go to college, get your degree, if you want become a music teacher. At least do your four year degree get over with now, trust me it will fly by plus you could get involved in school bands meet new musicians, never know what can happen!
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Should I go to college?
- Thread starter fsf347
- Start date
College and University campuses offer free or low cost places to practice, music clubs and associations, school sponsored performance venues and gig opportunities to their students. They are also great places to network with other musicians.
The job market/economy will take considerable time to significantly improve. Jumping from high school to the workplace may not be a good idea right now or even a year or two from now.
The job market/economy will take considerable time to significantly improve. Jumping from high school to the workplace may not be a good idea right now or even a year or two from now.
college,trade,whatever.....learn a skill that people will pay you do outside of music,just in case you are not the next big thing....
Took a year off. Moved to Austin. Went to/graduated from UT. Live in Portland now. Play on the weekends. Have more disposable income than all of the full-time musicians I play with, combined. And then some.
So if you take anything away from that, my work here is done.
-jb
A couple more things to consider. The first is that succeeding with a band is probably the longest shot in a career that's a long shot to begin with. Guitar Center sells enough gear to equip 250 new bands every day. Most of the people I know who are making a more secure living as musicians are capable of doing both freelance work, teaching, composing, arranging, etc., so their main band is not their only source of income. To do that kind of work, you have to be a good player of other peoples music. You have to be the kind of player who can jump into any band and just light it on fire. It also helps a lot if you can form a band and get it up to speed quickly by creating a gig's worth of arrangements on your own.
Most kids who play in bands will never develop the skills necessary to make the jump into freelance and teaching, so you can really differentiate yourself if you have the potential to make that jump yourself.
The second thing is that going out on your own and making it at age 18 takes much more maturity, self motivation, and street smarts, than most of us had at that age, including me. Something that college provides is a regular schedule, the advice of elders, feedback on your progress, deadlines for getting your **** done, and immediate consequences if you don't.
I'm not sure that I ever seriously entertained a music career. For one thing I noticed that there were kids my age who were more talented and disciplined. At the same time I was interested in math, science, electronics, computers, etc. So it wasn't hard for me to choose the college route. Today, I have a rewarding and creative day job, and enjoy playing in some killer local bands.
Most kids who play in bands will never develop the skills necessary to make the jump into freelance and teaching, so you can really differentiate yourself if you have the potential to make that jump yourself.
The second thing is that going out on your own and making it at age 18 takes much more maturity, self motivation, and street smarts, than most of us had at that age, including me. Something that college provides is a regular schedule, the advice of elders, feedback on your progress, deadlines for getting your **** done, and immediate consequences if you don't.
I'm not sure that I ever seriously entertained a music career. For one thing I noticed that there were kids my age who were more talented and disciplined. At the same time I was interested in math, science, electronics, computers, etc. So it wasn't hard for me to choose the college route. Today, I have a rewarding and creative day job, and enjoy playing in some killer local bands.
The only alternative I see to attending college, is to work towards a valuable vocational skill. In most cases, these are two-year certificates, or a year or two internship/apprenticeship. My sister-in-law's father never graduated college. He married young and started an internship in HVAC. He now owns one of the largest residential heating and a/c service companies in the city. Whatever you do, learn a skill in addition to your musical exploits. Electrician, plumber, system administrator, hvac systems, designer, anything that you can earn a living and provide for yourself so that if/when the music career either doesn't pan out, or ceases to exist, you will have something to fall back on.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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Your chances of making it big are extreemly small. Then if you do make it big you might be a one hit wonder.
But the chances of getting a good degree that leads to a good career are very good.
Are your parents willing to support you in NYC? Going to college after taking a year off?
My friend did that. He finished school in 4 years after taking a year off. He's a multi-millionaire CPA/Fund Manager now.
I did it in between transferring to another college after 2 years at the first one.I worked at a part-time job/studied music theory/harmony while taking a year off and gigging. I was also in bands while I was at college as well. Never regretted it.
If either of us had "made-it" I'm sure we would stuck with it. We were okay as musicians. Glad we finished college. Graduated from the same place at the same time. We have lots of great stories.
My friend did that. He finished school in 4 years after taking a year off. He's a multi-millionaire CPA/Fund Manager now.
I did it in between transferring to another college after 2 years at the first one.I worked at a part-time job/studied music theory/harmony while taking a year off and gigging. I was also in bands while I was at college as well. Never regretted it.
If either of us had "made-it" I'm sure we would stuck with it. We were okay as musicians. Glad we finished college. Graduated from the same place at the same time. We have lots of great stories.
I'd say go to college and play in a band. I do both and have a job, and I don't have good time management skills... If I can do it anyone can.
On a side note, I went to school for 2 years, and dropped out because I wasn't getting anything out of it. I then took 2 years off and worked at Guitar Center. If you fail at "making it" and don't have a college degree Guitar Center is about the only thing you'll be qualified to do, and if you're really lucky they might make you an assistant manager... but hey, working retail for 2 years will really make you appreciate what you could have had if you stayed in school.
2 years of retail later I'm back in school, and already have a job on campus doing something that I'm interested in. Most schools will offer job placement, and have tons of things you can get involved in that will be of interest to you.
On the other hand... I know tons of college grads who work at Guitar Centers, so who knows.
It's pretty late at night, so I'm probably rambling, but I hope this helps you.
On a side note, I went to school for 2 years, and dropped out because I wasn't getting anything out of it. I then took 2 years off and worked at Guitar Center. If you fail at "making it" and don't have a college degree Guitar Center is about the only thing you'll be qualified to do, and if you're really lucky they might make you an assistant manager... but hey, working retail for 2 years will really make you appreciate what you could have had if you stayed in school.
2 years of retail later I'm back in school, and already have a job on campus doing something that I'm interested in. Most schools will offer job placement, and have tons of things you can get involved in that will be of interest to you.
On the other hand... I know tons of college grads who work at Guitar Centers, so who knows.
It's pretty late at night, so I'm probably rambling, but I hope this helps you.
Related and well posted TB thread http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f34/college-degree-absolutely-necessary-616583/
There are music colleges where you can get a Bachelor's degree, there is one just north of me in LA. As funny as it sounds you will more likely get a job with ANY Bachelor's degree than with an Associate's degree and experience in that job's specific field (finding that out the hard way).
So go to a music college and get your Bachelor's degree. You get to continue with your music and if your dreams of "making it" don't come true you are in a very good position to become a professional music teacher.
So go to a music college and get your Bachelor's degree. You get to continue with your music and if your dreams of "making it" don't come true you are in a very good position to become a professional music teacher.
+100. College is as much about the people you meet, the profs who become mentors, and all the stuff that happens outside of class, as it is about your coursework. Do you have any idea how many great bands started out in college? And your classmates are like a built-in fanbase if you're serious about making it as a band. There's a big difference between being fraternity row's favorite band and trying to get two dozen drunks in a sleazy bar to like you.
Actually, those quarters can add up. Some guys make better money busking than they'd get paid by a bar. If people toss an average of just two quarters a minute in your case, you're making $30/hour. Anyway, a lot of the buskers are not relying on it to pay their rent - many are students or hobbyists doing it for the spare pocket money and just to get their music out.
