African Rhythm Guitar Demonstration

[MrOmiele]

alkisasa, please produce a book and put in the internet so that lovers of soukous guitar music who are eager to learn how to play the guitar can benefiot from your lessens. I like your tutorials very much and I have checked Amazon for your DVDs buit I have failed to find any. Please do a huge, huge favour to congolese soukous guitar learners by brining out a DVD. otherwise I wish you well. May the Almighty God richly bless you.

[alkisaka]

@MrOmiele Thanks for your comments and sentiments..

It has been my goal and still is to do this...due to my busy schedule it has been rather difficult to

get it all done in the manner that would warrant it being put out....So I humbly accept your request and will continue to work on it..

[wada78]

@alkisaka Hello brother! I support MrOmiele request. It would be great for all africans and mostly other non-africans to learn this GREAT guitar style!! If you want to build a site for it, I'm a professional web programmer, contact me we can plan and work on a video tutorial site!! I strongly believe we need to spread this music around the world!! Please feel free to contact me, email me here!! Thanks and God bless!!!

[alkisaka]

@wada78 Hey Wada..Thanks for your sentiments..

Appreciate it...do you have stuff on the web as an example you can point to..?

[KoenFleurman]

cool can you do a lesson about it? thanks

[free199212]

beautiful. mehn how can i learn this

[PeluMaad]

I went to see Charlie Palmieri and King Sunny Ade in Piedmont Park in Atlanta in the 80s. I left the park a big fan of the 3rd band on the show...Loketo. I've been wondering for about 25 years how soukous is played. THANKS!

[TheProphetMo]

This music is really good to masturbate to.

[clarkewi]

Gorgeous

[EduardoAllo]

so great, man! beautiful african style

[cclarke1804]

Awesome!! I've heard this kind of music before (Vincent Nguini mainly in Paul Simon's band), but never had a name for it. Thank you for posting! Some really beautiful stuff!

[sn00piedog]

Why do you say African when we Congolese have mastered our own type.

[sweetsleggere]

You are good but you are not teaching us....it doe not help

[FloydIV]

I just gotta say.. African rhythm is dank!! Western rhythms can be a bore sometimes..

[Darkman560]

Im from America and have been playing for about 5 years. Id LOVE to Learn African rythm! Sounds like tje style Vusi Mahlasela uses! Its Beautiful!

[karisbantu]

I laugh when i see people trying to tag, or claim ownership of the different styles of music. We always interpret music in reference to what we grew up listening to, but this doesn't make it ours. Music is a universal language, and just like any other language, it comes in different accents and phrasing still using the same chords/harmonies. Most african styles are either in minor, or major scales. the phrasing and timing is what distinguishes, western styles from all the others. Just my 2 cents

[karisbantu]

AnD one more thing, since they are rationing the space here;

The finger styles are almost the same, scales for the most part, but the swing makes it sound different. Kisaka I love your Vids, and I hope we get to jam sometime.

Karis de Kenya

Plug it in, plug it in hahah

[kevingp12]

sorry i dont know but this sounds very western to me..

[metallist65]

This sounds very Bluesy to my American ears.

[Intilegend]

African people are more understood than their music... But both looks nice... Far more easy and kind than I saw in Europe and Emirates... And even we Russians must learn of you a lot of things... I wait for times when whole world will be free and everybady will know a ten dosens songs from every folk of the wirld. Hearing them by himself in the very country where the folk lives... If to think, it is really possible!..

[melonrobotics]

Nice technique, beautiful piece.

[melonrobotics]

Nice technique, beautiful peace.

[mudibujp]

You are God Sent to me...May Blessing be graced upon you......

[mudibujp]

you are a God Sent to me Thank you thank you......May Devine Blessings be graced upon you

[nappyroots89]

What scale is this!?!? I MUST KNOW!!!

[hurting]

@nappyroots89 There's nothing there but major scales. It's more the note timing/placement that makes it sound different to you. You need to learn your theory and train your ear.

[odonkoapan]

speed 9ice.

[Mwalimu4]

Hallo, alkisaka, i am very interested by your gitar lesson und i wolte like to join as a studiert, is it possible do you give lesson kurses? ,or have you got a music klass? if then please let me have your condakt, i come from mombasa,

[xflyacrosstimex]

this is good! :] pleasant to listen to

[CWiscomb]

When your video comes out please let me know... I would love to learn to feel rhythms like this... after MUCH practice I'm sure!

Quick note - perhaps one video is just for acoustic players like myself

[Liebchen]

It sounds great, but I can't see your right hand.

[Dsbgfloyd]

Thanks for sharing....

[keepthefunk]

happy and cool at the same time

I love your guitar style!

[JazSmithPresentation]

I actually would love to adopt this guitar style

[tchibangcity]

it's not african musique i'm from africa center sorry but it's not african music

[denisvlasov]

You are wrong. It's the real genuine african soukous! Well done soukous!

[Elliothepaperboy]

this is so awesome, ive lived in california usa almost my whole life and i play guitar myself and i love to hear music from other cultures and i love how you played this. very happy sound. i love it.

[CharlieMoher]

I hope you will treat us to a lesson in the future. Very nice.

[IrisMG]

This is beautiful! I appreciate the video. It's a little fast to learn from but great fun to watch. Thank you!

[JosephAdamson1]

I really do not want to into arguments, I am an African, I have been playing African music since I was eleven, I play guitar, hand drums tuned percussions I also sing I have seen some of your demonstrations I give you credit because until now there is no one who has done properly, wait until you see a real African guitar player, enjoy for now the masters are coming my be you will a few things from them

[alkisaka]

I welcome more and more videos on this form..I am an African too.grew up playing the stuff..as you know the expression of Congolese Rhumba takes on a number of variations in East and Central Africa. My channel's purpose is to make the style more easier to pickup by anyone. My formal training in music gives me a way to teach "Soukous" to anyone in a way that is easily understandable

[jm04151975]

@JosephAdamson1

Ulicheza wapi? By the way I enjoy both approaches since I am a learner too. Alkisaka is more methodical while Adamson is more spontaneous. Bring on some more videos guys. Talking of then Zaire, who was a better guitar player, Luambo or Dr. Nico, Alain Makaba or Diblo?

[thedingalingz]

sounds fantastic...

can u show a little slower how to do it???

[JosephAdamson1]

Use a metronome Please

[MikeModulus]

It african! youhave to feel it!

[ljy17]

African music doesn't follow the same theory as western music. The timing system in African music is totally different, so a metronome wouldn't work with African rhythems.

[MillsApparatus]

@ljy17 This isn't necessarily true. The differences in African music typically lie in the way subdivisions are expressed. Having a metronome keep a steady pulse in 4/4 is fine for lots of Shona music for instance, and would likewise work for Soukous. A typical metronome won't give you the right accents but in general that's not what they're for.

[JohnMalcolm]

Thanks so much !!

A bit closer would have helped. ;)

[GodinGirl]

This just goes to show that there is definitely more than "one single story" coming out of the continent. Good stuff!!!

[guitarflori]

well done! 5stars!

[gpatryder]

Beautiful - is that with standard tuning? Would love to learn that style.

Cheers

[davidrac1]

Al,

I am a guitarist from New York. I recently defended my doctoral dissertation on West Afrcian hereditary musicians (griots) in New York. I focus on their repertoire for guitar and performance practice. Do you know any Congolese musicians in New York?

I would like to learn more about soukous, zekete-zekete, kwasa kwasa, and madiaba. There are many variants of the style known as rumba throughout Central and East Africa. How are they distinguished from one another? Or, mybe they are not?

[davidrac1]

Al,

Your videos are great.

There is a conference, "African meets North America," at UCLA (Oct. 22-25, 2009)

WIll you attend?

[alkisaka]

Unfortunately I have another event I am attending that weekend...I did check out the website though.

Looks to be a culturally enriching experience.

