“Music technology education for all…” : This is the motto of Education & Bass, an organisation established by bass artist Nomine back in 2018.
They really do mean ‘all’. As of this month the Education & Bass school (E&B) has changed their model, dropped their £9.99 monthly subscription packages and opened up a vault of resources that weighs over 2000 instructional videos and over 1500 samples entirely for free.
The resources are aimed at all stages from beginner to pro across a rainbow of genres and can be supplemented by additional tuition, mentoring and courses by Nomine himself and his team of qualified tutors. All active in the industry as artists themselves, E&B tutors include certified pioneers like Digital and DJ Rap and exciting new-gen talents like Gnasha and False Relation.
Now offering classes and programmes in a wide range of educational settings from universities to prisons to community projects, opening up the E&B resources for free is just one of many successes the organisation has achieved since launching five years ago.
“E&B was originally intended to be an alternative to my teaching salary,” explains Nomine. “Leaving a secure job was a gamble, but it paid off by proving that E&B was not merely a dream—it became a reality, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Just as E&B has developed a life of its own, looking back into Nomine’s own journey is just as impressive and inspiring. Like so many creatives within electronic music, structured education didn’t suit him at all.
“I left school without any qualifications,” he explains. “Later in life, I realised this might have been due to chronic anxiety and a potential type 2 bipolar disorder. Back then, such diagnoses weren’t as prevalent, and I often felt inadequate or out of place. Nevertheless, I was fortunate enough to start touring as a drum and bass DJ from the age of 16. A few years down the line, I began producing music for esteemed labels such as Metalheadz, Function Records, and Inneractive Music (RIP don Spirit), to name a few. These opportunities helped secure a career as a DJ and producer for over a decade.”
10 years into his career, Nomine was thirsty for more challenges. Inspired by previous 1 More Thing podcast guest, maverick bass artist and educator himself Amit, Nomine dived into academia and has since obtained both a Masters and PGCE. None of which he ever would have dreamt of when he left school.
“Despite my unconventional start, I’ve discovered the transformative power of education, proving that it can be a profound tool for personal growth and empowerment for everyone,” he explains. “My experiences over the years have shaped the core values and mission of Education & Bass. We aim to inspire and uplift those who’ve faced similar challenges, reinforcing the belief that, “Yes, you can.” We’ve designed much of our educational approach to resonate with those who, like us, learn differently.”
If you’ve ever considered exploring production but have been intimidated by memories of your own experiences with structured education, or you have concerns on the validity of the teachers, or you’re put off by the price of many courses and one-to-one fees, Education & Bass is an inspiring place to start that journey.
Start exploring here. But first, find out more about the school, its ethos and what their hopes are in the future as speak in more detail to Nomine.
What makes a good teacher?
In my opinion, a good teacher genuinely cares about their students’ growth and achievements. They constantly update their skills, adapting to the needs of their learners, and teach with dedication. It’s their passion and commitment that sets the stage for students to thrive and succeed.
However, in the public education system, I noticed a troubling pattern. Many teachers, overwhelmed by demanding schedules and inadequate pay, grappled with stress, anxiety and depression. This challenging environment can suck the enthusiasm of even the most dedicated educators over time, which of course means the quality of teaching goes down. I was a grade 1 teacher consistently because I absolutely love teaching and put all into it, but over the years I also started to feel my passion dwindling big time.
This realisation made me reevaluate my teaching work. I decided to step away and focus on an initiative with greater freedom, where teaching’s core values weren’t compromised by other pressures. That’s how Education & Bass was born, reflecting a commitment to quality education in a more supportive environment.
Amazing. It’s been over five years now. Take us back…
It’s crazy to think that more than five years have already flown by. Our experience with E&B has been a blend of amazing highs and inevitable lows. We’ve taken our feedback sessions around the world and have had the privilege of collaborating with an exceptionally talented array of artists and professionals for our events, as well as online and in-person teaching and other valuable projects.
