When Prince's guitar skills, style and influences are discussed, it seems to me that people tend to focus more on his lead/rock playing and Santana/Hendrix influences. However, whose influence do you hear most in his rhythm playing - especially his funk chops? I've heard some people say Nile Rodgers, Ernie Isley and Eddie Hazel but I find each of their styles to be quite different from Prince's.

Nile has a very specific way of playing, incorporating part of a melody or hook into his rhythmnic playing. It's far from the usual chicken-scratch funky we're used to hearing on things like "Controversy" (especially live). It's very distinctive. You know right away that whether it's Chic, David Bowie, or Durain Duran that "Oh hell that's Nile Rodgers!".

I don't necessarily hear Nile's direct influence on Prince not that he isn't in there.

Prince's funk rhythm playing is a derivative of what you'd hear on James Brown/Sly Stone tracks, usually mainly using the top 3/4 strings. Nothing wrong with that, as he's easily one of the best rhythm guitarists ever, with a superb feel.

Anyone who references Nile must be deaf. Nile's a great player but pretty much only plays in a straight 16ths feel - even when Prince does this, there's always a swing to it. What's particularly unique about Nile is that he uses all 6 strings in his riffs - that's not at all a typical "funk" thing. I was lucky enough to be on a tour a few years ago that Chic were on and it was a revelation to see how he played the parts to classic tracks such as "Good Times".

jjam said:

(...)Anyone who references Nile must be deaf. Nile's a great player but pretty much only plays in a straight 16ths feel - even when Prince does this, there's always a swing to it. What's particularly unique about Nile is that he uses all 6 strings in his riffs - that's not at all a typical "funk" thing.(...)

- Yes, its true. I dont recognize Nile in Prince´s playing. Like you said, he borrowed from Sly and James guitar players, and I think he praised the Jacksons guy too.

[Edited 10/12/17 19:25pm]

I second the Sly Stone/James Brown one. Prince mentioned just how big an influence these two were in his formative musical years and he continued to cover or reference their material throughout his career.

P was an amazing rhythm player. I think he had a lot of influences but ultimately, he had his own individual style as well.

i always thought his rhythm playing was the most unique things he did, it could be picked out as he played on the time albums, he had his own style as far as i know. I think some of the people are focussing on the funk style that he played which of course is james brown type stuff but i tend to think of what i hear on When You Were Mine, 777-9931, stuff like that, you could tell it was him playing.

What guitarists have most influenced your funk rhythm style?

[Edited 10/23/17 20:17pm]

GustavoRibas said:

What guitarists have most influenced your funk rhythm style?

Sonny T. [one of the early members of The Artist’s backup band, New Power Generation], Freddie Stone [Sly Stone’s brother], and Tony Maiden [of Rufus].

.

He also said: "Go get your own stuff and come up with your own sounds. If you need a path to follow, a good place to start is by listening to Ike Turner—he was as tight as they come—or James Brown, who is all about rhythm. Put any colors you’ve learned from Joni Mitchell on top of that, and then you’ve got something!”

.

http://www.guitarplayer.c...2004/57731

[Edited 10/23/17 20:17pm]

i was aware that prince liked ike turner, in fact, he said proud mary was the first song he learned on guitar. Poor Ike was a brilliant talent which people forget about because tina milked the abused wife story so much that that's all anyone remembers.

coldasice said:

he was just an average guitarist with a great ear and understanding till around Lovesexy then his style emerged. Dirty Mind-1999 were his most funk guitar driven albums. Actually the last time I remember him actually playing a traditional funk lick may be the Break in Batdance.

Oh there is something rhythm-guitar driven in just about every one of his albums. Man did not neglect the rhythm-guitar color! Say: Controversy, Parade, Graffitti Bridge, D & P, Love Symbol, The Truth, The Rainbow Children, Musicology, Planet Earth; his guest appearance on Stevie Wonder's A Time 2 Love--his contribution to that song the song "What the Fuss" is "Exhibit A" of his rhythm guitar.

[Edited 10/25/17 14:19pm]

coldasice said:

he was just an average guitarist with a great ear and understanding till around Lovesexy then his style emerged. Dirty Mind-1999 were his most funk guitar driven albums. Actually the last time I remember him actually playing a traditional funk lick may be the Break in Batdance.

I'm going to have take issue with him being an average guitarist until Lovesexy.

The very foundation of guitar playing is rhythm playing. Rhythm's also a very important component of soloing, and Prince's rhythm skills were as good as it gets.

GustavoRibas said:

What guitarists have most influenced your funk rhythm style?

Sonny T. [one of the early members of The Artist’s backup band, New Power Generation], Freddie Stone [Sly Stone’s brother], and Tony Maiden [of Rufus].

.

He also said: "Go get your own stuff and come up with your own sounds. If you need a path to follow, a good place to start is by listening to Ike Turner—he was as tight as they come—or James Brown, who is all about rhythm. Put any colors you’ve learned from Joni Mitchell on top of that, and then you’ve got something!”

.

http://www.guitarplayer.c...2004/57731

[Edited 10/23/17 20:17pm]

Good call, I was recently listening to some Rufus stuff and I was amazed by the guitar work and how much Prince can sound like Tony.

Nice reading you alls opinions... Funky P!

[Edited 10/27/17 12:27pm]