Wah-wah Funk Rhythm Lesson
 Hi GMC, welcome to my first (in the series) of wah-wah lessons! :) Today we are going to learn some funk rhythm techniques with the wah pedal, and soon I'll do a wah solo lesson too. Lets get started!
Wah pedal is surely very popular pedal among guitar players. It can add a very distinct flavor to our playing, both rhythmic and solo. Wah was very popular effect during the funk era, because it gave rhythm players of that time to experiment with rhythm in a way that they could not do it before. Ever since then, the pedal has found its place in the world music, and today people still use it, it is often a must-have in pro guitar player's arsenal.
Playing a wah pedal seems simple, and it can be - thats the beauty of the pedal. All you have to do is tap your foot on the beat and you already have some interesting rhythmic effects going on. But you can do a lot more with a wah pedal using different combinations of foot tapings and rhythm syncopation. Here we have few example that (I hope) can lead you to think different ways when playing your wah pedal.
This lesson is divided into 5 main sections - 5 main riffs. Each riff is repeated 2x in the main video, with small differences here and there, and each one uses different wah pedal note accenting. I'll explain things as we move along so lets begin. The whole piece is in the key of B, using Bminor pentatonics for note play, and B mixolydian mode for chord play - classic :)
Sound for this lesson: Bridge Humbucker, Dunlop 535q (high q setting),toneport fender blackface 1964 emulation (crunch), some reverb.
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+ + 0 0 + + 0 0 + 0 + + 0 0
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
S S S S S S S S S. S. E S S S
E||----------------------------------------------|
B||----------------------------------------------|
G||*--------------------------------7~--7--------|
D||*--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--7--9---------9--7--|
A||----------------------------------------------|
E||----------------------------------------------|
+ + 0 0 + + 0 + 0 + + 0 0
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
S S S S S S S E E E S S S
------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------|
-----------------------7--9--7~--7--------|
--9--9--7--------7--9---------------9--7--|
-----------7--9---------------------------|
------------------------------------------|
+ + 0 0 + 0 0 + 0 + + 0 0 + + 0 0 + + 0 0 + + 0 + +
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S
------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------|---------------------------10-12-----L--|
-----------------------7--9--7~--7--------|-------------------7-9s-11-------------*|
--9--9--7--------7--9---------------9--7--|--9--9--7------7-9---------------------*|
-----------7--9---------------------------|-----------7-9--------------------------|
------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------| |
Okay here we have our first riff. "PM" on the tab means palm muting, in case you were wondering, and all those + and 0 sings represents the use of the wah. I wouldn't use it too much though, as it can be very difficult and missleading sometimes to nail it. Watch the videos, slow it down as much as you can, and hopefully you'll get the idea behind the wah footwork.
In the first riff, accenting is very basic, we are thumping with our foot in the beat, accenting quarter notes. Move your pedal fluently through the groove, palm mute the notes to give them that "bubbly" funky sound, and have fun warming up. :) |
+ 0 + + 0 + + 0 0 + 0 + 0 + + 0 + + 0 0 + 0
W W W W
E E S S S E S S S S S E E E S S S E S S S S S E
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------
|---------------12--12-12-12-10-12----|--------------10--10-10-10-12-10----
|*--7--L--------11--11-11-11-11-11----|--7--L--------11--11-11-11-11-11----
|*--------9-7-------------------------|--------9-7-------------------------
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------
+ 0 + + 0 + + 0 0 + 0 + 0 + + 0 + + 0 0 + +
W W
W W |--3--| |--3--|
E E S S S E S S S S S E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|--------------12--12-12-12-10-12----|-----------------------------------|
|--7--L--------11--11-11-11-11-11----|--7--L----------------------------*|
|--------9-7-------------------------|--------9--7----------------------*|
|------------------------------------|--------------9--7--5--7-----------|
|------------------------------------|--------------------------7~--L~---| |
Here we have something more rhythmically similar to the first one. We are still doing quarters with the pedal but this time, try to put more of a hard attack on every FIRST beat. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th can be soft, but when you do it hard on the first and do a vibrato it will certainly give more character to that note and bring it up. |
