The Funkifier

Visit my website at www.lot2learn.com for midi files, backing tracks and solo transcriptions. PLEASE click the link below to listen in STEREO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prIZ7zPP1JQ&fmt=18 Here is a little number I cooked-up dedicated to the return of the esteemed Volvoxburger here on YT. The title reflects my respect for his total embodiment of the funkification factor. Be sure to check out his channel to observe his command over the Rhodes keyboard and assorted synth patches played on his controller keyboard. Everywhere he goes, he leaves a trail of funk in his wake. Hmm, maybe I didn't phrase that quite right, but you know what I mean. He has surely had an impact on me as I hope you can tell in this piece. The Breakdown: This is basically a blues. ;-) The first chord is an EbMaj7 played over an F in the bass which I actually think of as a C-9/F and some people probably call an F7sus. I like to add a root position F triad on the top as it adds the 9, 11 and 13 to the EbMaj7. The second chord is the same thing transposed up a minor third. Playing the role of the V chord in this blues progression is a sequence that goes B-7b5 to Bb7 to A-7 (sometimes adding b5 and sometimes substituting dominant 7th - A7) to D7#9 to G-7 (or G7) to Db7 to C7#9 then back to the top. I didn't really have a melody in mind, I just started the backing track and let 'er rip. Soloing: For the first chord, you'll notice I like to start many of my solo lines hovering around the B natural. This is the #11 relative to the F in the bass and is a great note to incorporate into all sorts of lines and enclosures. I will also use an F blues scale and also think in terms of using C dorian mode. Passing tones are usually based on 1/2 step above or below C dorian. For the second chord, same as the first. Here, the D Natural becomes our "note du jour". Eb dorian becomes the mode. For the last sequence of chords, the F blues scale works fine. I also like to use chord tones of each individual chord. Probably the most important ingredient to playing in this style is having the right feel. Stacatto notes, ghost notes and a good overall rhythmic feel are what gets this groove going and keeps it sustained. Production Notes: I started with a simple drum loop .wav file and then added a simple bass line using the "Fat Fingers" bass tone built-in to the Ensoniq TS-10 synthesizer. The TS-10 was also used to add some auxillary percussion. The Roland FP-4 digital piano is used as a midi controller keyboard with the Rhodes sound being produced by Lounge Lizard VSTi. There is nothing like "The Real Thing", but I do like the responsiveness of this emulator program. It just has nowhere near the dynamic range of a real Rhodes. The "lit-up digital keys" are provided by a program called MidiPiano Midi File Player/Recorder. I will try to add some annotations to the solo section for instructional purposes.