Nile Rodgers Giggin Tips

[@HasanKhalil]

If you play guitar, or better still, funk -- this is a must-watch clip. Without a doubt KZbin has changed our ability to learn from these masters.

[@phantomleap]

Nile Rodgers ftw. I'll never get over the crazy magic he pulled on Bowie's Let's Dance, the entire album. Even Bowie said the results left him in a daze, because it wasn't what he had in mind at all.

[@stockjonebills]

***** Yeah when Bowie first played Rogers Lets Dance on acoustic, Rogers said it needed to be improved and that no one would dance to the original version. Rogers recomposed the song and blew David Bowie away. I always thought Stevie Ray Vaughan did most of the guitar work on that album including the riffs and all for China Girl. It was actually Rogers who played and wrote all of that with SRV doing a few minor solo's.

[@phantomleap]

stockjonebills Awesome. Love the stories behind that album. Every time I listen to it all I can think of is how frustrated SRV must have been being so restrained. But he probably needed to be for the album to work.

[@stockjonebills]

***** True. You know SRV wanted to go off, but the restraint made for a great song.

[@axel20ify]

stockjonebills ***** if you guys are interested about how he recorded it with bowie, you should read his autobiography

[@PjD-pk1fg]

Nile breaks the technique down and it still looks like magic to me. Insane talent.

[@guitarslinger32269]

I'm a big Nile Rodgers fan, and a long-time guitar instructor. What I like - among everything about the Hit Maker's guitar style is - he makes my students want to play jazz chord voicings like 6ths and 11ths because Rodgers makes it sound so incredibly cool.

[@ronj9448]

They're always cool. For me it was learning T-Bone Walker tunes

[@ezekielthemack]

Nile Rogers is the reason why I play rhythm guitar the way I do. To say that this brotha is a MAJOR influence on my playing is an understatement.

[@oblioblivion6138]

Niles is so generous to share his secrets.

[@TufferImages]

Saw Nile and Chic in Tokyo about 2 weeks after the tsunami. The audience went off and were able to forget their horrors for a couple of hours. Now one of my favorite musicians.

[@mrcjjr]

This guy is a BEAST and has made an impact in the music world both as an artist AND a writer for others. Check his background...he's made hits for lots of people. Sooooo....can anyone tell me why Fender has NOT created a Nile Rodgers Signature Stratocaster? Lots of artists with LESS credentials than him have one, why not Nile?

[@joehead3056]

+mrcjjr they actually did give him a sig model a couple of years ago- basically a replica of the axe he has here with all the aging. If you've got $4800 to kick around it'll surely make a great addition to your collection!

[@mrcjjr]

+Joe Head Thanks for the tip. I did some research and saw they made a limited run (it was called the "Hitmaker") of 100. It was at the 2014 NAMM.

[@pugforce8315]

They finally fid

[@dalebrownmusic]

@@pugforce8315 you beat me to it!

[@gratefulmusicsound8337]

Now they made it, love that!

[@SuperBeachbum74]

Such an underrrated guitarist , he makes the song come alive

[@19501960]

His take on club players playing a power chord version of freak out is funny. Nile is a great writer and strat player.( with a sense of humour)

[@bandawhat33]

Dee Em the guy's a genius. living legend. his style is unique and extremely influential.

[@YesYouAreAbsolutelyCorrect]

Played it once live without rehearsing, coming from rock/metal I played almost like Nile showed here:DDD Hell of a man, Mr. Rogers.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

Those ain't power chords. They are 6/5 string voicings. Ironically power chords would be more in line with whst he's teaching because"less is more" you'd just be missing the third to have the basic (unambiguous) harmonic information.

[@classicartfoundation639]

The amount of tunes this guy has written that are so well known to literally millions of us, so many excellent songs! Amazing talent, an innovator

[@zarchy55]

An amazing rhythm machine that man is, and with a tone to die for. One of the true strat-masters.