As the first platform of its kind in the underground electronic music scene, we ventured into the unknown. But we’ve been blessed enough to positively impact thousands of creative journeys worldwide through our teaching—both online and in person. What began as a feedback session in London’s Brick Lane evolved into an online platform offering music production tutorials with accredited and non-accredited options. Today, we’re not just about music production video tutorials; we also support a wide range of educational settings. These include schools, colleges, universities, youth organisations, special education environments, teacher training, national community settings and even prison education programs. We’re exploring and practicing the transformative power of music technology, and it’s making a real difference.
A big highlight has been witnessing first-hand the transformative capability of teaching and learning through music technology. It offers genuine hope, opportunities, mental well-being support and even enables those who might have been side-lined by conventional educational systems to acquire qualifications and essential life skills. The profound influence of music is something that I firmly believe should be more widely acknowledged and utilised by educational decision-makers as a serious mechanism for intervention, rehabilitation and as a key component of a comprehensive education.
Combining the universal love for music with technology creates a winning formula for engaging and retaining learners at all levels—a challenge that the educational system often grapples with.
What have been the most popular modules, topics and areas of interest?
Our most popular area of interest for learners has been subscription content, which is now available for free. This format allows learners to freely explore topics at any level according to their preferences. However, we’ve come a long way with our educational offerings. We had a 30-week program called The Ultimate Music Production Program (UMPC), which attracted hundreds of beat makers from around the world, at all skill levels in all genres of electronic music. This was a structured course that spanned an academic year. The goal was to fill in the gaps on the ‘why’ in addition to the ‘how’, especially on the practical side of music tech.
The UMPC then evolved into a game-changing moment. We partnered with Rockschool London (RSL) to launch an accredited, one-year online course—The EBRSL Graded Syllabus, truly a first of its kind. This was a big deal for us because it allows learners to gain a qualification from an internationally recognised body. Unfortunately, it’s not funded (we are working on that) like traditional school or college programs, but grades 6, 7, and 8 offer UCAS points. These can actually pave the way for university admission, even for those who haven’t come through the standard academic path.
This is really important to you isn’t it?
This is really important to you isn’t it?I can relate very much to non-traditional paths! I left school thinking I was stupid and made to think I was stupid—no GCSEs or qualifications, riddled with anxiety that was diagnosed years later. I found out that traditional exam settings just weren’t for me. But I didn’t give up. I went back to school, got a master’s in advanced music tech, and even ran a university-level music tech course for a few years. So, offering a qualification through Education & Bass that’s solely based on a passion for learning? That’s not just exciting; it feels like coming full circle. We’re giving people the chance to further their education, just like I was able to, and that’s pretty incredible.
That’s so inspiring. In the past you’ve told me that if you’re not touring and releasing records, then you wouldn’t teach. That’s another really important aspect of E&B isn’t it? You all live what you teach…
Absolutely. When I ventured into teaching, it was crucial for me to be active in the industry—not just someone discussing theory and past experiences. I felt that if I weren’t involved in the field, I wouldn’t be doing the best job I can as an educator. I would want a teacher/mentor who is not only an expert but is also actively engaged in the work, so to speak. Transitioning into the role of an educator was a significant shift, but one I’ve found incredibly rewarding. Interestingly, it’s one of the few situations where my anxiety doesn’t get the better of me, primarily because my focus shifts from myself to helping others.
The landscape of our field is constantly changing, especially with technological advancements and shifts in marketing strategies. So staying current is non-negotiable. This isn’t to dismiss the value of retired industry professionals as educators—some of them are among the best. However, for us at E&B, it’s essential that our instructors are not only actively engaged in what they’re teaching but are also skilled at teaching.
While working on my teaching qualification, I conducted extensive research and surveys on this topic. I even based a final project on the benefits of having active industry specialists as teachers. The data made it very clear how effective this approach can be, provided, of course, that they can teach effectively.
Didn’t realise that was actually part of your own studies. That’s fascinating! So tell us everything about the pay as you go education content which is now free. This is incredible by the way.
