Funk with the bass not on The One

[bigboy_78]

This idea that funk is all about the one seems odd to me. How many tunes in any genre don't hit the one?

I think, despite what Bootsy says, it's what not played after the one that makes its funky, not hitting the "one".

 

[jamro217]

To be really funky, try accentuating the last eight note ( the "Four And" note) of the previous measure and playing the one as you would the two. This seems to displace the whole count and makes the rhythm seem elastic.

 

[faulknersj]

So much gets said about funk being all about hitting a big hit on the one, that it makes me think about funk songs that aren't on the one just to be contrary. A couple spring to mind...

Sister Sledge, "We Are Family" --- while some call it more of a disco tune, Bernard Edwards of Chic was certainly a funk badass, and this classic bass line has a funky chorus where he never hits the one.

War, "The World Is A Ghetto" --- So it's a ballad, but it's a funk ballad, and the chorus has the bass off the one most of the time.

And they are all I can think of. Every other funk song I can think of has a strong one hit on at least every other bar, and most do it on all bars.

This is where you come in...anyone have ideas for other tunes that qualify?

On We Are Family, hits on the '4 and' and on the '1'...no?

 

[Staredge]

I was going to make a "Bootsy is disappoint" meme, but have you ever tried to find a picture of that man not smiling???

 

[FunkHead]

 

[40Hz]

Something like this maybe? It shifts when the vocals start.

 

[JimmyM]

On We Are Family, hits on the '4 and' and on the '1'...no?

Bass drum hits on one but not bass.

 

[klyph]

I never took that Bootsy clip or the sentiment behind it too seriously.
Here's a good example of the man completely *****ng with the listener.
I discovered this record crate digging back around '91. One of my best scores.
Enjoy!

 

[Joebone]

On We Are Family, hits on the '4 and' and on the '1'...no?

Indeed! On the and of 4 for the chorus (which also opens the tune), but on the 1 for the verse. Great to hear this again - Rodgers/Edwards were so, so frickin' inspired...great stuff.

 

[Joebone]

Displacement of the "1" to the and of 4 - which is the heart of salsa music - is very, very common in a lot of Motown. "Standing in the Shadows of Love" is a good example of working that, alternating "1" and "4+" as the heavy accent throughout the A and B parts of the tune, and then, surprisingly, sticking with 1 as the heavy accent on the latin-tinged breakdown. Those Funk Brothers had huge ears! And Alan Slutsky, in "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," reports that James Jamerson sometimes referred to himself as "Diego Diegerson." 'Nuff said!

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I don't know if this qualifies as funk but it's funky. Rest on the one:

Don't know whether this post fully fits within the thread context but the recording is a good discovery for me ... thanks @5StringBlues

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

On We Are Family, hits on the '4 and' and on the '1'...no?

Beautiful picture of 4 marvelous ladies

 

[faulknersj]

Beautiful picture of 4 marvelous ladies

A couple of my buddies currently (and for the last 6 or 7 years) comprise their touring rhythm section...insane players...

Sister Sledge is based out of Phoenix...my hometown...

 

[retslock]

On We Are Family, hits on the '4 and' and on the '1'...no?

It hits the 4& carrying over the 1 and then down on the 2. (Chorus)
The 1 of the first verse bar is hit but that's the only one. The second bar is also 4& carrying over the 1.

 

[Dynacord]

Pretty common in a lot of African bass playing - which can be very funky - to leave a hole on the one and often accent the preceding upbeat or sixteenth note; or to alternate every other measure playing and not playing on the one, similar to a lot of reggae one drop basslines.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Papa was a rolling stone.

 

[Dynacord]

Papa was a rolling stone.

Alternates every second bar if I remember correctly.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Alternates every second bar if I remember correctly.

Yeah a hell to play. If you don't count you're dead and it's only 2x2 bars.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Bass drum hits on one but not bass.

The bass hits on the one with a pickup from the four. The accent is on the one.

Bootsy's mantra about the one always struck me as amusing. Like setting up a guideline for others who needed funk explained to them.

Music doesn't need the one to be funky. It needs to be funky. Defining funk is akin to the Supreme Court defining porn.

Check out "777-9311" a song credited to the Time, performed by Prince IIRC.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Papa was a rolling stone.

Accent is on the one, not the pickup.