[@MrGuitarmikeg]

Nile I love you man. You, Bernard and Tony ran the tightest ship on the groove planet. Thank you so much for your inspirational playing. Get well soon Mx

[@Samax13]

im a drummer trying to learn guitar, and nile's concept of clear harmonies is so brilliant. every self taught guitarist i know plays muddy chords hitting all the strings, and I'm glad i stumbled across this video to teach me otherwise. and holy fuck he went so hard at 8:47. that was the coolest thing I've ever heard someone do on guitar.

[@Hassanov.a]

As a self guitarist of a whopping 3 months, I'm glad to have read your comment! I've been struggling to reduce muddiness because it sounds like shit but after seeing this video, I have learned that you don't have to hit all the strings at once for it to sound good. I really love the extra nuance and character you can achieve with alternating between the bass and treble strings during the strumming.

[@johnmcaleese8459]

@@Hassanov.a It's the strings in the middle of a chord that has to be muted is the challenge for me. Especially with fast strumming happening. Definitely takes work but if it gets you closer to achieving Niles' sound, all the awkward feeling practice will be well worth it. If I feel I improved over the past few days, I'm excited !! This man is a true icon. I don't know if he's in the R&R Hall of Fame, but he will be !!!! He should be today ! PEACE from Philadelphia

[@RemusMusic177]

Have you learnt guitar yet?

[@darwin_j]

The Best Guitar Lesson I have ever seen on KZbin! Thanks to the incredible Nile Rodgers

[@markslima1557]

One of the most incredible funk guitar videos on here. Nile is a Master.

[@BlakeNix]

This is great. I keep coming back to it. Nile and his interviews and master classes are some of the best things on KZbin for guitar players.

[@RackwitzG]

The harmony of his chord choices got me hooked on Chic's music when I was a teen in the 70s and it's still my favorite music of all time.

[@TallDocK]

I understand the theories better now. Back then it just touched our souls. That part hasn't changed.

[@CPZBLH]

Am I the only one who wished Bernard Edwards was still alive to do Bass tutorials like this?

[@dansaunders1655]

His technique is so sick.

[@michaell8722]

No there are plenty of us Bernard Edwards fans who would die for a tutorial by the master

[@rodolphe8859]

@@michaell8722 Ross Bolton is a master too;)

[@burrencrawler]

Or Al Greens Jamieson in bass too (also brown bread)

[@marquiseoao]

What about Jimi

[@schifrinlopez9952]

Amazing breaking it down having the confidence of knowing he is the master of the technique but he shares it with us. Nile thanks for the lesson .

[@stockjonebills]

To someone who noodles all day soloing away you may not get this video because its about rhythm. Great songs start with a great rhythm or riff with stuff layered on top. Not a solo with everything wrapped around that.

[@stockjonebills]

+Conall16 Im not saying guys who solo are doing it wrong. Lots of guitarists write some great instrumental stuff that are solo based. (Satriani etc). With that said, A lot of people that get into guitar focus so much on soloing and running scales. They forget that a lot of ;memorable songs start with a great rhythm and/or riff. I've seen many great technical guitarists that can blaze away but their music gets bland or boring.

[@Bodyknowledge77]

Funk/R&B rhythm virtuoso..

[@PrinceWesterburg]

I was a kid in the 70s, picked up guitar in 84, got into metal. Went to music college in 1990 and all these black guys where going on about Nile Rodgers. I ignored it and had virtually no use for the theory as it was jazz / funk. Then, in 2013, Chic played Glastonbury and suddenly I heard all these f*ck'in amazing tunes from my childhood, now I'm pulling out my 50s strat, using the clean channel and using chorus and flanger pedals for the first time and I'm having more fun than ever. Really enjoying music, writing proper music and finally finding a use for the theory I learnt. God bless you Nile! :o)

[@ericswanson8894]

He's an absolutely amazing and under-rated guitarist!

[@gerardomartinez1806]

Shit bro! That comes from the heart! God bless you, God bless music

[@dcool2u2]

Hi hear you Prince. When I was in high school all of my friends were into rock. Peter Frampton, Bad Company, Kiss etc. Which is fine, I liked that too. But as a guitar player my favorite stuff too play was funk/rythmn guitar. Chic, Earth Wind & Fire, Average White Band... I just loved the clean sound of that style of playing. Lots of guys can play great rock guitar solos but can't play rythmn. Nile Rodgers is also one of my favorite players.