[bass420man1]

Beautiful! Never ceases to amaze me how a continent that suffered many hardships can produce such upbeat and beautiful music

[carartsuamorenator]

Hey broth, that was awesome, if yuh can anytime, take a time fi put some another video,

[489177]

Excellent! Dave Matthews has been listening to you bro.

[JohnMalcolm]

"Western" musicians have been listening to African influences for a few hundred years now.

Have you heard the crap that was played before African forms were introduced to the white man via the blues, Elvis, and the Beatles?

[Learoy76]

yeah like beethoven, mozart, chopin, tchaikovsky just to name a few. why do you have to make race an issue?

[nblfyb]

I love it! :D How long you been playing?

Sean

[plunger333]

spectacular. the melody reminds me of something vampire weekend would do

[astrochicken]

Brilliant.

I've come away with loads of new ideas.

It's for gems like this that i pay my monthly youtube bill. ;)

[walkerorr]

since when do you ave to pay for youtube

[lancegelden]

beautiful playing man!! next time can we see more guitar and less table in the vid?

:))

[TooLooseLeTrek]

Outstanding!

[dexxxhunt]

thats emotional man....very soulful!!!

[Fladavenue]

I am going to listen to SHUGGIE  OTIS

BOOTIE COOLER.

[lazzagiova]

Bravo monsieur superbe démonstration ! !

@plus Giova

[Kangos7]

hmm sounds like africans started the whole bluegrass chicken picking sound

[qddevine]

lol!

[dreamsatsea]

I love the we Africans took guitar playing to another level. Especially with soukous, sometimes it sounds like there's more than 1 guitar playing.

[poshnosh16]

oh my gosh! i did not expect that! that was awesome! i love soukous!!!

Currently writing an african influenced song for one of the units i haved to do at college, found this very helpful, thanks^^ keep up the awesome playing and stay blessed:]

[Krase17]

Sounds really great, thanks for posting :)

[TonyBtheEG]

great playing!

[Onyokuman]

Awesome bro, how many chords in that demo? make some guitar lesson DVDs. Will market it in Australia n the Pacific.

[leonqwik]

beautiful!! thanks for posting.

[inagod]

greetings from America,Really nice guitar playing

[jimritem]

That is awesome, wonderful, thank you!

[Saggezzasaphira]

wow!:D

great!!

congratulations!

Viva Africa!!

[zezorb]

great!

[Weltar]

Thanks buddy! Can you make ali farka tutorial?

Keep on!

[sinfuldavy0]

How can I learn to play like that. It's so different

[smilinsailorman]

Wow! Thanks for that.

Perhaps a view of what's going on with the right hand?

[smilinsailorman]

Sorry, I found the vids. Thanks!

[eddie1brazil]

You are a genius !!! sharing with the world something so unique that as influenced the music around the globe, Thanks for sharing your talent with us

[andrewmailliard]

this is great!

[cartoonlike]

Wonderful! What is your name? You must be playing and recording professionally and I want to find out more.

[nickfs2004]

Soukous are great! I know the African rythem since I was born, and listen Soukous every day! Playing it on the guitar looks very hard.

[dreamblufilms]

Could you possibly slow down a lil sir!

[doukbizie]

le fiston est trop bien

[dalestat]

Saludos... es un ritmo muy interesante, pero no una técnica. Son punteos y arpegios, y en momentos suena Country... muy agradable!

[riddybaby]

That is no Zach Wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GuitarnPiano]

you made me discover soukous. and for that i thank you deeply

[jazivoir225]

NICE

[zimbozintrouble]

gudja

[siadbarrbar]

amazing. id rather hear this than paul simon.haaaaaaaaaaaa. damn.

[itsanthonyhere]

That is a really cool sound..I've never really hard that before. Really organized too

[ini4476]

wow.. very nice!

[BedRoomGangster]

Good Fingers

[blueturtleblues]

SIMPLY AMAZING...

[dronai]

Great stuff !!! I hear where Paul Simon got his ideas...

[dronai]

Great stuff !!! I hear where Paul Simon got his ideas...

[elnivan]

i just loved it, thank you!!

