3 Funky Piano Rhythm Patterns Over the Andalusian Cadence (Part 8)

To play the Andalusian cadence (Dm, C, Bb, A) in a funky style, count in sixteenth notes (1 e and a) and let the right-hand chords and left-hand bass interlock, so the bass fills the gaps the right hand leaves and the two hands rarely play together.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 12 min

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What this lesson teaches

This is Part 8 of Jason Zac's Andalusian cadence series at Nathaniel School of Music. It turns the familiar progression into funky grooves that suit disco, groovy pop, reggae and even EDM. It is aimed at pianists who can already play the four chords and want more rhythmic, percussive accompaniment ideas.

The chord progression

The lesson stays in D minor, using the Andalusian cadence: i – bVII – bVI – V.

• D minor (D F A)
• C major (C E G)
• Bb major (Bb D F)
• A major (A C# E)

The funky idea: sixteenth notes and syncopation

Funky playing here uses sixteenth-note phrasing, which divides each beat into four, counted 1 e and a, 2 e and a. The key feature is syncopation between the hands. In earlier parts of the series the left hand often held a steady part while the right hand did something busier. In these funky patterns the two hands almost never land together. They behave like drums or tabla, each filling the spaces the other leaves.

Funky rhythm pattern 1

1. Learn the right hand first. Play the chords on syncopated sixteenth-note accents, counting aloud. A useful trick is to snap or tap the beat with your other hand while you learn the accents.
2. Add the left hand. The bass part is quite intricate because its job is to fill the sixteenths the right hand misses. Follow the hit points in the notation carefully.
3. Slow it right down. Work at a very slow tempo until the hands lock together.
4. Keep the right hand independent. Do not let the left hand pull the right-hand rhythm off course.

Making the right hand more melodic

For variety, move the right-hand chord up to its next inversion and then back again within the pattern. This creates a melodic line on top of the groove. A nice feature of this rhythm is that it still grooves even when played slowly.

Funky rhythm pattern 2

Here the right hand plays a syncopated sixteenth-note chord rhythm through Dm, C, Bb and A. The bass again fills the missing beats, this time moving between the root, the octave and the fifth of each chord. For example, on D minor that means D, the D above it and A.

• Play the fifth lightly, almost like a ghost note.
• Keep the whole pattern choppy or staccato so it sounds percussive.
• Slowed down, this pattern can take on a reggae feel.

Bonus: a pattern inspired by Big in Japan

To finish, Jason Zac shows a groove reminiscent of Alphaville's Big in Japan. The left hand plays an almost disco-style rhythm, while the right hand plays steady pulsing chords on top.

How to practise

• Always separate the hands first and count the sixteenths out loud.
• Use a slow tempo and only speed up once the interlocking feels natural.
• Once the patterns work in D minor, transpose them. E minor (Em, D, C, B) and G minor (Gm, F, Eb, D) both work well.
• Record yourself to check that the hands are not accidentally landing together.

Questions about this lesson

What chords are in the Andalusian cadence in D minor?

The progression is D minor, C major, Bb major and A major, which is i, bVII, bVI and V in D minor.

What makes a piano rhythm sound funky?

In this lesson, a funky sound comes from sixteenth-note phrasing and syncopation between the hands. The left hand fills the gaps the right hand leaves, so the piano sounds percussive, almost like drums or tabla.

Which notes does the left hand use in funky pattern 2?

The bass moves between the root, the octave and the fifth of each chord. The fifth is played lightly, like a ghost note, and the whole pattern is kept short and staccato.

Can these funky patterns be played slowly?

Yes. The first pattern still grooves at a slow tempo, and the second takes on a reggae feel when slowed down.

Practise it

• Cadence LibraryCompare piano cadences across keys and listen to how different chord movements create closure, suspense or a turn in a new direction.
• Groove MetronomeWork with tempo, accents and polyrhythms instead of a single unchanging click.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

Related lessons

• 2 Flamenco Piano Patterns Using the Spanish CadenceYou can play flamenco on the piano over the Andalusian cadence (Dm, C, Bb, A) using two patterns: a syncopated rhythm with a legato root-and-fifth left hand under right-hand chord hits, and a guitar-style pattern where the right hand cycles through flam, block, single and broken-chord articulations.
• Piano Hand Independence With Sixteenth Notes: Glam Rock Bass Riff (Part 3)To build piano hand independence, keep the right hand on steady quarter-note chords (D minor, F major, G major) while the left hand plays chord roots at offbeat hit points such as the and of two and the and of four, then adds a B–C pickup, with the C optionally pushed to the e of four as a sixteenth note.
• Piano Hand Independence With Sixteenth Notes: Syncopation Workout (Part 5)To build sixteenth-note syncopation between your hands, split all sixteen subdivisions of a 4/4 bar unevenly between the hands, with the left hand playing a root-octave-fifth bass pattern and the right hand playing off-beat chord stabs, like a percussionist on bongos or tabla.
• Hand Independence Exercises for Piano Using Sixteenth Notes (Part 2)To build hand independence over sixteenth notes, play a funky Gm7–C7 chord rhythm in the right hand while the left hand keeps a steady root-and-fifth bass pulse on every beat, then add an Eb9 or D7b9 turnaround in the fourth bar.