Kit Morgan's Slam Dunk Funk is based around the key on Em with a four-bar introduction on the Dominant B7. the verse, an eight-bar section divided into four two-bar phrases, loosely based around Eminor, A and G chords grounds and using the Dorian mode with the bright 6th - C#, and the minor third - G. Technique-wise the line uses staccato and short notes, eschewing legato in favour of syncopated pushes coupled with kick drum.
The written score uses a number of dead notes, clicking sounds for rhythmic effect. You can play more of these than are actually written and in fact one way to maintain a good sense of groove is to click extensively in the quiet passages. You can do this in places where no actual clicks are in the score. The first priority is always to keep a strong sense of rhythmic flow, the groove. The second section C from bar 13 is in G minor with the bass line playing a natural minor scale including f natural even when accompanied by the Dominant chord D7 (D F#, A, C).
The bass solo moves to Emi again and only seven bars in the Rockschool arrangement followed by a written transition in bar 8 of the section. The drum solo is based on The G7 chord with chromatic passing notes, while the guitar solo moves to C7 and G7. The bass can easily move way from a strict chordal approach here and utilise the G blues scale to add melodic interest.
In the video I play parts of the line an octave higher.
Instead of a guitar solo I overdub another fretless bass solo (The instrument is a 2019 Performer Precision with dual pickups and a 1960's maple neck.) For the video I stay very close to the two-bar phrasing already established in the rest of the song. If you are performing live these solos could be extended much longer and you could employ a more varied approach to phrasing and development, commensurate with the longer span.
It is common to play funk with a fretted instrument, often using slapping and popping, however in this case I am intrigued by the tonal peculiarity of the fretless sound here, not so much the lyrical mwah favoured by many fretless players, but more a cleaner, round-wound tone, more like the bottom end of a grand piano. I recall albums made with Gary Burton and Steve Swallow (b.1940) where Swallow uses a clean hi-fi sound. I made no effort to emulate Swallow's sound in this recording except to say that it is an influence as much as the often -quoted Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987).
The written score uses a number of dead notes, clicking sounds for rhythmic effect. You can play more of these than are actually written and in fact one way to maintain a good sense of groove is to click extensively in the quiet passages. You can do this in places where no actual clicks are in the score. The first priority is always to keep a strong sense of rhythmic flow, the groove. The second section C from bar 13 is in G minor with the bass line playing a natural minor scale including f natural even when accompanied by the Dominant chord D7 (D F#, A, C).
The bass solo moves to Emi again and only seven bars in the Rockschool arrangement followed by a written transition in bar 8 of the section. The drum solo is based on The G7 chord with chromatic passing notes, while the guitar solo moves to C7 and G7. The bass can easily move way from a strict chordal approach here and utilise the G blues scale to add melodic interest.
In the video I play parts of the line an octave higher.
Instead of a guitar solo I overdub another fretless bass solo (The instrument is a 2019 Performer Precision with dual pickups and a 1960's maple neck.) For the video I stay very close to the two-bar phrasing already established in the rest of the song. If you are performing live these solos could be extended much longer and you could employ a more varied approach to phrasing and development, commensurate with the longer span.
It is common to play funk with a fretted instrument, often using slapping and popping, however in this case I am intrigued by the tonal peculiarity of the fretless sound here, not so much the lyrical mwah favoured by many fretless players, but more a cleaner, round-wound tone, more like the bottom end of a grand piano. I recall albums made with Gary Burton and Steve Swallow (b.1940) where Swallow uses a clean hi-fi sound. I made no effort to emulate Swallow's sound in this recording except to say that it is an influence as much as the often -quoted Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987).