Funk mandolin

[Jestr]

Does anyone play funk mandolin? I've been doing a little bit of it myself, and dang it just works so well. The higher notes, the dead strings, the chops, octives... mandolin almost seems like the perfect instrument. So if y'all have any suggestions ect... toss 'em out.

Greg.

[Ted Eschliman]

Have to agree, Greg.
It does a good funk rhythm guitar pattern very well; of course, not the bass note riffs, but you can choke/sustain for some powerful driving rhythm enhancement in the treble register. (I'm surprised more haven't discovered this!)
The only caveat is conflicting with another agressive rhythm guitar player in the same ensemble. Gotta work things out in that case.
Oh, and that octave note thing? You're giving away a great secret!!

[SternART]

I dig Grisman's tune Dawg Funk & learned it........Dawg & Sammy have that kinda rhythm as part of their bag of tricks.

[handpicked]

Heck yeah...make it funky now...anything goes as far as I'm concerned...

[mad dawg]

I don't know much about him, but David "Goody" Goodrich plays a pretty mean funk mandolin on the Peter Mulvey song If love is not enough. Goodrich plays an acoustic mandolin on the studio version of the song on Mulvey's "Rapture" CD, and they team up for an electric version -- with Goodrich playing a mandocaster -- on the live CD "Main Stage Live: The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Album". Both versions of the song are great, and Amazon has samples of both CDs if you want to give them a listen.

(Note: this is not funk music, but the mando is played in a funk-style, which works really well with Mulvey's music.)

[JimRichter]

Sam Bush is the guy for funk mandolin. He can play over the groove like no one. And the octave thing was mentioned--the cornerstone of Bush's style. Just refer back to Sam's first solo album, Late as Usual, for a primer in playing funk mandolin.

Jim

[ira]

i like funk when i hear it, but don't own any "funk" cds- suggestions??? don't need to have mando in it, though that would be fun. looking for something that i could find chords for and mess around while playing along.

[mandocrucian]

Try a compilation like Millennium Funk Party (http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cgi?cpid=1871842&pr=3281884) or Pure Funk (http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cgi?cpid=1869077&pr=3287272)

Also Best of collections from
James Brown
Sly & The Family Stone
Parliment/Funkadelic
Kool and the Gang
Average White Band
etc.

NH

[SternART]

James Brown live CD's are a trip!

[JimRichter]

Brown's Live from the Apollo ('61 or '62?) is essential listening. Please,Please, Please--my gosh, what incredible stuff.

Jim

[delsbrother]

Anyone catch the Clinton/Parliment/Funkadelic documentary on PBS the other night? Talk about an amazing trip (literally and figuratively..). Originally, Parliment was a doo-wop band!

Especially enjoyed the old Bootsy Collins/James Brown footage. I gotta get me an emando like Bootsy's bass.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/certifiedreserve/washburn_bootsy_lg.jpg

[wdrysd]

The special on Funkadelics was great. Catch it if you can. I liked the way it traced the history of funk - in part. However, they left out the New Orleans contributions.

I would also add anything by The Meters to the list of funk essentials.

W Drysdale

[Jestr]

you can choke/sustain for some powerful driving rhythm enhancement in the treble register.
Ya, a great tactic. I've been practicing it more these last few days.

As for a list of funk to listen to
Curtis Mayfield - curtis live
Parliament - Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome
Tower of Power - East Bay Grease
Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove (My favorite of their albums, but you shoud be warned that the live version of Maggot Brain at the end isn't nearly as good as the original recording.)
Maceo Parker - Dial Maceo
Liquid Soul - the album title escapes me right now but most of their stuff is good

and for something with a funky beat, but not quite funk try listening to Fela Kuti's J.J.D.

(Yeah, y'all mentioned a lot of these folks, but I just tossed albums out there. I didn't bother with James Brown or Sly as both of them were covered very well. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif )

[AlanN]

thnkufalettinmebemyselfagin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Perry]

I play funk style mando often; why just the other day we played Cissy Strut. Acoustic mando is great for a percussive funky thank that cuts thorough the mix. I also use two note double stop riffs.

On Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) I like to use this shape in key of E and but only play the high E string every fourth beat or so to great a little chordal riff...it's amazing how that one little note on the high E string pops out....it's loads of fun

4
5
2
4


Funk on!

[ira]

anyone have chords/lyrics/place for a free download of thank you for letting me..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif? can only remember the chorus, don't know who sang it, and don't remember how the stanzas go, but the chorus is infectious, and i think i'd like to start funkin with this tune.
thanks in advance for your help funkymandofolk....

[mandocrucian]

<span style='color:red'>Last chance</span> for RHYTHM MANDO BOOT CAMP
Oct 23-26, 2005



This program, designed for intermediate and advanced players, will occur over three and a half days with at least 18 solid hours of instruction and feature:

"The Basic Principles of Groove"
Blues guitar, piano and organ riffs (for mando) and grooves
<span style='color:red'>Funk voicings, strums, riffs</span>
Walking 3-note Chords and Walking Doublestops (swing, r&b)
Chuck Berry style Rock & Roll Shuffle (and variations)
Rhythm guitar type strums (rock n roll derived)
Bass lines and harmonized bass lines
Extended and altered chords; chord substitution
Call & response, stop time
Right hand techniques, pick+fingers, muting.....
Pedal tones, drones for Celtic backup and/or "heavy metal"
Celtic style backup (lots of arpeggios and "implied melody")
Ideas/techinques borrowed from Cajun second fiddling
Intro to "Clawhammer mando" (emulates old-time frailing banjo)
(And of course, some ideas on the "chop")

Cost: Only $375.00!!

Holiday Lake 4-H Center, Appomattox, VA (http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/holiday/mandolinbuilding.html)

or contact Nate Mahanes: nmahanes@vt.edu

The class is real small, so the teacher/student ratio is as good as you'll ever get outside of private instruction ($520/3 days, e-mail me for more info). And, after this camp, privately will be the only setting I will teach this more advanced material. It doesn't make any sense to offer advanced instruction that nobody else is offering and have a minimal turnout when the beginner level classes fill up.

Niles Hokkanen

[ira]

though drooling at the possibilities of learning so much from one whom i admire, i definitely can't afford the trip and camp. sooooo, back to my query above re: info on thank you for lettin....

[Perry]

On Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) Sly Stone

This tune is one chord...google the title with the words "TAB" and or "lyrics" and you'll find it

[wichitamando]

I had been trying to decide whether to post this story or not, so this was a great segway.

I play mando in our church band. We play some non-church songs from time-to-time if they have a good message or it fits in with the sermon series. This month's series is "Retro-Back to the Basics" and features a 70's theme.

This last Sunday we did "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. The keyboard player had to leave practice early, so I was playing the signature keyboard part on mando and doing some funky rhythm on it. After we played it, everyone commented how great the mando sounded on the song and made sure I would be there Sunday.

Who would have thought a mando would be a key element when performing a 70's funk tune? Love it! Did I mention that I wore a fake 'fro? I think that makes it a mandofro...

[ira]

played with a bass player and a few guitarists last thursday, and "funked it up!" really fun grooving different chords and patterns over the recurring baseline-loads of fun!

[mad dawg]

Just slightly off-topic since they don't have a mandolin in their line-up, but is anyone familiar with a band from LA named Breakestra? I just heard a funk track by them on the radio last night, and it was hot. There was some really great rythymic work by the gutarist on that track, called Stand Up.

[PhilGE]

If you have a Mac and Garage Band, you can build lots of funky tracks by playing around with the loops. Here's a funky track (http://www.goshen.edu/~philge/) I put together this summer for my brother-in-law's 40th birthday. I can loop sections of this over and over to practice rhythm, fills, breaks, etc.

For your listening pleasure only, please. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

-Phil

[jmcgann]

I play a bit of funk mandolin and talk about dealing with 16th note rhythms (and a whole lot more) on my Rhythm Tune Up DVD (http://www.johnmcgann.com/books.html)