• The Essence of Funk – Discover what really makes funk tick — feel, space, attitude — and how to channel it into every note you play.
  
• Funk Gear Deep Dive – Basses, amps, EQs, strings, and setups that bring out your best funk tone.
  
• The Pocket First Framework – Learn the system that defines every great funk bassist.
  
• Essential Funk Rudiments (60+ min workshop) – Groove through a full rhythm workout designed to sharpen your timing, subdivision, and pocket awareness.
  
• Essential Funk Chords & Progressions – Understand the harmonic DNA behind the great funk tunes and how to jam in a funk rhythm section like a pro.
  
• Funk Techniques: Articulation Mastery – Slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, stings, and trills — learn how to make your lines talk and breathe through exclusive bass lines crafted in the style of the funk masters.
  
• Funk Techniques: Ghost Notes – Build the percussive heartbeat of funk with hands-on grooves inspired by legends like Larry Graham and Flea.
  
• Funk Techniques: Left-Hand Muting & Skip – Master control of silence and syncopation through original groove studies designed to hard-wire your feel.
  
• Part 1 Wrap-Up – Put it all together in a performance-ready line that cements your pocket and feel for good.

Now that your rhythm and pocket are dialed in, it’s time to bring the music into your funk — learning how notes, intervals, and tonal choices make your lines sing.

• The Funk Skeleton: Root, 5th, 7th & Octave
  Build the essential framework every funk line is built on — then bring it to life through original studies:
  
  
  • Study 1: “Stinger” – One-chord funk fire built from pure pocket.
    
  • Study 2: “Whipper Snapper” – Two-chord movement with attitude and bounce.
    
  • Study 3: “The Cardiff” – A slick groove that lands off the 1 to test your timing and control.
    
• Chord Tones in the Pocket
  Add sophistication and spice without losing the groove. We’ll explore major 3rds, minor 3rds, and the ever-funky 9th — learning the shapes, then applying them through playable, stage-ready studies:
  
  
  • Study 1: “Walk Up” – Major-3rd flavour that sounds like instant feel-good funk.
    
  • Study 2: “The Minor Whiner” – Minor-blues tension and release.
    
  • Study 3: “Slinky Vibes” – Smooth minor-9th textures with that neo-soul slickness.
    
  • Study 4: “Jaco Funkness” – Major-6th shapes with melodic flair.
    
    
• Scales for Funk Colours
  Funk doesn’t live in scales — it borrows from them. Learn how to use small fragments of the minor and major pentatonic, Dorian, and Mixolydian modes to build modern, melodic bass lines.
  
  
  • Study 1: “Boogie On Reggae Fella” – Major-pentatonic energy.
    
  • Study 2: “Big Hat” – Gritty minor-pentatonic groove.
    
  • Study 3: “Bad Times” – Dorian-flavoured pocket line with attitude.
    
  • Study 4: “Rock Your Body” – Mixolydian smoothness meets dance-floor bounce.
    
    
• Chord Tones with Chromatics
  The secret sauce of great funk lines — connecting chord tones with approach notes and passing tones for that slippery, syncopated feel.
  
  
  • Study 1: “Chromatic Time” – tight and playful.
    
  • Study 2: “Slow Chic” – 5th-based groove with a nod to Bernard Edwards.
    
  • Study 3: “Step Down 7” – Chromatic walkdowns built on 7ths.
    
  • Study 4: “Mind That 4th” – A funky 4th-based workout that challenges your precision and phrasing.
    

Part 2 Wrap-Up – Looking at everything you’ve learned so far, and getting ready for the next step!

Now that you’ve got the pocket, harmony, and tone foundations in place, it’s time to step inside the minds (and grooves) of the masters who defined funk — and learn to speak their musical language for yourself.

Each legendary player gets their own two-section study piece — with full breakdowns, stylistic analysis, and the “Me-Now-You” format: I play the groove for 8 bars, then you take over. We trade back and forth to build your feel, stamina, and creative instinct — just like a jam session with the greats.

• Larry Graham – The Slap Funk Engine
  The man who started it all. Learn how Larry’s explosive thumb and popping hand revolutionized bass forever. We’ll explore his attack, tone setup, and rhythmic phrasing — then lock it in with a slap-driven A/B study that captures the fire of “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).”
  
• Rocco Prestia – 16th-Note Precision
  Tight, relentless, and grooving for days. You’ll dissect Rocco’s ghost-note control, left-hand muting, and machine-like endurance through a syncopated fingerstyle study that channels Tower of Power energy straight into your hands.
  
• Bernard Edwards – Chic Mechanics
  From disco to deep funk, Bernard defined pocket perfection. This study digs into octave shapes, muted stabs, and the pumping right-hand technique that made hits like “Good Times” and “Le Freak” timeless.
  
• Paul Jackson – Jazz-Funk Fusion
  The thinking bassist’s funk hero. We’ll uncover Paul’s signature phrasing, chromatic approach lines, and outside note choices — all inside a two-part study that fuses syncopation and harmonic sophistication.
  
• Stuart Zender – The Modernizer
  Discover how Zender brought 70s-style funk into the modern era with Jamiroquai. You’ll explore his fluid lines, chordal embellishments, and lyrical phrasing — blending Rocco-style articulation with melodic, neo-soul flavour.
  
• Joe Dart – Precision & Personality
  Minimal notes, maximum impact. Learn how Joe crafts instantly recognizable lines with dynamics, economy, and pure energy — then groove along to a study that teaches his “less is more” philosophy in real time.‍
• Flea – Funk’s Wild Child
  The high-energy hybrid of slap, rock, and groove. We’ll break down Flea’s approach to phrasing, time feel, and melodic aggression — before diving into a two-part study that captures his signature mix of chaos and control.

This is where the training wheels come off. In Part 4, you’ll take the concepts, shapes, and vocabulary you’ve built and apply them to 12 original backing tracks — each written and produced exclusively for this program in the styles of Jamiroquai, James Brown, Vulfpeck, Chic, Tower of Power and more.

Each track features:

• Two sections (A & B) to stretch your creativity and feel.
  
• Video assignment & breakdown from me — I’ll walk you through the challenge, set the guardrails, and show you exactly what to focus on.
  
• Clear creative parameters that evolve with every track — so you’re never guessing what to work on, but always pushing your limits.

You’ll start simple — building bass lines using only The Funk Skeleton.

Then, as we move forward, I’ll gradually add layers: chromatic approaches, syncopated phrasing, slap variations, and advanced articulation.

By the end of these 12 assignments, you’ll have:

✅ A complete portfolio of your own funk bass lines
✅ The confidence to craft grooves from scratch in any style
✅ Your own authentic funk voice — built from the same DNA as the greats.