[azertheoneandonly]

Tu nous a vraiment tuer !!!

[jqa2001ad]

This was great. I'm so glad to hear you are putting out an instructional DVD. You can definitely count on me to be a customer.

[kingrapsly]

heey verry nice do you got the tabs of that cane you give me the taps pleez i am from holland and i love afrikan muzik on the guitar

[brandonisgod]

After many months, I find myself returning to your music. I still love it. I can hear joy and love in it. Would you consider it to strong to say that I hear 'hope'in it, as well?

[ruudffo]

sounds great.

[Snorglorf]

I want to see close up of your right hand!

impressive

[sset91kw]

i love this song so much. i have had it stuck in my head all week. what is it called?

[alkisaka]

I actually wrote it....many years ago..

[sset91kw]

You wrote that? wow that is so great. Is there some place I can buy it or not?

[alkisaka]

Sorry no place yet!!

[alkisaka]

I will be putting out an instructional DVD that will have it on there though...I can't tell you when it will be out...just keep checking

[sset91kw]

Thanks! I will check! Your videos are just so good and interesting. thanks

[maxtube22]

I am interested in the dvd, please include a booklet with the fingering of the chords as watching on a dvd is too hard to figure out the fingerings. Thanks.

[bellemskey]

Hi Alkisaka, pls let us know when you come out with an instructional DVD and let it be very user friendly and simple for novices like myself... Cheers

[VraiDiouf]

Please let me know when it will be out. thanks :)

[guitarpunk4life2]

Dang man thats insane. do you have a transcription of that song id love 2 no how to play it

[WCSLdglas]

wonderful that you do it on acoustic, too.

[cave82]

do you live in the new york area??? I want lessons..

[alkisaka]

Sorry No!

I am a West Coaster..LA area

[Mutundo]

where doyou play in LA? I live in the LA area as well

[maep1999]

excellent, was wondering what country this music style is from

I hope you make more videos, make sure to show your right hand better thanks

[alkisaka]

Primarily Congo..

But you do get variations of the form throughout East and Central Africa

[saynotodrug999]

PLay some metal

bass master from Canada

its not bad some parts just sound too random and trying to show off but the parts where ur serving the song and/or feeling the song those are really good

[Snorglorf]

This is awesome, I'd buy an instructional video. :)

[africamerica]

Very intereting. Im percussionist fron Puerto Rico. I would like to know what other rhythms and percusssion instruments fits with that music.

Freddie Santiago

[hcross1844]

I love your guitar playing! Great! Thank you.

Henri Cross

[marylebus]

Love the music! It's very enjoyable. Thank you so much.

[boydy666]

great stuff.

do you have tablature available. and i'd buy an instructional dvd too!

[mastatkrewin]

bon boulot!!

[soulrosa]

cool guitar playing..

[geekboyin]

Thanks a lot for posting the video. I do not see many tutorials on African style of playing guiters. You mentioned that you are making a DVD. Can you let me know when are you planning to release it ? which production house, and where can I purchase it ?? Am looking forward to it. Thanks again.

[josh515]

excellent! r there any tabs for it??

[alkisaka]

No..I am soon going to put out a DVD with step by step show how stuf

[visitor48]

Thank you, my friend! Excellent!

[Pegstone]

Gotta' save this in my "Favorites"...that style is so new to me...I gotta go get my guitar and try....beautiful.

[brandonisgod]

One day... underneath the giant skies of Africa, my wife and son will have this music inspire their souls forever... I hope: if not, at least the food will be great! Thanks, Al!

[alkisaka]

Thanks Brandon!!

Glad to share the joy!!!

[jacnmkc]

nice!!

[jacnmkc]

nice!!

[regmonmusic]

Hey Alan,

Yes Yes Yes!!!

Reggie

[thestrangersband]

Thanks Reg!!

[messageinthemoon]

wow... nice one my friend! I love your music. Mike from UK

[thestrangersband]

Alright! Mike...more to come soon!!

[matsutakneatche]

nice one alkisaka.