Moonburn Funk Tutorial
In this lesson we will explore Jon’s composition “Moonburn” and arrange the tune in the key of C. When playing this tune, we play the piano in the same way that we would play a clavinet in a funk band.
The Arrangement
The triplets in the arrangement creates a motif that resembles the role of the drummer in a funk band. This is an important aspect of the groove.
An interesting harmonic point is that the descending chords in the bridge all contain the note ‘C’ in the voicings:
- C7sus4 / C7 / Bb7sus4 / Am7b5 / Ab13 / G7sus4 / Gb7#11 / F7
Study the associated download for the breakdown of the exact voicings used.
Lesson Downloads
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Moonburn Funk Arrangement File Type: pdf -
Moonburn Bridge Harmony File Type: pdf
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MoonBurn – Audio File File Type: mp3
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MoonBurn – Midi File File Type: midi
Related Lessons
We explore how we can break up the 4 beats of a bar, place accents on the weaker beats, and introduce dissonance into our chord voicings.
In this lesson we will shift the focus onto our left hand and explore some useful left hand patterns, mainly focusing on the shuffle feel.
The left-hand is the bass player and drummer in a band, both rolled into one. It keeps the beat, it plays the bass line, and it establishes the groove.
Practice Tips
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The percussive style of the left hand is an essential element of the funk groove.
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Emulate Jon's accents and articulation to achieve the funky vibe.
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The full arrangement can be found in the download section above along with a breakdown of the voicings used in the bridge.
Thanks so much for this lesson 🙂