Best Scales for Funk Music
Contents
Find the perfect scale for your funk music by trying out different options and seeing which one works best for you. There are many different scales to choose from, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
Introduction
When it comes to learning funk guitar, one of the most important concepts to understand are scales. Without scales, you’ll never be able to create the catchy licks and riffs that make funk so fun to listen to.
There are many different types of scales, and each one has its own unique sound. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best scales for funk guitar. We’ll also provide you with some licks and riffs that you can use to start incorporating these scales into your playing.
So, grab your guitar and let’s get started!
The Best Scales for Funk Music
Funk music is a genre that is known for its groove and feeling. When playing funk music, it is important to use the right scales to get that funky sound. In this article, we will be discussing the best scales for funk music.
The Major Scale
The major scale is the foundation of western tonal music, so it should be no surprise that it’s funk-friendly. In fact, just about any tune built on a major scale will have a natural funk groove to it. The blues scale is a minor variation on the major scale that’s also popular in funk music. To get a feel for these scales, try playing along with some of your favorite funk tunes.
The Major Scale
The major scale is the foundation of western tonal music, so it should be no surprise that it’s funk-friendly. In fact, just about any tune built on a major scale will have a natural funk groove to it. The blues scale is a minor variation on the major scale that’s also popular in funk music. To get a feel for these scales, try playing along with some of your favorite funk tunes.
The Minor Scale
The minor scale is another common choice for funk tunes. Like the major scale, the minor scale can be used for just about any type of song. However, the minor scale has a slightly different feel than themajor scale, and it’s this quality that makes it ideal for funkier tunes.
The Minor Scale
There are many different scales that can be used for funk music, but the minor scale is by far the most popular. This is because the minor scale has a very funky sound that is perfect for this genre of music. The minor scale is also very easy to learn and play, which makes it perfect for beginner funk musicians.
The Blues Scale
The blues scale is a great choice for funk music, as it has a lot of soul and feeling. This scale can be used over minor or major chords, and gives a great deal of flexibility to your playing. It’s also perfect for adding some spice to your licks and solos.
The Pentatonic Scale
The pentatonic scale is one of the most popular scales in funk music. It is a five-note scale that can be used to create a variety of grooves and licks. The pentatonic scale is a great choice for funk guitarists because it is easy to learn and it sounds good over a variety of chord progressions.
The Mixolydian Scale
The Mixolydian scale is a key ingredient in the sound of funk music. This scale is most commonly used in the context of blues-based improvisation, but it can be used in other styles as well.
The Mixolydian scale is a seven-note scale that has a minor seventh interval (b7). This gives the scale a bluesy sound, which is perfect for funk. The b7 interval also gives the scale a bit of an edge, which can be perfect for funk music that has a bit of an attitude.
The Mixolydian scale can be played over major 7th chords, dominant 7th chords, and even minor 7th chords. This makes it a very versatile scale for funk guitarists.
Here are some tips for using the Mixolydian scale in your funk guitar playing:
-When soloing over a major 7th chord, use the Mixolydian mode.
-When soloing over a dominant 7th chord, use the Mixolydian mode with a b9 interval (i.e., play the 9th fret instead of the 8th fret).
-When soloing over a minor 7th chord, use the Dorian mode (i.e., play the 2nd mode of the Mixolydian scale).
Conclusion
So there it is – our pick of the best scales for funk music. Of course, there are many other scales that could have made this list, but we believe that these 10 represent the most essential for any funk bass player. We’ve also included a bonus scale at the end which, although not strictly speaking a funk scale, is often used in funk bass lines.
The important thing is to experiment with all of these scales and find the ones that work best for you and your playing style. And don’t forget – you don’t always have to play ‘funk’ scales to sound funky! Sometimes the simplest of major or minor scales can be used to create some truly groovy bass lines.
