Theory
The month's finish line. Today you complete and record a groove mixing ghosts, real notes, and accents on one chord — E9 (or Em7) — over a backing track. Carrying minutes on rhythm alone, without changing a single chord — this is the essence of funk.
Let's look back over the month. Week 1 you built a right-hand 16th motor that never stops; Week 2 you laid a hi-hat with left-hand ghosts; Week 3 you stabbed a snare with accents; Week 4 you set a real chord, E9, on top. Now you hold both a rhythm engine and a real chord. Without any fancy chord progression, the right hand alone can fill a room with groove.
There's no right answer to today's jam. Take the examples as a skeleton, then shift the accent spots, slip to Em7 for color now and then, and adjust the ghost density to build "your groove." And be sure to record. The moment the backing's drums and bass lock with your guitar as one body, you'll get goosebumps yourself.
You made it here — genuinely impressive. The hand that two months ago fretted "why won't my funk groove" now designs a groove on a single chord. Next month, onto this solid rhythm you'll add minimal three-string voicings, single notes, staccato, and shuffle to widen your expression dramatically. Be sure to keep the groove you recorded today — it's the proof of a month.
See it
A finished jam mixing all three layers on the one chord E9. Not an answer but a skeleton — vary it into your own groove.
E9 (review). Root at 5th string, 7th fret; yellow = the 9th. Today's jam rolls on this one chord (and Em7 at times).
Example 1 — one-chord jam A (2 bars). A basic jam with real notes, ghosts, and accents evenly mixed. The beat 2/4 accent locks with the snare.
▶ BPM 72. Over a backing 4×+. Feel it as one body with drums and bass, and record.
Example 2 — one-chord jam B (2 bars). A variation with the accent pulled further. Once easy, vary the Em7 and ghost density into your own jam.
▶ BPM 72. Start from this skeleton and vary freely. Carry minutes on a single chord.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up BPM 60–70. Lightly run through the month's motor, ghosts, accents, and E9. Check that the hand remembers.
10–20 min · Brain training (today's target = designing your own jam) Using the examples as a skeleton, picture how you'll place the accent spots, Em7 color changes, and ghost density.
20–40 min · Real groove (Examples 1·2 / BPM 72) Play Examples 1·2 over a backing, then vary freely from that skeleton, rolling four-plus bars unbroken. Minutes on a single chord.
40–50 min · Record & reflect (recommended) Record 1–2 minutes of your own jam and check: did the hand never stop / does the accent lock with the snare / are all three layers audible / did you vary it so it isn't dull?
Done when: on the one chord E9 (or Em7), you can roll your own groove mixing ghosts + real notes + accents over a backing for a minute or more, and record it. (Month 1 complete!)
- Repeating without variation. The same two bars forever gets dull. Nudge the accent spots, Em7, and density.
- Accent off the snare. The longer the jam, the vaguer the accent gets. Keep minding beats 2 and 4.
- Wanting to fill everything. You need space for the groove to live. Leave spots to flow as ghosts.
- Skipping the recording. The month's result is proven by the recording. Keep it and compare with next month.