Pondering College. need first hand advice

Azwethinkweizm · #1 09-25-2007, 08:01 PM

i was thinkin about taking performance in college. but the only problem is that it isn't bass guitar involved, i just started upright in sophmore year (this year). id really like to study music in college but i'm not sure i wanna do upright because i haven't been studying it that long and it would be very difficult to get in. i'm not sure either if i want to study the upright much further than senior year of hs. id really like to be a musician but i was thinkin maybe i should just play bass guitar on my college downtime and study something else that i could get a job in. Any expierienced musicians, i could really use an opinion

fenderhutz · #2 09-25-2007, 08:04 PM

Don't get a BFA unless you want to be a teacher. That's my opinion. My wife has one that cost her 54,000 in student loans and unless she wants to teach it's worthless.

If it is a secondary focus by all means go for it.

Dave Martin · #3 09-25-2007, 11:10 PM

Two thoughts came to mind while reading this - the first is that college/university didn't USED to be a business school - it wasn't designed to teach what you need to 'get a job'. That's what Vocational schools were for. Folks went to college to complete their education, to learn about the marvelous culture that's all around them, and to become a complete human being.

The second is that you shouldn't go for a performance major - major in something that will help you get a job.

PocketGroove82 · #4 09-25-2007, 11:35 PM

you can get a great musical education and practical playing experience without college. on the other hand, a degree can be worthwhile if you are into the whole academia thing...but won't be finding any masters in electric bass.

You have a couple choices.

I will offer this advice. Going to college to study an instrument that you are not totally comfortable on, being under prepared, and at the bottom of the learning curve is not fun.

Granted, I'm sure at least 20 people have told you not to study music in college...I know I heard it from tons of people, but if you feel you must...then you gotta do it or else the regrets can be awful.

Just know that it's not easy and you better be freaking serious, or else you will throw away a boat load of money and still not have a way to support a family.

Hawaii Islander · #5 09-26-2007, 12:02 AM

You can major in anything you're interested in (including music) and minor in a secondary area (computer science, English, Education, etc.) or visa versa. Many college and University campuses have extracurricular programs, clubs and associations in performing arts for performers (musicians) at all levels.

grovest · #6 09-26-2007, 11:13 AM

Try a wide variety of classes during your first year at college and find something that interests you. Don't be afraid to change your major once or maybe twice. Practice your bass on your own time after all your homework is done. Pay close attention in your high school English classes.

casualmadness · #7 09-26-2007, 11:18 AM

There are degree programs that center around things such as sound engineering and music business. Maybe that's an avenue worth pursuing. If you studied sound engineering you would be a part of that school's music community and you would be learning something that could potentially get you a regular day job.

chaosMK · #8 09-26-2007, 12:01 PM

I played bass in my downtime while working on my bachelor's. I am working on a master's degree now, very slowly, and playing in a band is one of the main things I do these days.

It's much easier to have fun being a musician if you have a good job! When I was younger, we were all broke and everything was a struggle, even transportation. If most of us in my current band didnt already have pretty good jobs, it would have been miserable to record and produce a good quality album, shirts, everything else, have good sounding and maintained gear, afford to party, etc.

BigLoopDuke · #9 09-26-2007, 12:07 PM

If you want to become a pro musician, I'd suggest a business degree and pick up a minor in business.

Think of it this way, if you decide to become a session pro, etc, you will be running your own business. You'll want to learn the ways about running a business and promoting a business to make yourself successful and to get those opportunities to get in the door.

A long time ago, I wanted to become a film director. I got some good advice from my dad about always being able to fall back on a business degree. It sounds lame and cliche, but honestly, it was some of the best advice I ever got.

Dave Muscato · #10 09-27-2007, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

Two thoughts came to mind while reading this - the first is that college/university didn't USED to be a business school - it wasn't designed to teach what you need to 'get a job'. That's what Vocational schools were for. Folks went to college to complete their education, to learn about the marvelous culture that's all around them, and to become a complete human being.

The second is that you shouldn't go for a performance major - major in something that will help you get a job.

+1 to this guy.

College is about culture and a general education. Your first year or two, it doesn't even really matter if you take courses in your "major." Just go and learn. Do you want to be a professional musician? If so, upright will make you more versatile. But you might even want to skip that altogether and take some business, marketing, and advertising courses, along with general education courses, and take private lessons on upright and/or electric bass from a very good teacher once or twice a week. Take some aural skills or other general music courses, too. You'll figure it out... you don't need to have a plan right away. The average number of times a college student changes his or her major is FIVE. Just go and have fun. You might end up getting interested in anthropology and give up music altogether. There's a whole world out there... just enjoy it while you can

Monkey · #11 09-28-2007, 11:40 PM

I'm a career advisor at a university, and many, many (many) years ago, I thought about majoring in music. I thought if I majored in it, I would become a better musician and would have more opportunities. I ended up with another major, but played bass for a wide variety of groups at the school. I've been making money playing music for over 20 years while still holding down a satisfying day gig that allows me to pick and choose who I play with.

If you want to play in a symphony or teach, majoring in music might be a good idea. If you want to play rock, blues, reggae, funk, etc., why not study something else that turns you on and might help you to get a job someday, while playing on the side?

I had an interesting experience with a client recently. A guy came in who majored in music and had been teaching music at a high school. He was looking for a new position, and I told him that I had a gig that night playing reggae and funk. He said, "I sure wish I could improvise... I can't play a note without written music in front of me." That broke my heart! This poor guy spent untold thousands of bucks on a music education, but couldn't even sit in at a blues jam.