I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

gandorb said:

I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

I doubt that oneone has ever made the FUNK face listening 2 R&B.

Gooddoctor23 said:

gandorb said:

I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

I doubt that oneone has ever made the FUNK face listening 2 R&B.

"Bop Gun" vs "Lovesign"

TrivialPursuit said:

"Bop Gun" vs "Lovesign"

If they knew these two songs and the distinction between them, then I wouldn't have any explaining to do .

gandorb said:

TrivialPursuit said:

"Bop Gun" vs "Lovesign"

If they knew these two songs and the distinction between them, then I wouldn't have any explaining to do .

Then maybe play them for your friends?

gandorb said:

TrivialPursuit said:

"Bop Gun" vs "Lovesign"

If they knew these two songs and the distinction between them, then I wouldn't have any explaining to do .

Hmm..I think those are both funky.

DonRants said:

gandorb said:

If they knew these two songs and the distinction between them, then I wouldn't have any explaining to do .

Hmm..I think those are both funky.

But the question is what's the difference between R&B and funk. Not "what is funky?'

"Lovesign" ain't funk music. It's funky, but it's straight ahead R&B with some quasi-hiphop thrown in.

"Bop Gun" is by the guy who all but invented the funk genre as we know it.

[Edited 7/8/22 16:21pm]

TrivialPursuit said:

DonRants said:

Hmm..I think those are both funky.

But the question is what's the difference between R&B and funk. Not "what is funky?'

"Lovesign" ain't funky music. It's funky, but it's straight ahead R&B with some quasi-hiphop thrown in.

"Bop Gun" is by the guy who all but invented the funk genre as we know it.

Gotcha.

gandorb said:

I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

I usually explain it like, R&B is polished bass groves embedded in steady drum patterns with a soloist or group crooning and harminizing on top. soulful and structured.

Funk however, is a dirtier, unpolished version of R&B where all the instrumentation is subject to chage at a whim, be unstrctured and the vocals could be screaming, whispering, straight singing but mostly a combination. Funk music is soulfully nstructured and dirtier in sound.

johnnieb said:

gandorb said:

I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

I usually explain it like, R&B is polished bass groves embedded in steady drum patterns with a soloist or group crooning and harminizing on top. soulful and structured.

Funk however, is a dirtier, unpolished version of R&B where all the instrumentation is subject to chage at a whim, be unstrctured and the vocals could be screaming, whispering, straight singing but mostly a combination. Funk music is soulfully nstructured and dirtier in sound.

Yes, nice response!

johnnieb said:

gandorb said:

I sometimes try to convey to family and friends that part of the reason why I like Prince so much is because a lot of his music is so funky. They kind of look at me with blank stares, as I don't articulate well with this really means. There may be musical explanations, but how would you differentiate funk from traditional soul/ R & B music in a way that a person who is not steeped in music knowledge could understand it. The one thing I do say is that funk makes me gyrate my whole body continuously, even if I am driving or not trying to dance. For more traditional soul music, I may want to dance but it is less free form and more deliberate movement on the percussion beat. How would you describe the difference?

I usually explain it like, R&B is polished bass groves embedded in steady drum patterns with a soloist or group crooning and harminizing on top. soulful and structured.

Funk however, is a dirtier, unpolished version of R&B where all the instrumentation is subject to chage at a whim, be unstrctured and the vocals could be screaming, whispering, straight singing but mostly a combination. Funk music is soulfully nstructured and dirtier in sound.

Pretty good explanation!

TrivialPursuit said:

"Lovesign" ain't funk music. It's funky, but it's straight ahead R&B with some quasi-hiphop thrown in.

I once heared someone say this that I pretty much aggree with, that R&B and R'nB shouldn't be confused as being the same, one is Rythm and Blues while the other is Rap 'n Bullshit
(I love late 80s/early 90s R'nB tho)
BUt Lovesign is clearly R'nB with nothing 'Funky' in it. For the OP expose your friends and family to to Taborine (which isn't traditional 'Funk' in the vein of Fred Wesley/James Brown or George Clinton but it sure does make my face crumple up with a shit eating grin, something R'nB could never achieve) and then Lovesign (or a lot of songs on Emancipation) and they hear it immediatly.