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50 Funk Guitar Licks IntroductionWelcome to '50 Funk Licks You Must Know' hosted by yours truly, Chris Buono—50 Licks three-peater. Within these 50 licks you're gonna get down with an

array of funk fundamentals including the use of the Dorian mode, syncopationby way of offbeat 16ths, 1/4-step bends, root position minor pentatonic licks;as well as a focus on funky friendly intervals such as octaves, fourths andsixths. Unique to' 50 Funk Licks You Must Know' is the "mashup" where, to makeroom for the truckload of James Brown licks you must know, a pair of J.B.classics were cut up and mashed together into one stinky, funk-tified excursionof cool. If that wasn't enough there's talk of chromaticism, single stringcomping techniques, unison bends, staccato phrasing and how repetition is thekey - oh yeah!

'50 Funk Licks You Must Know' pays deep homage to the players that laid down

the foundations of funk such as James Brown alumni Jimmy Nolen/PhelpsCollins/Alphonso Kellum, Funkadelic guitarists Michael Hampton/GaryShider/Eddie Hazel, Freddie Stone (Sly & the Family Stone), Al McKay (Earth,Wind & Fire), Sugar Foot Bonner (Ohio Players), Leo Nocentelli (The Meters),Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers), Nile Rodgers (Chic); as well as theirdescendants such as Prince, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), and John Frusciante(Red Hot Chili Peppers). To take it even further you're going to dig on majormust know moments laid down by a collection of players who you may havenever thought flew the funk flag such as Steve Lukather, Joe Walsh and Ad-Rock (Beastie Boys)! As an added bonus I went all out to bring you must knowlicks and riffs from the funk underground via guitarists like Brian Dennis (Dag),

Simon Katz and Gavin Dodds (Jamiroquai), Simon Bartholomew (The Brand NewHeavies), Adam Rogers (Groove Collective) and David "Fuze" Fiuczynski(Screaming Headless Torsos). These and a whole lot more six-string geniusawaits you.

Just like my previous 50 Licks courses, 50 Rock Licks You Must Know and 50Metal Licks You Must Know, every last note is notated for you in the form ofPower Tab charts and PDF files so you can work with the gray matter on yourcomputer or as a print out. What's more, the audio path in '50 Funk Licks YouMust Know' was recorded direct with a POD XT Live and the resultant Tone filesare included for you to load into your own unit if you're a POD owner (models

and compatibility may vary).

*** A big thank you goes to Steve Jenkins for laying down the stellar bass linesin every last jam track and Chris Masi for letting me raid his to die for CDcollection of must know funk. Without these guys this course wouldn't be whatit is.

Enough talk let's get down!



THE Funk Lick Lick 1Kicking things off is a must-know motif heard within countless funk momentsthroughout recorded history (and not just on guitar), making this truly one of

THE funk licks. The lick resides within a condensed 6-bar I-IV-V in the key ofDm set to a sweet groove. While getting down with lick #1 be mindful of themany prerequisite techniques that will reappear throughout ' 50 Funk Licks YouMust Know' including string bending (with a special attention paid to the 1stfinger bending at hand), staccato phrasing, and grace note slides. What's more,the lick is played on two different string sets (3rd-2nd, 2nd-1st) to inspire youto shift every lick you learn around the neck for maximum flexibilty in youroverall lick delivery, no matter what the style.

Quirky Time Lick 2

"Quirky Time" brings forth the first of many shout-outs to classic moments inthe funk canon with a lick from the often overlooked Freddie Stone of Sly & theFamily Stone. Chasing the melodic vibe laid down in the Sly & the Family Stoneclassic, "In Time", this catchy, yet quirky lick aptly serves as a tantalizingrepetitive idea played over a vi-V-I progression in F. Right out the gates "QuirkyTime" thrusts a Dorian tonailty (the go-to minor mode for groove based styles,especially the funk) into your ears with a superimposed Bdim arpeggio playedover a Dm7 chord. Combined with clever line construction and a smartly placed9th (G) in the form of a 12th fret natural harmonic serving as the concludingnote over the final F and Fsus2 chords, "Quirky Time" is pretty quintessential.

