If you want to learn how to play funk on guitar you have landed in the right place. Rick Stickney is a specialist in funk. On this page you will find links to 15 of his lessons. They include the analysis of licks and techniques to learn how to play like the following great artists: Melvin Sparks, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Hiram Bullock, Grant Green, Eddie Hazel, Maceo Parker, and Leo Nocentelli.
With the following links you can find out more on Wikipedia
Funk Music , List of Funk Musicians
These lessons are a small sample from the archives. These instructional videos, plus others on YouTube (link in page footer), will increase your musical vocabulary in the genre with funk guitar riffs and chord progressions, and a grounding in funk guitar technique.
For those of you new to playing this genre, there is a low-cost course available, The Ultimate Funk Picking Bootcamp.
For those wanting to progress in funk, soul and blues, the membership site has courses that will take you from beginner to advanced. For those taking a membership, the mentioned Bootcamp is included.
Learn more about membership here.
Enjoy!
LESSON DESCRIPTION I had a request for a Melvin Sparks guitar lesson a couple weeks back so I found 4 stanky licks for you all. A couple of these are pretty challenging so start slow! What a player, if you want to up your jazz-funk playing you need to be listening to...
LESSON DESCRIPTION Johnny "Guitar" Watson was one of the funkiest guitar players of all time with a seriously stanky feel and phrasing. Learn 6 of his classic licks in this lesson.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION Hiram Bullock was one of the funkiest guitarists on the planet. This lesson shows you 5 licks, giving you a taste of his bluesy side.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION Learn 4 funky double stop organ licks arranged for guitar. WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION In this lesson, we learn 5 super funky licks from Grant Green. Although primarily known as a jazz guitarist, Mr Green also had a very funky side. These 5 licks fit great over a jazz/funk feel.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION Eddie Hazel was Parliament-Funkadelic's undisputed ambassador of funk guitar. Learn 5 stanky lead licks to add to your funk vocabulary.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION In this lesson we translate 5 of Maceo Parker's amazing sax lines into 5 very funky guitar licks. Macao Parker was James Brown's sax player and probably the funkiest guy on the planet! WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION In this lesson we learn 7 super funky licks to play over funk grooves. Most of these are coming out of the pentatonic or blues scale. They are all easily moveable to other keys. These Licks are inspired by the great organ players such as Jimmy Smith...
LESSON DESCRIPTION The Funky Flutter Strum is an essential technique all funkateers must have in their bag. This all downstrum approach yields a high stank factor, great tone and better feel when adding double stops and single lines to your funk rhythms...in...
LESSON DESCRIPTION The technique of extracting 2 notes from a chord voicing and approaching those notes from a half step below is a crucial skill every funkateer must have in his bag. Since there is no term for this I'm gonna call it side steppin'. Learn the most...
LESSON DESCRIPTION In this lesson, we go through 7 seriously stanky r&b and funk guitar rhythms and fills. These all work over dominant chords, 7ths, 9ths, 13ths etc.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION The Meters is one of the funkiest bands of all time and guitarist Leo Nocentelli's stank, skank and chank helped propel their legendary grooves. Learn 6 of them here today. All of these are off 1969's Look-Ka Py Py album, this is a must listen to...
LESSON DESCRIPTION This lesson is all about layering funk rhythm guitar parts. This is important stuff to know for a lot of reasons. Learn to combine chords with double stops and single lines to create ultra-funky rhythm parts.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION Learn to incorporate the left hand thumb to create delicious, unique funk rhythms.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
LESSON DESCRIPTION This funk groove in E is an excellent example of how to combine the 3 elements that make up more advanced grooves: chords, single notes and double stops.WATCH MORE FUNK LESSONS
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