What is funk really like?

[zuluMusic2]

Having the right instruments and some nice wah effects does not seem to be enough to compose a funk beat. And I ask: what are typical funk chords, rythms or even scales? What should the riffs and grooves be like? What makes funk what it is? I have been trying to compose some funk, but with no success. My own beats just don't sound like funk. Any help or tips are very welcome!

[mkoenig]

When i think of funk i think of short muted instrument licks

Wiki says...

"Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid to late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk "de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums" to the foreground. Unlike R&B and Soul songs, which had many chord changes, funk songs are often based on an extended vamp on a single chord.

Like much of African-inspired music, funk typically consists of a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, Hammond organ, and drums playing interlocking rhythms. Funk bands sometimes have a horn section of several saxophones, trumpets, and in some cases, a trombone, which plays rhythmic "hits".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk

Funk is funky.

[zuluMusic2]

Thanks for the response, but that's not really what I wanted to hear, I know what the wiki says and that's only general information about that style of music. What I want to know, as I said, is e.g. chords or scales that are typical for this genre. Also any more precise explanation of the rythms would be nice.

[mkoenig]

Im really have no funk background, but hopefully someone will come along and answer.

If you can find Bobby Cole at Catch 22 Media he can tell you however.

Hes done some funk loops for us in the past.

[zuluMusic2]

Still no help from anyone... where are all the funky people? Maybe it is too old music, or is this community too small and young to give answers to questions? Then again, maybe I'm just impatient. I searched for that Bobby Cole, but couldn't find him.

[mkoenig]

Ask Bobby here
http://www.catch22media.co.uk/contact/contact.html

Tell him Free-Loops.com (Mike) sent you

[zuluMusic2]

Thanks Mike, I think I'll just do that.

[Mihai Sorohan]

Funk, as I see it, have to have a good steady groove.
Compared to jazz (which is soloing/improvising based), funk is more groove based.
There is quite hard to point finger on "what is funk" and express it in words, but with proper examples I think you'll get the idea.
Unisons in the rhythm section:-listen here-
Fat bass, sometimes using slap:-listen here-
but the best examples are the classics, listen to the bass here:
James Brown - Sex Machine not much harmonic changes or soloing but for sure one of the most powerful grooves.
James Brown - I Feel Good same here, bass driven groove.
Also try to get some of the band with the punchiest brass section ever:
tower of power - soul vaccination
Tower of Power - What Is Hip - 1973
Tower of Power - What Is Hip? - 1998

[zuluMusic2]

Thanks for the reply Mihai. Those clips actually helped me a bit, for instance the brass section, which I have had huge problems with, is getting clearer for me now. As I see it, it's made of several short and indeed punchy riffs, when I used the brass section in my beats I had it as a simple melody line and perhaps too dominating as well. The bass line is still quite a mystery for me, I know that the entire song may have its rythm from the bass and it is the bass that holds it all together. But creating a good bass groove myself seems difficult, and I wish someone will give me a clue how to make one.

[Mihai Sorohan]

Best clue is from listening.
As for brass, I have some loops for free download and use (creative commons, royalty free, still, if used, credits would be nice)
Trumpet Section in F - 90bpm
Trumpet Section in C - 120bpm
All trumpets by Mihai Sorohan.
Gear used:
- trumpet Bb Amati ATR213
- microphone Oktava MK 319
- mixer Behringer Eurorack UB1204 FX-Pro
- soundcard M-Audio Delta Audiophile 192
All tracks stereo wav format, 16 bit, 48 khz samplerate, 90 bpm and 120 bpm.

Now that's about to change, soon I'll remove and repost as acidized wav and put some muted trumpets also.

As for good bass lines, Jako Pastorius is a must listen.
Jaco Pastorius- Soul Intro- The Chicken (Live 1982)