Thank you. Yes, offering free education has been a vision of ours for a while. We strongly believe that access to education should be unrestricted, but the reality is, we operate within the constraints of a business model. While we’ve achieved some success in securing funding for specific projects, those funds haven’t been sufficient to sustain our broader ambitions consistently. However, in recent years, Education & Bass has expanded into diverse educational areas and secured some investment and commissions for various projects and collaborations. These ventures have allowed us to take that initial step towards offering free Music Technology Education for everyone. It’s a huge risk, but one we are willing to take!
Please explain the level of resources that have been opened up for everyone…
The monster resource, now known as The E&B Vault, has over 2000 instructional videos designed for learners at every stage from absolute beginner to industry pro, covering a wide range of genres. These videos were previously accessible for £9.99 a month, but now available for free to all users. The content is versatile, addressing both general production techniques and software, as well as specific lessons for genres like drum and bass, jungle, dubstep, grime, house, techno, hip hop, trap, EDM, among others.
Beyond genre-specific guidance, the Vault also delves into core areas of music production. There are materials on mixing and mastering, assisting users to achieve a professional finish to their tracks. For those keen on creating sounds and deeper learning, we have resources on sound design and synthesis to help them grasp and experiment with different sonic elements. Additionally, considering the complexities of the music industry, we’ve included content on its business side to assist emerging artists in navigating their careers effectively.
We’re also providing free access to E&B Sounds, our sample portal. Currently, this collection has around 1500, one-shots, loops, and synth patches, with regular additions in the pipeline.
Wow. So much stuff! Specialist modules and courses supported by other tutors will still be paid, right?
Wow. So much stuff! Specialist modules and courses supported by other tutors will still be paid, right?That’s correct. While the Vault hosts the copious amount of free content available, our specialist modules and courses facilitated by our dedicated tutors still come with a fee. These include a mix of both accredited and non-accredited courses. These courses are designed to provide a more guided learning experience with live sessions, feedback on assignments, and extended support to cultivate a personalised and facilitated learning environment.
For instance, our 4-month genre-specific group mentoring programs cover genres like drum & bass and dubstep, both from beginner to advanced levels. More than just instructional, these programs delve into the historical roots of the genres, explore their philosophical and practical aesthetics, and provide insights beyond the basic “how-to.” We aim to teach nuances and encourage independent learning by adopting a unique teaching philosophy.
Our EBRSL Graded Syllabus is a comprehensive 1-year accredited course, is tailor-made for a wide audience, from absolute beginners to industry professionals wanting to bridge gaps in their self-taught knowledge. This intensive Music Technology course covers a vast array of subjects, such as Audio & MIDI Sequencing, Music Theory, Sound Design, the history of electronic music, practical techniques in Recording, Mixing & Mastering, and much more. It’s a holistic program aimed at producing well-rounded individuals in the field of music production.
Sounds amazing. What other plans do you have in store in the future?
Moving forward, the future for Education & Bass is focused on growth and improvement with a lot more of what has already been mentioned. We plan to regularly update The Vault with new lessons and to add more samples to E&B Sounds. To keep up with the fast-paced industry, we’re looking to collaborate with new, upcoming producers. This not only gives them a platform to showcase their skills but also ensures our content stays relevant and current while supporting the next generation.
We’re also planning to strengthen our partnerships, especially with schools, youth organisations, prison education, and those in the special educational needs and disabilities sectors. We have several projects lined up that reflect our mission to support all learners, no matter their background or learning style. Our primary aim is to develop, promote and support “music technology education for all.”
As we embark on this new chapter at Education & Bass, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported us on this journey. To our dedicated learners, whose passion fuels our mission; to our amazing tutors and mentors, for their expertise and commitment; to our invaluable investor, partners and web team, who help us reach further and aim higher; and to every individual who has played a part in our story—thank you. It is with your support that we stand where we are today, and it is with your continued partnership that we will shape the future of music technology education. Thank you for believing in the vision of Education & Bass.
