My parents are even interested in music, so I can't relate.
Besides, I don't want to get married and have kids. :P I never have. And I'd commit suicide before becoming "like everyone else". Sorry, but that's me all over.
"After Changes upon changes, we are more or less the same." Paul Simon
my 2 cents....
doing a degree in music production or something of that line is probally the best thing to do after high school.
why ? you get to meet lots of people as interested in music as you are. most of em are going to play an instrument of some kind. pefect oppourtunity to meet serious musicians interested in serious music careers.
and just because you're doing/have a qualification in music production doesnt mean you have to run off and become a producer straight away, it just means you have an oppurtunity to add an extra dimension to a musical career, and chances are its a hell of way to make some great contacts in the businness.
just my thoughts based on a friend of mine who's currently travelling that road
mord
This is my signature. Fear it.
My parents are even interested in music, so I can't relate.
Besides, I don't want to get married and have kids. :P I never have. And I'd commit suicide before becoming "like everyone else". Sorry, but that's me all over.
Ahh the best laid plans of mice and men. Or, women as the case may be... ;D Not trying to be mysterious but as a guy that's been around a bit, All I can say is life always has a few funny surprises for us all. ;D
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- "WOW--What a Ride!"
I agree twistedfingers. Life is full of surprises.
I remember being young and wanting to be a rock star. I practiced 6 to 8 hours a day. Eventually I became very good at the guitar, good enough to hook up with a band that was going places. Then I met my wife, fell in love got married and had my daughter. That was somthing that I thought I wanted more than anything else. Not more than a year later, on MTV I saw a video from the band that I had left to live a normal life. If I had stuck with it, I would be right there with them now.
The irony? My wife left me and my daughter about a year and a half ago for an up and coming "rock star"
Life likes to throw things at you when you don't expect it.
I have a friend, well, he's sorta my friend, I talk to him alot... and he plays guitar downtown for a living. He lives in a cruddy apartment and doesnt have a tv, or anything, but he's the happiest man alive. HE loves his life, and doesnt need any of the "normal" luxuries that everyday people take for granted, since he loves the guitar and only the guitar. He makes enough money to pay the bills, have three meals a day, good meals, too, and change strings every few months. he has no living family or anything, and very few friends, and nobody could ever convince him to stop playing guitar.
just a little story.
basically. if he doesnt have a plan for how hes going to make music work for him, its cause for concern. music takes more business skills than anything else. its a street smarts business.
I'm 16 years old, and I'm approaching the same goals as your son, and I have talked with more people who have told me to run away from music than people who have told to always look twice before crossing and to never talk to strangers. I'm a 3.5ish student, who, according to my report cards, hasn't been working to my potential since grade school. This all is a damper on my hopes of ever being a music teacher, but they're still there, lingering about. Anyways, the hard question is if I want to select a major in something fertile like business, or something trite(well, anything's trite compared to the dreams of an aspiring musician)Then I would have something to fall back on, so I can then hurl myself into the music industry(sacrificing 4-6 years in doing so). But one thing that means the most to me is that there are thousands of working musicians, and there's a percentage of those who support their family through it, but for every one of them, there's somebody out there ten times more talented than them scratching at the walls of Disney. I know I could be happy teaching, playing, or writing music, and from what you say your son seems to have a similar passion, and I all one can hope for is that there's a nitch for me in some club or school where I can live.
And to David_Mohn, holy bejeesus, your life kinds sets one aback an inch or two in their chair, I just hope you tell us what happens next
I don't follow my dreams, I just ask em' where they're going and catch up with them later.
-Mitch Hedburg
Did you see that!
I think as an adult I'd suggest that maybe he goto a school like Berklee if he's remotely interested in making music his career. I definitely would NOT send him to a state school fo rthat unless he only wanted to be a music educator.
I see alot of posts from people and I think they tend to be the younger ones that all seem to say go for what you like a forget about the money...well when your 16 or so living at home not having to pay bills and survive that's easy to say and when I was young I thought the same way.
But even though having alot of money won't bring happiness or contentment the lack thereof sure ain't fun.
You have to ask yurself if you could take living in apartments with a bunch of roomates, no food half the time etc. It gets old real quick.
His best bet is to get into a college that will teach him about the business end and pursue playing on the side.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I'm pretty positive Laura isn't reading this anymore, but, when she eventually comes around, here's a little quoteroonski,
"The worst thing I ever did for my playing was making a career out fo it"
I don't follow my dreams, I just ask em' where they're going and catch up with them later.
-Mitch Hedburg
Did you see that!
Getting into Berklee isn't quite as easy as you make it sound is it? I mean, it's a world class school, so wouldn't it be roughly impossible to get in?
Getting into Berklee isn't quite as easy as you make it sound is it? I mean, it's a world class school, so wouldn't it be roughly impossible to get in?
Berklee is probably the best known music school (like Julliard for dance), and yes it's hard to get into (think Harvoard for musicians), but not everyone sings their praises. I have had graduates tell me that it rather rigid "You will play the Berkleee way and you will like it!". However, they also say that this is easily offset by nearly infinite chances to form bands and jam with everyone 24/7.
Berklee is important if you're hoping to be a virtuouso violinist, and you'll get more knowledge than you know what to do with, but it won't necessarily help your rock'n'roll career.
For that I recommend that you go to the best school you can get into, in a city that has a good music scene (bars etc). Get a "useful" degree, and take lots of music classes, form a band, work in a studio, and jam all you can.
-Laz
I have known several people that have gone to Berklee and several others who are friends of my daughter and the majority of them didn't think it was all that hard to get in nor did everyone give their overwhelming approval.
Most were similar to what Laz mentioned and I definitely agree it won't neceissarily help the rock and roll career.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
