Funk strumming pattern
Funk guitar strumming is played in sixteenth notes: the hand goes down and up four times per beat without stopping, the strings are muted by the fretting hand most of the time (the "x", a dry, percussive scratch) and the chord rings only on a few strums. In this pattern the chord rings on 1, on the last sixteenth of 1, and on the 2nd and 4th sixteenths of 3; the loudest muted strums fall on 2 and 4, like the snare drum.
Now Em7 Next A7
4/4- downstroke
- upstroke
- > accent (louder)
- muted strum: a dry, percussive sound
The whole pattern, with the accents.
Space bar: play/stop
The pattern as a table
| Beat | 1 | e | & | a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ↓, accent | ↑ muted | ↓ muted | ↑ |
| 2 | ↓ muted, accent | ↑ muted | ↓ muted | ↑ muted |
| 3 | ↓ muted | ↑, accent | ↓ muted | ↑ |
| 4 | ↓ muted, accent | ↑ muted | ↓ muted | ↑ muted |
How to play it
- Muting means resting the fretting fingers on the strings without pressing: the strum becomes a "chk" with no pitch.
- The strumming hand never stops: down on the 1st and 3rd sixteenth of each beat, up on the 2nd and 4th. Only the fretting hand changes, pressing (it rings) or releasing (it mutes).
- Keep chords short: after they ring, release the pressure right away.
- Small chords on the top strings (Em7, A7, E9) sound the most funky.
Common mistakes
- Stopping the strumming hand on the muted strums: the next chord lands in the wrong place.
- Strumming too wide: in funk the motion is short, from the wrist.
Play along
Frequently asked questions
What is a muted strum (x)?
A strum with the strings muted: the fretting hand rests on them without pressing and you get a dry sound with no pitch. In funk it keeps the sixteenth-note motion going and marks the rhythm like a percussion part.
Does this work on acoustic guitar?
Yes. It is a classic electric-guitar sound (funk and disco), but on an acoustic, with short strums and good muting, it works too.