what university should i look at going to?

ibanezrg520kid · #1 03-08-2005, 09:29 PM

I'm from the united states and i was wondering what a good music college to goto would be? I would really like to goto Berklee and i'm pretty sure i could get in there. I know there is no chance of me ever going to juilliard......darn. I would like a degree in copmpossion and theory. What would you reccomond? Have any of you gone to a college for music?

TexicanHippy · #2 03-10-2005, 01:45 PM

I had a buddy who went to Berklee, he enjoyed it. He goes to graduate school at University of North Texas now. I know I've seen a few musicians, for example the bass player for Pat Green's band who got their degrees from UNT. I was looking into music school too when I was still in high school but after reading up on it, I saw somewhere.... I forgot where now, that the average Berklee Grad made 19,000 a year! YIKES! Thats less than 1 year of tuition!! So ultimately I decided that if I choose something else, I might never be rich but I wouldn't be poor either. Plus.. music is fun enough as a hobby for me

Bassically... there are alot of options for music schools but remember:

1) its gotta have what you are looking for (i.e. modern composition)
2) its gotta have your specialty (i.e. guitar)
3) visit the schools, ask yourself, are the people friendly? do the profs teach the class or the TAs? how much does it cost? what kinda scholarships do they offer?
4) remember, its a life decision, you may love music but are you prepared to be teaching in high school if you don't "make it". The Steve Vais, John Mayers, John Petruccis that come out of Berklee are definetly the minority. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I have a great deal of respect for anyone who choose to make their art their life, but while the rewards are great its probably the riskiest career path you can possibly choose.

Anyway, hope I helped you out man... good luck with everything, take care

Drew · #3 03-10-2005, 03:39 PM

http://www.seanmalone.net/News/index.html

Scroll down to Oct 7 - Sean Malone (one of my favorite bassists, the man behind Gordian Knot) wrote a great essay on whether or not to go to school for music. Basically, in all but a limited number of instances, you're better off minoring in it and majoring in something else at a non-music program.

-D

ibanezrg520kid · #4 03-10-2005, 10:54 PM

Thanks alot!!! Both of you have been very helful. Indiana University is actually harder to get into their music program than burklee. Its not very far from where i live at all and that would be another music college option for me as well. I have spent a good part of my life saying i am going to goto collge for music. I'm only a sophmore in high school so i have some time left to decide what i want to do. I didn't really plan on majoring with a performance degree becuase i realize that that won't take me as many places. I would like to get a music theory and composition degree. My goal is to teach at a collge, but that is a very hard thing to accomplish! I play guitar, electric bass, double bass, cello, violin (just started so not to good at yet) and am learing paino. I'm a pretty good guitarist, and i'm really good at stand up bass and cello. I am already composing music. I'm working on a song that is based around the cello being the lead instrument, with a violin, bass and a classical guitar. Its pretty cool but i'm a slow worker because i don't like to rush things so it should be 100% complete and i will have my musicians able to play it by summer. LOL kinda far away though. I'm not good at much else is why i would like to major in music....well i'm a good mechanic but i'll be even more broke then! LOL! What did you decide to major in TexicanHippy? Yeah my friend is a die hard JP fan and he is going to try to goto burklee but he might not go due to finical reasons. My other friend is going there he went to visit it about a month ago. Well thanks for your advice!!! now i have to figure out what i'm good at cause i didn't want to goto college but my parents want me to and they said if i'm ever in finical trouble and need help they wouln't help me if i didn't goto college. The good thing is i don't worry to much about being broke. My guitar teacher (he teaches me theory and that type of stuff not playing) Just teaches guitar lessons and owns a recording studio and he is able to pay his bills, pay for collge, and he has really nice stuff such as a corvette, professional movie camera, which he is making a movie with that is almost done. So i think that could possibly be a good fall back to teach guitar, bass, other orchestra instruments, and record. Oh well i have a few more years to decide.

TexicanHippy · #5 03-10-2005, 11:35 PM

Wow.. thats awesome.. I actually wanna be a college professor too.. I've wanted to teach since I can't remember and I love weather (I'm originally from Galveston and in 1989 we got hit by 2 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm, I've been hooked since then.) so i'm meteorology right now. I started off engineering but as you can probably understand, I couldn't see myself sitting in an office for 50 hours a week. I've always been a math nerd so meteorology fits, its like engineering with the math and physics and all. As far as instruments I'm only guitar, although I do want to learn violin. Living in Texas gives one a taste for a country music and fiddle players are hard to find.

tone_connoisseur · #6 03-22-2005, 06:29 AM

Here in Columbus, Ohio, Capital University is renowned for their music program, especially jazz guitar. That's where I went, and I loved it. It's been 10 years ago, and at that time there were about 8 jazz guitar majors. I doubled jazz and classical.

