What to bring to college!?

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

One thing that might be cool to put on your Christmas list would be a recorder of some kind, like the Edirol that's been discussed here quite a bit. I'd think it would be very handy at college, for recording any audio info that comes your way, and for recording your own progress as well. Nothing like a good look into that Deep Dark Truthful Mirror to tell you what needs more work...

+ Several

I've pre-ordered the Zoom H-2, which is a measly $200 and due out in August. It's a replacing a MD recorder that has been more honest with me about my playing that any teachers, bandmates or "fans" would ever be.

[WillBuckingham]

Originally Posted by Kam

If you get a mac you probably won't need to worry about viruses.

Here's something you should not bring, and stay away from like the plague:

Video Games

I've seen more classmates fall to this vice than any drug that pervaded the dorms. It's really sad to see someone put more time into playing Guitar Hero than they do practicing their instrument.

+1!

[mcnaire2004]

Originally Posted by Kam

If you get a mac you probably won't need to worry about viruses.

Here's something you should not bring, and stay away from like the plague:

Video Games

I've seen more classmates fall to this vice than any drug that pervaded the dorms. It's really sad to see someone put more time into playing Guitar Hero than they do practicing their instrument.

I know, but it is required that you download the program. They say it is for viruses, but I think it is to block things, and moniter what we are doing.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by TroyK

+ Several

I've pre-ordered the Zoom H-2, which is a measly $200 and due out in August. It's a replacing a MD recorder that has been more honest with me about my playing that any teachers, bandmates or "fans" would ever be.

Hey Troy.... make sure to post your impressions of the Zoom after you play with it for awhile.

[CamMcIntyre]

I'd check with the dorm/school to see if they have a list of recommended items.

LEAVE THE XBOX/PS2/Wii/etc at home. This past school year i spent more time playing Halo 2 than i did studying music history, and surprisingly enough i failed music history. I plan on living in an apartment off campus [ok-so my campus is technically the Loop in Chicago] and i don't plan on taking my Xbox or even getting cable. I will have internet though.

I've completed 2 years of study and have the following recommendations.

Get a good metronome, it will be your best friend for the next several years. I also recommend getting a tuner that will play the pitches for you. I use Korg MA30 metronome & a Korg CA30 tuner. I like to set the tuner to play the tonic note while i play scales/arps.

Depending on how far you're going away to school will determine a lot of the what to take with and what to buy there. I drive for move in to school as it's a decent distance [about 130 miles or so]. So i can take as much as we can fit in the vehicle we're using. I have to move furniture this year so i'm renting probably a 16 or 17 foot Uhaul style truck. Only food stuffs/consumables i plan on taking with me are bottled water and toilet paper. All the food, shampoo, etc i plan on buying once i get up there. This also forces me to get to know the area better.

Drugs and Alcohol will be tempting-don't over do it. I tried pot and i tried alcohol. Alcohol in moderation is not a bad thing-i don't recommend binge drinking. Pot-when i have it, i smoke it and i don't get anything done. Without getting into the debate, if you choose to try drugs, do so as responsibly as you can.

Computer-my dad bought me a Dell PC [laptop] for freshman year. Looking back, i should have gotten a desktop. Preferably a Mac. I feel at this point in my life, a Mac would be the preferred OS for me.

Music software-i'd hold off on. Depending on your music theory curriculum/book, they might come with a version of Finale Notepad. Not the greatest, but hey-you're paying for it anyway.

Be open minded and relax. You will grow a lot over the next several years.

Some more advice: Study and practice every day. I've bitten myself in the ass by failing to do those very things. It may seem like common sense, but getting distracted can happen.....and it will catch up with you. I'm now right about a year behind c/o my own discretions.

I'd try to get on a GOOD routine ASAP. I got onto bad routines & getting back onto a good routine took a lot of work and i believe it would have been easier to just get into a good one in the first place. I'm starting to schedule my projected days already. I have my schedule [minus combo & lessons] and am planning in times where i will study/practice/etc into my actual school day so that i will have a structured routine of when i will do certain things. For me, the 2 main subjects that i have to work extra hard at are: Western Music History & Aural Skills. So this school year, i am scheduling time to focus on those every day. I don't want a repeat of this past year.

