How to Make Future Funk Music

What is future funk music? It’s a style of electronic music that draws inspiration from the sounds of 1970s and 1980s funk and disco. If you’re looking to make some future funk of your own, here’s a quick guide on how to get started.

What is Future Funk?

Future funk is a genre of electronic music that draws inspiration from the history of disco, funk, and synth-pop. The genre often has a nostalgic or retro feeling, and often uses elements of those genres such as funky basslines, disco drums, and synthesizers.

Future funk often incorporates aspects of other genres as well, such as house music, EDM, or even trap. The goal of future funk is to create a feel-good sound that makes people want to dance.

If you’re interested in making future funk music yourself, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind. First, it’s important to use high-quality samples. Future funk relies heavily on samples, so using lower-quality samples will make your track sound cheap and unimaginative.

Second, make sure your drums are tight. Future funk is all about the groove, so your drums need to be punchy and on point.

Finally, don’t forget the melodies! Future funk tracks often have catchy melodies that are easy to remember and sing along to. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be on your way to making great future funk tunes!

The History of Future Funk

Future funk is a genre of electronic music that was popularized in the late 2010s. The genre is characterized by its use of vintage synthesizers and drum machines, often with a lo-fi aesthetic. It often employs samples from 1970s and 1980s funk, disco, and electro records.

1970s: The Birth of Funk

The origins of funk can be traced back to the mid-1960s with James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone, two artists who created a new style of music by blending elements of soul, R&B, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. In the 1970s, Funkadelic and Parliament took this sound even further with their innovative and eccentric brand of funk. These groups would go on to influence generations of musicians and lay the foundation for the future funk genre.

The 1970s were also a golden era for disco music, which emerged from the underground club scene and went on to dominate pop culture. Although disco would eventually fall out of favor, its catchy melodies and beats would prove to be a major influence on future funk.

1980s: The Rise of Hip-Hop

In the early 1980s, hip-hop music began to emerge as a new genre, with artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash creating tracks that incorporated elements of disco, funk, and electronic music. This new style of music became extremely popular in clubs and on the radio, and soon began to influence other genres as well.

By the mid-1980s, hip-hop had become one of the most popular genres in the world, with artists like Run DMC, Public Enemy, and N.W.A. helping to cement its place in the musical landscape. As the genre continued to evolve, it began to incorporate more and more elements of funk and R&B, resulting in the creation of what is now known as “funk-influenced hip-hop” or “future funk.”

Future funk is characterized by its heavy use of sampling (taking snippets of existing songs and repurposing them into new tracks), synthesizers, and drum machines; as well as its focus on creating a groove-based sound rather than relying on lyrics or vocals. This new style of music quickly gained popularity in the underground club scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with DJs and producers like Robin S., Armand van Helden, Strictly Rhythm records, MAW Records, Masters at Work all helping to shape the sound.

1990s: The Golden Age of Funk

The 1990s were the golden age of funk music. During this decade, many artists began to experiment with the genre, and the results were often stunning. Notable examples of this experimental funk include J Dilla’s “Donuts” (2006), which featured heavily process drum samples and off-kilter rhythms; Flying Lotus’ “Cosmogramma” (2010), which was heavily influenced by electronic music; and Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015), which saw the rapper incorporating elements of jazz and funk into his music.

2000s: The Revival of Funk

The early 2000s saw a renewed interest in funk music, with bands such as Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, and
Outkast incorporating elements of the genre into their own music. This resurgence was spearheaded by the
release of Daft Punk’s 2001 album Discovery, which featured the hit single “One More Time.” Other artists
who contributed to the revival of funk include Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, and Beyonce.

The 2010s have continued to see the popularity of funk music grow, with artists like Chance the Rapper, Anderson .Paak, and Childish Gambino incorporating the genre into their own unique styles. As funk music continues to evolve, it remains one of the most electrifying and body-moving genres of popular music.

The Elements of Future Funk

Future funk is a subgenre of funk music that emphasizes a laid-back, hypnotic groove and often draws influence from disco and electronic music. The genre often features playful melodies, synth-heavy production, and vocoder-processed vocals. If you’re interested in learning how to make future funk music, there are a few key elements you’ll need to keep in mind.

Funkadelic Basslines

In funk music, the bassline is often the star of the show. The bass player gets to lay down a groove that the whole band can groove along to, and the audience can’t help but move their feet.

Future funk basslines often follow a similar pattern, with a repeated figure that plays throughout the song. This figure is usually pretty simple, consisting of just a few notes. But don’t let the simplicity fool you – it takes a lot of skill to make a bassline that grooves hard and doesn’t get boring.

The key to nailing a future funk bassline is to keep it funky. One way to do this is to use slide guitar techniques on your bass guitar. This will give your sound a “slippery” quality that is essential for future funk. Another way to add funkiness to your bassline is to use note bends and vibrato. These techniques will make your bassline sound more alive and organic.

