I've always been really into music and having a career in this field would be a dream come true. My musical experience is somewhat limited though. I played piano from ages 5-12 and then didn't play an instrument until I picked up the electric guitar last December and have been playing for 9 months. I've been taking lessons for the past 3 months and plan on continuing them indefinitely. I started out with 1 hour lessons per week and now I am taking 2 hour lessons per week. My instructor teaches me a wide range of skills and he puts a large emphasis on theory. He is quite knowledgeable and has been playing the guitar since 10 and teaching since 15(he's 54 I believe) I absolutely love my lessons and studying the guitar.
At first I was thinking about apply to Berklee for performance. Now I am considering the Music/Business management degree. Does anybody have any suggestions regarding Berklee, the music industry, or just how I can have a career in music? Thank you.
Although my knowledge isn't really up to date, I think of Berklee as a school for musicians, not producers. But check their course offerings and degree programs. There are some schools that are strictly production and business (FullSail, etc). And there are "normal" school that have marketing programs that include the entertainment business.
Good Luck!
Laz
There's a friend of mine who's in the music production / business track up at NYU, in the Tisch School of the Arts. She's getting an absolute kick out of it, considering that you want to apply to Berklee for college, you are you might want to look into that as well, just so you don't limit yourself entirely to one school.
However, I remember that Berklee DOES have a good placement program (which, even if you don't go, you can subscribe to) which works to hook up Berkelee grads in all their fields with what they need - jobs, gigs, whatev. I believe that the program my friend is in is rather young, but does have some connections, so chances are you could get some nice hookups. And as with all good things, don't expect to get your dreams handed to you on a silver platter - you have a great love for music, make sure that you have the determination to show the world what for.
And while you're doing that, I'd suggest that, have you the time at the college you end up at, try to finagle a job at a music company / studio. Even if it's as a go-fer, desk jockey, or gear-hauling slave monkey, you will have access to things around you, and see what it's like to be in the business at the bottom end, learn about equipment, techniques, and all of that.
That's about all I can think of from what I know. Good luck, keep us posted on how things are going, and rock on!
-Rodya
Henry Garza, Saul Hudson, and Darrell Abbott could not be here tonight, but they all had sex and are proud to announce the birth of their two-headed baby, Rodya S. Thompson.
- Paraphrased from the Tenacious D series