[@donharrold1375]

Well said! Every metal guy needs to follow your journey. Lots of guys get in to metal because of the obvious focus on guitars and particularly soloing. It's fun cranking up amplifiers, noodling away with heavy digital delay going on. However, in the process a lot of subtleties get missed. The guitar is primarily a rhythm instrument. It's main purpose is to lay down the backbone of a song. Metal chord structures are quite limited harmonically (mostly a root note and a 5th) and with lots of distortion being applied it quickly becomes quite limiting. Taking Nile’s approach you open up a whole new world of possibilities to build upon.

[@kaspen100]

I also grew up in the 70's and took a few guitar lessons as a kid.... finally started playing around the time of your post. Big Baby Taylor made it real easy for me. This led to a strat on a clean channel and the occasional flanger and Wah pedal. I'm also having more fun than ever. Check out the band called Stuff: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4vGhYNpYqaFfLM

[@ruscoelee]

The Grand Master Of Funk! I was an out and out metal head until I heard him! Great guitarist. He just catches your ear and you know it's him!

[@chriswoods662]

he played on some Duran Duran stuff too

[@andrewhinds6560]

Finally, I understand the meaning of "It's not what you play, it's what you don't play".

[@Quad8track]

I give up! I'll never be this funky! Nile Rodgers is a God!

[@Lysdexia]

Astonishing player - one of my all time guitar greats.

[@guymerritt4860]

Saw him opening for Earth Wind and Fire, about a month ago in Pontiac/Detroit Mi, and he was great. He had the crowd on their feet for his entire set......great player, seems like a great guy.

[@zxggwrt]

When he said "you hear these chords, it's a lot of information" that blew my mind. For a split second I could understand hearing these things the way he does.

[@mr1ddub]

Everybody Dance stays in heavy rotation in my playlist. Actually A LOT of Chic songs stay in heavy rotation in my playlist. Thank you for such a great and generous history lesson. Lessons from the actual artist are far more better than some random guy who do not know the nuances of the playing style like "Less is more in my world." Only Nile Rodgers could have demonstrated that for these classics.

[@matthewhackett3429]

Did anyone catch the 9:00 super sixteen triplet he threw down?.

[@gbtennant]

Matthew Hackett thought it was a glitch

[@gbtennant]

It’s not

[@captainjaneway1111]

Mad. I tried to work out how he did it - can't see it clearly even on .25 speed

[@joropororo]

insane

[@josephfelice601]

Yes, I was like WHAT? I Need to start incorporating that one!

[@worldwidehappiness]

I remember a metal lead guitarist laughing about how easy rhythm guitar is. Bookmarked for future reference.

[@LuxPostNoctem]

Lol. A damn LOT of Metal players are so stuck up in their ass, it's nuts.

[@andrewhinds6560]

@@LuxPostNoctem A Lot, perhaps. I also love metal but I also love funk. The way I see it, you can learn a lot about playing technique from any genre of music.

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

They lack something: WIT.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

@@andrewhinds6560 Me too. I play with different-bands that do: Sabbath, Zeppelin, Judas Priest and Van Halen and another band that does Chic, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. Makes me a more Versatile Player.

[@andyhinds542]

That Everybody Dance chord sequence is absolutely heavenly!

[@eduardocervantesaca]

a great lesson from the master. Thanks for posting this. I play cover songs at clubs but I never really played much funk guitar and I was playing things like Get Lucky all wrong. Now i sound a lot better.

[@johnsutherland7484]

absolutely wonderful musician and person. written classics that never age. a lesson for every guitarist

[@piezoelettrico]

A legend. No effects, no sofisticated equipment........ just heart and funky Soul! Great Nile!!!!!!!

[@J3DWAB]

Had this vid up for an hour and a half, everytime I see him play I HAVE to play along I absolutely love his style and his is a fantastic teacher, much love man!

