I Am Nile Rodgers – Producer / Guitarist for CHIC / Diana Ross / Madonna / David Bowie / Daft Punk plus many many more. Ask Me Anything

You have worked in the music industry for decades, very successfully! What in your opinion has been the most drastic or impactful change to the music business since you started?

File sharing, and the fact that the industry DIDN'T embrace it! It should have been handled differently, because none of us mind paying for stuff we love.

Nile, I'm in a rut with my guitar playing. Do you have any suggestions for trying something new?

I'm really not trying to be a smart ass, but try something new!

Hi Nile, I think you have one of the best right hand in the guitar world. Can you give me some tips to master my right hand technique? Thank you !

This is an awesome question. What I did was I practiced 32nd notes on the open notes one string at a time, and tried to cleanly move from string to string. After a while I started to learn how to mute them with my right palm to control the sympathetic notes. After months of this I emerged as the dude you hear playing now. It also works with 16th and 8th notes depending on the tempo of your metronome.

How can you be so funky? I mean I just love your groove. Also, what would your advice for a new guitarist be?

Study folks you like and your own style will evolve.

Hey Reddit, I'm on tour here in Tokyo and it's getting late, but THANK YOU for all your questions. Would love to come back sometime and do it again.

Check out my "Greatest Hits" album that's sold more than 100,000 copies in the UK alone. http://discochic.com

Read my blog on http://NileRodgers.com

Follow me on http://twitter.com/NileRodgers

See you soon!

What is your all-time favourite Daft Punk track? What was it like to collaborate with them?

There's too many great DP songs to make one superlative, but I'm awed by "One More Time" because I love watching people on the dance floor when the tempo goes away. It was great to work with them!

When you and Bernard formed CHIC, you used models on the cover of your first album and said that you wanted the music to be more famous than the people who made it. Bearing this in mind, how do you feel about getting recognised more and more these days following the Daft Punk collaboration?

It's really weird to be in the spotlight so much, but Daft Punk, like CHIC, are semi-anonymous and they asked me to do most of the press. Of course I love the guys and wanted the record to be heard, so I took one for the team.

Did you ever try using any other guitar apart from the hitmaker to write songs with? What is it you love about the strat so much? By the way the gig at the Warehouse Project last week was amazing :)

I also write on jazz and classical guitars, but most pop stuff is done on my Fender strat affectionately called The Hitmaker, for obvious reasons. Thanks, the Warehouse Project was bananas!

Could you ever make it to SXSW? Maybe play and talk about Stevie Ray Vaughn? We love You, Nile Rodgers!!!!

I'd love to. I talk to Jimmie every now and again. They were like my family. Even their mom turned me on to Wellness Formula, that most roadies swear by.

As a music student myself, do you feel your most successful productions are written in shorter sittings e.g. couple of hours or those that have had more time spent on them?

YES! When I toil it may be good but it's never a hit!!!!!!

Hey Nile, Huge fan and thanks so much for doing this! Some questions for you!

1 - What was it like working with David Lee Roth? any crazy stories?

2 - Apart from guitar, whats your next favorite instrument to play?

3 - I saw you at Glastonbury this year and without doubt it was the greatest show i have ever seen, what has been your favorite show you have ever played?

I love Diamond Dave. He's one of the most musical dudes on the planet and he doesn't get enough creed. The 1st time I met him was at an after hours joint he operated. We were standing inch-deep in piss... because they used the shower as a huge urinal. That doubly sucked because I was wearing super-expensive suede shoes. UGH!

What was your greatest challenge?

Writing my memoir Le Freak. It took four years. I guess cancer would be a close second.

Hey Nile, do you have anything planned with Johnny Marr? That would be amazing!

Not yet but I know it's gonna happen!

what are the detailed specs of your new guitar? Do you like it better than the original HitMaker?

I play guitar because of you by the way :)

WAY TOO LONG OF AN ANSWER!!! I'd have a really long beard by the time I finished that one. However, when we come out with the Nile Rodgers' Hitmaker, I promise both Fender and I collectively will give you all the details.

Hi Nile, seen you a few weeks back in Belfast. You seem to always be on our island, just wondering why that is? Any history behind your love for Ireland?

It's a very long story, but the short answer is they really like our music in Ireland... and we LOVE IT THERE!!!!

If you could work with any artist dead or alive who would you most like to work with?

Miles Davis!

Hi Nile!

I was the guy who edited Michael Jackson into "Get Lucky" and got 1.5 mil. views on youtube. You've worked on a Michael Jackson track (Money). What do you think would have happened if Michael worked with you guys for "Get Lucky"?

-Thanks for answering our questions!

hey man, that's great.. loved that! Good question, sad we'll never know.

Have you ever had anyone disrespect your skill as appose to praise it? And if so, how did you deal with it?

This is funny. Almost every single time I've played a new song for a record exec they tell me how much it and I suck. After the records become monsters, they can't ever remember screaming at me or telling me that.

How did you like working with Martin O'Donnell for the Halo 2 soundtrack?

I love Marty! He and I work together often and I've co-produced almost every Halo soundtrack.

Hi Nile, I would just like to say how amazing your life story is so far and thank you for deciding to make music again, the industry is so much better off with you involved! I’d also like to say that I had been deliberating whether to buy a bass and start playing and after I really got into Chic in the past two years or so, Bernard’s [RIP] licks and riffs were just so incredible and that was the final straw, I’ve started playing and I’m absolutely loving playing along (My Feet Keep Dancing is my favourite). My question: how the hell did he do it and is it true that sometimes his fingers bled after chucking too hard at a gig? Peace man.

