Music Schools

November 9, 2011

In a world where college degrees are incredibly common, how do you make yourself stand out? Especially in the fields that do not accept diplomas from colleges, such as the entertainment field. Going to music school to work as a music producer or technician is common… and ineffective. Currently, the best way to get a job in a recording studio is by apprenticing. Apprenticeship may sound old-school, but honestly, it has always been the best way to begin working in a field.

Through an apprenticeship, throughout history, a student was taught a job. The problem with college is that college does not teach students how to work or how to do a certain job. In history, there was no other way to get a job. Those who wanted to be a merchant, had to apprentice with a merchant, those who wanted to be artists, apprenticed with an artist. Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci themselves were once apprentices. By apprenticing with a chief engineer or a studio owner, students will be learning how to mix music, what sounds good, what professionals and musicians look for in a track, how to respond to the clients needs, use the technology, meet people like musicians, business executives, recording studio owners, rock stars, other technicians and producers, and more. These connections could be the key to getting a job in the music industry, without going to music schools.

College is rarely ever worthwhile, especially in the music industry. College can cost students more than $100,000, depending on the university, and the cost of tuition is rising every single day. There are also certain expenses when attending college, such as money for books (which can be VERY expensive), money for travel to and from school or money for housing (sometimes students may need to move out, and dorm rooms are at least $2,000 a year plus a meal plan, and the loss of income students may experience because college is very time consuming and many have to quit their jobs or cut down their hours. Also, most of the classes students will be taking in college will be required classes, or ‘core’ classes. These are classes that the college required students to take, but have nothing to do with the students actual chosen field of study.

Music schools have the same problem. They are expensive, often require classes that students do not have to take, and provide instruction from professors who have no idea what the current field work is like, for a lot of money. Employers do not need this, they are looking for people who are dedicated and truly want to work in a studio, and prove it by actually working in a studio.