Damn You Colleges!

[Blackdarkness]

Welp, its my last year in high school and its time for me to pick a college. My first choice is Berklee College of Music. I went there for bass lines and it totally kicked ass. But my parents are insisting I have a back up college. So, do any of you know any other good colleges with music programs? I want to major in Production.



Also, while i'm at it, how much do producers make a year?



And any tips on filling out the application for berklee, and tips for the scholarships (WST and BEST)



Thanks for any responces :3

[SirPostAlot]

hun, you need to go to your guidence counsler for these questions...

there are music colleges but they range in prices - also they vary in other aspects...

just go to your guidence counsler and sit him/her downand ask the questions you have above



~Jeff~

[Paris In Flames]

I HIGHLY suggest you find a college where you can double major in music as well as another profession. The music business isn't guarenteed at all and you need to connections to make it anywhere.



I know a guy who graduated from Berkelee and he's currently flipping burgers at a restaurant and giving lessons in his spare time...it's not a good situation.



Find a back up college and please rethink this.



Cheers,



Jenna

[Blackdarkness]

[SirPostAlot]

well no matter what major you major in, you will find a job but you may have to move far away...

like i have this friend who got a zoology major who was offered a job in Australia, but she didn't want to go that far away...

but there are job offers...

so major in what you have a passion for...



~Jeff~

[Trekker]

My dad is a highschool music teacher and has to advise a lot of kids on where to look for good music programs, but usually he's advising kids who are going into orchestral music, not production.



Make sure you find a school where the production program is good- not just a school with a good general music program.

Also, don't go into music unless you are pretty sure you're one of the best out there- otherwise you'll have a degree in music that won't do you much good in any other field.



Going into music professionally, at least in the case of being a player (maybe it isn't quite the same with producers) is about as big a gamble as going into sports professionally. You have to put your all into it, and if you can't make it in the business, you're screwed because you haven't been trained for anything else and have to start all over. And its very hard to get a job if you lose yours.



Jobs in music can be really insecure. My Mom was a professional violinist with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra for over 10 years when the orchestra went bankrupt and she lost her job. Now she can only teach music lessons, because there is no other major professional orchestra around here, and she doesn't have a bachelor's degree, so she can't get any good jobs that aren't related to music. Frankly, teaching lessons is a better lifestyle for her in a lot of ways- she works less hours now and doesn't have to drive all over the damn state at night for gigs ( the orchestra didn't have its own hall, as crazy as that sounds). But then, she doesn't get to play music in a professional orchestra- which is what she's made for and trained for, and what she loves. The money isn't as good either (and it wasn't so great even in the orchestra).



And if I didn't have close to a full scholarship to an in-state college, my parents wouldn't be able to pay for me to stay in college anymore, either, not since my Mom lost her job. They never had money to buy me a car or anything like that, because the money they make isn't good enough for extra expenses like that. I'm buying mysellf a motorcycle in a couple weeks because they can't help me buy my means of transportation so I need to cut as many expenses on things like gas as I can.



In other words, if you want to make good money, or to have a lot of kids or have a couple and be able to put them through expensive private schools, music might not be the way to go because musicians usually don't make great money and their jobs are unstable.



If you think you can deal with the economic difficulties and have the talent you'll need to make a living in music, then go for it- you'll probably love it. My parents did, at least for the most part. If definately beats a nine-to-five office job in terms of enjoyment and excitement. Also, professional musicians (at least in classical music) tend to be bright, quirky, well-educated, and open-minded people.