[@pick2568]

Man, about 8:58 into this he goes into a psycho-funk riff. Awestruck!

[@willacton1170]

I know I had to rewind that a few times!!

[@alexandershoesmith7597]

breaks laws of guitar

[@jamiemarshall8284]

Absolutely amazing. One of the best of several generations.

[@davidoreilly7328]

Been getting into funk rhythms a lot lately, so I found this very interesting and helpful. Thank you Mr Rodgers

[@stevecrossguitar]

thanx for this clip - great to see nile was playin gigs recently & still recovering after his serious illness

[@facundocorradini]

This might as well be titled "all you know about funk is wrong" What an awesome advice from the king of funk.

[@davidmmcg]

8:33 "That doesn't sound funky to me." If Nile Rogers thinks it doesn't sound funky, then it is not funky.

[@wkchip5027]

i dont think he would think im funky :(

[@nocturnalviewer7981]

Is disco

[@vijayasathe7562]

@@nocturnalviewer7981 5 65

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Nile is responsible for my left-hand "pinky" developing so it has a mind of it's own, it plays the melodies all by itself now, thanks Mr R!!

[@saulpeter]

This video is fantastic! Niles and Bernard are the TRUE dynamic duo!

[@tonivertucci6504]

When my band Uptown played upstairs at Max's Kansas city around 1974 we were on rotation with you and your band . Good times ...

[@OriginalOldSkoolFunk]

Jimmy Nolan and Catfish Collins from James Brown and Boots Collins fame plus Al McKay of EWF and finally Nile Rogers are who I cut my funk and R&B rythm chops on. Now...that's 3 the hard way but probably better to say the 16th note funky way!

[@dkapone]

So true....Al McKay....EWF was so strong with him. No disrespect to Johnny Graham, but Al torched that rhythm. Peace.

[@OriginalOldSkoolFunk]

No doubt. A lot of guys had it down. Tony Maiden from Rufus and Chaka Khan, Bruno Speight from the SOS Band, and on the smooth tip...Teenie Hodges of Al Green fame. Man...The list goes on but these are the guys who all influenced me and my playing style to the day. You wanna learn pretty arpeggios and soulful double stops, then check out Steve Cropper of Stax records fame.

[@jahthunder01]

Oldskool Funk Al Mckay's lead playing was extremely tasteful as well, his phrasing was fantastic. I would also throw Prince out there as being a vital R&B/Funk rhythm player despite coming on the scene a little later then Catfish and Mckay

[@Pablo_Dias]

Thank you so very much. It´s really important and such an opportunity for all of us, brothers and sisters in music, to watch some golden tips from one of our great masters. Specially when it comes to sharing tips and stories about gigging and music talk between Mr. Davis and Mr. Rodgers himself. True value right there. Cheers from Brazil.

[@Makumazahn77]

Nile is a master funk man! I love learning his songs! Have a few in my funk bag! 🎸

[@lew832]

Love this man! Making a 63 year old strummer very happy! Thanks.

[@dudleybarker2273]

thank you Niall, not only for being the master of funk, but for sharing your understanding of why less really is more.

[@johnhowardnardine6815]

The amazing Nile Rodgers breaks it right down for us! Are we lucky or what?!!

[@alexfvcruz]

I resonate so much with him saying to go crazy with the extended voicings.

[@ColdDrewZone]

Thanks for that! I love it when the masters take time out to share their techniques and playing style.

[@Frenchiic]

Great post ! I'm a 1000 % fan of the Groove Master Nile "CHIC" Rodgers. Thank's !

[@louisduany6020]

Nile, you're a MONSTER! Also, a very generous and humble human being...

[@ferethere]

Thank you everyone involved in the creation and sharing of this video.

[@BadMofoMusicCritic]

So I just got a funk guitar lesson from Nile Rodgers... *FREAK OUT!!!*

[@TroubleinZION]

He's got such a great style. It's so iconic!

