Higher Diploma (Bass)
The one year Higher Diploma Bass course (in Popular Music Performance) is designed to equip aspiring professional musicians with the skills and awareness required by today's ever-changing music industry.
Successful students will gain two awards, our own Institute of Contemporary Music Performance Diploma and the OCN Diploma (in Popular Music Performance.) This is a level 3 award and is equivalent to 1.5 GCE 'A' levels and can be used for entry into Higher Education.
On the Higher Diploma course you will play bass every week in live band situations with other instrumentalists, studying the different musical styles relevant to today’s wide-ranging musical arena and industry. Class sizes are generally no more than 12 students, creating a high level of interaction with both your tutors and your fellow musicians. This ensures that your learning and training opportunities are maximized and the learning environment remains extremely focused.
GENERAL COURSE DETAILS
| Course name: | Higher Diploma (Bass) | |
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Commencement: |
6th October 2008 | |
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Duration: |
30 weeks full-time made up of 3 x 10-week terms |
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Class Times: |
16 hours/week, 3 days/week |
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Cost: |
£4,950 |
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Entry Req: |
Students should possess Intermediate skill levels on the instrument. There is a mandatory FREE assessment prior to acceptance. Academic qualifications and sight reading skills are not required. |
COURSE OUTLINE
Click here to download the 2008 Prospectus with the Higher Diploma Course Outline.
The Higher Diploma course is broken down into four main areas of study, as follows:
·CORE CURRICULUM: Covers and develops the essential technical skills that you will require to develop a career as a musician. For example, Harmony and Theory, Instrumental Technique, Transcribing, Arranging and Aural Skills.
·PERFORMANCE: Covers all the principle contemporary styles, from Blues, Rock and Soul through to advanced styles such as Jazz and Fusion. This provides you with performance experience and skills, as well as a widening song repertoire.
·STYLISTIC STUDY: This part of the course provides you with an in-depth understanding of all the principle contemporary musical styles, both in terms of performance on your instrument and their historical importance and perspective.
·SIGHT READING: Assuming no prior reading experience, this part of the course will provide you with the tools required to sight read standard music notation. This essential skill is supported throughout the course in practical performance classes, and is an integral part of a musician’s skill set.
Level I (Term 1)
Core Curriculum modules
·Aural & Transcribing 1: An introduction to help develop Aural skills, both as an individual skill and in the practical application of Transcribing.
·Harmony & Theory 1: An introduction to the practical Harmony and Theory that every bassist needs to know, such as Diatonic Harmony and Scale/Chord formation.
·Fretboard Skills 1: This class builds the solid foundations on the fretboard that will enable the bassist to master their instrument, both in technique, understanding and visualisation.
·Keyboards 1: This module will provide the student with an introduction to the keyboard as a second instrument, supporting the Music Tech and Songwriting pathways.
·Music Tech: Providing an introduction to the use of Music Technology this class is geared toward equipping bassists with the skills required to utilize the technology suite, and supports the creative study that will take place in levels two and three.
Performance Modules
·Live Performance Workshop 1: This module teaches bassists to function in a real-band environment. Alongside fellow students from the guitar, drum and vocal faculties, they will learn and perform a repertoire of tunes, covering three key styles; Blues, Soul and Rock.
·Rhythm Section Workshop 1: This module begins to investigate the critical role of the bassist as part of the rhythm section, both analytically and practically. Essential styles are broken down and analysed with examples from each performed in a band environment.
Stylised Study Modules
·Soul/R&B: Identifies the fundamentals of these most crucial styles by learning and analysing the work of repertoire and performers in this area.
·Blues: Introduces the bassist to a wide variety of Blues idioms through study of some of the main stylistic innovators.
·Rock 1: Presents a wide variety of styles within the Classic Rock idiom through the study of some of the main stylistic innovators.
·Funk (Fingerstyle): This module will introduce and develop the Funk fingerstyle technique. It is studied by learning and analysing the great innovators in this wide field of music, and leads to the Funk performance later in the course.
Sight Reading Modules
·Sight Reading 1: Introduces all of the concepts that will enable the bassist to start sight reading standard music notation.
·Reading Skills 1: Focuses on the wider reading skills that every bassist needs, such as notational symbols, rhythmic subdivisions, shapes, patterns and chart reading.
Level II (Term 2)
Core Curriculum modules
·Aural & Transcribing 2: Building upon the aural skills developed in Level I, this module adds more complex chordal structures and progressions.
