give me feedback on my funk

You know, I dig your enthusiasm about playing the drums. And yeah, keeping a consistent tempo should be at the top of your list of things to do, as well as building up your coordination/chops a bit more, but really, that will come along in time. It's very cool that you have the advantage of video to see how you're doing and what you sound like - I didn't have that as a kid starting out. I'm assuming you know you don't sound like Keith Carlock or Dennis Chambers, but the fact that you're working on it is good - so don't stop that!

I'm assuming you're listening to the right players too, so if you know what you're aiming for, I'm not gonna beat you over the head about that, either. All I can really stress is the time thing - if you have a Dr. Beat or a drum machine that you can play along with, then you know you're playing in time. Maybe for now, go for simpler things to play, but do it in time.

I remember when Dave Weckl came out with his Contemporary Drummer + 1 book, I thought alot of that stuff was too hard. He later came out with a simpler book, and I used it on a few students, and they dug it! Back to basics playing in time - that's the name of the game. You're on the road - just avoid the potholes and you should be good. Have you found a teacher yet?
 
Great enthusiasm, & that's a good thing, but also something that encourages you to take on too much at once. The ideas are all there, but masked by timing & composition errors. Funk is all about groove, sorry, grooooove. Probably the most groove dependant genre of all, and groove requires timing that's right on the money.

Greatly simplify your exercises, & work to a metronome. Strip your playing right down & start off really slow, & I mean really slow. Playing ultra slow to a metronome is much more difficult than playing up to speed. It hones your grasp of micro timing, & allows you to concentrate on playing the spaces. Take the money beat & gradually introduce little accents. A slight change in backbeat, a slight change in kick placement, etc, will all help you feel that groove and allow you to get real flavour into your playing. Do all of this to a metronome, & record yourself frequently. Progress is not measured by "can I do this beat, or that fill", it's measured by pocket, that indescribable feel of something being just right.

For 7 months of playing, you're doing well enough, but I'm a bit concerned that you'll get into the habit of progressing your repertoire ahead of the basics. That will do you no favours. Lose most of the kit, set up just snare, kick, hats, ride & crash, then start again as above. Give that timing training a month or two, metronome, slow right down, strip right down, no fills, then post back here and feel the difference. Good luck.
 
You know, I dig your enthusiasm about playing the drums. And yeah, keeping a consistent tempo should be at the top of your list of things to do, as well as building up your coordination/chops a bit more, but really, that will come along in time. It's very cool that you have the advantage of video to see how you're doing and what you sound like - I didn't have that as a kid starting out. I'm assuming you know you don't sound like Keith Carlock or Dennis Chambers, but the fact that you're working on it is good - so don't stop that!

I'm assuming you're listening to the right players too, so if you know what you're aiming for, I'm not gonna beat you over the head about that, either. All I can really stress is the time thing - if you have a Dr. Beat or a drum machine that you can play along with, then you know you're playing in time. Maybe for now, go for simpler things to play, but do it in time.

I remember when Dave Weckl came out with his Contemporary Drummer + 1 book, I thought alot of that stuff was too hard. He later came out with a simpler book, and I used it on a few students, and they dug it! Back to basics playing in time - that's the name of the game. You're on the road - just avoid the potholes and you should be good. Have you found a teacher yet?

Yes, I have a teacher and right now I'm just trying to spend hours on my basic chops but once in a while I like to test myself with something like doing a video so I can hear multiple opinions on what needs improvement. At this point I really want to get a metronome and just be very picky with my timing. Thanks again for the feedback.

Jordan
 
Have you ever heard of playing in the pocket? Yeah. Do that.

Look up other funk drummers, it'll help you understand how they get into it. I'd like to see you dig into any of the grooves you did, instead of just laying on the beat.
 
Yes, I have a teacher and right now I'm ...... At this point I really want to get a metronome and just be very picky with my timing. Thanks again for the feedback.

Jordan

I have 4 metronomes - best one for the money > PW-CT-05 Deluxe Metronome Tuner by Planet Waves, That should help with your timing. Learn to play with the beat and against the beat (in between the beat)

Make sure you spend your time getting back to your main beat/groove. In funk your main beat without the fills and grooves need to be there and be SOLID.

It might be boring to you - but play the same beat over and over until it is second nature to you. Then you can slip in your funk style - without loosing your center rhythm.
 
I think you could lock in to the feel easier if you took away some of the "detail" - the hi-hat rolls etc & just tried to get the most basic groove to swing. I do believe that you need to be able to play a Jazz / Swing beat to understand a Funk beat since it uses the same swung feel - or dotted 8th/16th if you prefer.

But, it's very early days for you by the sounds of it. You only just started! Good luck.
 
Back
Top