The Berklee College of Music

Date: Aug 25 2003
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
Berklee College of Music is what you make of it - if you want to get value for your money, you have to be proactive about getting involved, meeting people to collaborate with, developing relationships with teachers and staff, and networking in the music community. More mature students who know what they want out of the Berklee experience and their music development in general will get more out of it. Berklee can be a good training ground for building a career in music if you approach it in this way.

Also, you may be "self-taught," but remember that you will get more out of Berklee the more prepared you are musically, particularly because you can test out of many lower level classes and even the first four levels of private lessons. This can save you money and allow you to take more interesting courses and performance ensembles. You can graduate without attending all four years, so save yourself some time and money and get some credit by exam or study up and start in higher levels when you take the entrance exam.

What else, well, this is your chance to build a portfolio of experience, get stuff recorded (whether at school or in your friend's dorm room!), work with other artists, and pull all-nighters editing the student paper - do it all and come out already a music professional - at least, that's what I did!

At least one person you meet each semester will probably be famous or rich from music one day. At least one teacher or staff member (can you see Career Development Center?!) knows someone somewhere (or themselves) that can further your music career in some way. Most of these people have or will shortly have figured out a way to earn a decent living through some or a combination of area in the music industry. Get to know people while at Berklee and don't keep your music in the closet!

Find out what's going on with the evolution of the music industry, always question traditional methods, and use your instincts when analyzing what "authorities" have to say, be they news sources, major music industry pros, teachers, colleagues, etc. Things are changing, get on the internet, search for independent music and find out how it's going to affect you and the way you build your music career.

Get copies of all of your performances, recordings, etc. Do not leave Berklee without proof of what you did. Build a website on berkleemusic.com and keep track of the people who want to know about you and your work - they are not just your fanbase, they're often your colleagues, so treat them as such and offer to help them in return for their support. Work as a team to promote music, not as competitors. If there is a divine power, then it/he/she helps those that help each other.

Find out who the best teachers are before you register for anything - this makes all the difference!

Tell EVERYBODY what you want to do - perform, record, co-write, manage, find a part-time job, start a club, whatever, especially teachers. Opportunities are lurking everywhere and people recommend them to each other AND one always leads to several more.

Make time for something besides music that rejuvenates you (aka, RELAX!); do not spend 15 hours a day practicing! Get out and see Boston, take the Chinatown bus to New York for $10, rent a car and see New England, find a place to exercise, eat some decent food, and don't piss money away on stupid things because Boston rent is not cheap!

Don't work music so hard that it becomes just like that job you hate (or if you're 18, that job that you WILL hate if you have to do it and not music or some combination of music-related work). Likewise, don't judge music so harshly that listening and/or creating is no longer a joy. But don't make or listen to too much crap either. Songwriters write a ton of material to get out those few precious "gems" - but they do throw the bad crap away. Or else they license it to major label artists, but that's another story. ;-)

Finally, start planning your future NOW. Don't wait until your last semester at Berklee to figure out what you're going to do with yourself after you leave. Making a good music career plan takes time and your plan will probably change many times throughout your life to adapt to the changing industry and your own changing goals and personal desires. Do some research now and talk to others about ways to make a living, having a balanced life as an artist, places you'd like to live, and how you're going to promote your music (this does not necessarily mean commercial promotion if that word makes you super-artiste types cringe)!

Good luck!!! Feel free to get in touch if you need/want to. =) Power moves in the direction of hope