Ok-more stuff to take with you: an alarm clock & don't forget your pillows. I moved all of my stuff and forgot those two things.

[anon_6j591b0]

All the crap you'd bring to a gig if you were traveling light
a cheap laptop
10 days worth of clothes
and an open mind.
Anything else you'll be staring at or you can procure after you arrive....or have sent as you require it. If you can't make it from the baggage carousel to a cab in one trip you got too much.

[Eli_Upright12]

rolls of quarters for laundry, and then when you go up to girls and they say "Do you have a roll of quarters in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" you can say "no actually I got a roll of quarters in my pocket"

[bassplayer57]

I just bought a new computer, and I highly recommend the HP Pavilion dv9260nr laptop. It also probably is less expensive than a MacBook Pro too. It is great! So many people complain about vista, but I really like it!

Yeah, that whole virus protection thing...
I agree with you! They probably block tons of sites, and I wonder if it is possible for them to get into your HD??

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by Johnny Crab

Sure is.

Bong's also good for playing games with your memory

You know what's horrifying? When I was at school, a couple of friends of mine had an ear training teacher (Shannon Gunn, who is apparently a top notch musician) who not only advocated but suggested practicing while drinking shots, because if you could remember the song while plastered, you could definitely remember it on the gig while sober.

It's no wonder she also apparently had a history of being an alcoholic .

[Cfederle]

A few things that you will probably need to think about getting mostly if you are going to classical route.

A tux or tails find out what your school will be making you wear, but the tux is the most common for gigs, at least symphonies in my area.

Excerpt books there is a great CD now that you can get all of the Zimmerman books for $60 or so. Granted it might be a pain to print them all, but use your schools printers, you paid the fee might as well use them. Should bring along any other music you might have in your library, and plan on buying music, these the books we use in private lessons.

As for a computer, I did not have one for years at college, makes writing papers a bit of a pain, but you don't Really need one since schools now days have several computer labs. Mine we had them in the dorm, in the library, and in the halls with the practice rooms.

My only other advice that I can think about now is study and practice hard, music is not the easiest path to make a living in, but it can be very rewarding.

[anon_6j591b0]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

You know what's horrifying? When I was at school, a couple of friends of mine had an ear training teacher (Shannon Gunn, who is apparently a top notch musician) who not only advocated but suggested practicing while drinking shots, because if you could remember the song while plastered, you could definitely remember it on the gig while sober.

It's no wonder she also apparently had a history of being an alcoholic .

She one of my teachers when I was in school in the late 70's. She's a great singer and I learned a lot about being an accompanist from her. You should note before you go spouting second hand "stuff" like this that she has a very dry sense of humor and while I'm sure there was a strong element of true personal experience in what she said that it was also somewhat tongue in cheek.

Something every student needs to keep in mind is that teachers can teach only what they know and if you don't like what one teaches then find another one....if you didn't find out who they were before you signed on that's not their fault. They are NOT there to accommodate your ideas of what THEY should be doing and if you don't approach any teacher with complete humility and an open mind then you are probably wasting your time and money studying with them. I'm not saying blindly follow everything they say but if some of it surprises and shocks that's good. Being boring is one of the worst sins possible for any artist.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by jeffbonny

She one of my teachers when I was in school in the late 70's. She's a great singer and I learned a lot about being an accompanist from her. You should note before you go spouting second hand "stuff" like this that she has a very dry sense of humor and while I'm sure there was a strong element of true personal experience in what she said that it was also somewhat tongue in cheek.

Oh, I totally agree, and I appreciate a sense of humour...but I heard this directly from one of her students (who was one of the best in his year in ear training) who was amazed because although it was partly "tongue-in-cheek" as you said, she was definitely serious about it being an effective method for learning a difficult piece.

Something every student needs to keep in mind is that teachers can teach only what they know and if you don't like what one teaches then find another one....if you didn't find out who they were before you signed on that's not their fault. They are NOT there to accommodate your ideas of what THEY should be doing and if you don't approach any teacher with complete humility and an open mind then you are probably wasting your time and money studying with them. I'm not saying blindly follow everything they say but if some of it surprises and shocks that's good. Being boring is one of the worst sins possible for any artist.

