cheddatom Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 People go on about "on the one" because James Brown used to say it. Fair enough! But it occurs to me that a lot of funky music generally has "the one" on the off beat just before the first beat of the next bar. Is this still called "the one"? How can it be the one if it's not on the one? And how can you play on the one if the big beat is on the off beat before it? I'm so confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1484239906' post='3213896'] How can it be the one if it's not on the one?[/quote] You've answered your own question. "The one" is indeed the one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 This should it explain it all (or not)! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZU72A4[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) I'd kinda disagree when it comes to a lot of my fave funk riffs and lines. These strongly emphasise the One on the root note (or another strong chord tone) as an anchor.... ¦¦ BOM [rest] badada-dada-dada-dada ¦¦ BOM [rest] badada-dada-dada-dada ¦¦ BOM... etc etc If you get my drift. Or maybe that's just the type of funk that most tickles my ears Edited January 12, 2017 by TrevorR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 "There can be only [b]One[/b]..." The rest are accentuations on diferent times of the bar but the one is allways the one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Even the square root of one IS one. Maths don't lie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 And the award for pretentious quote of the week goes to- Music- not what it sounds like, what it feels like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Can you give an example of when it is on the off beat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) This track is a good example but maybe it's not "funk"? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9eED6Krl14[/media] Edited January 13, 2017 by cheddatom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Riffs and bass lines can go anywhere but the "one" is always on the one. JB's "one" was a sledgehammer. In some music the "one" can be implied and to the point where it disappears. The further down in the mix it's buried the less funky the number is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) this is more of a classic example (the first track off this album) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqFG_cfI-FI[/media] Surely that's funky as funk even though the one is not on the one? Edited January 13, 2017 by cheddatom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1484304830' post='3214470'] this is more of a classic example (the first track off this album) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqFG_cfI-FI[/media] Surely that's funky as funk even though the one is not on the one? [/quote] It would be the "one" if you think of this as a 8 bar. If you divide the bar in 4 then the off-beat is just a pull-up to the "one" but not the "one". I don't have enough english vocabulary knowlege to expand my thoughts further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I believe the OP is referring to the 'and' of the 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) In that example the root note at the start of each repetition (kick, bass and keys) is always on an off beat, and never on the first beat of a bar... unless I completely misunderstand rhythm? EDIT: Yes indeed JapanAxe Edited January 13, 2017 by cheddatom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1484307122' post='3214507'] I believe the OP is referring to the 'and' of the 4. [/quote] Or the last 16th note/semi quaver of beat four. Edited January 13, 2017 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 so is "The One" referring to the position of the note in the bar, or is it referring to the root note at the start of the repeating bassline? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) 'The One' can be any note, root, Ist/2nd Inversion etc... But it's dead on beat one of the bar, not two or three, or four for that matter. I thought It was as simple as that. Unless we are talking about some Reggae, or even Ska patterns....Where you can have a 'One Drop'.... Edited January 13, 2017 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1484311369' post='3214566'] so is "The One" referring to the position of the note in the bar, or is it referring to the root note at the start of the repeating bassline? [/quote] JB's "one" was hitting the first beat of the bar, which is what all his riffs did. As soon as you start getting creative with "the one" it can mean anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1484303892' post='3214459'] This track is a good example but maybe it's not "funk"? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9eED6Krl14[/media] [/quote] I was going to say something, but I retract my statement. I am rubbish at musical theory.... Are we sure this is in 4/4???? Might explain why the 1 feels out Edited January 13, 2017 by Damonjames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Sorry to drag this back up, I've been gigging all weekend ...so to conclude, if you subscribe to the theory that to be funky, everyone in the band needs to be "on the one", this means that all of your funk riffs must have a note on the first beat of the bar. The examples above are not funky in terms of JB's or Bootsy's definitions. Surely if these greats would not describe the above as funky, then they can't be? In which case, what is this kind of music which sounds like funk but isn't on the one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Funk was a very simple and effective music when it started, so simple that a rule like "the one" was enlightening and worked. Funk has evolved and developed in the last 50 years in so many ways it now looks completely different to it's ancestors. So while "the one" is still part of the grammar of Funk it isn't a "rule" or literal description any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1484314613' post='3214596'] I was going to say something, but I retract my statement. I am rubbish at musical theory.... Are we sure this is in 4/4???? Might explain why the 1 feels out [/quote] It sounds like it is in 4/4 to me (during the head, snare is playing on two and on four). Just that the first beat of the bar (One) is anticipated/pushed, with the last 16th/semi quaver of beat four of the previous bar. My take on it, anyway. Edited January 16, 2017 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 That's how clever and inventive Funk has become. You can have a whole number where no one hits "the one" at all. Intertwine enough riffs with different accents and emphasises and the 1, 2, 3 and 4 can all disappear. That video is in 4/4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 99% of my funky ideas don't feature "the one" and when I realised this after watching JB and Bootsy talk about it, I started to question whether my ideas were actually funky at all. I guess the whole idea of "the one" is pretty specific to those people and there's no need to take it so seriously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1484566197' post='3216311'] 99% of my funky ideas don't feature "the one" and when I realised this after watching JB and Bootsy talk about it, I started to question whether my ideas were actually funky at all. I guess the whole idea of "the one" is pretty specific to those people and there's no need to take it so seriously [/quote] Nothing to question really, from your point of view. Although James Brown is associated with a lot of (downbeat) 'One' on every bar (his sort of funk trademark) it's not definitive. Funk music has a lot of syncopation (or can have), 'One' is just the anchor point, after a one bar/two bar phrase/riff/motif etc. (all IMHO of course). Certain Latin/Cuban styles don't sit well with straight/rock players, because of the heavy, natural syncopation and lack of a strong 'One' The middle of this (03:00) is a great example. (Some terrific Bass playing). [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNO7AduUp-8&index=4&list=PLTgVuOBoqUH4MAROq_4U1-rXo-9UcNnNj[/media] Edited January 16, 2017 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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