Boston

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:59 am

Iv realized for awhile now that my music is kinda not looking good. My grades aren't to great because I have a hard time putting up with the teachers bs. On top of that im a Musician and Artist. The only things Im really good at. Neither pay to well. But, I guess im just thinking it maybe worth it.

How expensive are we talking about here? Blah, money could really be an issue.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:35 am

In the ballpark of $45k per year, IIRC.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:04 am

John ... you are one of the few who is able to make a living at music ...

For me I never even broke even in the music business ... but it is a great hobby ...

alanz · Post by **alanz** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:36 am

Every musical person I know is living their Plan B, with one exception, who at 43 finally broke into the big time this year as a studio/support player after 25 years of slow and steady professional progress.

If you want to be a musician then you have to be a Musician, not a player. You have to be willing to study it the same way you study anything else, which also includes putting up with "teachers bs."

It's not all sitting around jamming and gigging. You have to be a student as well.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:20 am

See learning anything about music wouldn't be much of a problem. When it comes to any subject matter on music I normally shut up and listen. Iv always been one to want to know everything I can about it.

The teacher bs thing is like busy work and what not. I always figured Im here to learn. And when I get a teacher that instead of teaching just wants to give you busy work so you behave and what not, I just shut down and normally wont do it. Im normally boarder line failing all year and then on the final ill ace it without studying a thing.

Im curious about all kinds of music, theory, song writing, producing and all that. I mean just about anything musical I want to know about.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:24 am

I have to say, I do lots of jamming and gigging and recording - but being a student is still my favorite part. I'm going to miss all the theory and musicianship classes when I graduate.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:49 am

My favorite day of the week is tuesday, simply because I have bass lessons that night and I get to talk to someone about music. Every night I learn a ton of stuff, and I have someone to communicate with. I dont know anyone except my teacher that I can talk to musically. They just dont care as much as me, or get left behind. Normally both.

I think having a couple thousand people around that love music as much as me and study it and what not. Id just be in heaven. With learning something new every day, and it all dealing with stuff im excited about. It'd just be great.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:57 am

Jacob - why not look into Five Towns in Long Island, NY? I was very close to going there. It's a killer music school with great studios/production program, really nice, new dorms, and a price tag far less then that of Berklee.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:01 pm

I had never heard of it. To be honest I haven't looked at many colleges outside of Kentucky. I didn't realy know schools like berklee existed. I guess I should look up more music schools.

Ill look it up. Any others you know of?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:03 pm

Five Towns is a biggie, and only an hour or so outside NYC! I really liked it, I just decided to pass just in case I didn't want to study music - which turned out to be the right move, because I ended up getting my minor in Journalism before going back into music.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:27 pm

Jacob, I live near Boston and Berklee is a great school if you want to learn jazz, that's it's main claim to fame. Boston is wicked expensive to live in and apartments are extremely hard to find in the city. Gigs don't pay, you play with three other bands and split 200.00 for everyone especially if you are a rocker playing original music. The city is crowded and terrible to drive in, many people packed into a small place.
On the other hand there are a lot of very good musicians around here and a lot of blues as has been mentioned elsewhere, it doesn't pay anything but you can play with some very good players around here. Providence RI. which is about an hour away also has a good music scene although no money, lots of Rock a Billy down there.
I used to play full time here years ago but now it's a hobby and gives me some extra money but I've met and have played with some very good musicians. I regularly play with Joe Cockers ex musical director-guitarist of 12 years for example. He does alright around here, drives a Cadillac but he's certainly not rich, he does play full time though.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:42 pm

Sounds like a really kool place. I think Id love it. Honestly the only thing that makes me think second think it is the money thing. Seems like its gonna be alot. I got alot to look into to. Hopefully I can live in a dorm. Or something like that.

I really wana visit the city and school sometime soon.
I dont have my stuff together enough to try to get in by fall, so I should have time to check it during this summer.

brycycle · Post by **brycycle** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:15 pm

jeff, are you now a practicing architect? i'm in the process of completing my masters in arch.

rikk · Post by **rikk** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:27 pm

Jacob,
Here's my 2 cents. I live not far from Boston. The city is great, and yes it is expensive. So is the rest of the state, but Boston is more so. Lot's of clubs in MA.

My take on Berklee is go but don't graduate. My brother is a Berklee grad. Not to downplay his success, but he teaches Jr. High music, plays in a local cover band and does private lessons. He is a killer player, but never had (in my opinion) the Go-Gettem attitude to make it in the biz. What he does is really great, and he is happy, but he didn't need to go to pay Berklee (and still pay Berklee) to do that. It seems like the "people that make it" never graduate. The get discovered while in school, and they are off...

I once had a great college professor that said on the 1st day of class my Freshman year "Only one out of 10 will actually work in this field. Then one in ten from that group will make it a career." I told myself I'll be that 1 in 10, and then the one in 10 again. I was. You have to want it and sacrifice to get what you want. You have to play by somebody else's rules at the beginning. Then when you get established, you can turn that around.

As for the cost of Berklee? Other colleges are expensive as well. Especially the private ones. If you want it, do it. Have a plan of action, but don't be afraid to try and experience EVERYTHING Berklee, or whatever school you choose has. I know a well known mixer that wanted to be a guitar god, but when someone said, your mixes sound great. He thought about it and said, yeah I enjoy that as well, and it's still in music.

Anyway, maybe it's more than 2 cents worth, but do what your heart tells you and you'll have no regrets.

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:43 pm

Rikk, what you said is kinda like i feel. I just think ill regret it if i try to do anything else. Like even if I do make it ill feel like I sacrificed something. Like I was just giving in. I hate that thought. I feel like Id rather give it all i got and maybe fail then not try at all. Besides I love it more then I could possibly say. Im sure alot of you probly feel the same.

Like you said about the mixing and what not. I think I would enjoy alot more then just playing. I enjoy theory, and song writing which i suppose that its still playing. As well as producing. Iv started to play with Garage band and Im going to get more software. I think I would really enjoy doing some of that stuff too. Im sure theres a billion more things within music I could do too.