Quote from Prince says it all

[Robert]

See, a lot of cats don’t work on their rhythm enough, and if you don’t have rhythm, you might as well take up needlepoint or something. I can’t stress it enough. The next thing is pitch. That’s universal. You’re either in tune or you ain’t. When you get these things down, then you can learn how to solo.”

I could not agree more!

That's it, right there. Get those things down, before you focus on lead playing.

 

[R_of_G]

Spoken like a true giant of funk guitar.

 

[Lev]

I saw Prince last month playing an open air gig in Dublin, the guy is a absolute legend. He came across as a really humble dude despite his persona of being introverted and aloof. He was really into his fans, inviting 30 fans on stage to groove with him. He even handed his tele to one fan who improvised a pretty decent solo.

 

[Tig]

A critical reminder. Thanks, Robert.

I ran across this one from Woody Guthrie:

“Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.” -Woody Guthrie

 

[NWBasser]

I could never stand Prince's music.

Now I'm going to have to start reconsidering. Keep an open mind and all that.

A great quote and a sharp dude.

I have to say that, rhythm is a major component of good lead playing. The differences between lead and rhythm playing aren't so distinct for me.

 

[Robert]

Prince is a true Master. Just check out him and the band...

 

[Spudman]

Prince is a true Master. Just check out him and the band...

That's a smokin' hot performance and solo. I'm impressed they can groove that hard on just one song not having played 1/2 a set already.

 

[marnold]

The older I get, the more I appreciate Prince. Purple Rain was HUGE when I was in high school. More recently, "Fury" is one of my favorite newer tracks.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Prince is the real thing. As far as what he says, I am trying to learn and record properly a fairly simple Ramones song. A few more chord changes than most Ramones songs, but no big deal. But, to play the 8th note strums properly and in time, and sound good, is quite difficult. I am spending more time on my rhythm playing for sure.

 

[NWBasser]

Prince is a true Master. Just check out him and the band...

Oh great Robert.

Now I have to swallow my pride and admit to my wife that all my years of disdain for Prince was completely unfounded.:thwap

Who's that bass player? I've seen her before, but can't quite place a name.

Dang, that was reminiscent of JB. Very good stuff and I really like his solo.

 

[R_of_G]

Dang, that was reminiscent of JB. Very good stuff and I really like his solo.

Some of the best live early Prince out there are shows where he'd put his band through a massive medley of James Brown tunes. The famous 1987 New Year's show at Paisley Park (where Miles Davis played with the band) features one of these prior to Miles' arrival on stage. Prince's "Cold Sweat" is a monster.

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Not my cuppa tea, but I've always recognized his enormous talent and dedication. And I hate that he makes it look easy.

 

[mapka]

Awesome clip! That is the most funky I have heard the purple one in a long time. IMHO it is a shame that someone who can play and groove like that will be know to most people only for Purple Rain. Not that Rain was bad, but I find this stuff much more interesting

 

[MAXIFUNK]

I worked off and on with him for years I never really go into to much details about past clients put seeing 250,000 plus people in down pour in a giant field in Romania singing every song note for note was mind blowing even for me and I was just the body guard. They stayed through the whole 3 hours set and it rain extremely hard for most of it. I can still clearly see in my minds eye in the middle of
Purple Rain he even had to stop and take it all in went to the mike right in the middle of the song and sang WOW THE BEST CROWD EVER...... then break into one of the best solos I heard him play ever and I worked close to thousand shows of his. PRINCE is a beast period the most over all talented musician of my life time bar none. A few folks can sing better, few folks can play better but not as many instruments as great as he can, some folks can write better but no one does all 3 as good as he does nobody.

The female bass player is Rhonda Smith.

 

[Jipes]

A true genius indeed and his sense of groove is amazing I do prefer the old LP (Before Purple Rain) as the new stuff but even then there's tons of fantastic songs: Sign of Times for example is a real masterpiece

 

[Pickngrin]

Prince is insanely talented (composing, multi-instrumentalist, etc.). Check out his solo (at 3:28) at this group jam of While My Guitar Gently Weeps from a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. He just smoked.

 

[mark wein]

Absolutely perfect statement

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Absolutely perfect statement

As I watched you cover prince this weekend, I was thinking about his statement, and the rhythm work you do in your lessons.

 

[mark wein]

As I watched you cover prince this weekend, I was thinking about his statement, and the rhythm work you do in your lessons.

And that wasn't even a funky song!

Hopefully you guys had fun..Friday was a pretty good night, Saturday was probably the best night and last night was more an endurance test that anything. I'm exhausted and no longer as young as I used to be.....

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I almost posted that I was thinking it during a non-funky prince song. I had a really good time actually. Really enjoyed chatting with you, and Derek did too. He said you kicked his instructor's butt playing live. I personally enjoyed all your tunes but particularly Wind Cries, Is she really (Joe Jackson), and Every Day I have the Blues. I almost wanted to come back another night, but the weekend was a father/son gig and we had other stuff going.

 

[mark wein]

I almost posted that I was thinking it during a non-funky prince song. I had a really good time actually. Really enjoyed chatting with you, and Derek did too. He said you kicked his instructor's butt playing live. I personally enjoyed all your tunes but particularly Wind Cries, Is she really (Joe Jackson), and Every Day I have the Blues. I almost wanted to come back another night, but the weekend was a father/son gig and we had other stuff going.

Understood!