Funk Archives

Changing things up a bit this time around with a funky 5-string bass groove (which can also be played on a 4-string). The fill is based on the Em Dorian scale (E F? G A B C? D) and uses the open strings for a doubling effect. The doubling effect is something we’ve tried before (see: Soul/Funk Fingerstyle Bass Groove...

Using an envelope filter effect can make a funky bass line sound even funkier. This lick is in Em with a fill based on an Em pentatonic scale motif. It uses pretty much only the top two strings on the bass. Follow along with the video and this transcription. For the gear heads, I’m playing my Sandberg California MarloweDK Signature...

Thomas Risell, the man best known as MarloweDK sent me this video over the holidays. It starts off – appropriately – with MarloweDK saying “How to play a funky bass line”. This is a demo of a theme song Thomas wrote for a TV program about social media. So it is fitting one of the best known bassists on Youtube...

Our friend Sylvain Gros-Desormeaux shared this video with us, saying, “Here is Jeremie Coke, a French bass player in a band called Electro Deluxe. I really like this band.” The song is “Peel Me”, and Sylvain added, “Jeremie plays a crazy funky bass line.” Funky indeed! Have a video to share? Send us a note at [email protected].

Rick Suchow shares this super funky live performance of Herbie Hancock and his Headhunters band performing live in 1979 at Chelsea College in London. And as usual, bassist Paul Jackson brings the funk. Someone better light a match!

Here are three more feels to have at your fingertips whenever you’re stepping into a blues gig or jamming situation. As I’ve mentioned in previous “feels” columns, bandleaders enjoy putting their own spin on certain tunes and will often deviate from the recorded version of the song by changing the feel. It’s also nice to break up the monotony of...

Bassist “Davie504” gets funky with his modified FleaBass, and offers some instruction along the way. Enjoy the tune, or play along with the tabs.

Inspired by Victor Wooten, bassist Bartek Krolik, composed this tune, “Fiku Miku”, back in 2000. The tune was later recorded for the album, No Bass No Fun. Here, Bartek performs the tune once again on his ’76 Musicman StingRay. Funky!