[@regortex3364]

I first learned about how to “break up chords” via Eddie Van Halen as a youngster, that was his thing too. Niles is awesome.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Nile is so cool. He is really like this = the Hitmaker !!! I've taken his Recording Classes and also hung-out 3x's ( clubbing ). He is so down-to-earth & a Brilliant Songwriter / Musician / Producer. oNe LovE from NYC

[@theycallmeglen]

Great advice here, learning from the goat of funky rhythm guitar!

[@oldman1966]

And that ladies and gentlemen is simply a peerless example of funk! There's magic in those hands, along with humility and knowledge up top, which makes him a legend. The one and only........CHIC Unique!

[@KTMBB71]

Fantastically Funky!!!!! I could listen to this cat talk and play all night !!

[@AirGuitar]

8:09 this is so true. A good groove comes with silence add at exactly the right times. Not too much and not too little.

[@hammerjohnston]

For the first time in years, I'm stunned watching an instructional video...

[@EmmerichSchmidt]

Over the years I've watched this video like 20+ times, but only now I've discovered 8:58. What was that?! How many notes was that?! Amazing!

[@Timliu92]

Dope stuff. No unnecessary noodling. Just highly musical and groovy playing!

[@lorenzoinviaggio]

This is simply THE BEST VIDEO I EVER FOUND ON KZbin.

[@iSaintChristiano]

Niles tries to explain his style less is more. Yes it is but his picking and left hand muting style is complex and original. The basics of his style is alternate pick at a 16 and hold the entire chord even though hes only playing 1-3 strings. When Niles actually jumps to add a bass rhythm to the melody in between the muting, skipping a mute with a 16 or 2 of silence, along with funk is what makes him the legendary Niles Rodgers. It's his feel for feel good dance rhythms that cannot be explained.

[@johnlerner4109]

This is because disco and funk were considered not at the same level of rock music. But now there is a rediscovery of disco-funk ,some of the best musicans ever were from disco-funk since many of them came from jazz-fusion,one of the most difficult music to play. Tons of disco hits were played by monster fusion session men musicians that could destroy almost any rock musicians (and I LOVE REAL Rcok music!!!)

[@antonchigurh3226]

Nile is Genius. Fantastic video. Thank You !!

[@laserfloyd]

In my 2-3 year stint as a garage band guitarist, in the 90s, I always looked for ways to not "play by the book". I always wanted to bring enough to the song to make it memorable but not overpower it with full-on bar chords and volume. This was the heyday of alternative and the outgoing grunge movement. Our style clashed with so many of our peers that were metal with their wall of sound or the ska/punk groups that played a million miles an hour. I always listened to classic players like Gilmour, Rodgers and more modern players, at the time, like Jerry Cantrell. I wanted to try and find a happy middle ground where all the instruments could get along and sound good. Less can be so much more. It's fun to watch these guys share their techniques. Just remember, you have your influences but you will ultimately find your own style and sound. Rock on!

[@jamesbond4633]

This was awesome!!! Learned a lot about playing rhythym guitar and what notes not to play. Great advice!!!! Watched a KZbin of Niles jamming with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Very cool. He has a nice demeanor and vibe about him that makes you feel good!!!!

[@KudosCultureCartel]

8:56 the slickest thing iv ever heard on a guitar

[@billclarke4129]

how did it do that?!?

[@frankiethewolf7712]

It’s 2020 and it looks like it’s sped up but he really plays rhythm like this. Tomo fujita also plays like this and it’s great!

[@sergueif89]

Beastly skills! Top authority on what's funk and what's not.

[@paolovisintin5614]

Saw Nile and Scic one week ago in wonderfu landscape of villa manin italy. Great Great Great. Thanks Nile

[@bandpassmess]

When he says country sixth chord and starts playing that was a riff part of Memphis By Johnny Rivers. Learn something new every day I’m adding that to my riff box !

