Bass - Three Year BMus (Hons) Degree
The BMus (Hons) Degree in Commercial Music Performance provides specialist training for bass players, drummers, vocalists and guitarists that reflects the needs of today's music industry. The course is designed and delivered by Tech Music School’s expert tutors, all of whom are active professional musicians of the highest standard. It combines technical and stylistic performance tuition with the opportunity to acquire a range of essential practical skills in harmony and ear training, songwriting, arranging, and music technology.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Level 4
Performance Studies 1
The Performance Studies module is designed to support the development of your individual performance skills and enhance your ability to perform effectively within an ensemble. You will have the opportunity to acquire the skills you need to become a rounded and artistically diverse performer through weekly workshops focusing on learning and performing a range of key tracks.
Essential Styles
The Essential Styles module covers the technical and performance skills required to play a diverse range of popular music styles. You will develop your technical facility and self-sufficiency in preparation for performing music. In addition, you will gain the necessary practical experience to allow execution of these skills in ‘real-life’ performance situations.
Techniques
The Techniques module will support your development towards a professional level of instrumental or vocal technique. It aims to enhance creativity and innovation in performance skills as well as consolidating your evaluation of stylistic and interpretative issues. You will also develop your music reading skills and apply them in various scenarios: exercise-based drills, short pieces, real-world charts and reading on sight.
Musicianship 1
Musicianship 1 supports your development of skills in three key areas: music theory, ear training and keyboard. In theory and ear training classes you will consider key theoretical concepts and their application in popular music including interval and chord identification, harmony, chord/scale relationships, and arranging for different instruments. You will also study the basic principles of playing the keyboard in order to support your music theory and composition work.
Music Business
Designed to give you a practical knowledge of the workings of the music industry, the Music Business module will help you make informed choices about your career. All aspects of the music industry are covered in detail including recording and publishing contracts, artist management, music synchronization, music law, copyright, music teaching, live music and business planning. You will also be introduced to range of study skills appropriate to researching, writing and making presentations about music.
Music Technology 1
Music Technology 1 aims to provide you with fundamental skills required to use industry-standard music sequencing software within the context of a digital audio workstation environment in order to produce compositions and arrangements.
Level 5
Performance Studies 2
Performance Studies 2 continues the development of your individual and ensemble performance skills through weekly workshops focusing on learning and performing key tracks from a broad range of styles.
Techniques and Styles
This module builds on the skills and techniques acquired in Essential Styles and Techniques, providing you with the opportunity to develop the necessary technical and creative skills to perform music from a range of popular music styles. Your reading skills will continue to develop through a weekly band reading class.
Popular Music Culture
The Popular Music Culture module considers the history of popular music and the work of key artists in the context of the social, political and cultural developments of the 20th and 21st centuries. You will also develop the research techniques necessary to write a dissertation in your final year.
Musicianship 2
Musicianship 2 builds on the theory and harmony skills you developed in Musicianship 1 and gives you the opportunity to apply them to the creation of original compositions and arrangements in a range of popular music styles.
Music Technology 2
Music Technology 2 applies your music technology skills to the recording studio environment where you will have the opportunity to develop recording and production skills in a professional studio environment.
Level 6
Performance Projects
Performance Projects gives you the chance to focus on a particular performance style or genre. You will learn and perform key songs in a series of workshops supported by specialist performance tutors. The School will offer a different range of specialist projects each year, for example; Directed Music Skills, Contemporary Styles, Rock/metal, Original Music Performance, Advanced Popular Music or Complementary Music Skills.
Performance Studies 3
In Performance Studies 3 you will work towards an individual major performance event in a professional venue which will take place towards the end of your course. This will give you the opportunity to focus on your development as an individual artist. The first half of the module will support the planning of the event looking at issues such as programming, choosing your band, marketing and PR. You will be given a specialist performance mentor who will support you as you prepare for your performance.
Options (choose 2 from 3 from project selection)
Applied Music Projects
Applied Music Projects gives you the chance to focus on a particular application of music and continue your studies undertaken at an earlier stage in the course, for example music technology, composition or arranging. For students interested in teaching, there is a Music Education Project which will introduce you to the fundamental theories and practical skills required to deliver a successful teaching session.
Any information in our prospectus or on our website is believed to be correct but is not part of any agreement with parents/students and the School. Courses are regularly reviewed and maybe subject to change