Basic Funk Patterns & Drum Playing Styles

Part of the Video Series How to Play Drums

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Play a funk groove on your drum kit using specific funk patterns; learn how with tips from our expert drum and percussion instructor in this free drum kit video music lesson.

Contact: www.bluehandpercussion.com

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Tags: drums, drums, funk, instrument, instruments, music lessons, musical instruments, musical technique, percussion, snare drum
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Video Transcript

Basic Funk Patterns & Drum Playing Styles
Hi! My name is Frank, and what we’re going to look at in this clip about the drum set is playing a pattern; this is going to be a funk pattern. There’s all kinds of music out there that you want to experiment with and look at, and maybe invest your time in pursuing, so that you can play that and play live. People love the funk, and so what we’re going to do is take a look at one pattern that’s pretty funky. Funk is a feel, it’s a vibe; it’s also a specific pattern that you’re not really going to find in oh, polka music at the beer gardens, or, I don’t know… at the country concert you’re not going to hear a lot of funkiness; but there’s so much great music out there. I encourage you to go find it, heck all you have to do is Google FUNK and you’re going to find so much good music; it’s out there now. As far as playing it on the drum set, definitely try to practice and emulate from the music that you’re listening to. Playing the funk is mostly going to come from the bass drum, the snare drum and the hi-hat. You can incorporate the other instruments from the drum set; you can even bring instruments that aren’t normally in the drum set—crazier things have been done. But most of the pattern is going to be made up of—and you can see this in another clip—4/4 time signature. Snare drum goes on the 2 and the 4, simply the bass drum goes on 1 and 3; and a lot of grooviness can go on in there, and most of the feel comes from the hi-hat. Let’s take a look. So I’m just going to play 1 2 3 4…you can change up tempos… again the music dictates what you play, but you dictate how you play it. Funk is usually settled somewhere in a medium tempo; the faster it is, the harder it is to keep it funky. Let’s see what happens… That was pretty funky, but it’s not something I would just groove to. Find the grove—there’s the funk.

About the Expert

Expert: Frank Favacho is the 2004 & 2005 winner of the "Guitar Center Drum Off" and has performed and recorded with a large variety of groups. He currently teaches in Austin, TX. Read More