Funky Syncopation drum pattern
The starter 16th-note funk template: a syncopated kick, a firm 2 and 4 and shaded ghost notes under a one-handed 16th hat. It is not one record's part; the listening references use the same ingredients. Press Play to hear it with a sampled drum kit at 96 BPM, change the tempo or swing, and follow every hit on the grid.
How to count the Funky Syncopation
Count it as: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a. The pattern is one bar of 4/4 (16th-note grid).
The Funky Syncopation pattern, hit by hit
Each character is one step of the grid and each group is one beat. X is an accented hit, x a normal hit, o a quiet or ghost note and - a rest.
| Voice | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Kick | X--x ---x --x- -x-- |
| Snare | ---- X--- ---- X--- |
| Ghost snare | --o- --o- -o-o ---o |
| Closed hat | xooo xooo xooo xooo |
Tempo and feel
Tight and low. The ghost notes decorate the backbeat rather than compete with it; the one on the a of 3 speaks a little more to lead into beat 4. The default tempo is 96 BPM. It plays with 53% swing by default; move the Swing control toward 50% to hear it straight. Slow it down until every hit is controlled, then raise the tempo a few BPM at a time.
How to practise the Funky Syncopation
Loop the kick alone. Add ghost notes below the hats, a touch stronger on the a of 3 and the a of 4. Make beats 2 and 4 unmistakable.
Variations to try next
Accent offbeat hats. Leave beat 1 empty. Move the final kick one sixteenth later.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include Average White Band - Pick Up the Pieces (Robbie McIntosh) and Herbie Hancock - Chameleon (Harvey Mason). This is a style study written for practice, not a transcription of any one recording.