music school, self taught or a slob?

[Jekblad]

i sort of dropped out... i took college level theory courses and then dropped out of college to be a full time musician. I will say those courses have helped me a ton, as well as my teacher there.

I would enjoy getting a Certification from ableton. I like learning things i'll actually use

[stringtapper]

I am a grad student at a very large music school and I also teach classes there in theory and popular music. I also get to dip into the dark side and take classes in electro-acoustic and computer music.

I noticed that by "Music School" it seems we're talking "Music technology" and not programs that have courses in a wide variety of musical applications (performance, theory, history, etc.). I find being exposed to the whole array of musical experience to be the most rewarding thing for me personally. I am a music fanatic. I'm interested in everything from medieval music theory to current computer music techniques. I want to know everything about music and music making that can possibly be known.

[nuxnamon]

i have always wanted to go to a music school of some sort. Whether it be theory, engineering, procution,etc I have always been facinated ever since I started Djing.. But as I grew up, I got alot of pressure from my family to "grow up" and be realistic and get a real education.. Sadly, I didn't have the balls to follow my passion then and ended up getting a degree in the sciences. While it's gotten me a day job that pays the bills, it's nothing I am passionate about. I've thought about going back to school for music but I am still paying for my freaking student loans.. As a result, I've just been reading alot and learing from people on forums like this one regarding production, engineering, etc.. Is it as good as a actual music degree, probably not but I've built a studio which I can call my classroom and steadily teach myself by experimentation.. You guys are all basically my teachers.. Am I a good producer? honestly, I don't know yet because there is nothing consistent about my productions. Some are ok, while some suck but I am getting better day by day... there is so much to learn out there regarding writing, theory, producing, mixing, etc..

[aizo]

I want to go to college, just can't afford it. I did go for a year and a half for music but it was a small community college and all I learned was a little piano and a lot about my main instrument(drums). It had a terribly funded music department. I took an electronic music class...this had to be 1999...2000 maybe. The school had electric pianos with some small ability to record on them with disk drives for different soundpacks. Damn, the teacher wanted us to bring our electronic gear(at the time I had none) but two of my classmates had some interesting pieces. The first guy brought a JP-8000, I wanted one so bad. I just had a drum set and recently quit a band. I really wanted to get into making electronic music with live drums. The second guy brought a Yamaha RMX. He mostly made rap beats but they were good....from what I remember.

I so want to start taking online Berkley courses.Some to spruce up on Theory, some to work with the two DAWS I use (DP and ofcourse Live), and some random other ones I can't think of off the top of my head.
As for being a producer, I can record a band and get the sound they want with the gear I used to have. I can write tracks I am beginning to be satisfied with.

[Lazos]

I did my BA concentrating on music composition, and I loved it. But my last two years were a bit different because my school allowed upper division students to construct their own individual or group contracts with instructors (basically write your own curriculum). But I don't know if I really fit this poll, since I'm not a "producer." I produce my own music, and that's it.

[The Landwhale]

Self taught here, though I'm not really what I consider a "solid" producer yet, still have a shitload to learn.
Being self-taught, I've made TONS of mistakes, and I'm still making mistakes all the time, but I feel it's a better route to becoming a GREAT producer, in my opinion. I want to make the best MUSIC I can, not just be the best tech head producer.
It's a constant evolution, or at least it should be.

I got paid (not a lot) while I was doing freelance audio work for about 18 months, mostly editing and recording gigs, nothing big. Made a few grand from a marketing company that I was editing their audio for podcasts, web promos, testimonials, shit like that.
Grew to loathe it. It was tedious, turd-polishing work for companies that help mold our citizens into mush-brained little slaves, and I had to stop.
I was broke AS FUCK more often than not though, but I made more money than just about any other "schooled' local producer I knew.

Awhile back I had seriously considered going to school, especially with the pressure from everyone who thinks that the only route to success is through some sort of college.
I'm REALLY, REALLY glad I didn't go now. No student loans, and minimal debt.
I think it would have been a great life experience for me, just not worth the money. I figured out I really don't want to edit other people's crap, and barely get paid enough for doing it.

[hangar17]

I've a BA in Music Tech too and the only good its done for me is that i that i've never been able to get a job in a studio or likewise. Location recording a few times but thats bout it.
i'm working as something entirely else now =(

[funky shit]

Doing music production at college in september

[rewind]

What if you got no e-doo-kay-shun and no skills?

Seriously though, click my links, tell me I'm a solid producer, I want to hear it

[Machinesworking]

No music school, I tried, but the teacher wasn't interested in teaching electronic music production theory and practice as much as his views on composition, which I wasn't in agreement with. I did take some really good classes on synthesizers in SF, they had an Arp 2600 there! I think at this point and in the past I can write a great song etc. but I would have killed to take a Max/MSP course, or PD etc.
I have mixed feelings on this, I listen to a lot of avent garde music, and think to a degree there are certain teachers and schools that ruin people for bending the rules, but any person going into that situation with a strong sense of what kind of music they want to make won't come out with what I would call GIT syndrome. Don't know if it's better know, but any time I played with another guitar player or bass player who went to the Guitar Institute, you could tell in a heartbeat, bland technicians with no personal style who noodled endlessly over anything we tried to make.

My advice is have a strong sense of what you want to sound like before going to a potentially homogenizing environment like a music school. You do that, and you'll save a ton of time over someone like me.

[leisuremuffin]

btw, where can I listen to your stuff?

you think tone deft makes music?


none of us do, we just troll the ableton forum.



.lm.

[udp]

One of the greatest things I learned at music school, (BA in Tuba performance) was discipline. You don't learn how to perform or to produce overnight. You have to do a little bit every day. Without that discipline, you'll only fart around and never get anything done. Set goals, work toward them and then mark them off as you accomplish them.
The theory, and history classes were fine to, and I use them when I compose, but discipline is what I treasure most from my school years.

[sweetjesus]

i didnt even finish high scool.. (see i cant even spell school).

but id like to think im a pretty solid producer (time for a myspace plug).

ive been doing this for fucking ages though, so it will take some time.

[djsynchro]

It's spelt s.k.o.o.l and I didn't know you were Finnish, I thought you Australian.
Anyhow, I went to a performaning arts high school, didn't get the diploma, learnt to roll joints but the arty farty bits were good preparation for being on stage. Learnt preoducing engineering by reading stuff, practicing, talking to other engineers, questioning everything I read did and heard, still do.

[GeoSuPhat]

They have schools for this? Wow!