Sugar Coo Lick 3This first outing from Ohio Players axeman, Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, willintroduce you to essential funk lick components like 1/4-step bends, tritones,and the proliferation of offbeat 16th note phrasing. Taking a nod from a tunecalled "Who'd She Coo?", "Sugar Coo" exposes an element inside the funk thatmay not be known to most--the blues, baby! The infiltration of the blues in thisinstance is heard in the stretching of the b3rd by way of the aforementioned1/4-step bends, adding some very welcome grease to this must know lick. Inregards to tritones, it's the space between the G and C# that is the intervaldiabole in this jam, and it is that instance that screams Dorian. This epic

journey from the b3rd to the 6th here in "Sugar Coo" and in the many licks tocome add an undeniable grainy bite that only Dorian can deliver. Take note:the tritone in this fashion, as well as a mixolydian setting, will come into playmany more times throughout the funk to come. As for the offbeat 16ths - the2nd and 4th subdivision - get ready, there's a lot more where that came from!



Off By a Pound Lick 4You can never have enough short, cleverly constructed licks at your disposalwhen playing funk music, and that's what this next lick is all about. Debuting

the mighty sounds of the venerable funk machine known as Funkadelic to 50Funks Licks You Must Know, this next lick hacks into a tune called "Better bythe Pound". This fleeting, uber-cool snippet in Em is seasoned with an octaverto meet the interstellar funk standards created by Funkadelic leader, GeorgeClinton and his sonic cohort, keyboardist Bernie Worrell. Between the staccatophrasing, the exaggerated vibrato, and exiting gliss that has your fret handshooting towards the headstock, this lick is a bonified must know. In regards tothe staccato factor, you're going to check out a fret hand technique I call"bounce fretting" that furthers the funk agenda.<

By the way, if you're wondering who to thank for this ditty, your guess is as

good as mine, as more often than not Funkadelic jams feature a pair ofguitaristic funkateers. In this case they are the dynamic duo of MichaelHampton and Gary Shider.

Get Outta Hii Lick 5What happens when your funk armada includes death defying horn sections?Besides an incredible boost in your tour budget, the music you produce isinevitably taken higher. Part of that high is the inclusion of super coolsyncopated lines such as the one heard here in this next lick, which is one thatwill bring a smile to the Earth, Wind & Fire aficionado. Lines such as this

offbeat 16th feat of excellence that hearkens back to the intro from the EWFclassic, "Getaway" from the Spirit album, are challenging to play while at thesame time a whole lotta fun. At 114bpm you'll really feel like your chops got aboost of their own when you nail this F Dorian based excursion! By the way, foryou Al McKay fans, don't you worry, a little Magic McKay is on the way.

What Lady? Lick 6How many licks does it take before the pentatonic scale is king no more? By thelooks of recorded history, there may be need for an integer beyond infinitybecause they just keep coming. In 1973, Ernie Isley dropped a pentatonic

phaser laden hook at the beginning of "That Lady" (first heard on the 3 + 3album) that was so memorable a severe amnesia patient would look at youfunny if you couldn't name this tune just from hearing the hyper-vibrato'd bendon the downbeat. Rooted in Cm minor pentatonic and played over a standard i-iv vamp, this lick opens the floodgates to the gaggle of root position minor pentlicks that await your fingers in '50 Funk Licks You Must Know'. Get ready!



Williams Gene Lick 7There have been tunes and records as a whole that have benefited highly fromthe funk element that were so huge it was easy to inadvertently turn your nose

to the stink that helped make the recording so great. And, forget the players!No album exemplifies this greater than Michael Jackson's iconic Thriller.Seriously, do you know who David Williams is? Probably not. Drop everything,grab some headphones and your copy of Thriller (you know you own it, so stopfrontin') and take a listen to "Billie Jean" from start to finish with your funkradar turned all the way up. It's sick. This next lick focuses on David'sunforgettable 3rd string single note moment that will hip you to some MUSTknow funkified picking and fret hand muting. Can't find the part being referredto? Thinking back to the MTV classic (back when the channel played MUSIC) thisis the part where MJ, after twirling a few times, walks up the stairs as theylight up. Only in the 80's, folks.

The Cosmic Unison Lick 8As warned, here comes another Funkadelic lick; this time definitely from GaryShider. At the onset of "Cosmic Slop" after the tribal drum intro laced with Emmoments of brawn, Shider comes out swingin' with a solo that sets the pace forthis rocker (Funkadelic was very much a rock outfit). Named for the bend typethis lick exploits, this ditty will have you changing your 14th position F# minorpentatonic scale into an array of phat-sounding whole step bends. The real goldhere is how Shider milks these few notes (he plays just three), showing you it'snot about how many notes you play, but what you do with them.