The jazz guitar instructor there is Stan Smith. He's very good. It's a great program. Another guy that was there transferred from Berklee to come to Capital because of the program here.

Gresh · #7 03-23-2005, 12:25 AM

Also look into Webster University here in St. Louis, MO. Not too far from home for you and a great Jazz program. Lots of local musicians here in town are degreed jazz guitarists from either Webster, or classical and Jazz from Washington University, also here in town. Wash U is like $35K a year though, my masters (MBA) there was $85K so it's not cheap but it is a highly acclaimed school in the midwest.

Just about every instructor worth his salt here in town went to webster, some of them do rather well depending on student load, gigging schedule and studio work. Just another option for you to consider.

spencer096 · #8 05-24-2005, 11:22 AM

Im currently a student at the University of North Texas. Texican, whos your buddy? perhaps i know him...

anyways. UNT is a sick place, so many good players. I transferred there and just completed my first year, and i love it. its just a great scene, but its really competitive which is always a nice kick in the ass to keep practicing. the teachers there are brilliant and the BEST musicians come through there givin concerts and clinics. its the best jazz school in the country in reputation, actuality and in my opinion.

ive heard bad things about berklee. teachers showin up drunk/hungover/high, classes being 50 mins of bull****, etc. but its a large school and there are probably a tons of oppurtunities to play around and ****. university of miami in florida is a great music school too. u of southern cal is great too, they have a fantastic guitar faculty. you could to to musicians institute and take lessons from scott henderson which is a bonus. the new school in NYC is amazing, but its uber expensive and hard to get into. same goes for manhattan school of music, new england conservatory and University of the Arts in philly (jimmy bruno heads guit. dept.).

UNT beats all of them tho. i visited New School and U of Miami and UNT is hands down a better school in terms of level of education. its cheaper too.

gmoneymcfly2k · #9 07-02-2005, 06:06 AM

theory and composition require much more thought than "my favorite guitarists go to school here."

you need to realize that each school for composition depends entirely on who is teaching there! find out who is teaching where and try and find music that he or she has written. decide whether or not you like it and go from there.

bonehead189 · #10 07-16-2005, 09:01 PM

What would guys say about the Univ. of Arizona, or A.S.U music classes? Thanks!

spencer096 · #11 07-18-2005, 09:03 AM

ive heard AMAZING things about university of Arizona.

havent heard anything about ASU tho.

guitarshredder7 · #12 10-12-2005, 06:38 PM

berklee is the "vai" of universitys

ibanezrg520kid · #13 10-12-2005, 10:53 PM

yeah while i was in germany i met a guy who was in a band over there trying to make it and he went to the University of North Texas. He told me all about it, but i don't know if i could move to texas. I have to start looking at college though. Man i wish i was smarter lol my bro who is a senior has been accepted to several colleges and one of them is Purdue in indiana he got into their engenearing program and now my parents are all like you have to get into a good college. I think i'm going to be taking some classes at berklee over the summer to get a feel of the town and teachers there. I don't know if i can afford to goto texas to check out the place. Thanks alot though everyone!

Bluenote Soul · #14 10-28-2005, 04:08 AM

I would still push for a school on the east coast. Juilliard's program is free if you get in. Look into NYU, New School University, and Manhattan School of Music. All amazing programs in the music center of the world, New York. You have to opportunity to study with players like John Scofield, Jim Hall, Rodney Jones, Peter Bernstein, Vic Juris, Howard Alden, Jack Wilkins, George Benson, and many others. Not to mention the fact that there are always playing/listening opportunities every night of the week. I have contact info for many of the teachers in the area if you're interested.

ibanezrg520kid · #15 10-30-2005, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenote Soul

I would still push for a school on the east coast. Juilliard's program is free if you get in. Look into NYU, New School University, and Manhattan School of Music. All amazing programs in the music center of the world, New York. You have to opportunity to study with players like John Scofield, Jim Hall, Rodney Jones, Peter Bernstein, Vic Juris, Howard Alden, Jack Wilkins, George Benson, and many others. Not to mention the fact that there are always playing/listening opportunities every night of the week. I have contact info for many of the teachers in the area if you're interested.

yeah any info would be great! thanks man! i'm starting classical lessons soon. I have to get awesome at classical guitar and i already have a guitar teacher that I just learn theory stuff from. who knew school would be this much work when i'm only a junior.