Look Who it Was Random video

Funk Rhythm Guitar Tricks and Tips

3,434 views · Published 28 October 2015 · 8:48 · Indexed 31 October 2026

Channel: New Secret Guitar Teacher · 2015 · Music

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Here's the video transcript:

Here's another layer of funk rhythm guitar technique based on using Simple Chord substitutions.

By Simple Chord Substitutions I am talking about thinking of all chords in a sequence as falling into one of three possible categories - Major, Minor or Dominant.

I go into this idea in detail on the 'From Blues to Jazz Course', but for the purposes of this little lesson we can simplify things even further, because the Funk Blues we are working with has nothing but Minor type chords in it.

So, our simple chord sub principle says we can replace any of the chord types listed here by any of the other chord types listed here.Don't worry if you are not yet familiar with all these different minor chord types, I'll show you a really simple approach to work with more than enough of them to make this effective.

So, homing in on the Am7 chord to start with using the basic E string rooted shape, I want you to look at these seven variations all created simply by where you place the pinky. 
  
You get Am7 with leaving the pinky off   or Am with it placed here to make up the Em shape barre chord.Shift the pinky up a string and we get a nice Am11 chord . Push it up a fret on this G string and we get an A min#11.

That's quite a strong altered chord, but one that can sound very nice as a passing chord.
  
Shift the pinky up another string and we get a Am6   ...and a fret higher gives us an alternative voicing of Am7. Across to the top string now and by adding the note at fret 7 we get an Amin9 and then finally, push it up a fret higher for yet another voicing of Am7th.

Now, you don't have to try and remember all those different chord names to make good use of this. Simply spend a bit of time trying out various combinations of these different fingerings, using a sixteen beat rhythmic feel, and get your ear used to the different sounds. 
 
Here are a few examples to help get you going.  

Now let's apply a similar process to the A string rooted chord shapes we use for the Dm7 and Em7 chords. So Again I start out just using the pinky to find chords that my ears tell me sound like good substitutes.
 
In this case there are really only four options that are easy on the ear: the Dm chord   Dm13th   or 6th   and the higher voicing of Dm7   with discretion you may be able to work in the 7sus4 and 7sus2 chords that you get by adding the pinky on the B string  or opening the b string back to the barre at the fifth fret  and a perfectly legitimate m11th  chord from simply barring straight across without adding any extra fingers -  may remind you of the Doobie Brothers 

Ok, so have a quick look now at how I might use some of these ideas against the backing track. For the sake of clarity I am going to use the backing track that just has Bass, Drums and the Main Riff, but I will include a few different versions of the backing track with this video that you can experiment with.
Notice how I keep my right hand moving to the 16 beat rhythm, but just select two or three of those beats to punch in the chords - this economy is an important part of the art of good funk rhythm guitar and it is easy to overdo it.

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