How to be a Funkosaurus
So you want to write something super funky. If this is your first time writing in a funk style, here are a few things that may be helpful in your pursuit of a real funky composition.
You can play any chord progression with a funky rhythm, but most funk music is kept to one chord. This is usually the case due to a basic rule of composition: If some parts of a piece are complex and bustling, other parts should be simple. This is to balance the composition and keep it from becoming crowded. The rhythms in funk songs are often busy. Therefore, chord progressions are kept to a minimum in order to ensure a balanced composition.
Another feature of Funk music is the use of Dominant Seventh chords (as opposed to Major Seventh chords) which are often simply referred to as Seventh chords. And it is common to add the ninth or thirteenth as upper extensions to these chords (but not the eleventh because it will clash with the major third of the chord, which lies a half-step below it). Sex Machine, by James Brown, utilizes an Eb7 chord within the guitar part, which alternates these upper extensions between the 9 and 13.
Funk rhythm uses a Sixteenth-Note groove. Whereas a 4/4 beat counts 1, 2, 3, 4 for each measure, a Sixteenth-Note count divides each of these four beats into four more. This can be counted as 1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a-3-e-and-a-4-e-and-a. These complex subdivisions allow for much more intricate rhythms.
But the key to making this Sixteenth-Note feel sound funky lies in the art of Syncopation. Where a Straight feel might accent the instruments and vocals on the main beats and the ands, a Syncopated feel will more commonly accent the off-beat subdivisions such as the e or the a. This is the primary way to create that funk feel. And you can write out your rhythms with numbers or music notation, which is not a bad idea, but it is often just as effective to get a feel for these grooves in the same way a dancer might feel the music. Funk music is essentially a form of dance music.
Sparseness is the next step. Leave a lot of space and rests within the instrumental parts. Non-stop sixteenth notes, or any type of notes, will kill your groove. It is often the notes that you don't hear that bring out the notes that you do hear in Funk music.
Lastly, but most essential, outline a single chord with a complex bass line while also adhering to the rhythmic concepts discussed above. Most of the best bass players I have worked with were very skilled at playing in this style. Also, a funky bass line is not about slapping, as impressive as that technique can be. It is about including a good deal of percussive muted notes, along with the main notes and rests within your bass lines.
Try including these tips from the beginning of your songwriting process rather than writing a song with standard chords and a straight rhythm and then trying to funk it out. You are sure to end up with a uniquely different type of song than you otherwise would have.
You can play any chord progression with a funky rhythm, but most funk music is kept to one chord. This is usually the case due to a basic rule of composition: If some parts of a piece are complex and bustling, other parts should be simple. This is to balance the composition and keep it from becoming crowded. The rhythms in funk songs are often busy. Therefore, chord progressions are kept to a minimum in order to ensure a balanced composition.
Another feature of Funk music is the use of Dominant Seventh chords (as opposed to Major Seventh chords) which are often simply referred to as Seventh chords. And it is common to add the ninth or thirteenth as upper extensions to these chords (but not the eleventh because it will clash with the major third of the chord, which lies a half-step below it). Sex Machine, by James Brown, utilizes an Eb7 chord within the guitar part, which alternates these upper extensions between the 9 and 13.
Funk rhythm uses a Sixteenth-Note groove. Whereas a 4/4 beat counts 1, 2, 3, 4 for each measure, a Sixteenth-Note count divides each of these four beats into four more. This can be counted as 1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a-3-e-and-a-4-e-and-a. These complex subdivisions allow for much more intricate rhythms.
But the key to making this Sixteenth-Note feel sound funky lies in the art of Syncopation. Where a Straight feel might accent the instruments and vocals on the main beats and the ands, a Syncopated feel will more commonly accent the off-beat subdivisions such as the e or the a. This is the primary way to create that funk feel. And you can write out your rhythms with numbers or music notation, which is not a bad idea, but it is often just as effective to get a feel for these grooves in the same way a dancer might feel the music. Funk music is essentially a form of dance music.
Sparseness is the next step. Leave a lot of space and rests within the instrumental parts. Non-stop sixteenth notes, or any type of notes, will kill your groove. It is often the notes that you don't hear that bring out the notes that you do hear in Funk music.
Lastly, but most essential, outline a single chord with a complex bass line while also adhering to the rhythmic concepts discussed above. Most of the best bass players I have worked with were very skilled at playing in this style. Also, a funky bass line is not about slapping, as impressive as that technique can be. It is about including a good deal of percussive muted notes, along with the main notes and rests within your bass lines.
Try including these tips from the beginning of your songwriting process rather than writing a song with standard chords and a straight rhythm and then trying to funk it out. You are sure to end up with a uniquely different type of song than you otherwise would have.
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posted by Marcondes Allen at 12:10 AM
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