Michigan Universities + Electric Bass = Bad Mix

[BassNoob1]

Hi Adam

I'm a current 10th grade student. I live in Michigan and would like to go to college in-state to avoid the expenses of moving and higher tuition. I play both upright and electric basses, but really the only reason I play upright is because my band director hates the electric bass's sound. To each his own, I guess.

I want to be a performing, teaching, really just everything, bassist for a living after high school. The problem is, there really aren't any good colleges with good programs for an electric bassists around here. There are great music programs, but none of them accept electric bassists, only upright players.

Is there anything you'd recommend I do? I understand college is a great place to collaborate with other musicians and get better. And I also understand it's kind of risky to skip college and jump right into the "real world".

[adamnitti]

Originally Posted by BassNoob1

Hi Adam

I'm a current 10th grade student. I live in Michigan and would like to go to college in-state to avoid the expenses of moving and higher tuition. I play both upright and electric basses, but really the only reason I play upright is because my band director hates the electric bass's sound. To each his own, I guess.

I want to be a performing, teaching, really just everything, bassist for a living after high school. The problem is, there really aren't any good colleges with good programs for an electric bassists around here. There are great music programs, but none of them accept electric bassists, only upright players.

Is there anything you'd recommend I do? I understand college is a great place to collaborate with other musicians and get better. And I also understand it's kind of risky to skip college and jump right into the "real world".

hi bassnoob-

very cool to hear you are planning out your educational path. there are a lot of options out there, but you are correct; there are some places where the electric bass is not as prevalent in their courses of study. i'm not an expert on schools in various areas of the country, but if you can't get what you need in the area you live in you might have to figure out a way to go somewhere else... i understand it might be more expensive, but maybe there are some creative ways to deal with that. i agree that the school environment is a great place to get experience and a foundational academic music education. it offers some unique experiences and allows you to be surrounded by players that have similar goals and get you in the head-space of disciplined study and responsibility. however, depending on what your goals are it could be argued whether or not a degree from a college is going to be super-valuable depending on what you want to do. if your ultimate goals are centered around performance or recording, you really don't need a degree. my jazz improv professor at georgia state university told the class one day that "a performance degree is really useless for job security... if you are going to get a degree so that you can teach later at the college or university level, get a composition or theory degree." basically he was just saying that you don't have to have a college education to go out and play. he wasn't diminishing the value of education - instead just simply stating that the reality is that bands, composers, engineers and producers don't ask to see your diploma before they hire you. another thing to keep in mind is that now with the internet and the overload of media accessibility out there, if you are disciplined and focused, you can get a pretty darn good education by combining elements of private instruction, videos, books, etc, etc, that can potentially raise your competence level pretty high. i have had students in the past that have studied with me for their primary applied bass education, and then combined that with other private lessons or educational media. many of them have done very well. i would never say that one approach is superior to the other (i think school is very important), but everybody learns differently and once again, it depends what your goals are in the long run.

[BassNoob1]

Do you think that perhaps going for a degree on upright and then applying what I learn musically to electric would be a good option?

Thank you for your response, you are a very big inspiration to me, I love how seriously you take the electric bass and you don't view it as a "fake" instrument just because it's electric, not used in the classical or "proper" music, etc.

----------------
Now playing: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)
via FoxyTunes

[adamnitti]

Originally Posted by BassNoob1

Do you think that perhaps going for a degree on upright and then applying what I learn musically to electric would be a good option?

sure, you could do that. but if you go the direction of degree-ing on upright, maybe consider studying on the electric on the side to maintain a path of progress there, as well.

thanks for the very kind words, btw. i really appreciate that.

[bassist4dalord]

Hey OP, I go to Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids. It's a small Christian school, and the music department is pretty good. Just sayin!

Good luck finding a school!

[BassNoob1]

Originally Posted by bassist4dalord

Hey OP, I go to Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids. It's a small Christian school, and the music department is pretty good. Just sayin!

Good luck finding a school!

I looked at it, but I'm not religious and I'd rather not go to a religious school where I'd be expected to follow a religion. I feel I'd have a hard time getting in in the first place and even if I did I'd feel extremely out of place.

[One Bad Monkey]

Originally Posted by BassNoob1

Do you think that perhaps going for a degree on upright and then applying what I learn musically to electric would be a good option?

I agree with Adam in that you could do this, and then try to find the time to study electric either on the side.

I went to Western Michigan (and still live in Kalamazoo), and while the director there is mainly upright, I have heard that he's eased his focus on strictly upright to allow more students the ability to play the electric in an academic setting.

However, if you go that route, I would recommend looking at the teachers that are doubling and make sure it's actual doubling on both instruments, and that they do it somewhat equally in terms of skill. Doubling on both electric and upright doesn't mean that you play one 90% of the time and have the other "just in case" it's needed.

Wherever you go, good luck! You've got PLENTY of time to figure out a good, solid path. And, there are a lot of really solid bass instructors in Michigan schools as well.

[funkadelickbass]

Don't for get that some state also give instate tuition to neighboring states schools...I'm in WI, but I know I could get instate tuition for IL, MN and i do believe Michigan as well...I would suggest looking into that...

I myself am currently studying upright at UW-Milwaukee in WI but I came in on electric and even did my audition on electric...however since day one all of my lessons at school have been on the double bass. BUT you will find that many jazz programs will allow electric, and even encourage it. I play electric in the big band when its called for and I use my electric in all my improvisation classes (lighter and easier to ride the bus...and takes up less room in that professors office)...main thing is talk to both the head of the department you will be going into as well as the professor that will be giving you your lessons...you may not play electric in lessons, but I am sure you will be able to somewhere in school.

[Tmoney865]

Grat story from GSU Adam.

Who was that Instructor?

I bugged out in 1986, and only recently contacted Peter Hennes again. (he got the 5th Ken Smith 6 behind my back and never let me play it)

I hear you left after 1 year. I dragged out 2 years of that madness.

Yep, and Performance Degree, as with most these days is not worth anything.

Play and Sight Read. Get out there.

Most Schools are Diploma Factories. Someone like Adam who teaches you to play and arms you to get out there and perform is your friend.

Peace, Blessings, and Bass