funk

Latest about funk

Right-Ella Feingold with guitars in the background; Left-Bruno Mars of Silk Sonic performs onstage during the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada

How Ella Feingold got working with Bruno Mars – and how it differed from her Prince audition

By Janelle Borg published

Feingold had already worked with Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu and Queen Latifah when she got the call from Bruno Mars

Guitarists
Jamey Arent plays a Heritage LP-style single-cut on a leather couch, surrounded by house plants.

Learn 10 funk guitar riffs inspired by James Brown, Prince and Vulfpeck

By Jamey Arent published

Pickup Music’s LA-based session ace Jamey Arent is your host for a lesson that’s not only a great introduction to the fundamentals of funk guitar, but could be the inspiration you need to take your funk chops to the next level

Techniques
Donnie Laudicina teaches a James Brown-inspired funk rhythm figure

Learn the ‘chanking’ funk approach popularized by game-changing James Brown guitarist Jimmy Nolen

By Donnie Laudicina published

You can chank us later for this lesson in an approach that could revolutionise how you execute your rhythm guitar manoeuvres

Techniques
Giacomo Turra playing his signature D'Angelico guitar on an NYC rooftop

D'Angelico teams up with funk sensation Giacomo Turra on a '60s-inspired signature model

By Janelle Borg published

The Giacomo Turra Bedford SH features an all-new Supro Gold Field pickup that promises to deliver clear, single coil-like tones, with the added boldness of a humbucker

Electric Guitars
D'Angelo playing a pink G&L guitar

Elusive neo-soul artist D'Angelo flexes his guitar skills on a G&L Superstrat given to him by a music icon in newly discovered interview footage

By Janelle Borg published

The rare video finds D'Angelo discussing the essence of funk, his guitar journey and the significance of having Prince collaborator Jesse Johnson as his guitar mentor

Guitarists
MonoNeon performs onstage during the 2024 Black Music Honors at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on May 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.

MonoNeon reveals the one pedal Prince urged him to use, now a staple in his bass rig

By Janelle Borg published

The viral bassist also talks about how the Purple Rain hitmaker recruited him after seeing his YouTube videos

Artists
George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic's Blackbyrd McKnight perform on stage at Wilderness Festival on August 8, 2015 in Oxford, United Kingdom

DeWayne Blackbyrd McKnight on how he came to join George Clinton's legendary music collective

By Janelle Borg published

McKnight's journey to Parliament-Funkadelic started with him knocking on a stranger's door after hearing someone play guitar

Guitarists
Paul Simon plays an OM-sized Martin acoustic onstage in 2011

Paul Simon is one of the all-time great songwriters, but he’s a remarkable guitar player, too

By Stuart Ryan published

There is a case to be made that Paul Simon is one of the most underrated players ever, but maybe that's because he always foregrounds the song. This lesson shows just what a clever player he is

Artist Lessons
Giacomo Turra pulls a dance move on top of his guitar

Giacomo Turra’s energetic guitar skills evolved from his love of dance – and his self-taught style might just be the future of funk

By Jonathan Horsley published

That Turra is self-taught and oblivious to theory is one of the biggest guitar flexes in history – but as he explains, playing funk is all about connecting with an audience

Guitarists
Nile Rodgers plays his hitmaker Stratocaster under the stage lights at the Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam

Improve your syncopation now with this lesson in funk guitar 101

By Simon Barnard published

Taking small chord shapes, single notes and 16th-note strums, we unpack the essentials for funk guitar and target those offbeats for rhythmic intrigue in your playing

Techniques
1 2 3 4 Archives