Kai's Workshop/ Masterclass Series
Bass players of all levels are welcome.
WORKSHOP DETAILS :
Date: Sunday June 28, 2026 on Zoom (link via email)
Time: 10am PST - 1pm US Eastern - 7pm Central Europe - 11:30pm in India
Cost: $80.
Duration: 120 min for the official part plus 30+ minutes for the open forum.
TOPICS to include:
- Demonstration of Kai's evolving Z-bass technique (Masterclass portion)
-Improvising over changes, composition, band practice, recording and concepts of innovation. -Lessons learned from playing with masters of Jazz rock and world music.
-How to overcome lack of motivation, life stress and concentration problems during practice.
- Kai will customize a portion of the workshop to include requests from students.
I am excited about this new workshop series and look forward to meeting you all on Zoom!
-Kai 🙂
Cancellation Policy:
_If you change your mind, you can get a refund until Friday June 19.
_Cancellations as of Saturday June 20th will cost 20 dollars. I will refund 60 dollars.
_There will be no refund if you miss class without giving notice before class begin.
ABOUT: Zennstick Bass, the worlds first Electric Bass Language :
The best ideas come from outside the box. Yet, what happens inside the box cannot be discounted as a thing of lesser importance. It is where "the rubber hits the road". Slap bass has always been my favorite style, mainly for practical reasons: It's the most satisfying when it comes to achieving mind-body alignment. Being fortunate to encounter the South Indian rhythm system known as "Konakkol" opened the door to a new dimension.
Take the three ingredients: Slap bass, bass-chords (jazz harmony) - and Konakkol. There you have a killer mix ! You will never run out of ideas again as long as you live. intellect and emotions can both meet on middle ground. The original Zenstick "keisaku (è¦ç–)" is a light cane that a monk gets slapped with during Zen meditation if the posture starts to sag and the monk is in danger of falling asleep. It's meant to call your attention and not to cause injury. To distinguish from the Japanese tradition, I added an extra "n" to the word Zennstick. When you see this word, it means the bass language. Zennstick bass is both invigorating and meditative.
The secret of Zennstick lies in its core simplicity, a direct translation of the human heart-beat - into a slap bass pattern. This "root module" then expands into eight basic numerical patterns which can be mixed and matched after some practice. Further more, all modules can be molded into any chord change of your choice, with access to three part harmony and independent voice-leading. This level of flexibility opens the door to countless forms of self-expression for a truly satisfying experience.
I waited 5 years to go public with Zennstick because I wanted to find out first hand what kind of expressions are possible and what effect this new discipline would have on my musicianship. The results were beyond positive, exceeding expectations. To make the style resonate, each of the eight core modules first have to be trained into long term memory by ways of repetition (ranging from 3 to 5 minute loops). Then you start going for longer sessions of unbroken concentration. The effects on mental and physical health will become apparent.
Given the open-endedness of such a modular approach, every player will eventually gravitate towards their own style, making room for true uniqueness. The technique provides the language and you get to tell the story. To summarize, there are several advantages this new language brings which I hope you will soon be able to discover for yourself. I think we all need to start looking again at innovation as the world could benefit from a fresh influx of ideas that hit the mark..
ABOUT: Kai's Teaching and Learning Style:
The ultimate master in music, teaching and life is life itself. Mother Nature had billions of years to figure it out. While we humans do impressive things, we often become infatuated with our own powers. That is the moment when we stop growing.
From this follows that humility kindness and determination is the attitude with which to approach learning music. This opens the doors to the wonders of the world. I have found the most amazing things inside the study of very small things. One rhythm, one bass line, one mode.
I suggest to all my students they stop expecting huge things of themselves and try to step away from expectations all together in favor of keen observation. Much more important is to find a way into the magic kingdom by making an emotional connection with the material you study.
In my workshops and with all my students I will give very detailed information about how to enter this world where music eventually gives you back more than you put in. A world where you never burn out, never get bored and never run out of ideas.
The secret lies in understanding creativity as a three way process with an information flow going in one direction (ideas) and and emotional flow going in the other (meaning). The third magic element is you, the chooser. Once you understand the dynamic, your choices will be wise !
