October 12 is Hug-a-Bassist Day, a little-known but much-needed celebration that honors those who lay down the low end. Celebrate by hugging a bassist, obviously, but also by getting to know Berklee Online’s four bass instructors—each as essential as the four strings on a standard bass guitar.

Berklee Online is launching a new Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition degree, alongside three new minors: Music Production and Recording, Music Industry Entrepreneurship, and Film and Media Scoring.

For the fourth year running, Enrique Gonzalez Müller, director for Berklee Online’s Music Production master’s program, has partnered with iZotope, Slate Digital, and Sweetwater Sound to celebrate the accomplishments of six alumni. Check out their stories and the award-winning music they’re making!

Lori Landay’s new four-week Digital Storytelling course will guide students through the narrative process, from forming an initial concept and storyboarding, to filming and postproduction.

Berklee alum and accomplished drummer Jordan Rose takes a break from the road, touring with Maggie Rogers, to discuss his career in music, which includes drumming on Laufey’s Grammy-winning album and being in the studio with Jacob Collier. Oh, and he also reminisces about being an Advisor with Berklee Online.

After Chris LaRosa heard a live orchestra performing one of the scores he wrote for an assignment in the Composing the Orchestral Film Score course, he decided to enter the composition in the European Recording Orchestra’s Call for Scores Contest. He placed as one of the top five finalists.

America’s Got Talent producer Courtney Harrell discusses how following something that she calls “the snap” helped guide her through the wild variety of her music career and how it informed Get Heard: Promoting Yourself & Navigating The Music Industry, her new Berklee Online masterclass.

Vitas Svigaris runs two companies and is on track to complete four grad degrees with Berklee Online in four years. Somehow in his busy life he has managed to produce a catalog of calming music. Here’s how he says he manages it all.

Mark Kelley has a steady gig every night as bassist for The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, but he was starting to feel like something was missing from his life: His college degree.