[@sprintbass]

i always loved something about us from daft punk..the beautiful strat jazzy solo even years ago i thought, wow nile could do some great work with these guys because the foundation is already there....I cant wait to hear what they have come up with..nile is amazing..and his brand of funk and dance is just as important as it was ever..cant wwait to get the new daft punk album..ive got everything else they did

[@Torana1974]

Bro mad sound hey I kinder play similar sometimes so but glad to her your tunes man wow Revelation time so good cheers man I’m A fan

[@sunjamrblues]

That was really enlightening. Thanks to Nile for sharing some of his tips.

[@randomstrumming]

fourth chord is possibly G#maj (4 x 6 5 x x) and fifth is possibly F/Amaj (5 x 7 x 6 x), seems to sound right if muted correctly and also matches his fingering

[@JackTadoussac]

I'm very impressed. You this approach. This is guitar at its best.

[@taildragger53]

@busterrabbit Yes, some of the finest funky rhythm players have been overlooked for the Eric Claptons of this World!. Jimmy Nolan, Curtis Mayfield, Reggie Young, Eric Gale (known as a soloist but what a rhythm he gets going on "Mister Magic") Ernie Isley, Vernon Reid, even Jimi Hendrix..Nile Rogers is from that same era.

[@KeithCasper]

It fun to listen to him say how OTHER people play his stuff--and that it's what you DON'T play that really makes it funky. The sounds of silence.

[@rwashi]

Hi Nile, back in the 70's I used to dance & freak out to Chic, well I had no idea that you are the co-founder of Chic, well I was in a well known drug store en Caracas, and I heard for the first time a song that is called "Pressure Off", well the voice of Simon Le Bon, I thought , wow. that's Duran, Duran. Well I got home and googled, (youtubed) Duran Duran newest song and Pressure Off appeared, and I saw you on that video, well just like Duran Duran I am a fan of Daft Punk well guess who was there?.. You do know how to play guitar, I will go as far as to say, you ar the modern Jemmy Hendrix.. Good Luck to you sir... Cool locks..

[@sIash90]

I'm studying some of his patterns for school and I'm going crazy with it.. those funky things are harder that most fast rock leads for me

[@MrClearme]

8:56 what was that!???

[@jpjona9807]

a fast strum?

[@MrClearme]

this is like this method calls?

[@jpjona9807]

search for "Guthrie Govan 32nd Note Strumming" here on youtube. He goes through the right hand technique in this video. I think this is what you are looking for

[@MrClearme]

thanks

[@KudosCultureCartel]

that was crazy

[@jsem94]

Nile is king. This is definitely helpful for playing stuff with groove

[@PucciBear]

I watched Chic live concert in Singapore. It was awesome.

[@TomClarkSouthLondon]

A true guitar GOD! He is just about as Funky as it gets!

[@Doones51]

Syncopation is the name of the game. Always loved Nile's music.

[@jamesf8651]

What a living ledgend, a definition for music? Nile rodgers.

[@Euli63]

Thanks for sharing... that´s so cool and great footage..so interesting!

[@dgmg1578]

As a former professional drummer I really miss good funk!

[@chubrock46]

savoir fare is with out a doubt a master piece. i love chic(nile and bernard), cest came out when i was in the 10th grade...still listen to it..happy man is the jam also...r i p bernard edwards!!!

[@jive499]

what a man. a conduit for divine sound

[@bandpassmess]

I’m back. When I’m feeling my playing is in a rut I watch this GEM 💎 of information to get me back on track ! Oh I play hard rock and heavy metal 🎸 put some distortion on his riffs MMMMMMMM VERY METAL 🤘🏾🤘🏾

[@ArtDonna84]

STILL THE KING OF FUNK and for that matter, KING OF the GUITAR!!!. GREAT LESSON!!!

[@misteredd8694]

Wonderful and valuable lesson!

[@nyacoustics8373]

The man can play! Awesome technique!

[@greigclement9081]

The triad shapes were an essential part of learning guitar, especially if you enjoyed the Hendrix/SRV/Mayer sound. Although it was great to learn bar chords at the time, it was just a big picture technique. The smaller triads and 4 string voicings accented the 7th,. and other notes that gave certain chords that bite especially in rhythm playing.