A good book for soul, R&B, funk, Motown, etc:

So I got in a R&B (I think) band as a guitar player. At our first practice we did "Wishing Well," "Tracks of my Tears," "Get up (Sex Machine)" and "Chain of Fools," to give you an idea of the stuff we're doing. Being a bookish kind of guy, I wonder if there's a good book out there on that kind of music. I have great ones on blues and bluegrass, so I'm looking to add to my library. Any suggestions?

Are you talking about something like background and stories on the artists? If so , I cannot reccomment Peter Guralnick's "Sweet Soul Music"..awesome stuff on the story of STAX, James Brown, Solomon Burke, I mean great stuff! History, extensive discography, songwriting and production methods, musicologist wet dreams, really well written, not dry at all. makes you want to buy and play the music! I would also recommend any of Guralnick's other work, just as easily. Here is the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Soul-Music-Southern-Freedom/dp/0316332739

Are you talking about something like background and stories on the artists? If so , I cannot reccomment Peter Guralnick's "Sweet Soul Music"..awesome stuff on the story of STAX, James Brown, Solomon Burke, I mean great stuff! History, extensive discography, songwriting and production methods, musicologist wet dreams, really well written, not dry at all. makes you want to buy and play the music! I would also recommend any of Guralnick's other work, just as easily. Here is the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Soul-Music-Southern-Freedom/dp/0316332739

Thank you. I'm looking for for a method book full of licks, chord progressions, theory; that sort of stuff. However, the book you suggested does look interesting.

Thank you. I'm looking for for a method book full of licks, chord progressions, theory; that sort of stuff. However, the book you suggested does look interesting.

That old soul music is really cool, and it's also really simple. The articulation is the tricky part, and you won't get that from a book. You would do well to spend your book money on iTunes and just learn the songs off the records.

That old soul music is really cool, and it's also really simple. The articulation is the tricky part, and you won't get that from a book. You would do well to spend your book money on iTunes and just learn the songs off the records.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've done so far. I learned the four songs we worked on basically the morning before I went. I find that less is more when it comes to this. It's a huge depature from playing bluegrass, which is what I had been playing. I sort of let the bass and piano do the heavy lifting and just float in and out.

You're so very right about it being simple but in the articulation. 'Get Up' couldn't be easier, but I had to find my groove to hit that lick just at the right time. Yeah, it's not alternate bass picking!

Thanks alot.

One thing that I have found incredibly useful in playing blues guitar, is to listen to it during my down moments, like driving. I don't listen to a lot of music in general, because I am either composing or playing. But if I don't listen much, I start to play only a few types gestures and am more limited in what I "hear" when playing. Listening helps me imagine music better.

I really like Dave Rubin's stuff and his R&B Guitar Method (http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Method-Stylistic-Supplement-Leonard/dp/0634077503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1278956812&sr=8-1) is full of cool riffs and licks.

Amos Garrett's Rock n Roll Rhythm Guitar set on Homespun Tapes is really an R&B/soul/funk primer, and it's very good.

This is a really good one ...
http://www.amazon.com/Funk-Guitar-Essential-Private-Lessons/dp/0634011685

"Sweet Soul Music" is an incredible book. Anyone interested in this music just has to read it.

That old soul music is really cool, and it's also really simple. The articulation is the tricky part, and you won't get that from a book. You would do well to spend your book money on iTunes and just learn the songs off the records.

+1

Soul music is all about rhythm. Get in with the bass and drums. Tight.

That's it. You have to listen to the original recording.

:cool:

I really like Dave Rubin's stuff and his R&B Guitar Method (http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Method-Stylistic-Supplement-Leonard/dp/0634077503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1278956812&sr=8-1) is full of cool riffs and licks.

This might work too:
http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Groove-Guitar-1945-1965-Inside/dp/0793551668/ref=pd_sim_b_7

I dig the Dave Rubin stuff.

Foir funk stuff, you might look into Dr Funk book on James Brown stuff or the great New Orleand funk by Theoriot:
http://books.google.com/books?id=cuwv5wd7pc0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=new+orleand+theriot&source=bl&ots=_6sMu_-8vS&sig=5KqPCdXr-YYcGdAtr2J2zDCtWzs&hl=fi&ei=I1o8TJS2B5GksQbezeHCDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

If you can find it, "The Art of Playing Rhythm & Blues", By Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky is a great book. It breaks down all the major styles of the `50's and `60's including drums, bass, and guitar. It's flat out awesome. I have several bass books that helped my understanding of the R&B groove; "What Duck Done", and particularly "The R&B Bass Masters", by Ed Friedland, which references all of the important bass players of the genre, cites examples of their playing, and includes a discography. If only as a music listener you will be enriched. Since your role as guitarist should/will be primarily as a rhythm player, hearing how the bass and drums work together on these classic recordings will help you play the right part. You obviously know how to play; listening will help you with what, and more importantly, when. Channeling Steve Cropper will always work.

