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
- How Zouk Came Back To Africa 3.04
- Playing Zouk With Bouncing Basslines3.29
- Varying The Chordtones To Keep It Interesting7.50
- Playing Two Chord Zouk With Flowing Basslines6.27
- Attempt Your Own Zouk Grooves With The Band 6.27
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
- Lesson 16 – Salsa Introduction and Tumbao Lesson 5.06
- Putting The Tumbao To A Chord Progression 4.00
- Continue On With The Groove 2.44
- Try Your Own Salsa Lines First 4.28
- Further Studying The Tumbao 1.57
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
- Introduction To Afrobeat – Fela Kuti 5.16
- Playing Afrobeat In A Minor 3.12
- Jam Along With The Band 5.00
Module 11 - Introduction To South African Music - 21.29
- South African Music With Ethan Smith 10.00
- Yehlisan’umoya Ma Africa – Busi Mhlongo 5.24
- Yapheli’mali Yami – Busi Mhlongo 3.21
- We Baba Omncane – Busi Mhlongo 2.44
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
- Mandela Bay – Jonathan Butler 4.01
- Lekker Smakie – Joyous Celebration 6.54
- South African Bass Recap 4.09
Module 15 - Theory & Techniques - 17.48
- Refreshing Your Intervals Study 7.17
- Practising Your Scales The Congolese Way 3.54
- Moving Through The Different Keys 1.49
- Starting On Different Chord Tones 1.46
- All Variations With The Drum Kit 1.20
- Thanks For Watching 1.42
The Ultimate Learning Experience
what’s included on your journey

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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 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

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.
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Meet The Students
Scott Gleason
USA
Roberta Leono
Colombia
Nigel Williams
UK
Will Morris
Canada
Julia Menard
Canada
Tobias Ruhtenberg
Sweden
Meet Your Teacher

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
2001

Bulawayo
2009

Sadio Cissokho
2016

London Astrobeat
2020
Become African Groove Confident

Lifetime Access Only
£227
one time payment
✔ 30-Day Money Back Guarantee

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

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

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

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