The great thing about the Funk is that it is present in so many musical genres: soul, jazz, house, breaks, and of course funk. But what is the Funk? What do you think it is? And have you got the Funk?

Funk is a feeling. Its either in you or it isn't. Mostly though the funk is what makes you dance, what makes you misbehave and what makes your hair stand up on the back of your neck.

I am immune to the appeal of funk. Its a mish mash of genres, neither one thing nor another, and you end up with wodges of sound that end up sounding all the same. For this reason, any 'funk revival' will have limited appeal and be short-lived. It will always have its adherents, but is unlikely to command a mass audience in this country. In some ways, funk is rather like jazz - many people say they like it, because it sounds cool to say so, but in actuality they don't like it (at least not very much, or only in limited doses).

I am immune to the appeal of funk. Its a mish mash of genres, neither one thing nor another, and you end up with wodges of sound that end up sounding all the same.

Why is it that if someone doesn't like a particular type of music they say 'it all sounds the same'?

The word Funk comes from the description of a smell. The original back musiscians who were at the beggining of the genre had to play in smelly cellar bars which were known as "Funky Butts", due to the smell of them.

The music Funk as it is today is characterised by strongly emphasising the first beat of every four beat bar. That's all it is.

As James brown used to say,
"you have to hit it on the one!"


Before anyone asks, I am not answering any questions about Jazz

The music Funk as it is today is characterised by strongly emphasising the first beat of every four beat bar. That's all it is.



Perhaps this is why it sounds all the same to me. Once you've heard one funk number, you've heard 'em all.

Better stick to the Beethoven then.....

Better stick to the Beethoven then.....

A wise choice, I feel.

I can listen to the same Beethoven string quartets or piano sonatas over and over again and they never sound the same. :thumbsup:

Funk is something that resides in between your respiritory system and connects to your loins.

The word Funk comes from the description of a smell. The original back musiscians who were at the beggining of the genre had to play in smelly cellar bars which were known as "Funky Butts", due to the smell of them.

The music Funk as it is today is characterised by strongly emphasising the first beat of every four beat bar. That's all it is.

As James brown used to say,
"you have to hit it on the one!"


Before anyone asks, I am not answering any questions about Jazz

Thank you kindly for that. My question wasn't just related to the musical genre of funk, though. We have funky house, funky soul, funky breaks... What is it about these that is funky? Is it just the emphasis on the first beat? What about bass? Surely bass plays a big part in the funk?

Thank you kindly for that. My question wasn't just related to the musical genre of funk, though. We have funky house, funky soul, funky breaks... What is it about these that is funky? Is it just the emphasis on the first beat? What about bass? Surely bass plays a big part in the funk?

One of the greatest original funk electric bass players and one of my personal favourites was the late great James Jamerson. He was just employed as a motown house musician. But he came up with the bass parts for "La Freak" one of the most famous funk tunes of all times and heavily sampled subsequently.

This typical modern funk bass part features a strong emphasis on the first beat with a staccato note to emphasise it. The rest of the bar is commonly even semiquavers, rapid notes which are played extremely competantly, and like most bass parts mainly using the root and fifth of the accompanying chords.

Even if you consider a James Brown classic, like Sex Machine,
This features an animated bass part, which again uses semiquavers in groups of 4 arpeggios, giving the music considerable bass part interest. Also the horn stabs are played by the bass too, keeping the first in a bar funk feel.
As you can see a funk bass player has to be extremely technically competant, and able to play fast figures as main riffs. This requires incredible stamina.

What about bass? Surely bass plays a big part in the funk?

Surely bass plays a big role in all rock music (certainly in many forms of hard rock and metal), so Funk is not really distinctive here - indeed, how could it be, given that it is a mish mash of different rock genres?

Surely bass plays a big role in all rock music (certainly in many forms of hard rock and metal), so Funk is not really distinctive here - indeed, how could it be, given that it is a mish mash of different rock genres?
Bass in rock, hard rock and metal, is usually played as a support role to lead guitar. It is generally given a very low tone ( apart from I.Maiden ) without any treble and plays crotchet notes, which are mainly root notes only.

Whereas the bass in a funk setting is often the lead instrument, it has a much larger bandwidth and can often be quite trebly.

Funk is a feeling. what makes your hair stand up on the back of your neck.

Ah I know that feeling :P

Surely bass plays a big role in all rock music (certainly in many forms of hard rock and metal), so Funk is not really distinctive here - indeed, how could it be, given that it is a mish mash of different rock genres?

But you don't got da funk! Funk is a feeling, a state of mind, and what muddycoffee says. If you ain't got the funk, doubtless it all sounds meaningless.

One of the greatest original funk electric bass players and one of my personal favourites was the late great James Jamerson. He was just employed as a motown house musician. But he came up with the bass parts for "La Freak" one of the most famous funk tunes of all times and heavily sampled subsequently.

This typical modern funk bass part features a strong emphasis on the first beat with a staccato note to emphasise it. The rest of the bar is commonly even semiquavers, rapid notes which are played extremely competantly, and like most bass parts mainly using the root and fifth of the accompanying chords.

