Did I make a mistake?

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Tom

Tom

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Right, I got onto a BTEC Level 3 Music Performance College course back in early January and I'm starting to regret my choice. Let me tell you more...

I've been a guitarist for some eight years now and I decided that I want to take it further and get a qualification in music considering I didn't in secondary school as they didn't offer music as a standalone course. The problem with music as I'm sure the majority of musicians know is that it is very limited into what your options are once it's completed, providing you want to take it further, which I might.

Now I'm predicted possibly a B/A in English, apparently I have the potential to go very far according to my teacher and I've always loved the idea of being a journalist and specifically a commentator on Motorsports. Obviously if I did, I would have to take a journalism course in College and then possibly pursue a degree in University. The upside to Journalism is that there are a lot more options at the end of it, whether I decide to go into writing or another field of it.

I love both ideas equally but I need to choose what will be the best for my future. What do you people think would be my best option? Thank you all in advance.
 
Why not combine the two and do Music Journalism?

Apparently its a great course and you're not giving up something you love to do something you might have more options in.

Par example. Take a look at a few course outlines from different unis. Some will have more weighted on performance, some more on writing skills. Plus, you know what it's like to be a performer so you'll have some good insight already.
 
Danny
Why not combine the two and do Music Journalism?

Apparently its a great course and you're not giving up something you love to do something you might have more options in.

Par example. Take a look at a few course outlines from different unis. Some will have more weighted on performance, some more on writing skills. Plus, you know what it's like to be a performer so you'll have some good insight already.
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It's certainly an option that I've considered but I really enjoy the physical, getting involved side of music as opposed to writing about it.
 
If you had the qualification in music what could you use it for? I mean I'm sure you don't require one to get into a band which is, I'm sure, a dream of yours... wait aren't you already in one? :lol:
 
Do both. That's what I would do. Although eventually I'd like to put cars on the side and team up with some guys really serious about taking my current or new band somewhere in the future.
 
Callumfromleeds
If you had the qualification in music what could you use it for? I mean I'm sure you don't require one to get into a band which is, I'm sure, a dream of yours... wait aren't you already in one? :lol:
Click to expand...

I was, until December when we split.
 
I don't mean to open this up again, but I'm seriously having doubts now that the time is getting ever closer. I'm considering studying for music which is a 3-day a week course and then going back to my old school and studying for an English A-Level. How does that sound?
 
That could work.

1 A level won't take up that much time from my expirience. You could do it with 2 days spare assuming lessons are available on those days.

In fact there are a few sports students at my current college who have to do an A level as part of their course despite having 3 days doing sports and other things.
 
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Musicians who specialize in rock guitar tend to be less dependent on academic qualifications than people like myself who play classical instruments, though having said that there are more rock & pop musicians on my uni course than classical ones. If you wanted to be a peripatetic teacher for example then you would need this BTEC, and ideally a BA/BMus too.

That course will be really good for you, you'll be surrounded by musical equals and able to study it full-time, which will be very inspiring for you.

Job opportunities for musicians, particular at degree level can be easier to come by than you may think. Music lecturers are experts in the field and often renown performers and composers, so they can tell you how to get to the top, and have good connections too.
 
Many people here in America will major in music and in outside field; it's called a BSOF degree. I know several people who are in the BSOF program and they're double majors in music and physics for example. Killer workload, but in the end if music doesn't work out you always have another field to fall back on. Other people intending to make a living as a performer will major in Music Education instead of Music Performance so if they don't land a job as a performer they can always find one as a middle school band director for example.

The problem with majoring in music nowadays is that the world is far oversaturated with people who decided to follow their dreams and follow a less lucrative career in something they're passionate about - aka music majors. There are way more aspiring musicians than jobs for said musicians. Now with rock/pop it's different, as you can always make a band and be successful if you're good and unique enough. But I don't know about that side of things, as I was one of those people that followed their dreams and am currently majoring in bass trombone and euphonium performance with a minor in jazz studies.

Majoring in music is very doable, but nowadays it's all about connections. Who you know is almost (almost) more important than how well you can play. You have to be an excellent businessman and market yourself in addition to a great musician who really stands out from the legions of other aspiring college music students vying for the same jobs you are.

I would say that if you really want to do music as a career but aren't comfortable with how risky of a field it is, get the degree/qualification/whatever it's called over there and get one in another subject. As for English...I feel like that would be less risky than music only if you went into journalism. Most of the English majors I know accept that they have just as little of a chance at getting a good job as we musicians do.

Someone also brought up an interesting point. You don't need a degree to get into a band. It's all about how you play and what your reputation is. So, if you feel that you could improve just as much without getting the degree/qualification, you might not have to.

Just my 2 cents.
 
As Driving Park said, music and English are both subjects that have quite limited use in the world of work.

In my opinion, you should take a subject that is more in demand (science!), and focus on landing a career with that before even thinking about a career in music. Remember, you are young, and there is plenty of time to develop music into something more than a hobby - if you get a good foundation (a job that pays the bills) you won't have to worry about the small things (such as having to sell off your guitars to buy food) which will give you freedom to explore different ideas.
 

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