Play a Simple Lick Lick 9What better way to bring in a song of epic proportions than to lay down amajestic mixolydian lick that people will connect to for eons to come? That'sexactly what Freddie Stone did at the beginning of "Sing A Simple Song" fromSly & the Family Stone's Stand! album released in 1969. Propelled by a D majorarpeggio that, against an E root, spells b7, 9, 11, this next lick reveals the ol'whole-step-below-the-major-chord trick for getting instant mixo vibes in yourlines. Don't be fooled by the bend to a 3rd at the upbeat of 1 in bar 2, this lickis a Grade-A mixolydian all the way.



This Is Hip! Lick 10It could be said funk music and the like is rife with unsung guitar heroes. Well,'50 Funk Licks You Must Know' aims to change that notion by bringing to light

some of funk's forgotten. Forgotten in name and not music, one guitarist that'smost likely not at the tip of your tongue is Bruce Conte. While the name mightnot ring a bell, his deft guitar work sounded the alarm warning us all that oneof the baddest funk tunes ever, Tower of Power's "What is Hip?" was getting itsgroove on. With just a touch of overdrive, totally cool, spare phrasing, and asuperb command of offbeat 16ths (there they are again), Bruce killed it. Topick one lick from this masterpiece was futile, so here's a snapshot of theentire solo. Dig it!

Spirit of Calvin Lick 11

At the end of the day you can never know enough ways to squeeze yet anotherslick lick from the venerable minor pentatonic scale. Taking a hint from CalvinBrown's solo as heard in the Roy Ayer's classic, "Spirit of Doo Do" from thecommercially controversial Mystic Voyage album, this next lick is a must knowin regards to subtle phrasing. From the commanding romp on the downbeatafter the pickup to the Pink Panther-cool walk up the scale from said root, thisA minor pentatonic idea is just a glimpse at the myriad possibilites bottledinside this five-note stalwart. If by chance you're not down with the genius ofRoy Ayers and Calvin Brown, change that before you take your next breath andprepare to wonder how you could possibly have missed the funk at this level.

Prince Octavia Lick 12There's no getting around the fact the funk is riddled with the Dorian (mode,that is). With it's crusty b3rd to 6th tritone element it seems as it was made forthis music. So you have to wonder, "Is there room for other minor scale sounds?Say, aeolian?" Prince thought so as he blazed through the fiery opening lickheard at the top of "When Doves Cry" from the classic Purple Rain album. WithTele in hand and fuzz in toe, the purple one showed us 6th degrees, whenflatted, are still downright phunquie!! As you wrap your head around this b6thphenomenon look closely at the last part of the lick starting at the upbeat of 3in the 1st bar. If you assess the motif from the 12th fret B you'll see a Bmb6

arpeggio comin' at you. Get it? FLAT 6TH!!



Groove Octllective Lick 13There's no doubt, funk licks and intervals go hand in hand. So much so the nextbatch of must-know licks will feature an interval that makes up the core of the

lick at hand. Getting this party started we look into the venerable octavethrough a band that, for some, may be another funk discovery - GrooveCollective. Based out of the Big Apple, GC has played host to New York's finest,including guitarist Adam Rogers. This octave-driven lick captures the vibe heardin the intro "Up All Night" from the Declassified CD, where the 9th (A) iscleverly played against a groovin' Gm7 bed of disco-funk perfection. Also, notethe calculated scratches, as well as the half step toggling between the A andBb (b3rd) for added slickness.

Native Eight Lick 14

Continuing the exploration into octaves as well as performing my civic funkduties by bringing you sounds from the underground, this lick is all aboutJamiroquai and the guitar work of guitarists such as Simon Katz and GavinDodds. Led by the perplexing Jay Kay Katz and Dodds, along with otherguitarists, they played a pivotal role in the rise of British acid-jazz. Lifted fromthe intro guitar playing heard in "Emergency on Planet Earth" from their debutalbum of the same name released in 1993, this lick will have you freight train-ing through a static G octave that beautifully colors the tightly voice-led chordsheard flowing underneath. In bar 2 at beat 3, watch for an interval that willplay host to many licks coming your way.

Peacoctave Lick 15By no means are you obligated to exclusively play one type of diadic instancewithin a lick. Not only is it cool to mix intervals (look back at the previous lickwhere octaves and 4ths were utilized), it's a MUST. Taking it a step further, it'seven more effective when a funk lick idea has three-note components, too. Tobring this notion to life, we take our first look into perhaps the greatest funkrecord in recent past: Blood Sugar Sex Magik from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Itis here John Frusciante laid down the new black in regards to modern funkguitar with his delicious Strat-into-Marshall combination. Doused with gloriousvintage Boss CE-1 smoothness, dig the top-string 6-9 slide, the clever

syncopation and, most notably, notice the near absence of scratches. Aboutthat 6-9 slide: be sure to watch the fret hand's 1st and 2nd fingers toggle slideduties. And, don't worry, there's more Frusciante comin' up.



