Chords for Soukous and Seben - The African Bass Lesson

_ _ _ _ _ [E] Now this example [A] is a Suka song with [E] the chords A major, E major, D [F] major and E major [D] again.
So [E] they go like this.
[A] A major, E major, [D] D major, [C#m] E major, [A] A, _ B, _ [D] D.
[C#m] Just repeat it like that.
I'm going to [A] give an example of a bass line that I [E] would play over this chord progression
[Am] and this rhythm and then [E] we're going to break it down afterwards. _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _
[E] _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ [E] _ _ [A] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _
[E] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ [E] _ _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _
[E] _ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ [E] _ _ _ [A] _ [G#m] _
_ _ [A] So to break that down we can start by just using three notes A, [E]
E [D] and D.
[G#] The first part we start, we're playing with our thumb and [A] our first finger remember for this Suka style.
_ _ _ Now we start on the A, _ 12th fret on the A string playing down, down, up, down. _
Down, down, up, down.
So this rhythm. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Make sure you've got that. _
This is Suka's exercise 1A. _
_ _ _ _ _ [D] Then we add in the octave, _ _ _ [A] 14th fret on the G string _ and _ _ _ _
_ [Em] _ then E, 14th fret on [A] the D string.
_ _ _ _ I'm just going to repeat this a few times. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Remember you can look at the tablet chair if you need to.
_ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Then we play the exact same thing but starting on the D. _ _ _
[E] _ _ Repeat that a few times. _ _
[D] _ _ _ [A] _ _ Now putting the whole thing together.
_ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ _ [A] _ Slow that down a bit.
_ _ _ _ [E] _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ [E] _ _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ [E] _ Now this is the first variation. _
_ _ Suka's exercise 1B.
[A]
Now this rhythm, this down, [E] up, down, down, down sound is a really strong building block for any Suka space [F#] line.
So it's a very good first point to come to when you're trying to come up with your own [A] line.
But it doesn't always have to be stuck [G#] on that one note.
We could [A] play _ a _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ [F#] variation like this that's a bit more melodic.
We're playing A, [A] B, C sharp, A.
_ _ _ [E] _ [D] Then back to the original line [F] on the D.
[A] _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [A]
We can do that same variation on the D [D] instead _ [E] if [A] we want. _
[D] What I would avoid is [A] putting both variations together _ like this. _ _
[Em] _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ Personally [E] I'd say that's got too many [G] different notes.
_ [G#] You've got [G] to look more at keeping [F] it solid rhythmically before we start adding in as [G] many variations as that. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Let's look at rhythmic variations as well.
If we take our original [A] line _ _ but we push the first note.
Pushing means we play the first note just [F] before the start of the bar.
_ So the second note lands on the beat.
_ _ [F#] One, two, [A] three, four.
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[D] _ _ _ _ [A] So our original line on the beat.
_ [D] _ _ On the beat and pushing.
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ _ [E] It's just a great way to make it sound more interesting rhythmically without making it [G] sound too full or adding [A] too many extra notes.
_ _ Now if we add the fifth note of the chord.
So when we're playing the A chord the fifth [E] is E.
If we add the fifth below which is the twelfth fret on the E string _ [A] as the first note.
Instead of _ we _ _ _ [E] _ [A] go. _ _
_ _ [Dm] And the same thing when we're playing the D chord.
[D] We add our A just before. _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
_ This is [D] exercise _ [E] _ _
_ [A] 1C.
_ _ _ [D] _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ And we can [D] also slide.
[A] Make it sound a bit more groovy.
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _
Just a small slide.
_ A few [D] frets.
_ _ [E] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _