Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1

Intensive Examination of Harmonic and Technical Approaches for Funk Rhythm Guitar

Marty FriedmanTommy EmmanuelSteve VaiEric GalesEric Johnson

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Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1

About this course

Hi, I'm Brad Carlton and welcome to Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1. This course will teach you specific rhythm guitar parts for a straight 1/16th note groove funk track in E. You will then be presented with various options for building your own guitar parts.

Topics covered in this course include the Mixolydian harmonies, CAGED dominant chord forms, all inversions of close voiced and drop 2 dominant 7 chords, and the 7#9 chord. Grab your guitar, and let's get started!

What you'll learn

  • Apply CAGED system to dominant chord forms across the fretboard
  • Play and apply 7#9 chord voicings in funk contexts
  • Create extended chord voicings appropriate for funk rhythm guitar
  • Construct question-and-answer phrases for dynamic rhythm parts
  • Understand the rhythmic foundation of funk guitar (quarter, eighth, sixteenth note grids)
Release date: 12/03/2018 • 1h 31m runtime
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Sample lessons
Track Analysis Pt 1
Track Analysis Pt 1
Theory
Track Analysis Pt 2
Track Analysis Pt 2
Rhythm Guitar Parts
Chord Forms
Chord Forms
CAGED Dominants

What's included

12 lessons • 11 charts • 3 Jam Tracks

Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1
Hi, I'm Brad Carlton and welcome to Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1. This course will teach you specific rhythm guitar parts for a straight 1/16th note groove funk track in E. You will then be presented with various options for building your own guitar parts.

Topics covered in this course include the Mixolydian harmonies, CAGED dominant chord forms, all inversions of close voiced and drop 2 dominant 7 chords, and the 7#9 chord. Grab your guitar, and let's get started!
Track Analysis Pt 1
In this segment, we will discuss the jam track titled "Funky Friday". Rhythm, harmony, and phrasing will be addressed.
Track Analysis Pt 2
This lesson will teach you the exact rhythm guitar parts in "Funky Friday". Both guitar parts will be demonstrated.
Chord Forms
To help you to navigate all of the guitar fingerboard when developing guitar parts over this E funk tonality, you will use the five areas of the CAGED dominant system. This lesson is an overview of this system.
Rhythm Options Pt 1
In this lesson, I'll demonstrate how to construct guitar parts out of the C7 form of the CAGED dominant system.
Rhythm Options Pt 2
In this lesson, I'll demonstrate how to construct guitar parts out of the A7 form of the CAGED dominant system.
Rhythm Options Pt 3
In this lesson, I'll demonstrate how to construct guitar parts out of the G7 form of the CAGED dominant system.

+ 5 more lessons

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Reviews

5 results

arpeggio5

Verified buyer

05/06/25

information Brad Carlton displays always good & packed full of very good tips & options on finger borad.

Germi

Verified buyer

04/16/23

Brad ist a very motivating teacher with big music kowledge. His sympathic and good prepared and an excellent motivator. He puts a lot of emphasis on music skills and not just guitar related playing.

gear1152

09/01/20

Yes, Brad is Funky

I guess I was a little skeptical when I saw that Brad Carlton had a course on funk guitar. I though, "Brad is a great teacher and has a command of many styles, but surely funk isn't his thing". Well, I was very wrong. As someone who fancies himself a decent funk guitarist, I was surprised to find that Brad's way of thinking and organizing parts made a lot of sense both from the theory perspective and from the straight up musical view. If you like those funky sounds from the classic records, this course will show you how to listen, cop parts, and make up your own parts that fit in the pocket and work with the other members of the band. Get your right hand loose and get funky.

Rob

01/22/19

Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1 by Brad Carlton eye-opener course!!

This was a eye-opener for me. I always wonder why something was so funky with just one chord. I learned why: play a "melody" within the chord with guide tones from the cord or the mixolydian mode. This will definite spiced up my rhythmic playing and understanding which notes to play. I also appreciate the way Brad explains it: very clear and useful because he does a demo within the lesson. I have seen there is a vol 2 and I am going to follow that one for sure.

dang4

12/05/18

Brad Carlton's Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1 is excellent!

Brad Carlton is an master of musical genres, and is also an outstanding teacher. His playing is always inspired. In his course "Guitar Lab: Funk Guitar Studies Vol. 1" Brad the FunkMeister combines practical information about how to play funk guitar with the emphasis on developing creative freedom for yourself. As usual with all Brad's courses, the information is well grounded in music theory, and simultaneously demonstrates well-executed examples that will enable you to instantly improve your playing. Highly recommended.

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