Jam Sessions - Funk Style - Lesson 4

Jam Sessions - Funk Style - Lesson 4



Lyle: Here's your jam tracks for this lesson:

Jam Track in E without guitar

Jam Track in E with guitar

Lyle: The jam track is 16 measures long, then it repeats. Here's the chord chart:

chord chart


Lyle: You have three chords in this jam. The first half is just E9, then the second half uses the C9, E9, then the B9 at the end.

Lyle: There are only 4 different rhythm riffs used to make up the rhythm guitar part for the whole jam. Here's the first riff:

rhythm riff 1

rhythm riff 1

Lyle: You can loop the TAB file, as well as slow it down to help you learn the riff and play along to it. The x's are slight mutes. I think of them as rhythm scratches.

Lyle: The next riff is made from the E9 chord which is a fancier version of the E7 chord:

rhythm riff 2

rhythm riff 2

Steven_K: For most of this funk, would it be adviseable to play close to the bridge to attain a tighter chord, or percussive note?

Lyle: I don't change where I position my picking hand, I just change the pickup selection and amp sounds to get a high and tight tone. I like to use the bridge and middle pickup combination and a clean sound on the amp. On some Funk rhythm riffs you could aim closer to the bridge but in these riffs you're going to be strumming pretty hard so I suggest aiming for the middle area.

Lyle: You can repeat rhythm riffs 1 and 2 twice to make up the first 8 measures of the jam.

Lyle: Next it changes to the C9 chord for rhythm riff 3:

rhythm riff 3

rhythm riff 3

Lyle: During the jam progression you'll play rhythm riff 1, and then rhythm riff 3 again before finishing with rhythm riff 4 - the B9 chord which is a fifth higher than where it all started:

rhythm riff 4

rhythm riff 4

Lyle: Look at the chord chart again to see where the different rhythm riffs are being played:

chord chart


Lyle: Here's a video clip of me playing along to the jam track using these rhythm riffs:

all 4 rhythm riffs

Lyle: While improvising over this progression there can be several scale choices to use. The first half is over the E9 chord. This means you can play E major and minor pentatonics, the E mixolydian, and the E minor and major blues. Examine the different parts of this solo example which uses several different scales against the whole progression:

solo example

solo example

Gin: Question RE: Solo & Scales, I attempt to use and mix scales - however, the majority of the time I end up back in a Blues Maj or Min Pent. - my ears almost always lead me there. Is there a way to break free of this? It's now becoming kind of a block to me. Heh!

Lyle: Gin, I think you have to simply make a stronger effort to combine the the pentatonics with the mixolydians so you have a little of both. That's how this solo example is made, I combined them both.

roy: Lyle, I am starting to learn improvising in jazz....and one technique is the use of arpeggio's. Guess that is sound in almost any type of playing. Cool sound on the B7 arpeggio!!

Lyle: roy, Yes, arpeggios help you make up cool riffs!

Steven_K: Initially should I be expected to know the fingering and scale (right off the bat) for let's say E scale Phrygian mode ? or is that an unreasonable expectation ?

Lyle: Steven, if there is a scale you want to know, you should memorize evrything there is to memorize about the scale, the formula, the whole step/half step formula, the name of the different degrees within it, the many different patterns all over the neck etc...

Lyle: Let's take a break. See if you can play all the rhythm riffs along to the jam track, then examine the solo example and the use of the different scales. Email lyle@theguitar.net me if you run into questions about this or other lessons. Also let me know if you would like me to make you a custom lesson on the topic of your choice. Thanks, Lyle