Bass Lessons - How To Play Funk (for Beginners) bass tab

By Ben Gibson

Funk

the purpose of playing funk on a bass is the to be the backbone of the band.

the way to play funk is to play a emphasised ground note on the first beat, then do the funky

impro. in the middle.

its all about syncopation. get as much into the bassline as you can.

silences can be used in funk as well. the best funk bass lines are simple with lots of silence

but still with syncopation.

check out

HOW TO PLAY

the funk scale (i cant remember the real name minor scale with a seventh r something)

goes like this for G (its the same shape of notes for every key)

G----------------|----------------|----------0-----|----------------|

D----------------|-------0-----2--|--3-------------|----------------|

A----------1-----|--3-------------|----------------|----------------|

E-3----5---------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

i know that doesnt sound too funky but if you make riffs using the notes it will.

heres one this guy taught me.

G--------0-------|--------0-------|------0---------|------0---------|

D-----------2h3--|----------2h3---|---------2h3----|---------2h3----|

A----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

E----3-----------|--33-3----------|--3-------------|-3333-----------|

you can make it even funkier by putting in a fill every now and then such as these.

1.

G----------------|----------------|

D---33---2--0~---|----------------|

A----------------|--3h1-----------|

E----------------|---------3------|

2.

G----------------|----------------|

D---5---323--5---|-5--323---5-----|

A----------------|----------------|

E----------------|----------------|

3.

G---00---0-------|----------------|

D------3----3---0|------0---------|

A----------------|-1--3----3------|

E----------------|------------1--3|

so yeah those are some basic things to know about funk.

check out tabs from these artists for funk tabs. JAMES BROWN, HERBIE HANCOCK, BOOTSY

COLLINS.