The Funk by Chris Grimble https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8 Unit 34: Music Production Analysis & Unit 3: Applied Music Production techniques. en-us 2017-11-24 11:51:17 UTC 2018-01-25 22:28:54 UTC hello@padlet.com The Origin grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/214991195 Funk Music emerged in the mid 1960's with James Browns' development of a signature groove that emphasised the downbeat. With heavy emphasis on the first measure, the application of the 16th note time signature and syncopation on all bass lines, drum patterns and guitar riffs he created a brand new groove. James Browns "Papa's got a brand new bag" (1965) is  regarded to be the first funk song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE5D2hJhacU]]> 2017-12-11 13:21:08 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/214991195 Bass grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/214999503 The bassline is a key part of a funk song and before this genre it was rarely prominent in popular music. Funk was built on the foundation of players like legendary motown bassist James Jamerson brought the bass to the fore front . A melodic bassline was often the centerpiece of a funk song. These strong basslines are what seperates funk from R&B, soul and other forms of music.  ]]> 2017-12-11 13:43:23 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/214999503 grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215003850 Famous bass players include Larry Graham from Sly & the family Stone. Widely regarded to be the inventor of the slap bass technique, which would become an essential feature in a funk song. This technique was  very percussive allowing space for the rest of the band to fill in the groove.  Bootsy Collins is possibly funks greatest bass player of all time  playing on numerous classics recorded by James Brown and Parliament and Funkadelic. He also went on to have a solo career and had a hit with Bootzilla (1978). ]]> 2017-12-11 13:53:24 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215003850 Drums grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215012046 To create an Infectious groove
the drums were very important. Instead of a drummers beat being metronomically perfect the drummer often let the music flow through him with occasional tempo fluctuations from section to section that adds a great groove along with a bit of swing. With a range of possible feels between a very straight eight-note and a triple shuffle, many funk songs play somewhere inbetween. The Meters' "Cissy strut " (1969) is a great example of this, that little bit of swing makes the funk groove come alive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_iC0MyIykM]]> 2017-12-11 14:08:23 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215012046 The Drums themselves grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215018250 Often the kit would be muffled and tuned in a specific way according to the song. The kick is often muffled, resulting in a much more staccato thud. The snare heads are usually tuned as tightly as possible for crisp, high pitched snap that cuts through the mix. The toms are often tuned lower and muffled. This slight muffling helps keep funks busier beats and grooves sound clean and precise.]]> 2017-12-11 14:19:02 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215018250 Guitar grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215024769 Guitar although not a stand out instrument in the funk song was often where it started. Often built around a single guitar chord vamp, and it's this vamp that forms the very backbone of the song. this may sound boring and dull but anyone who has listened P-Funk or James brown knows how recognisable these funk guitar rhythms have become. ]]> 2017-12-11 14:30:04 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215024769 grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215031584 The biggest influence on funk guitar style and technique was Jimmy Nolan, James Brown's guitarist for 15 years. He used rapid 16th note strumming patterns and quick releases on the strings to avoid sustaining notes, this and his famous "chicken scratch" picking style culminated in a truly funky groove.  Nolan also managed to prefect a tone that sat between the kick bass and piercing tone of the snare and hi-hat, by cutting the mid completely of of his amp. Al Mckay (Earth, Wind & Fire) and Nile Rodgers (Chic), Cite Nolan as one of their biggest influences.

https://www.stringjoy.com/funk-guitar-history-techniques-gear/
August 17 2017, stringjoy.com (27/10/17)]]> 2017-12-11 14:42:10 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/215031584 Recording Drums grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216492333 When recording drums mic position and type has a big impact on the sound of the drum or cymbal and the overall kit. The funk drum setup is very similar to the rock setup but there are some noticeable differences. The bass drum should have 2 mic's, 1 inside and   1 outside. The mic inside should be designed to capture more of the low woof as well as the punchy attack, the outside mic is there to capture all of the weight in the low end. The snare should be miked up twice, 1 on the top and one on the bottom. The top mic is more likely to be a mic designed for hi-hats, this helps your achieve greater clarity on the top end of the sound, capturing all of the ghost notes typical of drumming in this genre. The Hi-hat mic unusually paced facing away from the kit to achieve less spill from the snare. It also helps capture the attack of the stick on the Hi-hat with much more definition. The overheads are a spaced pair setup except placed much higher in the room to capture the whole kit rather than just the crash's.
No compression on the Kick or snare is needed to help keep dynamics of the ghostnotes adding to the groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cgp1I_nP0Y]]> 2017-12-15 14:35:41 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216492333 Recording Guitar grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216498735 The first to learn about recording guitar is to have the desired sound out of the amp before you start recording, asking the guitarist's opinion is a sensible idea. Also the amp can interact differently with room when placed in different positions, so moving the amp around the can be a good idea if you have the time. " its not so much you're miking a guitar - you're miking a guitar in a room" toni Visconti. John Fry, sound engineer for numerous Stax label releases by Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and Booker T & the Mgs, has been known to use small diaphragm condenser mics specifically the Neumann KM84. He also commonly used 2 micsplaced close together to minimise phase cancellation. His favourite combination was the SM57 and the KM84. Jim Scott, sound engineer for Red Hot Chilli Peppers Californication and By the Way, liked to pair the an SM57 with a Larger diaphragm condenser MD421. Using two mic although unusual can give  you incredibly different sounds and texture's depending on the mix of the two. Some engineers such as Al Schmitt, who recorded Ray Charles and George Benson, like to single mic the cab and place a mic 15-20 feet away usually a very good mic like  Neumann 67 or an M50 to capture the ambient room sound. Noticeable amount of Compression should be added and should try to emphasize the percussive chicken scratch sound.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/guitar-amp-recording
Mike senior, Sound on Sound, 08/07
]]> 2017-12-15 14:49:46 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216498735 Recording bass grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216553067 To get the best bass sound many engineers like to use  a DI and a miked up cab. Most engineers like to use dynamic mic's with a strong low end response and a peak around 3-4KHz to catch that attack like a n SM57 or an sennheiser MD421. A large diaphragm condenser or a mic designed for bass drums can be effective due to their flattering low end response and capacity to handle high SPLs. Positioning the mic further away from the middle of the cone will give you more warmth. Light compression suits this genre and should be applied.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/better-bass
Matt Houghton, Sound on Sound, 04/07 ]]> 2017-12-15 16:57:52 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216553067 Effects grimblecj https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216558707 You can use a number of effects on the Bass and  Guitar that are common in this genre. A Bass should have some type of tremolo or similar effect and an enveloper to give you that authentically funky wobble. Bootsy collins often used echo and was a key part in his bass solo's. For guitar, the same effects apply, but you also make use a delay, reverb and a wah, depending on the part or lick.
https://reverb.com/uk/news/the-essential-gear-of-parliament-slash-funkadelic
  06/01/17 by Christopher DeArcangelis (04/12/17)
]]> 2017-12-15 17:12:36 UTC https://padlet.com/grimblecj/cwx3hkzxalk8/wish/216558707