Ten Ton Seventh Lick 16Right there with Jamiroquai in the acid-jazz movement that took place in theearly to mid-90's was The Brand New Heavies, which featured Simon

Bartholomew kickin' out some serious phat Strat tones. Feeding off the vibe ofan instrumental, "Ten Ton Take", from the must-have Brother Sister CD, thislick showcases the heaviness possessed by the interval of the b7th. Played offthe sliding pickup note, the B-A instance is followed by some 3rd string singlestring work similar to the techniques employed in"Williams Gene" (Lick #7).

Slide Meter Lick 17Just in case you were jonesing for a pentatonic lick, this next one takesinfluence from a tune called "Look-Ka Py Py" from the album of the same name.Now who would name a tune THAT? Only The Meters - the undisputed

heavyweight champions of down-home pentatonic riffing. Many of those riffsare fueled by legendary funkateer, Leo Nocentelli. With its slippery use of ournext spotlighted interval, the 6th, this lick will score high on the you're-never-too-cool-to slide meter. As you watch the video be mindful of the fingering,which allows you to make the slide and get back to the response portion of theof the riff with maximum smoothness intact.

Soul Kiss '72 Lick 18You didn't think there could exist a collection of '50 Funk Licks You Must Know'without MANY inclusions from the archetypical guitar work that was designed

by the Godfather of Soul, did you? The James Brown guitar legacy is sopowerfully important to funk guitar that it's more than safe to say there wouldbe none without it. Given that decree and the abundance of must know funkguitar moments from the likes of Jimmy Nolen (especially), Alphonso "Country"Kellum, and Phelps "Catfish" Collins (brother to the great Bootsy Collins), adifferent approach was taken that combines another timeless tool connectedwith the music of James Brown. Celebrating the art of the mashup where twotunes are mooshed together by beat makers and hip-hop producers alike, you'regoing to experience most every J.B. lick in this course in said form so we canget as many of them in '50 Funk Licks You Must Know' as we can, while leavingroom for everyone else! The first mashup actually combines a lick from one of

J.B.'s most famous purple pupils - Prince -and the unforgettable break heard in"Kiss" played by the sultry Wendy Melvoin. Combined with the classic "SoulPower '74" (note: I incorrectly state the title as "Soul Power '72" in the intro dueto my fixation with my birth year. Sorry!), this is a massive dorian affair thatfocuses on the interval of a 5th, as well as showcasing the power of triads andspace.



Fifth-a-delic Lick 19Coming off the 5th-laden sounds on "Soul Kiss '72", the lick you have here bringsback the powerhouse presence of George Clinton's Funkadelic. This lick looks

back at the use of 5ths within the main riff of a tune called "Let's Take It Tothe Stage", where the Hampton/Shider duo lay down a cool alternative to themore common intervals of 3rds the 4ths that would be the usual suspects in ascenario such as this. As the lick swings in A, notice the continued focus on theb7th and how it's played as a G5 chord - another cool fifth-ified alternative thatgives a way to play the b7th degree, as opposed to playing it as a single note.

Firey Wrangler Machine Lick 20In James Brown mashup #2, this lick combines the approaches to 3rds as playedin "Hot Pants" and "Sex Machine". While the former captures the vibe of the

main guitar riff with its bouncing from single notes to diads in Eb, the curveballis thrown by the latter. The root-to-diad pivot lick in bars 3 and 4, also in Eb, isan idea played by the Godfather himself on piano, which has been arranged foryou to play on your guitar. A good idea to get the most out of each half is toplay the first four bars with a pick exclusively, and the second four with ahybrid picking technique.

Monk Funk Lick 21To officially focus on the interval of a 4th (two were played at the tail end ofLick #16, "Native Eight"), the pure genius heard within funky monk John

Frusciante's work on Blood Sugar Sex Magik is again upon us. Taking hold of thefunky hemiola heard in countless James Brown vamps, this lick calls upon thevibe from a tune called "If You Have To Ask", where Frusciante whizzes throughfour bars of clanky 4ths (C-F) played on the 2nd and 3rd strings. The cherry ontop is the way he adds a biting #4, or tritone, between the b3rd and 6th (F-B)on the upper strings, which reveals the D dorian vibe contained within the lick.

