Funk Rhythm Guitar - Master the Groove

The Funk Foundation: 16th Notes

Funk guitar lives in 16th notes. Your strumming hand moves in constant down-up-down-up motion, 4 strums per beat. The groove comes from which strums you accent and which you mute.

16th note strumming:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
D u D u D u D u D u D u D u D u

Basic funk pattern:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
x . x . D . x u . u x . D . x u
(x = muted strum, D/u = chord hit, . = ghost)

Chicken Scratch Technique

Lay your fretting fingers lightly across the strings — enough to touch but not fret. Strum and you get a percussive "chk." Alternate between fully fretted and muted strums for the classic funk texture.

Essential Funk Chords

E9:    020102    (Nile Rodgers favorite)
A9:    x02423    
G7:    320001
C9:    x3233x
Dm7:   xx0211

Funk loves 9th and 7th chords — they cut
through the mix better than triads.

Next Steps

Perfect your timing with a metronome and explore extended chords for richer funk voicings.