Piano Lesson: Rock and Pop Piano - Funk Pattern 1
by David Bruce
In this lesson we'll look at a short funk pattern with some stabbing right-hand chords, and a classic walking-bass riff. Here's how it sounds:
Start by practising it hands separately. As with any funk riff, the key is getting those 16th notes just behind the beat. The right hand has three of them in a row:
Notice however, that the second group of notes are both staccato, whereas the first and third groups have a longer first chord. This is important to help create the right feel to the groove. Now let's look at this left hand:
The left hand functions as the solid on-the-beat pattern, allowing your right hand to play off it, it needs to have a solid steady beat.
The second bar is a kind of walk up the piano in octaves - it's a really fun and classic piano technique which you'll find in walking bass jazz and elsewhere.
Now here's the pattern and on the play button is just a drum track to give you a chance to play along yourself.
Start by practising it hands separately. As with any funk riff, the key is getting those 16th notes just behind the beat. The right hand has three of them in a row:
Notice however, that the second group of notes are both staccato, whereas the first and third groups have a longer first chord. This is important to help create the right feel to the groove. Now let's look at this left hand:
The left hand functions as the solid on-the-beat pattern, allowing your right hand to play off it, it needs to have a solid steady beat.
The second bar is a kind of walk up the piano in octaves - it's a really fun and classic piano technique which you'll find in walking bass jazz and elsewhere.
Now here's the pattern and on the play button is just a drum track to give you a chance to play along yourself.