The Force Lick 22Steve Lukather played on more records than most of us actually own, but astand out session for Luke is his deft work on a certain mega-selling release

from a recently departed icon who changed the pop landscape while moonwalking. Alongside one of Eddie's best solos (that ironically finds him in a raresideman role), Luke played the rest of what's heard in "Beat It", guitar-wise.The snippet we have before us throws the 4th at us once more, this time set inall out rock mode albeit with major groove. The sheer stones exuded by thistestosterone-fueled funk/rock moment once more proves Steve Lukather istruly a force to be reckoned with. On the Thriller trivia tip: Did you know SteveLukather played on not just "Beat It", but "Human Nature" as well?



Miracle Whip Lick 23Taking another look into 4ths and the funk New Orleans style, this four barpiece of ear candy finds its roots in the jam session standard "Funky Miracle",

another offering from The Meters classic relase, Look-Ka Py Py. Here you canget a taste of how Leo Nocentelli puts a little grease on the double stop by wayof 1/4-step pulls. Along with the fonky static melody over changes and asyncopated B7#9 in bar 4 with strategic scratches, this lick goes a long way.

Herbie Melon Lick 24Back in Lick #20, "Fiery Wrangler Machine", we discovered there could beserendipitous guitar luminosity lurking in the shadows of the ivory keys. Not sopoetically spoken and simply put: listen to keyboard players, as they play somereally cool stuff for you to gather ideas from! And, who better to play cool

stuff than Herbie Hancock back in his Headhunter days? Thinking back to"Watermelon Man", where Herbie laid down some super-stinky-funky laid back4ths behind Bennie Maupin's cool tenor melodies on a clavinet with the muteon, this lick drips with cool. As you try to get this one in the right groove, don'tbe surprised if you detect a little something going on here. It's the shifting ofmotives over by one 16th (bars 1 and 4 compared to bars 2 and 3); thoughsubtle, that changes the feel completely.

Earhole Lick 25For our final look into 4ths we see yet another way to make use of this grip,

this time with this 12th position scorcher from the Funkadelic camp by way of atune called "Good To Your Earhole". The accented attacks, as well as thesyncopated shifting of that component, further propagates the ricochet actionheard in this lick that's played in the mother pentatonic zone. With a slightphase added to an overdrive tone set to stun, this is one of those licks you putyour foot on the monitor, set the your lips to rocker-approved pucker and justburn!

Dynomite! Lick 26Taking one last look into the concept of interval integration with a focus on the

dense sounding interval of a 2nd, I give you his Funk-ness, Nile Rodgers. Inaddition to his stellar guitar work alongside the late bass great BernardEdwards in Chic, Rodgers has graced many a record including the infamousThriller. Taking a hint from perhaps one of the most sampled tunes in modernhistory, "Good Times", this lick doles out some tight voice leading that thriveson the inclusion of 2nds within the voicings heard in bars 1 and 3.



Pow Wow Lick 27When not holding a mic, the three funkateers known as the Beastie Boys havebeen known to throw down some brooding funk instrumentals on their albums.

Such was the case for their 90's defining release, Check Your Head, where jamslike "POW" made an indelible mark on the college kid psyche. It is AdamHorovitz (aka Ad-Rock) who wields the six-string in the Beasties, and the onewho played the scratch-technique manifesto this A harmonic minor harmonizedfour bar riff was modeled after. The string skip from the 3rd to 1st string withinthe first two E7 voicings are what makes that very cool, open sound in theupper structure come to be.

Magic McKay Lick 28Back in "Get Outta Hii" (Lick #5) the Earth, Wind & Fire element was first

introduced to our must-know collection of funk excellence. The missing linkthough, was the fact that the lick was based on a horn line arrangement,leaving resident EWF guitarist Al McKay unsung. That ends here with a shoutout to McKay's sneaky comping heard in "Magic Mind", where Al toggles betweenthe top half of a D9 and D6 chord, but without playing the 6-9 slide as heard in"Peacoctave". Instead, the riff ping-pongs between the two chords only changeup the order of things in bar 3, just as you're getting used to the syncopation ofbars 1 and 2!

Freaky Deaky Lick 29

Once more visiting the chordal throne of Nile, this two bar riff calls upon thevibe of another important contribution to the funk canon courtesy of Rodgersand Chic "Le Freak". Here you will take on the challenge of harnessing thepower contained within Rodgers' expert level Hendrix-style chord noodlings.Given the brisk 120bpm tempo this is some truly lofty A dorian chankin' toshoot for, but ultra-funky nonetheless. He's not revered as the best for nothing,you know.

