Learn The African Bass

 

Create exceptionally rhythmical basslines to direct any African dancefloor & improve rapidly in just 30 days or your money back with this complete guide to Soukous, Sungura, Zouk, Afrobeat, Mbalax, Maskandi & more.

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dream of capturing the powerful rhythm and

Captivating Sound Of African Bass?

A common saying in western pop and rock music is that you don’t notice the bass guitar until it’s gone. In Africa, this statement couldn’t be further from the truth. The African bass is not a background player – it’s the driving force that dictates whether the crowd dances, takes a break, or heads home for the night. Congolese nightclubs are famous for 5-hour marathon concerts, and the bass player is who makes that happen.

The importance of the bassline to African music is easy to identify, but the techniques and skills used are much more difficult to conquer. The thought process behind the bassline is an art form in itself, and you’d have to spend the next 20 years traveling the continent town to town to ever stand a chance at fully grasping everything.

You need an experienced pro to show you the way.

make instant progress

The African Bass Curriculum

 

Click below to preview the blue highlighted lessons

Module 1 - Learn Soukous And Sebene Bass - 49.39
  • What We’ll Be Covering 2.40
  • A Brief History Of Congolese Music 4.23
  • Learning Soukous and Sebene Basslines 2.31
  • The Congolese Thumb Technique 7.12
  • The Formula For Adding Variations 5.40
  • Putting Variations Together In A Live Context 3.07
  • Practising Your Own Basslines 5.23
  • Soukous Bass Style On A 1 4 5 4 Chord Progression 4.32
  • Going Deeper Into Congolese Bass 8.18
  • Try Creating With The Backing Track 5.51
Module 2 - How To Play Zimbabwean Music - 27.21
  • My Journey In Zimbabwean Music 3.04
  • How To Play Sungura Basslines1.48
  • Arpeggios in African Music 3.36
  • Experiment With Your Own Basslines5.23
  • Learn Sungura Grooves In E Major2.28
  • Staccato Zimbabwean Basslines And Variations7.27
  • Put It Into Practice Yourself5.23
Module 3 - Study Zouk Basslines - 33.26
Module 4 - Translate Pop Basslines - 16.45
  • Billie Jean – Michael Jackson3.28
  • Come Together – The Beatles5.11
  • Under Pressure – Queen 3.28
Module 5 - Traditional Griot Music - 43.11
  • Welcome To The Course 1.39
  • The Sounds Of The Kora 2.39
  • Accompanying Kora With The Bass 4.57
  • Kaira – Practise Your Own Lines 4.49
  • Allalake – Traditional Griot Song 7.17
  • Try Out Your Own Basslines 6.46
  • Apollo – Traditional Mandinka Music 7.35
  • Join In With The Kora And Drums 7.29
Module 6 - Senegalese Mbalax & Sabar Rhythms - 32.54
  • Learning About The Sabar Drums 1.26
  • Studying Mbalax Music With Pendeux 6.06
  • Play Along With The Band 5.22
  • Learning Mbalax In A Minor Key 5.22
  • Work With The Live Group 5.12
  • 12/8 Style Mbalax 5.21
  • Jam Along With The Band 5.04 >
Module 7 - African Salsa & Rumba - 18.15
Module 8 - Congolese Soukous & Technique - 31.50
  • Congolese Sept Sept Progression 2.18
  • Slowing Down The Sebene Basslines 10.24
  • Test Out With The Soukous Backing Track 5.20
  • Developing Brain Independence 8.18
  • How To Develop A Clean Tone 3.31
  • Thanks For Learning With Us 1.59
Module 9 - Creating Authentic African Basslines - 39.31
  • How To Build An African Bassline 8.51
  • Syncopations And Variations Slowed Down 7.04
  • Strengthening Your Bassline 6.02
  • 1 4 5 4 Progression In B Major7.25
  • Lock In Your Variations At A Slow Tempo 10.09
Module 10 - How To Play Afrobeat - 15.11
Module 11 - Introduction To South African Music - 21.29
Module 12 - Mbaqanga And Marabi - 15.45
  • Marabi – Mafikizolo 2.49
  • Pitsa Tse Kgolo – The Mahotella Queens 3.47
  • Kazet – Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens 2.05
  • Ngeke Siwakhe – Steve Kekana 3.15
  • Ngeke Siwakhe Slowed Down 1.30
  • Wenzani Umoya – The Big Four 1.59
Module 13 - Maskandi And Ghoema - 8.37
  • Sommer Ghoema – Robbie Jansen 1.27
  • Maskandi Akujolwa Kanje – Bongo Boyz 2.15
  • Never Say Never – Inkos’yamagcokama 2.11
  • Emhlangeni – Khuzani 2.44
Module 14 - Further South African Bass Study - 15.04
Module 15 - Theory & Techniques - 17.48

The Ultimate Learning Experience

what’s included on your journey

African Backing Tracks

african bass masterclass – deluxe

5.5 hours of detailed lessons teaching you to be proficient in Soukous, Sungura, Zouk, Afrobeat, Maskandi and Mbalax bass styles.

