We are now ready to tackle the awesome minor 7th chords, which are so important in funk music (As well as so many other genres). We take a look at the two main positions for the chords and how to play them with a funky feel!
Here are the two chord shapes we will look at in this lesson. These minor 7th chords are used in so many funk tunes that we simply have to learn them! We’ve included two different ways to fret the Bm7 chord as well. Remember, these shapes are movable, just like barre chords.
The most important thing to remember, when learning the shape, is which note is the root note. For the Em7 shape, the root note is on the A string and for the Bm7 shape, the root is on the E string. So, if you want to find a Dm7 chord, for example, you can either move the ‘Em7’ shape down two frets (so the first finger is on the D note), or move the ‘Bm7’ shape up to the 10th fret. Give it a try and see for yourself.
Below is the tab for the example track. You just repeat this round and round for the whole track, allowing you to really master these chord shapes. Be sure to get those funky ghost notes in there as well, they are every bit as important as the actual chord strumming.
If you would prefer to just dive straight in and play along with the audio tracks, they are here below. If you're really feeling confident, try with the backing track!
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Ready to move on? Remember to check out every lesson in this unit first – then try the next unit...
Lesson 8 - Single String Melodies
We will now take a break from the chord playing, and start looking at single string bouncy melodies. The idea is to bring the 16th note groove and rhythm into your lead approach, which Simone walks you through here.