+ 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 + + + 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 + 0
E E S S S E S S S S S E E E S S S E S S S S S E
|---------------5--5-5-5-5-7----|--------------5--5-5-5-5-7----
|---7--L--7-x-x-7--7-7-7-7-7----|--7--L--7-x-x-7--7-7-7-7-7----
|*--4--L--4-x-x-----------------|--4--L--4-x-x-----------------
|*--7--L--7-x-x-----------------|--7--L--7-x-x-----------------
|---6--L--6-x-x-----------------|--6--L--6-x-x-----------------
|-------------------------------|------------------------------
+ 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 + + + 0 0 0 0 + 0 + 0 +
E E S S S E S S S S S E E E S S S E E E S S S
|--------------5--5-5-5-5-7----|------------------------------|
|--7--L--7-x-x-7--7-7-7-7-7----|--7--L--7-x-x----------3------|
|--4--L--4-x-x-----------------|--4--L--4-x-x----2--4----4---*|
|--7--L--7-x-x-----------------|--7--L--7-x-x-4--------------*|
|--6--L--6-x-x-----------------|--6--L--6-x-x-----------------|
|------------------------------|------------------------------| |
OK, here we have a B7 chord with some reverse accenting - on the first beat, the pedal is already all the way down and moving up slowly in the first and second beat, while in the 3rd and 4th beat we have a classic quarter note leg thumping move. This will give the groove a more reversed type of sound. Try to experiment with different rhythmic patterns on the pedal, and you'll get some impressive results! |
0 + + 0 + + + + + + 0 + + 0 + + + + +
S E E E E S S S S S E S E E E E S S S S S E
|--------10---------------------7----|-------10------------------7------
|--------10-----10--10-10-10-10-7----|-------10-----10--10-10-10-7------
|*---------------8---8--8--8--8------|---------------8---8--8--8--------
|*--7-9------9-----------------------|--7-9------9----------------------
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------
|---7-7------------------------------|--7-7-----------------------------
0 + + 0 + + + + + + 0 + + 0 + + + + +
S E E E E S S S S S E S E E E E S S S S S E
|-------10---------------------7----|-------10------------------7-------|
|-------10-----10--10-10-10-10-7----|-------10-----10--10-10-10-7-------|
|---------------8---8--8--8--8------|---------------8---8--8--8--------*|
|--7-9------9-----------------------|--7-9------9----------------------*|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|--7-7------------------------------|--7-7------------------------------| |
Here we are building are riff around another B7 chord, using some notes from the B mixolydian mode as well.
The wah pedal is accenting only odd beats - the 1st and the 3rd. On these beats, the pedal is in down position. |
+ 0 + 0 + + 0 0 0 + + 0 0 + 0 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 0 0
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E E E E E S S S
|---4-L-L-L----------------------------|------------------------------------
|---5-L-L-L----7-7-7-------------------|-----------------3--5--3b-----------
|*-------------7-7-7-4---4--4--4--4--4-|-----------2--4------------4--2-----
|*-------------------------------------|--4--4--4------------------------4--
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------------
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------------
+ 0 + 0 + + 0 0 0 + + 0 0 + 0 0 + 0 + + + + +
PM PM PM PM PM
PM PM PM PM |-3-|
S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S E S
|--4-L-L-L----------------------------|------------------------------------||
|--5-L-L-L----7-7-7-------------------|------------------------------------||
|-------------7-7-7-4---4--4--4--4--4-|-----------2--4--4----4-4-4-4------*||
|-------------------------------------|--4--4--4--------------------------*||
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|| |
Here we are using the 8th note move on the first beat to accent the interval while going down to root note, on the G string. When on root we go back to our first quarter pattern. In the second bar, we go to the root again, playing a simple melody in the B minor pentatonic scale, and finishing off with a triplet root note, while the pedal is still down - giving it a more dramatic ending. |
Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments |
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Kristofer Dahl |
12th January 2008 |
GMC Founder & Rocker
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Very cool Ivan!  I am looking forward to more of these lessons! |
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Xranthoius |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Wow! Awesome lesson Ivan! Sounds really cool!!!
