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Materials
21 Videos • 2 PDFs • 3 Backing Tracks • BIAB Not Included
Funk Guitar with Carl Orr
Build Tight, Grooving Funk Rhythm Skills!
Quit Apologizing, Start Grooving: Real Funk Rhythm for Guitar!
Stop Playing Polite Funk and Start Making People Move!
Course Description
If your funk rhythm playing sounds more like a polite suggestion than a commanding groove, it’s time to fix that.
Special Guest Instructor Carl Orr shows you how to lock into funk rhythms so tight, so undeniable, that even your friend who “doesn’t dance” will start nodding along against their will.
Here’s what happens when jazz players try funk: too many notes, too much politeness, and rhythm that’s technically correct but moves absolutely nobody. Carl fixes all of that.
You’ll learn the real foundations: ninth-chord riffs that punch without cluttering, muted sixteenth-note patterns that create tension and release, James Brown-approved rhythm hits that land like exclamation points, Prince-style chord stabs that command attention, and those “wait, how is he doing that?” syncopated grooves that separate the dancers from the furniture.
Carl breaks down each pattern slowly and clearly, even if it’s been a minute since your right hand moved that fast on purpose. No judgment, just groove.
By the end, you’ll have a working vocabulary of funk moves you can pull out anywhere: jam sessions, rehearsals, or that inevitable moment in your living room when someone says “Hey, play something funky” and you no longer have to panic-strum jazz chords while mumbling an apology.
James Brown, The Godfather of Soul, said it best: “You got to have that funk.” Now you will… with playing that’s tight, confident, and actually makes people want to move.
Do you feel good?!?
What You’ll Learn
- Develop tight, expressive funk rhythm guitar technique
- Master James Brown–inspired 9th and 13th-chord shapes
- Build muted 16th-note control and rhythmic consistency
- Learn Prince-influenced riffs and harmonic approaches
- Strengthen timing, feel, and groove awareness
- Apply funk concepts to a comping study over “Blue Bossa”
- Construct your own riffs using the same principles used by legends like Prince and James Brown
- Build the rhythmic vocabulary needed for funk, neo-soul, fusion, and groove-based jazz
Who This Course Is For
- Guitarists who want to strengthen rhythm guitar fundamentals
- Players who love groove-focused music like James Brown, Prince, and funk-era jazz
- Students wanting to improve timing, pocket, and 16th-note control
- Intermediate players seeking practical riffs and comping ideas
- Anyone who wants to sound cleaner, tighter, and more confident in any band setting
Click here to see the lesson list
Module 1: Introduction
- Lesson 1: Introduction to Funk Rhythm Guitar
- Lesson 2: Backing Track & PDF Download
Module 2: Funk Riffs Part 1
- Lesson 3: Funk Riff #1 – James Brown Style 9ths, Clean
- Lesson 4: Funk Riff #2 – James Brown Style 9ths with Muted 16ths
- Lesson 5: Funk Riff #3 – James Brown Style 9ths and 13ths
Module 3: Funk Riffs Part 2
- Lesson 6: Funk Riff #4 – 9ths & 13ths with Muted 16ths
- Lesson 7: Funk Riff #5 – Slippin’ and Slidin’
- Lesson 8: Funk Riff #6 – James Brown Minor
Module 4: Funk Riffs Part 3
- Lesson 9: Funk Riff #7 – Prince
- Lesson 10: Funk Riff #8 – Prince Minor
- Lesson 11: Funk Riff #9 – Busy 9ths
Module 5: Funk Riffs Part 4
- Lesson 12: Funk Riff #10 – Full Chords
- Lesson 13: Funk Riff #11 – James Brown Shuffle
- Lesson 14: Funk Riff #12 – Shuffle with Muted Notes
Module 6: Comping Study & Assignment
- Lesson 15: Blue Bossa Funk Study
- Lesson 16: Wrap Up
- Final Assignment: Funk Guitar Practical
About the Author
Carl Orr
Carl Orr is an internationally acclaimed guitarist who has performed and recorded with some of the greatest musicians on the planet, including Billy Cobham, George Duke, Ernie Watts, Randy Brecker, Gary Husband, and Bennie Maupin.
He is a regular performer at London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club—both with his own band and as a member of Mark Fletcher’s supergroup Fletch’s Brew.
Carl has taught at major institutions such as the Australian Institute of Music, Brunel University, Middlesex University, London Centre of Contemporary Music, and The Academy of Contemporary Music.
A prolific composer and bandleader, Carl has released eight albums under his own name and appears on recordings by Billy Cobham, Fletch’s Brew, Geoff Eales, and Nathan Haines.
His most recent album, Forbearance, showcases a fresh acoustic direction blending pop, rock, folk, Americana, and classical influences. Carl describes his music as a contribution to harmony and peace, aiming to make listeners feel calm, optimistic, and invigorated.
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