Learn Congolese Drum Kit with Felix Ngindu
Unlock the rhythms that shaped African dancefloors. Over four days, master the fundamentals of Congolese drum kit playing, from zouk grooves to the legendary cavacha rhythm. Join Felix Ngindu and dive into the high-energy world of sebene and soukous music with lessons delivered straight to your inbox.
Your Curriculum
Day 1: The Rhythmic Foundations of Zouk
Day 2: Variations on Hi-Hat and Snare
Day 3: African Drum Fills
Day 4: Soukous and Cavacha Rhythms
Why Learn Congolese Drum Kit?
The drum kit wasn’t always central to African music. In the 1960s, as Congolese bands like Zaiko Langa Langa evolved, they replaced traditional percussion instruments with the drum kit, sparking a rhythmic revolution. This new sound, epitomized by the cavacha rhythm, powered the sebene section of Congolese pop music and redefined African drumming.
Mastering the cavacha rhythm isn’t just about learning a beat – it’s the key to understanding soukous, sebene, and a continent’s worth of African grooves. Whether you’re a drummer or a percussionist, learning Congolese drum kit rhythms will elevate your playing and connect you to one of Africa’s most influential musical traditions.
- Day 1: The Rhythmic Foundations of Zouk – Discover the history of zouk music and learn how to translate the traditional clave pattern onto the drum kit
- Day 2: Variations on Hi-Hat and Snare – Develop your first zouk groove and explore subtle hi-hat and snare variations that add depth to the rhythm.
- Day 3: African Drum Fills – Master authentic African drum fills to lead and energize the band.
- Day 4: Soukous and Cavacha Rhythms – Learn the high-energy cavacha rhythm that drives sebene sections in Congolese soukous music.
Learn the signature rhythms of sebene and soukous with Felix Ngindu, a master of the Congolese drum kit.
Add a New Dimension to Your Drumming
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