How to play Tieduprightnow by Parcels

Funky popsters, Parcels’ most streamed song, Tieduprightnow is an appealing funk track for electric guitarists. From their self-titled 2018 album Parcels, Tieduprightnow is an excellent modern example of funk chords and syncopated rhythm work.

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Chords : Fm B♭6 Cm7 E♭6 plus stylistic embellishment extensions, including some suggested extras

Pick or Fingers? Pick, definitely. Tieduprightnow is a great example of the crisp, precise rhythm style that characterizes Funk. Hold the pick lightly with your thumb-pad flat on 3/4 of the pick & move your forearm in short flat strokes. The wrist needs to be completely relaxed as the forearm controls the down - up rhythm action. Also, follow the down and up-stroke indications - they are correct.

Acoustic or Electric? Electric guitar is the best option. The classic Funk/electro-pop sound is a light, clean tone on solid-body electric guitar. The unique feel and sound of funk doesn’t work well on steel-string acoustic guitar. Fingerstyle on nylon-strings is a feature in some South American flavoured funk but Tieduprightnow is the classic electric guitar R’n’B style funk.

What are the crossed strums for? A rhythm-slash with a cross-head is a ‘percussive strum’ - a muted effect made by relaxing the chord fingers just enough to ensure you only hear a light percussive sound from the pick ; this a common Funk rhythm effect.

How does the rhythm work? The timing of Tieduprightnow is typical of the syncopated semiquaver rhythms of Funk style. A full discussion of how these work is not feasible here but what you should especially note is the way each chord comes in on the last half-beat of a bar. To get the feel of this, count yourself in and start playing straight after the ‘4’ ; “1 2 3 4 and-a | 1“ - and so on . . .

Relevant pages in Modern Guitar Chord Styles 3 : to learn more about the funk rhythms and strumming technique needed for Tieduprightnow see pages 28 - 31 and for detailed info about the chord forms favoured by funk players see pages 32 - 35, and 4 - 5.

Need a bit of help?

Modern Guitar Chord Styles 3 is an advanced/tertiary-level text that deals with the exciting but musically challenging area of Jazz and Funk styles. It features detailed information about the important Jazz and Funk chord forms, rhythm styles, harmony theory and styles of chord use. Presented in notation with chord boxes and some TAB to assist realization. The perfect assist for guitarists wanting to test their rhythm guitar ability & get grooving!