What's The Difference Between Disco and Funk?

Varangian3 · 05-02-2015, 02:32 PM

Anyone who has heard any song by parliament knows instantly the difference. George Clinton = king of funk

SOUL4EVER · 05-09-2015, 03:50 PM

Beats per minute tend to often be a determining factor.

If you compare Sylvester (DISCO)... to let's say something from Instant Funk (FUNK)... the BPM tell the story.

This may be simplifying things... but it's one good way to tell the difference.

Question · 12-26-2016, 11:19 PM

I always thought that the "four on the floor" beat pattern is what made disco, disco. And it's definitely different from funk music.

IWP · 08-24-2017, 02:20 PM

I think the main difference between funk and disco is that funk tends to be rough and rugged around the edges while using breakbeats while disco is more four to the floor and pop influenced. Granted, the lines tend to be very blurred, as already stated, groups like Chic and Kool & the Gang straddled the line between funk and disco.

Knock disco all you want, but you really wouldnt have EDM and especially house music if it weren't for disco.

Maajo · 11-16-2017, 12:46 AM

Disco has the groove of funk, but in general none of the depth lyrically or musically. Sometimes that isn't true, P-Funk made "One Nation", one of their best albums, and that has a disco vibe. Disco isn't hard-hitting, it's more sensible for the white folks who used to fill up the dance clubs, and that's essentially what makes it different.

Jazzuci · 07-02-2022, 06:04 AM

For me:
Disco is 4 on the floor rhythm, Funk is on ‘the one’ and more syncopatic in the rest of the measure.
Disco is more polished and funk is more raw.
Disco is more poppy, funk is more jazzy.

For me:
Disco is Relight my Fire, It’s raining men,
Funk is e.g the late James Brown, Parliament. The Meters
and EWF.
Disco is Rose Royce, Anita Ward.
Disco is violins, funk is horns.

gandhara · 07-03-2022, 12:04 AM

Hi Jazzuci, couldn't agree more!! Glad this old post is still getting some attention!

I seem to like a lot of groups that did BOTH.. like Detroit's One Way, great underrated band right there!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzuci

For me:
Disco is 4 on the floor rhythm, Funk is on ‘the one’ and more syncopatic in the rest of the measure.
Disco is more polished and funk is more raw.
Disco is more poppy, funk is more jazzy.

For me:
Disco is Relight my Fire, It’s raining men,
Funk is e.g the late James Brown, Parliament. The Meters
and EWF.
Disco is Rose Royce, Anita Ward.
Disco is violins, funk is horns.

innerspaceboy · 07-03-2022, 08:35 AM

I'm seeing a lot of good explanations here, and several people mentioned that disco is is four-on-the-floor, but I didn't see anyone directly state that funk is all on the one. (Forgive me if I've overlooked that statement somewhere in this thread.)

Here's Bootsy Collins explaining "the one."

05-09-2015, 03:50 PM	#52 (permalink)
SOUL4EVER Groupie Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8	Bpm Beats per minute tend to often be a determining factor. If you compare Sylvester (DISCO)... to let's say something from Instant Funk (FUNK)... the BPM tell the story. This may be simplifying things... but it's one good way to tell the difference.

08-24-2017, 02:20 PM	#54 (permalink)
IWP A S T H E T I C Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 532	I think the main difference between funk and disco is that funk tends to be rough and rugged around the edges while using breakbeats while disco is more four to the floor and pop influenced. Granted, the lines tend to be very blurred, as already stated, groups like Chic and Kool & the Gang straddled the line between funk and disco. Knock disco all you want, but you really wouldnt have EDM and especially house music if it weren't for disco. __________________ insert witty remark here Last edited by IWP; 08-24-2017 at 02:21 PM. Reason: Fixed a typo

05-02-2015, 02:32 PM	#51 (permalink)
Varangian3 Groupie Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 17	Anyone who has heard any song by parliament knows instantly the difference. George Clinton = king of funk

12-26-2016, 11:19 PM	#53 (permalink)
Question Groupie Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 4	I always thought that the "four on the floor" beat pattern is what made disco, disco. And it's definitely different from funk music.

11-16-2017, 12:46 AM	#55 (permalink)
Maajo Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 513	Disco has the groove of funk, but in general none of the depth lyrically or musically. Sometimes that isn't true, P-Funk made "One Nation", one of their best albums, and that has a disco vibe. Disco isn't hard-hitting, it's more sensible for the white folks who used to fill up the dance clubs, and that's essentially what makes it different.

07-02-2022, 06:04 AM	#56 (permalink)
Jazzuci Groupie Join Date: Jul 2022 Posts: 1	For me: Disco is 4 on the floor rhythm, Funk is on ‘the one’ and more syncopatic in the rest of the measure. Disco is more polished and funk is more raw. Disco is more poppy, funk is more jazzy. For me: Disco is Relight my Fire, It’s raining men, Funk is e.g the late James Brown, Parliament. The Meters and EWF. Disco is Rose Royce, Anita Ward. Disco is violins, funk is horns.