How to Play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on Piano
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Looking to add some funk to your piano playing? Look no further than “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars! This catchy tune is perfect for getting your toes tapping, and we’ll show you how to play it in this blog post.
Introduction
“Uptown Funk” is a song by American recording artist Bruno Mars from his 2014 studio album, Unorthodocs. The song was written by Mars, Jeffrey Bhasker, Phillip Lawrence, Lonnie Simmons, Nicholas Williams, and Mark Ronson. “Uptown Funk” was produced by Ronson and Bhasker. The song features American singer-songwriter Claudia Leitte as a guest vocalist. It interpolates parts of both “Dat New New” (2003) and “Hold Up wait a Minute (Woo Woo)” (2005) by Baltimore-based musician Lonnie Liston Smith Jr.
The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number two on the chart dated November 15, 2014 and spent fourteen consecutive weeks atop the chart, becoming both Mars’ and Ronson’s first number-one single on the chart as a solo artist and as part of a collaboration respectively. It also spent seven weeks atop the UK Singles Chart becoming both Mars’ and Ronson’s most successful single in the country as well as surpassing Smith’s original track to become the longest-running number one by an act featuring a British male lead. The music video for “Uptown Funk” was directed by Bruno Mars and unveiled on November 17, 2014. It has accumulated over 2 billion views on YouTube since its release. The song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 58th ceremony held on February 15, 2016.
“Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars
“Uptown Funk” is a song by Bruno Mars. It was released on November 10, 2014. The song was written by Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, and Mark Ronson. It was produced by Ronson and Jeff Bhasker. The song is four minutes and thirty-one seconds long.
The song’s history
“Uptown Funk” is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his 2014 studio album, Uptown Special. It features American rapper Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Jeffrey Bhasker, and its producer Christopher “Brody” Brown. “Uptown Funk” was released as the album’s lead single on November 10, 2014 through Atlantic Records and Elektra Records. Lyrically, the song is about partying and celebrating. Upon its release, “Uptown Funk” met with critical acclaim from music critics and was a commercial success. The song peaked at number one in several countries, including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the US, it became Mars’ second solo single to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after “Just the Way You Are”, making him only the second male artist to achieve this feat since Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine did so with Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger”. Globally, it was 2015’s seventh best-selling single with combined sales and track-equivalent streams of 14 million units according to IFPI; as of 2019 it has sold over 16 million copies worldwide according to Billboard year end chart.
The song won two Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2016 , “Uptown Funk” won two more awards; Best Pop Vocal Album for Uptown Special and Bestengineered Album (Non-Classical), becoming Mars’ fourth Grammy in total.
The song’s composition
“Uptown Funk” is an upbeat synth-funk song composed in the key of D♭ minor with a time signature of common time and a tempo of 115 beats per minute. The song’s lyrics cover the theme of as GQ says, “a party anthem about an unstoppable force of slickness.” The song begins with a cowbell intro and features a prominent horn section. There is also a breakdown after the second chorus.
Musically, “Uptown Funk” has been noted for its resemblance to ’80s boogie, new jack swing, and contemporary R&B. Bruno Mars told Mark Ronson during an interview for Rolling Stone that he was inspired by records from Mars’ childhood such as Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce” (1980), The Gap Band’s “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (1982), and Morris Day and The Time’s “The Bird” (1984).
How to play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano
“Uptown Funk” is a catchy tune by Bruno Mars that is sure to get you moving. This song is perfect for beginners to learn on the piano. In this article, we will go over the chords, melody, and rhythm of the song.
Step-by-step instructions
Welcome to this tutorial on how to play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano. This song is in the key of C minor, and has a groove that is sure to get your toes tapping!
We’ll start by learning the main melody of the song. This melody is fairly simple, and only uses a few notes. We’ll then add some left-hand accompaniment to fill out the sound.
Next, we’ll learn the bridge section of the song. This section features some chords that are a bit more challenging, but don’t worry, we’ll take them one at a time.
Finally, we’ll put everything together and play the whole song. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to impress your friends and family with your renditions of “Uptown Funk”!
Tips and tricks
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, learning how to play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano is a great way to improve your skills. By using some simple tips and tricks, you can quickly learn the basic melody and chords of this popular song.
One of the best ways to learn a new song is to find a tutorial or lesson online. There are many great resources available that can help you learn the basics of playing piano. Once you have a good understanding of the basic chords and melodies, you can begin to add your own personal touches to the song.
Another great way to learn how to play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano is to listen to the song as often as possible. As you listen, try to identify the different parts of the song and what keys they are played in. Once you have a good understanding of the melody, you can begin to experiment with different rhythms and chord progressions.
By taking some time to practice and learn the basic concepts, you’ll be able to master “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano in no time!
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to play “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars on piano. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the music. Don’t worry if you make a few mistakes along the way, everyone does. Just keep practicing and you’ll be playing like a pro in no time.
