Funk Pattern 11-15

Learn how to play 16th note rhythms!

The final rhythm exercises are definitely not as easy as they look!

Expect to spend some time on these before they start to sound natural and can achieve high BPM settings.

The combination of different rhythms here is pretty complicated and should be a good indication of where you should take this, should you want to write some exercises yourself.

This type of stuff is not supposed to be musical, it’s an exercise, not a performance.

As well as combining lots of 16th note clusters we also get one cross rhythm.

Cross rhythms and odd grouping

The final funk pattern use a grouping of three:

Play a 16th, wait two 16th, loop this formula.

The consequence of such a pattern is that we get the feeling of moving across the beat, hence the term “cross rhythm”.

To further get yourself into this concept; try grouping 16ths in five and seven as well.

Taken to its extreme, rhythmical grouping becomes a new tempo.
In Jazz this is exploited a lot, sometimes even disguised as a secondary tempo.

The aspiring jazz guitarist should practice feeling these different rhythmical groupings as “secondary tempos”.

Learn more about rhythm in Rhythm Guitar.