A Cold One Lick 30Often times funk guitar needs to be loose, guttural, and raw. If you were to use

those adjectives in an ad for a guitarist you'd get a guy like G. Love walkingthrough the door. So that is why we look to G. and a break in a tune called"Cold Beverages" for the lick's inspiration. Taking a raunchy G7#9 (perhaps THEfunk chord) and applying some assertive downstrokes with a dash of hybridpicking and behind the beat swunk feel; you get a brash, yet playful lick thatwill never fail when you need to drop some nasty in a break.



Hanky Chanky Lick 31If a rapper can aptly lay down the funk, imagine what a jazz giant can dish out.Here's a John Scofield-type idea that makes use of a must know approach on a

7#9 chord that's similar to what Sco laid down on a tune called "Chank" from hiscollaborative effort with Medeski, Martin & Wood that produced the veryawesome A Go Go record. In this four bar repeater you have textbook Sco inthe form of laid back buttery smooth chank par excellence, sneaky use ofspace, careful palm muting, and plenty of dorian-ess. Be careful not to jumpthe gun, as the initial downbeat states a 1/4 note rest. As you play the riff youcan just feel his ultra clean, mid range honk tone from that signature IbanezAS-200 he's always sportin'.

Screamin' Vinnie Lick 32

Just like the 70's, the 90's were a big decade for the funk. From the ChiliPeppers supremacy to the emergence of new bands like Groove Collective andJamiroquai - it was on. Amidst the dreary, yet rockin' tones of grunge emergedyet another groove-approved sound that was a step above the rest - theScreaming Headless Torsos, led by avant-jazz/funk/rock master David "Fuze"Fiuczynski. These four bars of 127bpm C# dorian madness are lifted from theintro of the lead track, "Vinnie", from their 1995 CD. To cut the mustard on thisone you'll need a loose pick hand wrist and a show of fret hand mute control tothe max.

House Candy Lick 33But what about the 80's, you ask? There was PLENTY of fortified funk in thatdecade as well from an array of colorful characters including Prince, Cameo,Rick James, and the focus of this must know lick; the Mary Jane Girls. Loadedwith staccato picked low register Em motives, this lick plays closely to what'sheard in the radio favorite "In My House". Fueled by pouncing downstrokes anda nimble fret hand muting technique, this is the stuff 80's funk was made outof. And, yes, it's a dorian lick.

Funky Riffer Lick 34

It's safe to say when Clyde Stubblefield laid down what was to become "FunkyDrummer", he could never have envisioned that this beat that he had not acare in the world for would become the most sampled break in modern history.Even more clueless were guitarists Jimmy Nolen and Alphonso "Country"Kellum, who played brilliantly on the track, that their accompaniment wouldbe completely overlooked. Put aside the MPC for just a sec so we can delveinto this two bar motif that outlines a IV to I progression. The trick is nailingthe subtly muted 1st string C of the F9 at the upbeat of beat 1 in the first bar,as well as playing the deceptiviely simple response lick based out of C majorpentatonic in bar 2.



Presidente Lick 35

When you have yourself a lick that just works sometimes the funkiest thing youcan do is just repeat it. That's what's up in the two bar Ebm repeater you havebefore you. Once more digging into the vat of juicy James Brown licks, this onebrings you back to a tune called "Funky President", where a repeating threenote sequence is set over four 16th note subdivisions making for a 3/4polyrhythm similar to the aforementioned funky hemiola (go back to Lick #21,"Monk Funk"). Try and be careful not to fall behind the beat and try evenharder not to lose your place, as you always know when to stop to recycle thepattern.

Fire in Ohio Lick 36Going all the way back to Lick #3, "Sugar Coo", we had our first encounter withthe great Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner of the Ohio Players. While the lick itself wasloaded with '50 Funk Licks You Must Know' prerequisites, technically speakingthat was a primer compared to the incendiary riffage going on this one. Lookinginto Players defining hit, "Fire", you're about to put any fleet finger pentatonicchops to the test with this Cm jam.

Got Stax Back Lick 37Just like Funkadelic and many other funk bands past and present, you'll be

paired up with another guitarist. The funk holds a special place in its heart forsuch instances, with very hip arrangement ideas such as the one showcased inthis next lick. Playing on an idea from Bar Kays guitarists Michael Toles andJimmy King, this two-part riffing goes back to a tune called "Too Hot To Stop",where you'll check out a great example of interlocking parts. To get this rightyou and your six-string cohort will need to lay back and really feel the groovein order for the two parts to smoothly lock up. You'll notice there's a first guitarpart (seen in the chart as Gtr 1) that throws down for two bars unaccompaniedbefore the second part (seen in the chart as Gtr 2) joins in at bar 3. The ideafor the guitarist on deck waiting to jump in (you!) is to relax, ensuring thetransition sounds as if they were in the mix the whole time.



