FunkPianoLessons.com suggestions

[wmyette]

Add your FunkPianoLessons.com lesson suggestions here.

[ricoche]

Here are a few suggestions I'd love to see you expand on. Thanks!

1. Expanding beyond two chord grooves.

I must admit that I enjoy improvising and playing over two chord grooves, but I would really like to know more about how to expand on such progressions to make them longer. Perhaps exploring the creation of a bridge further or the possible directions you can go to divert from the two chord progression. Another idea might be to discuss common "chord progression formulas" used in Funk. I know blues is usually I-IV-V and Jazz is ii-V-I for example.

2. Inversion techniques or best practices.

This has been covered a little, but I would also like to know more about ways to improve the use of chord inversions. I know sometimes you can alternate them and I'm also not sure how to practice them effectively.

3. Grooving over the Dominant 7th Chord.

Jamey Aebersold has an entire book devoted to the Dominant 7th Chord, BUT not much is mentioned at all about how to improv over a Dominant 7th chord when used as the center of a Funk groove. The Funk Improv series covers some great ideas which I have been using, but it would be great to have a video lesson or two just on the colorful Dominant 7th Chord.

4. Working with Slash Chords

I understand Slash Chords, but have a difficult time understanding why, how, and when to use them. Funk and Jazz use them all over the place, so I thought discussing more about the use of Slash Chords would be great. It seems every groove I check out these days is littered with Slash Chords.

Another future lesson idea might also be to take a popular Funk Piano/Keyboard artist and simply cover some common techniques they like to use in their music. For example, Herbie Hancock likes to use Sus4 Chords quite a bit ( if correct ) and it would be fun to understand better how he approaches them. Stevie Wonder is another artist which would be cool to know more about, especially in the era of "Superstition and Higher Ground" where he did some great funk stuff. Note that I'm not looking for transcriptions, but rather just some insight into their style.

Thanks!

Jim

[leadbird]

I always wanted to learn how to play "I Want You Back" by The Jackson Five. Always loved the funky base line. Would love to see your take on that song or something similar.

Cheers

Frank