I also add a ringing endorsement of Peter Guralnick's book. As a lover of R&B, I couldn't put it down.

If you can find it, "The Art of Playing Rhythm & Blues", By Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky is a great book. It breaks down all the major styles of the `50's and `60's including drums, bass, and guitar. It's flat out awesome. I have several bass books that helped my understanding of the R&B groove; "What Duck Done", and particularly "The R&B Bass Masters", by Ed Friedland, which references all of the important bass players of the genre, cites examples of their playing, and includes a discography. If only as a music listener you will be enriched. Since your role as guitarist should/will be primarily as a rhythm player, hearing how the bass and drums work together on these classic recordings will help you play the right part. You obviously know how to play; listening will help you with what, and more importantly, when. Channeling Steve Cropper will always work.

I also add a ringing endorsement of Peter Guralnick's book. As a lover of R&B, I couldn't put it down.

Ed Friedland, the bass whisperer, is awsome! Thanks everybody for the great suggestions. This is excatly why I like this site.

For the record, I just ordered the Hal Leonard R&B Method, Soul: Guitar Play-Along Volume 19, and Motown Hits; the second two mostly to get free shipping.

I choose the method mostly based on the suggestions here, my experience with the Hal Leonard Methods and because a lot of the songs listed in the descriptions are on our set list. I know that most of these are just bit's of the songs and not the whole thing, but that's why I got the song books.

Anyway, thanks everybody!

R&B Guitar Bible and Soul Guitar Bible both look pretty good if you want tab of older hits.

There's a set of books that deals with the parts for the entire band. These are really good because they cover more than just the guitar part. Those of you starting garage bands or with kids should check this series out. There's soul, early rock, classic rock, blues, and probably more.

The main riffs are tabbed out and the keyboard riffs are written in music. There are suggestions as to how to set your instruments and exactly what instruments are on the track. Good stuff.

Gig Guide: Soul Set

Series: Gig Guide
TAB
HL #00842057

Song List:
Cold Sweat, Pt. 1
Get Up (I Feel Like Being) A Sex Machine
Green Onions
Hallelujah I Love Him (Her) So
I Can't Get Next To You
If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right
In The Midnight Hour
Lonely Teardrops
Mustang Sally
Respect
Respect Yourself
(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay

Leo nocentelli has a dvd from homespun too.

I would recomend just listening to the music and when it's in your head, sometimes the notes you hear just naturally come out, try it it works.

You’d get that Wah pedal yet?? :wink: Yeah, I’m the guy that suggested that on your Blues Jr thread. I said then, it’s very very cool that you guys are going to give the R&B stuff a shot.

I grew up about 40 miles outside of Detroit. In the 60’s nothing but pure R&B / Motown would come out of my little AM radio for years. The music sounds simple, but once you start trying to grab the feel you’ll soon see it can be a tough nut to crack.

As others have said listen to everything you can get your hands on from that time frame. The tough part is not to just listen to the song, but to listen to the guitar player and what he does and when. It’s easier said then done, as the songs are so cool you’ll find yourself tapping your foot and singing along to the song and not listening to the guitar part. Great R&B guitarists have a powerful right hand rhythm, can sit in the pocket all night and know when not to play. There’s not much room for guitar hero’s in R&B.

I spent two years in a band that had a gent on keys that spend 30 plus years playing R&B, and some of that time for national acts. His playing and soul was our band, simple fact. I learned more about rhythm and playing in a pocket from that man then I did in my other 40 years of playing. After a gig or rehearsal we’d sit for hours and listen to old worn out records of his with him saying, “Boy, you need to listen to this guitar player. You hear that, you hear that!”. :lol:

I’ve attached a link with some Motown info. Take a look at the guitarist’s names, do you recognize any of them? I didn’t either (and still don’t most) until I started goggling and putting names to the music and listening to their work. Give it a shot when you have a few minutes, you’ll enjoy it..

http://www.funandmusic.biz/music-motown-musicians.htm