The fact of the matter is, it's a class, nobody had any choice who their teacher was, and nobody got switched out of said class despite many, many complaints about her methods. As someone who didn't have her, I won't go further into detail, but I know several musicians (including the guy who told me the above anecdote, once again, a stellar ear training student) who strongly disliked the way she taught and despite a healthy respect for her as a musician, desperately wanted to have someone like Brian O'Kane (sp?) as their teacher instead.

[anon_6j591b0]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

The fact of the matter is, it's a class, nobody had any choice who their teacher was

I guess a class is a little different from private study. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't bother with music school and classes at all. I'd go to NY, study privately and play as much as I could with as many people as I could. You always have a choice.


an afterthought: this isn't exactly a private forum and you should be more careful about naming names if you're planning on trying to get gigs around TO. You never know who you're gonna need to pay the rent or who talks to who and it'd be the shits to miss out on work because you shot yer mouth off.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by jeffbonny

I guess a class is a little different from private study. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't bother with music school and classes at all. I'd go to NY, study privately and play as much as I could with as many people as I could. You always have a choice.


an afterthought: this isn't exactly a private forum and you should be more careful about naming names if you're planning on trying to get gigs around TO. You never know who you're gonna need to pay the rent or who talks to who and it'd be the shits to miss out on work because you shot yer mouth off.

Music isn't gonna be my main gig and I have no intention of living in Ontario after I'm done my undergrad. I'm not going to worry about stepping on toes or naming names, good or bad.

[mcnaire2004]

One week from today I move into my dorm.

So far I have....

-DOUBLE BASS
-Tomorrow I get a Laptop
-Speacial package crap for bedding that the University sells
-cloths
-myself
-Bass wheel
-New endpin
-New metronome
-My Car

I'll be scrambling for stuff this week.

EDIT: I JUST GOT MY LAPTOP!!!!!!!

[anon_6j591b0]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Music isn't gonna be my main gig and I have no intention of living in Ontario after I'm done my undergrad. I'm not going to worry about stepping on toes or naming names, good or bad.

LOL!
Good call on both counts!

[bassplayer57]

Originally Posted by mcnaire2004

EDIT: I JUST GOT MY LAPTOP!!!!!!!

And what did you decide on getting????

[mcnaire2004]

Originally Posted by bassplayer57

And what did you decide on getting????

I got a Acer 5100. Comes with Windows Vista Premium, Webcam, multilayer DVD & CD burner. Monday I am taking it in to have microsoft office, home, and student installed. I think it is kinda gay that it isn't already on the computer.

The computer is good (I am on it now), but it seems to click things for me. Even when my hand is away from the clicker (don't know what it is called, not a mouse).

I think I am going to test the webcam out by posting me playing something on youtube.

I just found out who my roommate was (business major). He is bringing a fridge. I guess I should get a microwave.

I am looking to get a drill so I can change strings.

[bassplayer57]

Originally Posted by mcnaire2004

I got a Acer 5100. Comes with Windows Vista Premium, Webcam, multilayer DVD & CD burner. Monday I am taking it in to have microsoft office, home, and student installed. I think it is kinda gay that it isn't already on the computer.

The computer is good (I am on it now), but it seems to click things for me. Even when my hand is away from the clicker (don't know what it is called, not a mouse).

I think I am going to test the webcam out by posting me playing something on youtube.

I just found out who my roommate was (business major). He is bringing a fridge. I guess I should get a microwave.

I am looking to get a drill so I can change strings.

I love Vista!! I have the ultimate, and it is a joy!! I think it is dumb that you need to get it extra too! I just use "WordPad" which is located in accessories. It just doesn't have spellcheck

Originally Posted by relacey

Your touchpad is probably defaulted to be touch sensitive. I hate that because I tend to drag my thumb over the pad when typing and activate somewhere I don't want. You can turn this "feature" off in windows. It's probably in "Start --> Control Panel -->Mouse or Touchpad" but you may need a windows guru to help.

I had to do that to my old computer. This one is much better, though, and I didn't need to do that to this one.

[mcnaire2004]

Well, I am moving tomorrow-today (friday) around 9:30. I am going to come back for my bass. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak my large TV out when I come for my bass (my dad wants me to take my old tiny one).

I have got cloths, Bass, Laptop, PS3, microwave, and other stuff like toothbrush, paste, ect...