The struggle of Gps learning music and sheetmusic

[Gps]

Trying to do some Funk, I hooked up my midi controller and tried to play some melody off beat.

I lowered the bpm so at least I could keep up. ( Because I cant really play, but that does not stop me )

Then something funny happened. I managed to start right, off beat, but every time I hit another key, I returned to be being on the beat.

It seems for me so much easier to do something on my midi controller, vs figuring out were to click with my mouse, but I definitely need more practice in staying of beat when using more then one key.

Funny how my mind seems programmed to playing on the beat.

[Gps]

Question time, about Disco, syncpation and the statement from that Funk documentary.

Disco is not syncopated. Although I understand what they mean, it also confuses me.

Jimmy Bo Horn - Dance Across The Floor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKPGHK7u084

Now is this disco or not ? I would bet quite a lot on this being disco.

But I am also 99% sure there is syncopation in this ?

At least the organ in the background and that bassline.
I also wonder if this is 4 to the floor? Does not sound like it to me.

I am asking this mostly to test if I finally understand syncopation.

[Gps]

After thinking about it for two days, and constantly in my mind seeing that one black dude saying disco is 4 to the floor ( in the Funk doc ), I think I can answer my own question.

Jimmy Bo Horn - Dance across the floor has syncopation, but its disco because its 4 to the floor ?

When that person in the documentary says disco is 4 to the floor, he is talking about the drums I should not confuse this with every other instrument.

[brandystarbrite]

I noticed that in funk music, they play the trumpet kinda different. I don't know how to explain it. He! He!

[slipstick]

When that person in the documentary says disco is 4 to the floor, he is talking about the drums I should not confuse this with every other instrument.

Four to (or on) the floor, which applies to a lot of electronic dance genres too, is a very specific term. It means the kick/bass drum hits on every beat. I.e. the drum foot pedal goes to the floor 4 times in every bar/measure. Easier to understand if you know where it comes from .

Steve

[musikbear]

Disco is not syncopated. Although I understand what they mean,

i would think that the statement was for one specific 'disco' track, because 'disco' as a genre has a lot of syncopated famous tracks
Cool& the Gang come to mind emediately ..
But 'disco' just meant music played in dance-pallors in the 70'->
disco is just as versatile and confusing as EDM is now :p
And Steve nailed that 4tothefloor ;D

But do not ponder over 'syncopated'
syncopation is definitively not invented for EDM, Bach uses it in organ fugue :p It is nothing but interesting rhythm studders in note-placement

[Gps]

@ Sliptstick, Thank you, and yes now it should be easy to remember. Funny to hear were that term comes from.

@musicbear, also thank you. I thought I understood syncopation after slip stick and you explaining it to me, but then that Funk documentary statement confused the hell out of me.

Now I am 100% sure, I understand syncopation.

[Gps]

I noticed that in funk music, they play the trumpet kinda different. I don't know how to explain it. He! He!

Its one of the element of why I like Funk.

[slipstick]

Funk tends to use the brass section, trumpets, trombones, saxes etc, for short hits and stabs rather than long melodies. Lots of long gaps between phrases.

And of course the funk bass sound (thumb slap/finger pop, something I never really got the hang of ) is really distinctive and always heavily syncopated.

Steve

[Gps]

This reminds me of that guy from Deep Purple, about how to play the prob world most famous rock rift (smoke on the water)

I hear a lot of people not doing it 100% right.

Then I found this vid of Richie Blackmore explaining why, but he totally looses me about those ridged 4th ? Is that what he is saying ?

I hear a difference but does somebody know a good site which explains what he is talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzJJgSls5-U

Later on the vid how he came up with the idea, but that has already been discusses on these boards.
For the newer members, smoke on the water rift is an Beethoven 5th inversion.