Super Foot Lick 38Along with being a funk forefather, James Brown was a bandleader through andthrough. In a live situation the Godfather demanded his band to be ready for

anything he called out. One thing you could depend on was abrupt feel changeswithin medleys of his hits to be called on the drop of a dime. Revisiting themashup of James Brown examples, this must know lick is a modicum ofopposing feels. Starting out with staccato picking at 108bpm, the first half ofthe mashup is all about "Get On the Good Foot". After four bars goes by you'llhear another four beat count at the next tempo of 122bpm, signaling anotherstaccato picking instance, this time one that resembles a part heard in "SuperBad, Pt. 1". Overall, this D dorian jam is a great primer for when the call comesto go out on the road with a leader that takes after ol' James Joseph.

Dag Gonit! Lick 39Another unknown funk trooper to be revealed here in '50 Funk Licks You MustKnow' is Brian Dennis - a member of yet another 90's funk outfit called Dag,who sadly released only two records for Columbia. The first of that pair, 1994'sRighteous, features a tune called "As" where Dennis lays down a great exampleof slurring diads within a riff to add elasticity. Starting out in Gm, the lick findsitself making a movable permutation in bar 3 to Bbm and Cm in bar 4. Withinthese four bars you'll get turned on to the must know approach of pulling amajor 3rd fretted on the 2nd and 3rd strings ever so slightly to the floor beforepulling off to the same interval a whole step below.

San Fran Funk Lick 40So far we've seen rappers like Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys play the funk (Lick#27), jazzers like John Scofield play the funk (Lick #31); now it's time for abonified rock star play to the funk. Previous to the Eagles, Joe Walsh was theleader of the badass trio, The James Gang, who produced the AOR radiomainstay "Funk #49". With a gritty Tele tone as the main fuel cell, this main riffwas a winner. The four bars you have to chew on here takes components ofthat timeless Am/A7 intro riff and throws them into a hat, only to be mixed upand put back together into all new jam to geek on. Contained within this self-propelled mashup is an essential motif played by Hammond organ players, but

is a guitar must know as well.



I Can't… Lick 41Face it, when a riff idea is that good sometimes you just gotta play it again.That's exactly what James Brown had his six-stringers do with the "I Can't Stand

It" lick and it's many appendages that were the foundation of a handful ofJames Brown jams. Since then, this lick has played host to scores of myriadimpromtu jam sessions by everyone and more. This incarnation of the lick iscomprised of varying versions heard within "I Can't Stand it '76", "I Can't StandMyself (When You Touch Me)", and even a rendition played by George Benson,where he rocked a Lonnie Smith gig that became the must-have Live at ClubMozambique record. Heck, if G.B. is rockin a J.B. lick, then it 's gotta be good.

Delicadelic Lick 42So far we've only checked out Funkadelic guitar examples from Michael

Hampton and Gary Shider. But these guys are by no means the only axemen toshare the stage with George Clinton & Co. This 180 degree lick looks back atthe work of the late, great Eddie Hazel and takes a hint from the intro to atune called "Can You Get To That". To add to the uniqueness, it's the only onehere in '50 Funk Licks You Must Know' that was originally played on an acoustic.Funk comes in many forms and embraces many styles, and no band was betterat fusing styles from all over musical landscape then Funkadelic (andParliament as well). This down home sounding riff in E will have you playingrootsy sliding blues motives that have a descending chromatic element thateventually winds down to a Muddy Waters-type turnaround lick in bar 4.

Going Crazy Lick 43Once more diving into Prince's guitar prowess this next eight bar excursion isaptly titled, as you will be going crazy over what's contained within. Just likeLick #10, "This is Hip!", what you have here is an instance where it would havebeen a crime to give you any less than this chunk of brilliant licks heard inPrince's solo break in "Let's Go Crazy" from the Purple Rain record. Loaded withF# minor pentatonic delights, long bends that settle into buttery vibrato, andan ending descending run in F# dorian, this one is overloaded with must knowfunk gusto.