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Maximus |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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COOL!!!
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dreadlocks |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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wah-pedal cool!
going to buy one |
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Muris Varajic |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Awesome Ivan!! 
Nice Bass pattern as well |
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TheClansmanDK |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Yeah more funk. Great lesson Ivan |
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kyldeee |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Very funky must say Great job mate |
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Marcus Lavendell |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Wow!! Awesome Ivan! |
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DeepRoots |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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I'm loving this Funk series Ivan- wah pedal shots in the video are just right too ! Thanks!
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Nick325 |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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just what i needed
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Pablo Vazquez |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Excellent Lesson Ivan, awesome and very cool!!
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botoxfox |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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That sounds insanely funky!
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N4085B |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Very Cool! Reminds me of the big afros and polyester suits in the late 60's and early 70's!
I can almost hear the horn section coming in too!
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dango |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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what a great lesson!!!! I've just got wah pedal, so what a great timing to have this lesson. thank you!
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Dejan Farkas |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Excellent Ivan! |
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Tomy Jeon |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Funkeh!!! |
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mattacuk |
12th January 2008 |
Lets go fishing!
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Ivan is fast becomeing the GMC "Funk master" !!! |
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Hisham Al-Sanea |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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great work ivan keep funk man
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JukeboxHero |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Wow this is cool. P.S. Nice Shoes:)
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at lights end |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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awesome!!!
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Gerardo Siere |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Nice!
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Ayen |
12th January 2008 |
Member
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Nice job Ivan, sounds great, can't wait to show my friends this!
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Toni Suominen |
12th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Great lesson and cool wah-wah camera angle! |
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The Uncreator |
13th January 2008 |
Fire Up The Blades, Moderator
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Incredibly Cool, Great Job!!
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Lester |
13th January 2008 |
Member
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amazing!!
love to learn this |
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Ivan Milenkovic |
13th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Thank you very much guys Doing some wah wah lessons as we speak, beginner and intermediate level. |
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kaznie_NL |
13th January 2008 |
Member
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It's realy cool Milenkovic! I'm busy buying a mulit FX so I'm defenitly gonna use the wah!!
nice lesson
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Bogdan Radovic |
13th January 2008 |
Bass Instructor
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Very fun lesson to get people started with wah !! And very funky as well  |
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krudtaa |
13th January 2008 |
Member
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Great Wah lesson. Funkmaster Ivan |
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Fran |
13th January 2008 |
Member
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really cool lesson, I was looking forward for more wah lessons, thanks Ivan |
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Joe Kataldo |
13th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Cool man, I'll Include This Topic in My "I Got Rhythm Guitar" Series Too!!!
Joe Kataldo
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Gabriel Leopardi |
14th January 2008 |
GMC Coordinator & Instructor
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Sounds great! Good job Ivan!
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Jerry Arcidiacono |
14th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Cool lesson Ivan!
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Juan M. Valero |
14th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Love this sound !!!! really good lesson |
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David Wallimann |
14th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Excellent one, keep these coming, I love funk!
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David Wallimann |
14th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Great alternate angles too. Do you use 2 simultaneous cameras recording?
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Ivan Milenkovic |
14th January 2008 |
Instructor
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No, I record them separately in tempo and then sync. |
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Andrew Cockburn |
16th January 2008 |
Theory Instructor & Moderator
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Amazing Ivan - love the split camera angles, you are a total funk-master |
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jhonnylachingas |
20th January 2008 |
Member
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man...!!! - i love it..! groovy..!
thanks a lot for the great lesson..!
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Ivan Milenkovic |
20th January 2008 |
Instructor
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Thanks guys, more funk coming up soon! |
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ItsMe |
17th March 2008 |
Member
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nice lesson.
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Carlos Carrillo |
27th March 2008 |
Instructor
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fantastic lesson Ivan!!!
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Ivan Milenkovic |
29th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Thanks again  |
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adam b |
7th April 2008 |
Member
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speechless man that was amazing
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