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Musicians Insitute?

C

Corbis

Feb 19, 2003
251
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38
Wamego KS
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#1
I am currently going to go Senior year at I've really put my quest for colleges off.

I've been looking at going to Musicians Insitute in LA for a while since my bass instrutor when there in the mid. 80s and couldn't speak enough good things about it.

I was wondering if anyone has gone there and be willing to answer some questions that their pamphets and website don't answer. I just feel if I ask someone that isn't affiliated with the school that they'll give me an honest answer.

I guess my main problems would be

Am I good enough to become a music major? (thats more of a self doubt issue)

Is this school worth the money and moving across the country?

Will I acually use a bass degree?
 
#3
I have heard many less than stellar reports about it from people who've attended. Essentially MI is a degree mill churning out people for the LA session scene, which is saturated with players as it is.

However you should not let what I, or anyone else says, sway you. Picking a college is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, as where you go to school shapes you tremendously both as a person and a professional.

Research the school, visit the campus, talk to students who are there right now and email alums (don't take the alumni list from the school, those are prescreened and often fake. Google for personal websites that say "I went to MI", myspace.com school lists could be helpful for getting a less biased opinion).

Also check out lots if other schools, even schools not particularly known as "music schools". Besides Jaco fans how many people would think U of Miami has an incredible music program? I wouldn't, but my composition teacher got his Doctorate there and adored it.

There are tons of colleges in the US, and more abroad (what better time to explore another country than when you're going to college?). You owe it to yourself to check out as many as you possibly can before picking the right one for you.
 
#5
This is just a question. Do you actually get a DEGREE at MI or do they offer diplomas or certificates instead? A degree, such as Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Music Peformance or whatever would require that MI offer courses in science and math, history, English, etc.--the core of course work leading to an acredited degree usually requiring four years of study.

I know you can get a degree from Berklee in Boston and other universities with music departments, but I wasn't aware MI offered four year curriculums leading to a BS or BA. Maybe they do now. I'd like to know.

______________________________________________

Curious, I actually looked up Musician's Institute web site and saw that they do offer a Bachelors of Science in Music which is accredited. They also have an Associate degree, which is a two year program and certificate programs and summer classes.

You can check out what they have to say at:

http://www.mi.edu
 
#8
I hate to rain some more bad news on here, but when i was first starting my college search-i had mentioned to a few of my band directors that i was looking at MI. To put it lightly-they said don't do it. What i took from them was-for a summer camp/summer class-sure, do it, for my degree-not a good idea.

I did apply to Berklee-was wait listed-then was accepted to 2 schools [the only other 2 that i applied to], one was a small school in the middle of a corn field where i'd be a classical DB major w/a minor in jazz, and the school i ended up choosing-Roosevelt University for the Chicago College of Performing Arts where their bass guy is a fellow Doubler [plays electric and upright basses].

What process did i do? I requested information from a ton of schools. North Texas, U of Miami, U of Florida, Bowling Green, Ohio State, Indiana University, Saint Joe's in Rensaleer [was the other school i was accepted to], and countless others. In other words-get information from schools, ask questions, find out about who you would be studying with, find out about their program/respect levels etc. I didn't have a clue if Roosevelt was a "prestigious" school or not-well, i still don't-some people are suprised that i'm going there, but it's a good surprise.

What it eventually came down to was: location-i don't feel comfortable being far enough away where i can't get home if there's an emergency fairly quickly [SO-i'm not taking a car to Chicago, there's trains that run within 2 blocks of my home here [Lafayette] a few days a week ], instruction-Scott Mason is a doubler and one of the key things for me was that i wanted to continue my studies on both electric bass and double bass since they can't replace each other and well-i really like playing them both, and i'd like to say that we're independently wealthy etc etc etc. We're by no means rich, but i received a bit of scholarship [not much-abotu $4k a year], and thanks to loans [i'll be in debt past my eye balls] and 'rents-i'm able to attend my top choice school.

If you have any questions about the process or what to look for-feel free to ask.
 

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