He was an amazing musician and yes, his hand did bleed after some very long gigs where we'd do a lot of chucking (which is what we call playing continuous 16th notes and accenting the ones you want heard.)

Tell us more about the recently discovered CHIC Organization master tapes. Will there be a box set Vol. 2?

It's a really long story and the music is still very close to my heart. I do know that Daft Punk will work on one of the songs, but I'm not sure I want it all to come out at once. I think you understand. It's the one chance I get to play with my bandmates who have passed on. Sometime it's fun to just jam with it and not have it be judged as a commercial project.

What is your songwriting process like?

All over the map.

Hi Nile, I am a huge fan! I'm a singer songwriter and your music is a massive influence! My question is... Can you please have a listen to my new single? It'd mean the world to me and i think you might like it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-yjKXlfXo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thank you very much, all the best! Andy

Sounds good... keep it up!

Hi Nile, I have been a fan since I was five as I was brought up on disco. Thank you for all your music and your fantastic memoir. You obviously experienced the disco sucks-movement and all the negative comments about commercial "unpure" music. When Avicii released his record he met similar comments. According to some, his music is "unpure" commercial soulless EDM, nothing like "pure" disco or house. Have you and Tim talked about these comments? And what do you think about the idea that certain music is real/pure while commercial music is "unpure?"

Tim and I never talk about that because it's bullshit and there are not many people I've ever worked with who are as good at composing as Tim. And I've worked with hundreds of artists. AVICII is so good as a musician it's scary.

I'm a big fan. I wanted to know when you heard rappers delight for the first time and what you thought of it? Were you honored or were you made that they stole your song? how do you feel about it now?

Also I heard that you had to lie to Diana Ross and tell her "I'm Coming Out" wasn't about being gay. Is that really true? Do you think the regular version or the chic mix is best?

Wow, tons of questions coming in.. this really explains it:

Rapper's Delight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-SCGNOieBI

I'm Coming Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjjDwycSq4k

What is your favorite Power Rangers?

The Pink Ranger, of course

There's a fairly well known story about you that I would love you to confirm or deny: You were once hired by a super rich and super untalented dude to produce his record. He was a dink and you got all your buddies in the studio and proceeded to fuck with him.... Making him sing in a box, etc etc. Any truth to this? I hope so!

There is NO TRUTH to that story on any level. I have no idea of the artist of which you speak, but I'm sure he's never confirmed that. I would NEVER treat anyone that way. The only dink, or asshole I remember working with was a classical violinists, who couldn't believe Bernard and I were in charge of the orchestra. When it came time for him to play Bernard said, "Uh my man, you don't even have to take your shit our of the case."

What is your favorite album?

I have way too many and this would take a week.

Do you like food?

Ha! Yes, and BTW it's essential.

Nile, I work along side with Jason Corsaro and you guys cut Like A Virgin together. Those drums are huge! Just wanted to say amazing job as always!

Also, worked with Kareem "Jesus" Devlin recently on a session and he spoke so highly of you. He completely killed it, I heard that awesome Chic tone in his playing. What is your amp of choice in the studio for really clean "funk" stab like guitar parts?

Tell Jayskie I said what's up? I've used many amps over the years but the one thing that never changes are my use of 10" speakers, even if I'm going for a jazzy tone. With my technique I always get the brightness I desire but most of my guitars still have the warmth.

Good morning :) being from western NY, I was wondering about your relationship to Rick James, if any. (and, btw, we have the 'World's Largest Disco' here coming up in a couple weeks)

Rick James and I were great friends. One of the best shows I ever played was guest starring with Rick at Giants Stadium on one song. We killed it!

How do you feel about the Chic stuff you're producing at the moment?

I've never been happier with my compositions than I am currently. I think I'd say that every time because I'm totally optimistic.

Hey Nile, I am Jamil and I am really excited for this, sorry if I am asking way too much but here are my questions: 1. Have you achieved everything you wanted of your career and if not what do you still want to achieve? 2. What do you think is special about Daft Punk and what did you enjoy about working with them? 3. Who’s the most talented artist/s you’ve worked with? Thank you very very much!! Please visit Kuwait before or after going to Dubai! Would love to host you here.

Thanks for your questions and most have been answered so please look at other post. Unfortunately, we have a gig the day after Dubai and we come to Dubai from Japan. But one of the teens from my charity lives in Kuwait, and I've promised to come and see him. Hopefully, it will be at a CHIC show.

Have you ever considered to produce Depeche Mode's album in the 80s?

I did a remix for "Route 66" that was a part of the "Behind The Wheel" single extended version

Could you give one more lyric line to the 'Calico' song you did with Lambert? :P

It's really a great song and I don't know how much of the lyric you know but the 1st line is, "I'll make it sweet and go down all below". AVICII & Adam and I make a killer songwriting team in my humble opinion.

How much fun was Glastonbury?

it was amazing fun.. check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8pkAqDDEfg

How important is gear; can you make a poor quality guitar still sound good if you have the talent? What is more important, gear or talent?

talent, hands down.

Hey Nile! Any chance of you and Chic playing NYC in the near future??

YES.. I'm going into charity mode for the next few months.. Playing Bono's Red Foundation fundraiser November 23, and my We Are Family Foundation 2014 Celebration Gala on January 21, 2014 - #SaveTheDate: http://j.mp/Yr1oxi