Sindibad
Verified buyer
04/03/26
Stuart Ziff's Core Skills: R&B/Funk Rhythm (JamPlay)
It's a great model for practicing these rhythms. Handwork becomes important.
Core Skills: R&B/Funk Rhythm (JamPlay)
Explore the Rhythm of Funk and R&B
Get this course and 1,000+ more with All Access
Try 14 days free. Cancel any time.
About this course
Ready for an immersive journey through the heart of rhythm guitar? In Stuart Ziff’s "Core Skills: R&B/Funk Rhythm,” you’ll explore the pulse that drives some of the most iconic music ever made. From the legendary grooves of Memphis and Muscle Shoals to the syncopated rhythms of New Orleans, Detroit, and Chicago, Stuart breaks down the essence of rhythm and blues guitar playing.
In this course you’ll discover the signature styles of legendary guitarists like Steve Cropper, Leo Nocentelli, Curtis Mayfield, and Freddie Stone. You’ll learn to lock in with the rhythm section, drive the groove, and make every note count, and you’ll practice with triads, single-note lines, and power chords, honing your timing with 16th-note strumming exercises. Stuart’s tips on staying relaxed and maintaining the groove will ensure you’re always in the pocket.
“We’re going to start in Memphis, then head to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, New Orleans, Detroit, and Chicago. To finish it up, we’ll talk a little about Sly and the Family Stone, their style of funk and R&B, and the West Coast sound.
This is a great place to start if you're learning rhythm guitar and the concepts that come with it. This is the music of my childhood. I came up playing this stuff in my early teens, and I still play R&B to this day. It’s music that never goes away, and the concepts you’ll learn here will stick with you for life.”
You’ll have TrueFire’s interactive learning tools at your fingertips to customize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
The demonstrations and performances are tabbed, notated, and synced to the video lessons with controls for looping, slow motion, fretboard animation, and other tools designed to accelerate your progress.
You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, downloadable Guitar Pro files, and backing tracks to practice and record with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Stuart Ziff!
In this course you’ll discover the signature styles of legendary guitarists like Steve Cropper, Leo Nocentelli, Curtis Mayfield, and Freddie Stone. You’ll learn to lock in with the rhythm section, drive the groove, and make every note count, and you’ll practice with triads, single-note lines, and power chords, honing your timing with 16th-note strumming exercises. Stuart’s tips on staying relaxed and maintaining the groove will ensure you’re always in the pocket.
“We’re going to start in Memphis, then head to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, New Orleans, Detroit, and Chicago. To finish it up, we’ll talk a little about Sly and the Family Stone, their style of funk and R&B, and the West Coast sound.
This is a great place to start if you're learning rhythm guitar and the concepts that come with it. This is the music of my childhood. I came up playing this stuff in my early teens, and I still play R&B to this day. It’s music that never goes away, and the concepts you’ll learn here will stick with you for life.”
You’ll have TrueFire’s interactive learning tools at your fingertips to customize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
The demonstrations and performances are tabbed, notated, and synced to the video lessons with controls for looping, slow motion, fretboard animation, and other tools designed to accelerate your progress.
You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, downloadable Guitar Pro files, and backing tracks to practice and record with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Stuart Ziff!
What you'll learn
- Perform Sex Machine groove with 13th chord movement
- Play Papa's Got a Brand New Bag rhythm part with backbeat emphasis
- Use proper wrist technique to avoid fatigue during 16th note playing
- Understand how guitar functions as rhythmic foundation in funk music
- Develop relentless, locked-in time feel essential to funk
Release date: 11/07/2024 • 3h 42m runtime
Sample lessons
Detroit R&B
Style of My Girl
New Orleans R&B
Style of Cissy Strut
Sly Stone
Style of Sing a Simple Song
What's included
23 lessons • 22 charts • 18 Jam Tracks
Core Skills: R&B/Funk Rhythm
Hi everybody, my name is Stuart Ziff, and welcome to Funk and R&B Core Skills. In classic R&B and funk, it's all about the rhythm guitar. The voice it has and the part it plays not only hold the rhythm section together but also serve the song.
We're going to start out in Memphis, head to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, then New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, and finally, we'll talk a little about Sly and the Family Stone from the West Coast and their style of funk and R&B.
This is a great starting point for learning rhythm guitar and understanding its core concepts. This music shaped my childhood—I started playing it in my early teens, and I still play R&B to this day. It's a timeless genre, and the concepts you'll learn here are equally timeless.
So, grab your guitar and get ready to make people dance!
We're going to start out in Memphis, head to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, then New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, and finally, we'll talk a little about Sly and the Family Stone from the West Coast and their style of funk and R&B.
This is a great starting point for learning rhythm guitar and understanding its core concepts. This music shaped my childhood—I started playing it in my early teens, and I still play R&B to this day. It's a timeless genre, and the concepts you'll learn here are equally timeless.
So, grab your guitar and get ready to make people dance!
Southern R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff introduces the foundational concepts of rhythm guitar in rhythm and blues, highlighting its regional diversity across the U.S., from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and beyond. He begins with Southern R&B, focusing on the iconic sound of Stax Records and the legendary house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Guitarist Steve Cropper's blend of rhythm and lead playing is explored, particularly his signature work on "Soul Man."
Southern R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff introduces the foundational concepts of rhythm guitar in rhythm and blues, highlighting its regional diversity across the U.S., from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and beyond. He begins with Southern R&B, focusing on the iconic sound of Stax Records and the legendary house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Guitarist Steve Cropper's blend of rhythm and lead playing is explored, particularly his signature work on "Soul Man."
Southern R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff introduces the foundational concepts of rhythm guitar in rhythm and blues, highlighting its regional diversity across the U.S., from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and beyond. He begins with Southern R&B, focusing on the iconic sound of Stax Records and the legendary house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Guitarist Steve Cropper's blend of rhythm and lead playing is explored, particularly his signature work on "Soul Man."
Southern R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff introduces the foundational concepts of rhythm guitar in rhythm and blues, highlighting its regional diversity across the U.S., from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and beyond. He begins with Southern R&B, focusing on the iconic sound of Stax Records and the legendary house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Guitarist Steve Cropper's blend of rhythm and lead playing is explored, particularly his signature work on "Soul Man."
Southern R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff introduces the foundational concepts of rhythm guitar in rhythm and blues, highlighting its regional diversity across the U.S., from Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and beyond. He begins with Southern R&B, focusing on the iconic sound of Stax Records and the legendary house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Guitarist Steve Cropper's blend of rhythm and lead playing is explored, particularly his signature work on "Soul Man."
Detroit R&B
In this lesson series, Stuart Ziff breaks down the rhythm guitar techniques behind the classic Motown sound, exemplified by The Temptations' "My Girl." He covers the distinct roles of guitarists Robert White, who played the melodic single-note line, and Joe Messina, known for his steady 2 and 4 rhythm hits, mimicking the drummer’s snare. Messina’s use of triads with upstrokes on the top strings created a cutting sound that stood out amidst complex arrangements of strings, horns, and vocals.
+ 16 more lessons
Reviews
3 results
mrbrendo58
Verified buyer
01/11/25
Core skills
A well explained course. Great backing tracks & tabs.
steviejc
Verified buyer
12/07/24
Stuart Ziff's Core Skills: R&B/Funk Rhythm
Great lesson format where Stuart plays the song, explains and then plays it again so one can play along. In my opinion, this format is the best way to learn a song and most importantly add it to one's song repertoire.
Stop searching. Start improving with All Access.
Try 14 days free. Cancel any time.
