my goal? honestly, i realize this is a basic question that i should have asked myself from the start, but i'm stumped. i don't really know. i mean, the only thing i know is that music is my life, and i want to make it my future. i don't care what i'm doing, whether it's playing my own music or helping someone else get thier music out, as long as it deals with music i'll be happy. with the training i've had in the army i could easily go to any 3 letter organization and make 6 figures from the start, but i don't care about that, i just want to do something with music. i think i would enjoy playing much more the producing or recording, but like i said if i'm involved with music i'm happy.
Pardon my ignorance, but are you entitled to assistance for post-secondary education from being in the Military? And, does it have to be 'education' that would be of a direct-benefit to them?
the only problem i have with the one-off courses is that there is no degree. i was raised in an area where if you don't have a college degree you're a waste of space. and i've spent going on 6 years out of high school now feeling like scum of the earth because i don't have a degree. am i wrong? do i need a degree to make anything of myself in the music industry?
Your passion is quite evident right from the words you just typed. The bolded part above is one of those 'can-of-worm' areas that might kick-start another classic thread here in DW... ;-)
In all seriousness, I have a B.Mus. and L.Mus (Licentiate, which was modeled after European-style classical performance diplomas). I've never, ever 'needed' my letters to get me anywhere in the music industry. That said, the education I received gave me a lot of the tools that I use continuously in my career, both obvious and subtle.
If you were to want to become a Music Teacher in a school-system, then yes you must have accreditation. Even college/university ranks want either a high-level education or the equivalent in professional experience.
If you want to be a player and contributor to the art of drumming and music, then the degree won't have as much value to you as a means to get you gigs, etc. It's more about getting lots of tools for that professional toolbox: If having a degree is important to your principles and beliefs, then getting one isn't a waste of your time. It is not, however an absolute requirement to having a career in the music industry. It's just that education is never a bad thing, you know? (unless you have a bad educator, of course ;-)
Another way of looking at it is that you go to school for only as long as it suits
your end-goal. I'd assume that you would want to make sure you can play at a very skillful level, with high reading capability, be well-rounded stylistically, have solid grasp of music theory, historical perspectives, aural-skills, etc., etc. You also would want to treat your chosen school as a serious means to network and develop connections and associations with your musical peers > this is one of the most important aspects that seems to me to be 'understood' by most, however not always talked about much. Because of this, the City or region you choose should not be taken lightly. However, do consider that just Berklee may not be the end-all, be-all - you could say the same about NYC or LA or Nashville.
A dear friend of mine and fellow drummer had a plan after he finished his undergraduate degree in Montreal: He went specifically to NYU to study with John Riley and obtain his Masters. He also generally went to test his mettle in the NYC music scene. He's had a pretty successful run over the past 20 years now. Even moving back to Canada, he still works regularly in NYC.
I also have several musical compatriots who went to Berklee once upon a time - None finished. Not because they couldn't cut it. It was because they got too busy professionally; they had achieved what they had really set out to get from that school - a chance to study with great teachers, lots of shedding, lots of connections and consequently, gigs/tours, etc.
I'm sorry for being so verbose, but I guess you can tell that I have some strong opinons on the subject. I've never been or likely will be 'famous', yet I have managed to have a nice career in the music industry - probably just like the vast majority of the guys and girls I play with: Yes you ought to be good at your instrument. You should also be a good person, professional at all times, easy to work with, flexible (but not a pushover), confident (definitely not arrogant!) and hard-working. Nobody I've ever worked with cared about whether or not I had a degree, let alone asked about it.
One cool thing I like about the biz: the humility part is free - after so many times I've done something very high-profile, only to come home to a casual at a local pub in front of a few drunken souls, who are only interested in the meat draw... how can you get a big head?
If I can do it... It takes time and a lot of hard-work and determination and yes, a bit of luck too. Not to mention the inevitable worries about $$ - I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. (well almost anything, but since I'll probably never be an astronaut, I'll just stick to music)