If you’re new to playing funk basslines, start by practicing some of the classic grooves from songs like “Brick House” by The Commodores or “ Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)” by Parliament/Funkadelic. Once you’ve got these grooves down, you can start experimenting with your own ideas.

Jazzy Chords

Chords are an important element of future funk, and there are a few ways to make them sound jazzy. One way is to add 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths to your chords. These are called “extensions” and they add a lot of color to your chords. For example, a C9 chord would be C-E-G-Bb-D. Adding these extensions will make your chords sound more complex and interesting.

Another way to make your chords sound jazzy is to add “altered” notes. These are notes that are not in the original scale of the chord, but they sound good when added in. For example, you could add a b9 (Bb) to a C chord, or an Eb (the 3rd of an Eb chord) to a D chord. These altered notes will add tension to your chords and make them sound more jazzy.

Funky Drum Beats

Creating a funky drum beat is all about getting the right groove. The best way to do this is to start with a simple drum loop and then add in some variation with different fills and other rhythms. For example, you might start with a basic 4/4 beat and then add in a fill every other measure. You could also change up the hi-hat pattern or add in some syncopated rhythms. Just make sure that everything still feels tight and groove-oriented.

Soulful Vocals

Future funk typically contains soulful vocals, often in the form of sampled or looped phrases. These phrases are often repeated throughout the song, and may be accompanied by additional instrumentation or effects to create a hypnotic, trance-like effect. The vocals may be placed in the foreground or background of the mix, and may be layered with multiple tracks to create a rich, full sound.

How to Make Future Funk Music

Future funk is a subgenre of funk music that typically has a faster tempo and synthesizer-heavy sound. It often has elements of electronic music and nu-disco. If you’re interested in making future funk music, there are a few things you’ll need to do. In this article, we’ll go over how to make future funk music.

Step 1: Choose Your Instrument

In order to make future funk music, you will need to choose the right instrument. The most popular choice is the keytar, which is a type of keyboard that can be worn around your neck like a guitar. Other popular instruments include synth bass, drums, and saxophone.

Step 2: Find the Right Samples

The key to making future funk music is to find the right samples. You can find plenty of samples online or even create your own by recording sounds from your everyday life. Once you have a collection of samples, you can start to create your own unique sound.

Step 3:Create a Beat

Creating a beat is essential for any future funk song. You can use a drum machine or even create your own beats with a keyboard or other instrument. Once you have a basic beat, you can start to add in other elements such as synth bass and melodies.

Step 4: Add Your Own Style

The best way to make your future funk song unique is to add your own style. This could be anything from adding in vocal samples to creating original melodies. Be creative and experiment until you find something that sounds great!

Step 2: Find Your Groove

Now that you have your equipment, it’s time to get down to the business of making some music! In order to make future funk, you’ll need to start by finding your groove. This means finding a beat that you can work with and building up from there.

There are a few different ways that you can go about finding a groove. You can either create your own beat or sample one from another song. If you’re samples, be sure to choose something that has a similar vibe to the type of future funk music that you want to make.

Once you have your beat, it’s time to start layering in some instrumentation. Future funk is all about creating catchy melodies, so try to come up with something that will stick in the listener’s head. A good place to start is by using a synthesizer or keyboard to play some simple chords.

As you add more and more elements to your track, be sure to keep an ear out for how everything is sounding as a whole. You may need to go back and adjust some of the elements that you’ve already added in order to make everything fit together nicely.

Step 3: Layer Your Sounds

Now that you have your drums and chords, it’s time to start layering your sounds. This is where you can really start to get creative and make your track your own.

One of the most important things to remember when layering sounds is not to overdo it. Too many elements can make a track sound cluttered and messy. Start with a few basic layers and then add more as needed.

A common mistake that producers make is using too many different types of sounds. This can make a track sound unfocused and all over the place. Try to stick to similar sounding instruments and avoid using more than two or three different types of sounds in any one section of your track.

As you layer your sounds, pay attention to the overall balance of your track. Make sure that the drums are sitting nicely in the mix and that the chords are not overpowering the other elements. A good rule of thumb is to keep the drums at around -10dB and the other elements at around -6dB.

When you’re happy with your layers, it’s time to move on to step four…

Step 4: Add Some Soul

Now that you have your basic track laid down, it’s time to add some soul. Future funk is all about the groove, so make sure your track has a solid backbeat. To add some extra flavor, try adding in some live instrumentation. Trumpets, saxophones, and guitars all work great in future funk tracks. If you’re not a musician yourself, don’t worry – there are plenty of great samples out there that you can use to give your track that organic feel.

Once you’ve got your groove laid down, it’s time to start adding in some melodic elements. Synthesizers are a key component of future funk, so be sure to experiment with different sounds and find what works best for your track. Lead melodies should be catchy and memorable – think ’80s pop music meets modern electronic production. As always, don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment – that’s half the fun of making future funk!