Reid All About It Lick 44As we've learned from the collection of Funkadelic licks: funk guitar covers alot of ground. Always pushing the envelope, Living Colour's guitar guru VernonReid is always aiming to cover even more ground with his combining of myriadstyles and approaches. Here in this lick that calls out to a guitar break heard in"Love Rears It's Ugly Head" from the Time's Up CD, Reid swunks his way througha B dorian idea that's laced with bebop inflections via descending chromatics,showing us the funk can be taken even further out.



Larry Champagne Lick 45

Much of the must know funk licks explored throughout this course are sortarough around the edges, if you will. If you're looking for a smoother path topursue look no further than the guy with the 335 - Larry Carlton. His solo workwithin the Steely Dan catalog, as well as countless other record dates as asideman, is to die for. This lick jumps right into the flow of where Larry was atin "Kid Charlemagne" from the Royal Scam record. Loaded with clever pedalpoints and a hint of chromaticism over a I-IV7 in F, this lick could only getbetter if you could capture that delicious light overdrive Larry is known for,courtesy of his lauded Dumbles.

S.S. Mellowship Lick 46Taking one last look into the near-perfect funk of John Frusciante, we checkout a very cool pinch picking technique the ever-esoteric one utilized in"Mellowship Slinky in B Major" from Blood Sugar Sex Magik. This lick is all overthat technique, which provides tremendous snap for supreme attack. Otherfactors that contribute to these four bars of awesome are the 1/8 note breathtaken at the downbeat of bars 1 and 3, the slur of the 3rd in the same bars thatstretch into the even numbered bars, and the interplay with the interlockingbass line.

Open to the Funk Lick 47A must know funk lick component we've yet to explore is open strings. Here inLick #47 we call upon the sounds of Leo Nocentelli once more by sifting an ideafrom a later-era Meters tune called "Running Fast". Settled in the 5th position Aminor pentatonic scale fingering you'll use the open A, D and G strings to pogostick from fretted notes to open string notes, creating interval leaps that wouldbe otherwise difficult to play at this tempo.

Holy Bortnick, Batman! Lick 48In 2000, John Scofield took a big-time stylistic left turn (wonder where he

learned that trick?) and went jamband by putting out two ridiculously funkyrecords, Uberjam and Up All Night. Even weirder, he started gigging with asecond guitarist named Avi Bortnick and boy, could that guy PLAY. These fourbars of funk-de-force showcase a break Avi takes in a tune called "Snap,Crackle, Pop" that exudes absolute tightness. Impelled by a fierce attack onupper string perfect 4ths, you'll rip through the B minor pentatonic scale withextreme staccato phrasing by way of bounce fretting. Do yourself a favor andcheck out the original recording where this lick takes influence from and checkout what Avi drops after Sco's solo break. So funky!



Get Off Your Arse! Lick 49

I thought it would be apropos to close out '50 Funk Licks You Must Know' withlicks from the motherload camps of Funkadelic and James Brown. Lick #49 is allover Michael Hampton's tough-as-nails amalgamation of space-age mothershipfunk and pure muscle rock pentatonic bravado, as heard in his solo during "GetOff Your Ass and Jam". When it's your turn to solo and you need to come outfightin', play this lick--it's pure power and then some. Laid out in C#m, this lickrips through 11th position whole step components of the minor pentatonic scalethat finally ends with a forever classic blues idea, proving once more there'snever a shortage of great pent licks and the blues is all over the funk.

Give-it-Up-Gate Lick 50In this final lick we dive into the recurring theme of syncopation one last timeat superhero proportions, while checking out one last James Brown mashup.Combining snippets from "Give It Up or Turnit Loose" and "You Can't HaveWatergate Just Gimme Some Bucks and I'll Be Straight", you have the ultimateoffbeat 16th note challenge. Its best to lock in with the first four bars, as it isthose riffs that are minced into what you have to tackle in bars 5-8. All thework with the offbeat 16th within the previous 49 licks comes to a head righthere, right now. Makes us all proud funkateer and own this one!

50 Funk Guitar Licks ConclusionCongratulations on movin’ and groovin’ your way through '50 Funk Licks YouMust Know' - was that fun or what? With every lick you learn it’s important youtake whatever path is necessary to make it your own. Play these licks and riffideas backwards and then forward again, transpose them, combine them inyour own mashups, or use them as templates for writing new ones. As Princewould say, “Go crazy!!”

This is Chris Buono saying, “thank you, thank you, thank you!” From TrueFire toCourse Technology to touring to pedal geekin’ - I’m everywhere and anywhere.To keep up with my beautifully hectic to-do list join my mailing list, or visit me

on the web at ChrisBuono.com

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