Formal musical education

in undergrad college I had a few electives to choose.
I chose music theory (or something like that).
we studied sonatas ;beaking down the ong symphony into parts.
we learned about fugues and stuff.
I dont know if it helped my guitar playing but it sure opened my ears to alot more types of music.

lately, I am delving a bit into theory only to understand why soem open tunings i use are better than others.

I reccomend to anyone to take a music study course. beats phy ed sometimes.

I think the best thing you can do is to call the school and ask them what the entry requirements are. I don't think there's any way anyone here can tell you what a particular school will want.

I think the best thing you can do is to call the school and ask them what the entry requirements are. I don't think there's any way anyone here can tell you what a particular school will want.

True, I understand that. I have been going to this school just under a different degree program. But what I am asking is, generally speaking, are the first two years of a musical degree at a basic enough level for even a beginner to pick up on or are they generally expecting kids that are coming from formal training through high school.

And your right, I may not get an "accurate" answer but I'm hoping if enough people respond with their personal experience then I may get a generally idea of what to expect.

thanks
Geoo

Geoo,

If it is what interests you, do it. You may have to work harder, and you certainly will find yourself pushed, but if it is your ineterest do it.

That said, take the time to pick up a minor or even a second degree. I almost always recommend business/finance/account as a major. Why? Because you can use it EVERYWHERE -- it's of immense practical value, even in music.

Agents, promoters, marketers, etc., etc., etc., are all business people first.

I will say this -- a music degree is one of the most time consuming degrees in most schools. You'll find you always have something else to do, be it practicing for a recital, studio work, whatever. But you'll also find yourself surrounded by very talented and creative people. Hard work and great fun are not mutually exclusive!

Really good info there KP. Thank you. I have been reading this morning and it looks like they are really big into theory and performance based education. I have written to the school to see if they can provide me with more information. I didnt see anything on studio work but that would be really cool if they did offer that.

I agree that a secondary degree would be a great idea. I am not so concerned for it in my situation as this is only a hobby thing for me, atleast right now it is. I am lucky enough to have found my dream job, for the most part, without ever getting a degree. Now I am wanting to go back and get one just to see if I am capable. Might be a waste of money in the end but I dont think so.. I think I'll get alot of confidence out of it.

Working with others more talented that myself (LOL That wont be hard) will be alot of fun too. I am definately going to go for it. I guess my questions here are out of anticipation and excitment.

Geoo

Geo, don't worry about all that piano stuff (unless it's a piano type school); you don't have to be a piano player first in order to get into it. They use it mostly as a learning tool. I saw a bunch of guys who were quite brilliant on their main instruments, plunking away in an Introduction to Basic Piano class, like everyone else was :)

But just sitting in front of a piano sometimes makes some of those awkward theory lectures make sense.

I suppose more and more colleges are offering 'studio musicianship' or something similar these days, but really, it still comes down to knowing a bit of theory and being able to play things 'on-the-spot', so if the school offers Theory or Performance as majors, it might still benefit you. I mean, when it comes down to it, what's the extra stuff they would provide in a Studio program? It would amount to time management, not getting red light fever, being into any and all styles, dealing with non musicians in translating stuff like "Make a sound like a frog moving underwater at sunset in Monaco" into an actual part, maybe doing the Tommy Tedesco 'tune everything to standard' multi instrument things. But these are things you can learn on your own, really.

Studio or sound engineering would be something interesting though - mic placement, recording ideas, etc.

But...I think it's always worthwhile to get 'formal' musical instruction from college level instructors; it really breaks down walls fast, and even if you sometimes wind up not using most of it, it sticks with you and makes other, sometimes unrelated stuff, make sense. I don't use all the stuff I learned and I've forgotten a lot, but the stuff that does come to mind when I'm trying to do something - it just makes things snap into place sometimes, gives an aire of familiarity, and that can make it fun in a different way.

Anyhow good luck with it :)

You never know - you might even come out of it with some ability on the piano and we'll have to rename this place Piano Noise hee hee.

Seriously, I think you should throw a sick day and go to the college for a talk with the staff. Find out exactly what level they expect of you before you start - I suspect you'll find it's different for mature students compared to those going to college at 18 for their first degrees. If not, I'll eat next door's ginger cat.

Best,

A :-)

Had an email from the head instructor when I got home today. What Demo wrote was true. He said no to let the lack piano knowledge intimidate me cause its used as a learning tool and learning piano (keyboards) is part of the training. The guy was extremely supportive. But I do think I will take the advice and spend a day over there checking things out. But Alan, I'm gonna tell you that you are wrong JUST so I can get a pic of you eating that ginger cat. LOL

I want it to start NOW. Very excited. Also, I was thinking that even though I am OLD (36) this might be a good way for me to meet other musicians. That has been difficult around here too.

Thanks all. The advice is much appreciated.

Geoo

It will be very interesting going back to college for a music degree. I wanted to take a guitar class in the late 80's but didn't because I never played an instrument. I was scared I'd never be able to learn and I'd be surrounded with music freaks who'd played several instruments since 2nd grade!

I'd be curious what the college says you need for admission to the program and what they're going to require you to take.

For what it's worth, I've talked to a few people here at the college I attend, and it seems like the intro level classes in piano and guitar that they have here are for people in exactly your situation. If you come into the music department here with a previous amount of formal music training, then you can skip out on a certain amount of the intro level courses, but if you haven't had that kind of training in high school or elsewhere, then that's exactly what the beginning keyboard/guitar classes are for: not necessarily to learn to be a virtuoso on that instrument (though if you want to be, I guess that's certainly the place to start), but just to have a practical intstrument to practice on as you start your formal music training. Like I said, this is just how it works here, but I hope it gives you some idea of maybe what to expect.

I'm not sure about the place you are applying, and my school may be the exception not the rule but in order to take any courses in music you have to pass an audition including sight reading and scale playing(Not a huge problem). The biggest bummer being that they no longer teach anything related to guitar. So basically I can't even take history of music classes because there is no way for me to pass an audition because I can't play anything other then guitar.

As thectrain said, some universities' music faculties' requierre an entrance audition.
For instance, Brandon University has one of the most respected music programs in Canada, and requires an audition.
And, from what I have heard from friends who are/have been students there, the audition is fairly challenging. None of them had been playing for less than 10 years when they applied.

Of course not all schools are the same.

But Alan, I'm gonna tell you that you are wrong JUST so I can get a pic of you eating that ginger cat. LOL

ROTFLMAO

I'll have the camera on standby

A :-)

Kent, I just went to the link and read a few pages about the school and I have butterflies! Sounds like they accept really the ones who are already quite good. If they had stuffy requirements for me to get into college and earn my business undergrad certainly I would have skipped college and be picking corn in the fields. I'm quite shocked what they expect you to be able to do before you "learn" music.