What makes music funky?

Three of the standout characteristics of funk music are syncopation, a heavy bassline, and a powerful rhythm. These elements fuse together beautifully to create the signature sounds of funk that has persisted in popularity for over 60 years now.

Here you'll learn about the history of funk, the main sonic driving forces behind the sound, and how to add funk music into your productions.

 

A brief history of funk

Funk music is a style of R&B and soul music that emerged in the United States. Although melody still plays a big part, rhythm is front and center of the sound. 

Early funk artists like James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone originally drew heavily on soul, blues, and jazz in their music. The breakthrough that turned that music into funk music was stripping the music down to its two cores: the beat and the bass.  

In the late 1960s, we see The Meters refine funk into a powerful formula (initially, instrumental on their first album) and gain success commercially. Released in 1969, it’s now heralded as a cornerstone of classic funk.

The funky sound exploded in the 1970s, led by bands like Parliament-Funkadelic, led by the legendary George Clinton. Funk music artists like Stevie Wonder and Isaac Hayes were also instrumental in bringing the genre to the mainstream.

Musicians have reinvented the genre multiple times since as it has morphed into offshoots like funk metal and G-funk.  Prince’s funk-based “Minneapolis sound” gained massive popularity and hip-hop coopted many classic funk tunes in the 80s. 

Artists as diverse as Michael Jackson and Jamiroquai have also leaned heavily into funk. The genre is still alive and kicking today with new artists adding their own spin.

 

Syncopation, rhythm, and being "in the pocket"

To make funk music, syncopation is key. Syncopation is making the beats that are normally weak, dominant in a piece of music. 

That means you don't hit on the obvious strong beats (like 1 and 3 in a 4/4 measure). It’s this that creates funk’s playful and infectious groove. It also adds bounce to the rhythm as well as an element of unpredictability.

Bands also need to be “in the pocket”. That’s when each musician locks tightly into each other musician’s playing, so the timing and groove is precise. The drum and bass are the base of the tune, with each other instrument layered on top of it.

Ringo Starr, the Beatles’ drummer, famously played behind the beat in “Ticket to Ride”. In funk, the rhythm section is always slightly behind or ahead of the beat together, but in just the right way. This creates a sense of anticipation in the listener, making the groove feel somehow deeper.

The downbeat (the first beat in the four) anchors the rhythm, providing stability to the other players. They weave their parts around the anchor, giving the composition a steady foundation. The playful syncopation around that structure gives funk its addictive rhythmic quality.

James Brown’s “Funky Drummer” song contains arguably the most sampled drum rhythm in funk music history by Clyde Stubblefield. Now a staple of hip hop, this famous eight bar solo drumming sequence has featured in tracks by the Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and Public Enemy.

 

Bass groove patterns

Next up is a strong, repeating bass line that dominates the low end of the mix. In most music, the bass never competes with the melodies. In funk, bass riffs are purposely melodic and often take on the vocals and other band instruments right from the first beat in the bar. 

As with the drums, syncopation is key. To make their sounds pop, many bassists use slap bass technique where the thumb thumps the low strings and the fingers pop the higher strings. 

The slap bass made a memorable appearance in “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” by Sly and the Family Stone. You can hear the same style of playing in the music of mainstream UK bands like Spandau Ballet and Level 42.

 

Funk's upbeat emphasis and rhythmic accents 

Another important part of the funk and its rhythmic feel is its emphasis on the upbeats.  If you count "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and," the "ands" represent the upbeats.

In funk, the guitar, horns, and even drums often hit on the "ands". This gives the music extra energy and makes people want to dance to it.

Part of the ear candy in funk music is the rhythm guitar. They sound like short, sharp chord strikes or quick muted strums. They take on extra impact in the offbeats as they add punch exactly where you don't expect them.

Combining the first beat with offbeat notes and sounds is what gives funk its energy and dynamism.

To hear this for yourself, listen to "Cissy Strut" from The Meters. Quentin Tarantino used this iconic instrumental in his "Jackie Brown" movie. 

 

The interplay between the instruments

Funk thrives in the interplay between instruments. Every instrument seems to take its turn. It's more like they're having a conversation with each other than playing together.

This structure gives rise to the "call and response" technique. Freddie Mercury employed this with the audience at Live Aid in 1985 with his "ey ohs!". In funk, the call and the response comes from the vocalists and the instruments - not with the crowd. Early examples of this exist in classical music, but it is employed really effectively in jazz. Often an interplay between trumpet and saxophone. 

There is plenty of improvisation in funk music. The vocalist and the instruments talk to each other all the time using the music as their language. Due to their focus on keeping a solid groove many songs have surprisingly simple arrangements, allowing for easy improvisation and soloing. A great example of this interplay is Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". Essentially the song only has two parts - verse and chorus - but this space allows for really fun solos and variations on the melody throughout. 

Listen to how the clavinet lines snake around the drum patterns and the tight plucks on the wandering rhythm guitar. As the song moves closer to the chorus, the horn section and the Moog section envelop the lyrics reaching climax at the same time.

Funk music is one of the most fun genres to perform and create, and can be found across wide range of commercials and film overdubs - due to its infectious groove and instant ability to put a smile on your face. 

Listen closely for that syncopated rhythm and you’ll find it’s influence in a lot of different adjacent genres. In the words of the wonderfully named Funkadelic - You got the funk? Only one way to find out…! 

 

Find the funk for your next production 

Discover a selection of albums with feel-good funky grooves and epic bass-lines, perfect for your next project.