Musicians Institute

[JStraitiff]

Fuck it dude. I say you do whatever it is you want to do. Its not my place or anyone else's on here to suggest you get a normal job instead of just doing what you want full time. You'll never succeed if you dont put 100% into it.

Relevant to the actual subject, ive heard two opinions on MI. The first is that they have really interesting and specific programs and courses. For instance they have a shredding class and such. They also have a lot of guest teachers who are very successful musicians that come in and teach classes. In that regard it sounds like a pretty rich experience. Another opinion i have heard is that they are really unorganized and not really very structured. People have claimed they just want your money and nothing else and dont offer enough to charge what they do.

I looked into going there as well. I personally dont have the urge to go to music school much at all anymore but my personal opinion is that if you're looking for the experience with the guest teachers and cool environment then go for it. If you're just looking for a standard education in your instrument or music business, you can probably find a similar program at schools much closer to you. For instance there is a school in albany that i would go to called the college of st. rose. Its not MI or berklee but musicians are everywhere and theres not much one school can teach you that another cannot.

 

[ArrowHead]

I can't function and be the musician that I want to be by living in this s-hole of a "town". I need people like myself, who want the same things as me, who can share their vision and interpretation of music. And I don't mean share by text on a webpage, I need face to face, I need sessions to get inspired to play more, to learn, to get my head spinning from discovering new ways to do things.

Technically you'd get all these things and spend less money simply moving to a city with a happening scene for a year. If it's the interaction with other musicians and hands on experience you seek, try living in a city like NY, Boston, or LA, and try to get your foot in the door interning at a local studio.

 

[Holicx]

Trial and error are the best teachers you'll ever find bro. Start a career on something else and have music as a hobbie, chances are one day it could become your main source of income. I myself am studying medicine, and hope one day become well known musician

 

[The Reverend]

I'm currently going to school for music, after a very long and involved internal debate.

I think it's the best thing I've done with my life. I'm studying under a very well-respected, Ivy-League educated classical guitarist, I'm around other musicians who play in styles I've never even considered playing in, and I'll be armed to pursue a life on my own terms. For me, Hell is knowing that I'll be like my mom, working at Compaq/HP for 23 years, only to be laid off before I can claim retirement. Or being like my dad, working his way up in the oil industry only to be sent to Mexico to work 10 months out of the year.

With a degree, I'll be able to teach, both privately and in colleges, and I'll be able to compose soundtracks, write songs through commissions, and do studio work. I'm becoming extremely versatile, and I'll be able to assault the music industry in more than just one way. It may not be as easy or thoughtless, but it's what I determined to be right for me. I will be successful based on how hard I try, not the whims of a corporate board. It's risky, but I'd rather fail at chasing my dreams then wake up at 45 having realized nothing and failed at everything.

 

[Dehumanized]

You have my dying appreciation for your responses! Really, thanks! I think I will take the 3 year plan in Sweden and try to use my practise during the third year to get some connections in the U.S.

The reason why I chose studio technichian or studio engineer is so that I can produce, mix and master my own songs as well as having the possibility of getting away from the warehouse gig. There is a possibility that I won't get a job but there are other options such as working with sound within a radiostation, TV or other media related shizzle. This is what the school said:

"The purpose of The Music Production program is to train students in music production
so that they can operate within the extensive music industry that today is one of
Sweden's key export industries. The training is centered in the arts
area, but also courses in business administration, marketing, music law, and
musicology included.
Education is intended to educate music producers with knowledge of artistic
processes, qualities and goals, which can also start a business, promote their
products and protect their rights.
Music Producers are needed in the media business, education, advertising
and public administration."

Sounds pretty general right?

My input on study is that people give up when they try to be something that they don't want to be. I only want to do music, I don't want to get a Ph.D or become the worlds best brainsurgeon; No matter how much money I'll get, no matter how much "status" that gives me.

If a PhD interests you, then sure. But I just don't know anything I'd rather do than music. If I choose to study to become someone of greater importance or someone who makes a lot of money I'd probably just drop out, I would get burnt out so quickly I wouldn't have time to even notice it. So yes, there might be a lack of jobs in the engineering area but I really don't know a smoother idea. I'd love to have a better plan, I really do. I'll be 21 years old in December and it kind of feels like time is just slipping away and I've accomplished nothing.

 

[nickgray]

The reason why I chose studio technichian or studio engineer is so that I can produce, mix and master my own songs

You can easily learn that on your own and spend the money on gear instead of wasting it on school.

but I really don't know a smoother idea

Again, instead of wasting your money on bullshit, get a bunch of gear, a few books, and then save some cash for music lessons. If you're really serious about it, this is a far, far better course of action.

