Explore the chords, rhythms, and techniques used by the greatest funk keyboardists! Subjects covered include: common chords and progressions; classic funk rhythms, licks and patterns; synth bass & multiple keyboard playing; and pitch wheel and modulation. The accompanying CD includes 81 full-band tracks.
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About the Author
Keyboardist, Gail Johnson, from Philadelphia has been an educator for 10 years at Musicians Institute; where some of the finest musicians/instructors in the world, share their vast knowledge and experience for higher learning.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hooray For Gail Johnson!,
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This review is from: Funk Keyboards: The Complete Method--A Contemporary Guide to Chords, Rhythms, and Licks (Book & CD) (Paperback)
I love this book. Gail Johnson has taken me from loving this style of music to being able to actually play it. She's just done a fantastic job of introducing and teaching funk keyboards.
The book comes with a companion CD, which is very useful, as the notation is fairly complex, and I find it quite helpful to also hear the parts and play along with them. After a few repeats of each exercise, the recorded keyboard drops out, and if you're playing along and there's no apparent transition, you know you've nailed it. I will spend weeks digesting this, getting facile with it, learning it in various keys, and integrating it into my playing. The cost is miniscule compared to the value. If you love funk keyboards but haven't been able to work out how to play them just by listening or you don't know someone who can show you this stuff, this book is for you. I just wish I had had it 20 years ago. The only change I would request is for her to add extra audio tracks of the complete songs that go at maybe half speed. It's taking me quite a while even to learn a couple measures of the best stuff and bring it up to full speed. I'd like to be able to play along sooner, at a more manageable speed.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best keyboard instructionals I've bought, can I give it a 6?,
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This review is from: Funk Keyboards: The Complete Method--A Contemporary Guide to Chords, Rhythms, and Licks (Book & CD) (Paperback)
I think Jeff K.'s review is entirely correct. There are a multitude of usable examples of runs and progressions. I really enjoy using the cd with Digital Preformer - I'll load up an example, loop it and play over it until I have the timing right.
After using Levine's Jazz Piano Book (if you don't own this book you should) for five years Gail Johnson has helped me change up my voicings and rhythm - even helping me modernize (if you can consider 70's and 80's funk modern) my personal sound. If you like Bob James, Deodato, George Duke, etc. this book will get you a little closer to what you are looking for. I'm not a bass player, but Josquin des Pres wrote an OUTRAGEOUS book on classic funk and r&b grooves for bass. I load some of his audio into my sequnecer and try to incorporate some of Gail's ideas. It's really good practice and infinately more interesting than most of my workouts. There's a book by Peter Gelling that has a similar title that is no where near as good as this one. For a fourth of the price of one piano lesson you will learn a lot.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great teacher,
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This review is from: Funk Keyboards: The Complete Method--A Contemporary Guide to Chords, Rhythms, and Licks (Book & CD) (Paperback)
Gail Johnson is not only a good teacher but she is an inspiring person aswell. I have not met her and only know her music from this book, but I can say that the method is thorough, and the music is playable and it genuinely builds your technique and musicianship.
She takes you from basic grooves to complete songs. All the while the music is sensible and meaningful, and allows you to grow your knowldege and technique. This is what good music instruction is about - presenting beautiful music with insight and inspiration. It's not easy to do outside of a music lesson, but she has pulled it off. Now how about a book 2, something with more funk studies, perhaps?
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
This book is designed to illustrate some of the most common patterns, progressions, and licks found in funk music. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
funk music New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
This book is designed to illustrate some of the most common patterns, progressions, and licks found in funk music. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
funk music New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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