Learn Congolese Bass Lessons

interactive on-screen notation

Learning new skills is easier with our innovative, interactive tools. Access on-screen notation, tablature, virtual fretboards, slow motion and more.

African Backing Tracks

bakithi kumalo – masterclass

Learn from the best. Watch legendary South African bassist Bakithi Kumalo’s exclusive World Music Method masterclass and apply his principles into your own musical development.

African Bass Guitar With Live Masterclass And Q&A

african backing tracks

Put your new techniques into practice and jam over traditional African grooves so you can develop your own authentic feel and be confident playing in a variety of new styles.

African Bass Guitar With Live Masterclass And Q&A

sebene heaven – ebook

The bitter-sweet paradox of Congolese Rumba. Andy Morgan’s eBook details the gripping history of the countries main musical export.

Congolese Rumba - Sebene Heaven

album downloads

Over a collection of African grooves hear how Edd blends his basslines on studio recordings of Soukous, Mbalax, Afrobeat and other grooves.

now you finally can

Become Fluent in African Bass

Register today and get immediate lifetime access to the following

The African Bass Guitar Masterclass

the african bass masterclass – 5.5 hour online course

£297

interactive on-screen notation

£77

live masterclass and Q&A

£17

african backing tracks

£17

sebene heaven – ebook

£10

west african love affair – album download

£10

Total Value

£448

Lifetime Access Only

£227

one time payment

✔ 30-Day Money Back Guarantee

The African Bass Masterclass

30 days risk-free

Satisfaction Guaranteed

You don’t need to travel across the continent. In fact, you don’t even need to leave your house. Build up your African bass literacy risk-free today – with a 30-day money-back guarantee, there’s never been a better time to get started.

Take your African bass skills to the next level with the World Music Method today.

Ready to get Started?

Meet The Students

Scott Gleason

USA

Roberta Leono

Colombia

Nigel Williams

UK

Will Morris

Canada

Julia Menard

Canada

Tobias Ruhtenberg

Sweden

Meet Your Teacher

Learn African Music Online

At age 14, in the rural Devon countryside town of Tavistock, (UK) Edd Bateman was sitting in his bedroom playing heavy metal basslines. Suddenly his Mum arrived and said you need to go to the next-door neighbour’s house right now and take your bass amp. ‘Chimanimani’, who were a Sungura and Chimurenga dance band from Harare, Zimbabwe had just arrived in England and were there auditioning for a bass player to join their upcoming national tour. Despite Edd’s youthful inexperience and limited knowledge of theory he got the job and did the first 2 hour show just 11 days later. Within a month the band played together at African nightclubs in London, universities and then Glastonbury festival. Edd worked with Chimanimani for 6 years.

In his early 20s he took the first of many trips and tours to West Africa and instantly fell in with the famous Cissokho family of griots from Southern Senegal and began his deep training performing regular 5 hour shows with Solo Cissokho, Seckou Keita, Sadio Cissokho and the whole Dialikunda family as well as on-stage guest spots with Cheikh Lo, Orchestra Baobab and Super Diamono.

Now back in the UK and with thousands of concerts under his belt with bands from all over the world he developed his skills serving as bandleader for ‘London Astrobeat Orchestra’ and ‘Edd Bateman’s West African Love Affair’. In the lockdown he saw the need to begin documenting the brilliant African bass guitar styles he’s dedicated his life to learning and so founded the World Music Method to share this knowledge with the world.

Edd Bateman Through The Years

Chimanimani

Chimanimani

2001

Bulawayo - 2009

Bulawayo

2009

Sadio Cissokho 2016

Sadio Cissokho

2016

African Bass Guitar Lessons

London Astrobeat

2020

Become African Groove Confident

The African Bass Masterclass

Lifetime Access Only

£227

one time payment

✔ 30-Day Money Back Guarantee

Learn African Bass Guitar

….. your African musical repertoire with melodic Sebene basslines.

Congolese Bass Lessons

….. the traditional Congolese right hand thumb approach with accuracy.

Play African Bass Guitar

….. your rhythm section relationship with contextual groove examples.

African Bass Techniques

….. your entire musicality with new authentic African bass techniques.