Oh, and do be aware that in the end it might not turn out all that well for you. Far too many people want to do this sort of shit and with technology becoming more powerful and less expensive by the minute, professional studios are becoming less and less relevant.

 

[flint757]

^^^tis true. I longed to own a studio until I realized the only ones making money were already well known and used by the big wigs.

 

[Rap Hat]

I went to MI for a little bit, under their recording program. At this point in my life I'd already spent some time at Berklee (it was a bit much, and you had to do a bunch of schooling before you could get into their recording program and $$ became an issue) and had been running a studio with a partner for a few years.

I still don't know what I was expecting, but after doing it for a little bit I was completely turned off to the school. The program was very much aimed at people with none-to-little amounts of recording experience. It was seriously easier to network outside of the school, instead of paying 20-30k to learn nothing at all and chat with people I saw outside of class anyway. I also hated Hollywood, but I did live on Hawthorn right across from the Roosevelt and within sight of the Grauman theater.

The funny thing is my studio partner and his buddies had all done the RIT program there back when they were starting and they liked it. It gave them a decent foundation as long as they put a lot into it, and it gave them networking abilities they wouldn't have otherwise based on their skill level.

Living in a place like that gave me some perspectives that NYC and Boston didn't, for that I'm thankful. But the program itself just wasn't for me, and I should've stayed where I was.

E: This was almost a decade ago (and even longer for my partner and his friends). At that point home recording was not as much "everyone and their PC" as "some dudes and a VS880". I haven't done any paid engineering in a while, and I can only imagine how much harder it is now.

 

[Dehumanized]

I went to MI for a little bit, under their recording program. At this point in my life I'd already spent some time at Berklee (it was a bit much, and you had to do a bunch of schooling before you could get into their recording program and $$ became an issue) and had been running a studio with a partner for a few years.

I still don't know what I was expecting, but after doing it for a little bit I was completely turned off to the school. The program was very much aimed at people with none-to-little amounts of recording experience. It was seriously easier to network outside of the school, instead of paying 20-30k to learn nothing at all and chat with people I saw outside of class anyway. I also hated Hollywood, but I did live on Hawthorn right across from the Roosevelt and within sight of the Grauman theater.

The funny thing is my studio partner and his buddies had all done the RIT program there back when they were starting and they liked it. It gave them a decent foundation as long as they put a lot into it, and it gave them networking abilities they wouldn't have otherwise based on their skill level.

Living in a place like that gave me some perspectives that NYC and Boston didn't, for that I'm thankful. But the program itself just wasn't for me, and I should've stayed where I was.

E: This was almost a decade ago (and even longer for my partner and his friends). At that point home recording was not as much "everyone and their PC" as "some dudes and a VS880". I haven't done any paid engineering in a while, and I can only imagine how much harder it is now.

I try to be logical about studying. I think that if I study, I will have the time I need to be a freaking awesome musician; not only better at playing in general but also a better composer/producer. Is it worth 3 years? Maybe not. 1 year, definately! Is the process of getting taught the basics, if not even more in depth in mixing, mastering, business administration, marketing, music law, and musicology/theory worth the money? I think so yes.

I have yet to understand anything about mixing and mastering. "Vocals sound good at this and that hz" what do I do then? I have a four band EQ, which one of those 4 bands is supposed to be at this and that hz? Do I cut it off or do I add dB?

I need something more pedagogical. I need someone in person to explain what everything means and how the processes work to make every aspect of a mix work together. I might not get a job afterwards and that's the only thing that kind of makes me not want to go. If I study to be something I don't want to be I might not be motivated and I probably won't have time to practise and learn about the techical stuff in a studio that I need. God I'm stubborn.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

You're going to study music marketing and business administration when they cant even figure out what to do about the whole....you know....



People not buying music anymore? Thats like going to school to become a switchboard operator or a news paper type setter.

 

[nickgray]

I have yet to understand anything about mixing and mastering.

First of all you should buy a pair of really good monitors (as well as upgrading your room acoustics) and actually listen music on them. Or at least get some nice high end neutral headphones. You cannot make good mixes if you don't know how a good recording actually sounds.

"Vocals sound good at this and that hz" what do I do then?

Here's a good example of what EQing is all about:

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

If you have a good business sense, and aren't a slave to industry known "vices", you can land good connections, studio gigs & session work, and more. Those are the real benefits in addition to the actual education.

 

[Dehumanized]

You all have kind of convinced me. I will buy my homestudio and if I'm totally fu*ked in my head and really can't figure anything out, I will get an education. That is if I find that I can learn everything and get mixes that sound just as nice as bulbs on my own. Aside from that, I just need to find time to practise on guitar and learn about mixing and mastering are there any dvds or good books you can recommend?