Even if you consider a James Brown classic, like Sex Machine,
This features an animated bass part, which again uses semiquavers in groups of 4 arpeggios, giving the music considerable bass part interest. Also the horn stabs are played by the bass too, keeping the first in a bar funk feel.
As you can see a funk bass player has to be extremely technically competant, and able to play fast figures as main riffs. This requires incredible stamina.

Cheers muddycoffee :wave:

To me personally its like a groove & a rhythm or feeling to the music.

i think the origin of the word 'Funky' came from a form of mixing for fun in the 70's.

Ah I know that feeling :Pthats not funk in your case!

To me personally its like a groove & a rhythm or feeling to the music.

i think the origin of the word 'Funky' came from a form of mixing for fun in the 70's.
You should read my earlier posing, it comes from about 1920s

You should read my earlier posing, it comes from about 1920s

Funk, Funky or both?
Was it a jazz thing then?

Funk, Funky or both?
Was it a jazz thing then?
Yes it was both Funk and Funky.
Basically jazz and blues music in smoky, dirty, down at heel bars.

Kind of a description for poor people playing music of black origin.
Music of black origin is where the term Mobo and Mojo comes from
Mojo being music of jamaican origin.

The cuban music from the 1950s was always and is still described as "deeply funky" as well and that contains elements of samba, jazz, bolero, son styles. In that case basically a mix of african music and latin music, but all classed as "dance" music. Although typically this kind of funky music is more stately than something from the 70s.

thats not funk in your case!

Whatever do you mean?

x

Could people name their favourite 'funk' tracks, please?

I would have to say, my favourite Funk track would be Superstition, original version of course!

Thanks, muddycoffee, love that too. Any other tracks, anyone?

Shut up and listen Damm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osf93TKEuZA)! Don't you miss the way music sounded back in the day! The king is dead long live the Prince!:cool:

I agree Prince is a funky as f***.
Listen to the album ( un sensored ) version of sexy MF..

I recall it is a kind of james brown style, with modern and tight production.

Could people name their favourite 'funk' tracks, please?

Hmm..
Make it funky (James Brown)
Flashlight (naturally:D - Parliament)
Superfly (Curtis Mayfield)
Musicology (Prince)

I could go on..........................

One of the greatest original funk electric bass players and one of my personal favourites was the late great James Jamerson. He was just employed as a motown house musician. But he came up with the bass parts for "La Freak" one of the most famous funk tunes of all times and heavily sampled subsequently.

Surely the amazing Bernard Edwards was the bass player on Le Freak?

Could people name their favourite 'funk' tracks, please?

1. Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose - James Brown
2. Flashlight - Parliament
3. The Sacrifice Of Victor - Prince
4. Cold Sweat - James Brown
5. Hot Pants - James Brown
6. Just Right - Bootsy Collins
7. Super Good - Lyn Collins
8. Never Get Enough - Bobby Byrd
9. Soul Power 74 - Maceo & The Macks
10. Le Grind - Prince

Surely the amazing Bernard Edwards was the bass player on Le Freak?

Just what I was thinking. Disco of course owed a lot to funk as well as other influences, and Bernard Edwards was a supreme funk bass player. His bass line for 'Good Times' is a monster - as also heard on 'Rapper's Delight' and 'Grand Master Flash On The Wheels Of Steel'.

Ah, Good Times. I remember playing that bassline for 15 minutes at a gig until my fingers cramped. It's a corker though. Also Bootsy Collins' bassline on Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose from In The Jungle Groove is another beauty.

Hmm..
Make it funky (James Brown)
Flashlight (naturally:D - Parliament)
Superfly (Curtis Mayfield)
Musicology (Prince)

I could go on..........................

Then please do.

Then please do.

Here would be a good place to start:

http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_rb-funk.html

Some of the stuff I've got has already been mentioned...

Off the top of me head :

"Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" - Vaughn Mason & Crew

"Good Times" - Chic (God, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers had it goin' on!)

"Have Fun, Again..." - Diana Ross - produced by Chic.

"Glow of Love" - Luther Vandross/Change.

"Encore" - Cheryl Lynn.

:love:

"Good Times" - Chic (God, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers had it goin' on!)


Didn't they just. Apart from those classic Chic tracks, they also produced the sublime Sister Sledge stuff - 'Lost In Music' etc.

rick james is funk!

http://www.nightrocker.com/Rick-James-Rip.jpg

Surely bass plays a big role in all rock music (certainly in many forms of hard rock and metal), so Funk is not really distinctive here - indeed, how could it be, given that it is a mish mash of different rock genres?
Funk is commonly based on the kick-drum and a bass-slap hitting, or being emphasised on, the first beat of every bar. The rest of the melody instruments tend to have a more lilting rhythm, known as syncopation.

Shut up and listen Damm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osf93TKEuZA)! Don't you miss the way music sounded back in the day! The king is dead long live the Prince!:cool:

Cheers for the link, Mini, that sure is funky :banana:

Plus, I could see what muddycoffee and banjogriner meant.

good funk is wicked like the sheffield band montuno who play in and around sheffield, once you hear them play you just know how wickedly funk sweets your soul.