·Harmony & Theory 2: This module further extends understanding of the fretboard and the associated harmony. This moves onto minor scales and their chordal constructions.
·Fretboard Skills 2: Extends fretboard knowledge and technique considerably. This incorporates Arpeggios and their use (via Arpeggiator), Modes and Sequential Patterns.
·Introduction to Songwriting: this module introduces the broad concepts, and lays the foundations of, the art of songwriting, encouraging students to explore their creative capabilities.
·History of Popular Music (2hr): Popular Music is inextricably linked to the environment that nurtured it and in this module students will develop an understanding of it in its historical context, focusing on the cultural and social factors which have influenced its evolution. In practical terms, this provides students with the broader understanding required for convincing, authentic performance.
Performance Modules
·Live Performance Workshop 2: This module teaches bassists to function in a real-band environment. Alongside fellow students from the guitar, drum and vocal faculties, they will learn and perform a repertoire of tunes, covering three key styles; Pop, Rock and World Music.
·Rhythm Section Workshop 2: Deepens understanding of the critical role of the bassist as part of the rhythm section, both analytically and practically. More essential styles are broken down, analysed and examples from each performed in a band environment.
Stylised Study Modules
·Funk (Slap): This module takes an advanced and in-depth look at slap bass. It builds up an understanding of the style through technical exercises and the study of the main exponents of the style.
·Motown: This module studies this lynchpin style in the modern bass repertoire. By studying a cross section of the greatest pieces in the idiom, the student will strengthen both their technique and their musical understanding.
·Rock 2: This module builds upon Rock 1, introducing bassists to the contemporary techniques made popular post 1980 with players such as Stu Hamm, Jaco Pastorius and Victor Wooten.
·Latin: This module will develop the rhythmic and harmonic skills associated with this demanding musical genre, including Clave and Tumbao, and styles such as Samba, Bossa Nova, Salsa and Rhumba.
Sight Reading Modules
·Sight Reading 2: This module develops all of the concepts from Sight Reading 1, whilst incorporating reading in various keys and positions.
·Reading Skills 2: This module will develop the wider reading skills that every bassist needs, such as reading form, repetition, 12/8, shuffle grooves and syncopation. A conceptual understanding is emphasized throughout.
Level III (Term 3)
Core Curriculum modules
·Aural & Arranging: This module adds more complex chordal structures and progressions. Students study various styles and arrange their own material into that style.
·Harmony & Theory 3: Extends the Harmony and Theory already learnt into areas of more complex Jazz theory, supporting the styles covered in performance this term.
·Fretboard Skills 3: Expands fretboard understanding of Chords, Scales, Arpeggios, Modes and Minor Modes to support the advanced styles being studied this term.
·Songwriting: Building on the concepts studies in Level II, the student will further extend their creative potential in this module, both in terms of songwriting and composition.
·Music Business (2hrs): A practical understanding of the complex nature of the business that they are entering is an indispensable skill for any aspiring professional musician. This module provides students with a coherent and solid overview of the main business practices currently used within the industry, focusing on issues such as revenue streams to copyright protection.
Performance Modules
·Live Performance Workshop 3: This module teaches Bassists to function in a real-band environment. Alongside fellow students from the guitar, bass and vocal faculties, they will learn and perform a repertoire of tunes, covering three key styles; Funk, R ‘n’ B, and Jazz.
·Advanced Performance Workshop: Involves learning a repertoire of more advanced and esoteric instrumental styles, including Jazz, Fusion, Country and Contemporary Rock. This module is where many of the aspects studied over the previous two levels are applied in a real band environment.
Stylised Study Modules
·Solo Bass: This module studies the more contemporary role of the electric bass as a solo instrument. Material covered ranges from classical pieces arranged for bass, to more contemporary pieces such as work by Jaco Pastorius, Colin Hodgkinson and Stu Hamm.
·Contemporary Studies: Focusing on a range of contemporary styles such as commercial, hip-hop, dance, and electronica, as well as miscellaneous bass instruments and their stylistic suitability (for example, fretless, acoustic bass guitar/upright), and equipment (gear/fx/care/maintenance).
·Improvisation; The skill of improvisation is common in most strands of popular music, and this module studies many of the concepts and skills involved. Students will apply these concepts in a wide range of stylistic settings.
Sight Reading Modules
·Sight Reading 3: This module extends all of the concepts from the previous modules.
·Reading Skills 3: This module will extend the wider reading skills that every bassist needs, including odd times signatures, real charts and bass ensemble.
