Bdge pan fond. In this exarmp, the home key of {minors coloured fst by the opening C5 chord (which delays the AB chord) and then the D {0.65 move in the second b sl sum ereating an 8 Dorian (8 BC D B FS G) riff. To ad Intensity, use mostly dowm picks anda slight song feel with the chords being relatively sho in length. Daves 0 Oause cs Doves 0 Dausd C5 Fi Deus cs aS aR 7 ECON ‘This example draws on the spit of Ricks Em Love Gun to create fue nif at shouldbe played with st picking strokes and slowly niall and fll the picking divetionseareulls I Signy swung Jens Bide pickup sed stomper 8 ine retin. Make sure to Jaen this very particular notice how the frst note (an open A) is up picked asthe tar starts with a 16cu note rst, Gt this nalled and yous will have oe helluva infectious rif to ims with! 76 Gui’ Tehuiques: NovenBeR 2004Ths last example usesa strumming style favoured by Ast session below the one being fretted and the underside of your ingens rhythm ares Ray Parker Juror and Davi Willams, Strumming resting lily on the higher stings. For the secon andl third Dar ever strings while the freting hand ony aks one note to be aim to have the notes pretty elpped so they sour tight with the heard (dhe other strings add extra percussive strength). For best vhats results, sour feting hal fingertips should be muting the string ‘Signy mung was [so =u Amt or or as Bre pics KS SEKTTTR xT RUMUMIMIRVRIRIMY TORY RRO HOW TO ORDER BACK ISSUES All back issues of Guitar Techniques are now EXeM>XelUhg apart from: Exch back sue conte (including portage and packing) # UK - £6.25 @ Europe ~ £7.25. Rest ofthe world ~ £625 (Call 01456 271116 oF emal bacissues@huurenec.co.k for arab. ‘We regret that we cannot photocopy eranerptions from back sues! (SRN rf ca CU ; | Pas AUGUST 2004. GTCIO1. SEPT 2004 GTC102 ‘OcT 2004 GTc103 NOV 2004 GTC104 CLASSIC ROCK SPECIAL STEVIE RAYVAUGHAN — JEFF BECK 50 BLUES LICKS! in Handi Soloig School Crom "SRV Pike Ard Joy erste long Fl ab or Becks Neda, Clarado Gute Govan shows you SO Bue {Couronde Deep Purples Spacing wth Foo Fighers Eloy George Glog by MB Sat Guo Dowr aks you sould Know Complete Siiine seers Chromatone abe? Bans Brae nd The Shadows ow) and Pantera Waka wel asa raserptiaa of Lenny Ker inti Ps Py tke OeanThece FB and Aman Brodrese soloing Reber Ford Masterdas. {Clfria, The Lizzy Ener nd “Tore Wa You by The Beads a