I love the kind of funk playing you hear at the end of We Gets Up or the opening lick in Push...

I would love to replicate this style of playing. Can anyone recommend me any good books or online lessons or songs I can practise to achieve this?

You gotta ask Beau Hall,
I even think he has a podcast on some techniques...
he helped me out when i was tacklin funk rhythm guitar

also this helped me out immensely
http://guitar.about.com/l...91701b.htm

the key thing about funk guitar is timing...
if your timing sucks, it will suck....
and its based on minimalism
the guitar lines work insync with the bass

A couple of years back I put together these ugly but hopefully useful web pages on the subject: http://www.angelfire.com/music5/hectim/

EuroCinema said:

Great Site dig it
def going on my favorites list

www.funkmusician.com

I KNEW that would come in handy one day. And just this week I was thinking of letting the site die a quiet death.

My latest, long-delayed podcast will be titled "Get In Where you Fit In" - directed at the guitarist looking for a place to get some playing into a song, but wondering how/why we overplay in funk.

The tendency is to just go buckwild on the skatta-skatta-chicka-skatta playing. But then you go listen to a timeless funk stomp like DMSR, and, holy smoke, P is playing such minimal stuff! I spent years trying to figure out when is too much, and when it is not enough? Like - why does Controversy work so well with the busy playing, and DMSR works with such minimal groove.

SO - that said - I'll try to get my shizzle togizzle this weekend to post the latest podcast.
[Edited 10/6/06 10:32am]

I think one of the keys to playing funk guitar like Prince is to view your guitar as a percussion instrument. Listen to him playing something funky live - often he'll use his guitar just to make funkily-placed noises, rather than anything melodic.

Jam along to some funk records, and puzzle out where extra beats can interplay with the existing beat.

Like Beauhall says, it's about finding what fits right with the song. Controversy, as mentioned - the guitar holds the whole rhythm of the song, and Prince keeps it going high in the mix (and with all kinds of fills playing it live). DMSR is propelled by the hip-dislocating drum beat and synth line, and the guitar fades into the background.

also check out this site and sign up for premium membership and view the videos lessons

http://www.e-chords.com

hope it helps!

peace

The best way to learn is by listening to your Prince records. Back in the day I'd put on a Prince record and pick up his riffs note for note. This was much easier to do with wax, then again I'm 38yrs old so CD's weren't an option. The followings a list of tunes I'd start with:

Controversy
Sexuality
The Walk
The Stick
1999
Head
777-9311
D.M.S.R.
Lady Cab Driver
Wild and Loose
I Feel Good - James Brown
Papas Got A Brand New Bag - James Brown
Cold Sweat - James Brown