Why study bass guitar?
This is your chance to unlock your full potential as a bass guitarist. With guidance from our accomplished lecturers, you’ll master the art of playing great basslines, with countless opportunities to showcase your skills at our live gigs.
We’ve designed our bass courses alongside top industry professionals to ensure that you develop the skills you need to kickstart your career. Armed with the latest research, techniques and technology, you’ll graduate with a diverse skill set and the experience to back it up.
Choose one of our excellent bass guitar courses and experience what life is like as a professional bassist. Collaborate with fellow musicians, as well as aspiring producers, songwriters and events managers, to bring your projects to life – both within the course and beyond.
By the end of your course, you’ll have everything you need to turn your passion into your career, and we can’t wait to see what your future holds.
Key facts
Available at all BIMM Music Institute locations
Available as an industry-led Diploma or Undergraduate Degree
Unrivalled industry internships and real-world opportunities
A well-balanced blend of theory, analysis, practical and technical skills
The chance to play bass onstage at festivals such as Glastonbury
What to expect
If you’re a bassist looking to take your technical, performance and musicianship skills to a professional level, then there’s no better place to be than BIMM. With our expert guidance, you’ll find your niche as a performer, as well as your unique place within the music industry.
Your learning comprises bass-specific classes to refine your technique, alongside ensemble sessions where you’ll collaborate with vocalists, drummers, guitarists and keyboardists. For theory and composition elements, you’ll use Apple Macs installed with all the latest software and plugins.
With dynamic, practical classes run by established industry experts, you’ll learn everything you need for a career in music. You can also try out our extracurricular classes, including beginners’ sessions on Pro Tools or Logic, to expand your skill set even further.
Choose your own path
We know that every bass player is different. That’s why our undergraduate degree includes option modules – so you can steer the course in any direction you want. In your first year, you’ll develop your performance skills and applied instrument skills, and you’ll get to grips with Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).
In Year 2, you’ll have more freedom to pave your own path, choosing topics that reflect your interests. For instance, we offer option modules in areas like lyricism, composition, vocal capture, and more.
The final year of the undergraduate degree focuses on the Final Project and Performance Showcase, both of which will provide great material for your portfolio. This will allow you to present your best work to potential employers, giving you a competitive edge as you enter the industry.
Our Creative Futures Team is committed to helping you gain performance experience, whether that’s by contributing to BIMM’s own record label, playing at BIMM gigs, or accessing paid gigs through our extensive industry connections. For example, we’ve had students perform at prestigious festivals such as Glastonbury, The Great Escape, 2000Trees, and many more.
We also have a Student House Band scheme, where you can audition to become part of an exclusive group of session musicians. As a member, you’ll be paid to perform in lessons and assessments, and at a variety of BIMM events.
The Creative Futures Team offer one-to-one sessions where you’ll receive personalised careers guidance. They’ll also alert you to all the relevant job opportunities and internships that come in from our industry partners.
Graduates from our performance courses have gone on to do incredible things with their musical talents. Bass players like Mike Prince, Phil Simmonds, Victoria Smith, and Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood all walked through our doors and out into the music industry. And you could be next.
At BIMM, our renowned industry masterclasses offer you the unique chance to connect with some of the most influential and successful figures in the music industry. We’ll put you in a room with prominent musicians, prolific entrepreneurs, and top-class agents, who’ll share their exciting and varied journeys into music and media.
We’ve welcomed bassists like Divinity Roxx, best known for her work with Beyoncé; Jake Bugg’s bassist Tom Robertson; Grammy-nominated artist Sharay Reed; and drum & bass legend Tonn Piper – all of whom offered their career tips, inspiring stories and unmatched wisdom to help our students navigate the industry.
Whether you’re passionate about performing live or in the recording studio (or both), you’ll learn from lecturers who’ve been there and done it.
Our staff are highly experienced professionals who are actively working in the music industry as session musicians, songwriters, independent artists, and more. With their in-depth knowledge of current and emerging trends in the sector, they’ll ensure that you stay ahead of the curve in your research and practice.
Performance students will be blown away by our state-of-the-art recording studios, all of which are designed to meet industry standards. Here, you’ll work with cutting-edge equipment, record your own sessions, and immerse yourself in the experience of a professional studio environment.
As you hone your skills, take advantage of our dedicated bass rooms to unleash your creativity. Then, bring it all together in our live rooms, where you can perfect your performance alongside drummers, keyboardists, guitarists and vocalists.
Find out more about the facilities at each campus here.
Any questions?
For any questions regarding our Bass courses or if you’d like more information on how to apply to BIMM Music Institute, please contact our Enquiries Team on 01273 840 346 or email [email protected].
