<p>So. I live on in the East Coast in the Northern Virginia area. I was accepted into the BA Interactive Entertainment program - I plan to do a bit of a musical/audiocentric focus on the major, possibly applying to dual degree in BS Music Industry in the Spring. At this point I’m torn between this at USC and the Bandier Program at Syracuse. </p>
<p>I’m a musician, which means I’m gonna want to take my two guitars, keyboard, interface and mic, and various accessories with me. It actually doesn’t take up that much space at all total, but it’s making me wonder… how the hell am I gonna carry all this with me should I choose to attend USC? I’m pretty sure my parents don’t have the time to spare to drive with me across the country, nor are they willing to let me drive across the country by myself. It wouldn’t be a problem at all to just take the necessities (clothes, etc) with me by plane. Are there anyways to ship my musical stuff by plane safely?</p>
<p>Lencias,
Have you weighed these things you wish to take? The smaller items could be mailed. I shipped a valuable oriental rug across the country by UPS. They now take heavy packages. Call FedEx and UPS for estimates.</p>
<p>You will still have to ship to Syracuse, just a bit closer to northern Virginia.</p>
<pre><code>Are you aware the SC program has been ranked No.1 in the U.S.? Have you seen the video on YouTube about the interactive entertainment program? I suggest you pull that up and see what amazing things are in store for you at SC. You can find it under the SCA videos on YouTube…Interactive Entertainment.
</code></pre>
<p>The School of Cinematic Arts is legendary. Do not lose this opportunity due to sending large items to California.</p>
<p>Rug v hardware = different case no? The rug is flexible while hardware = rigid = breaking easily :(</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m wellaware that the USC Interactive program is #1 in the country, and, as virtue of its location, is unparalleled networking wise. Just that my fam’s gonna struggle just to pay for my tuition (yay no needbased financial aid for international students!), let alone shipping my stuff across the country. Plus I don’t trust UPS/FedEx too much tbh.</p>
<p>Syracuse we’d probably just drive up in our minivan.</p>
<p>Lencias,
I have moved all over the U.S. and realize there would need to be a difference in the packaging. At least take digital photos of your equipment, weigh it and obtain estimates. Estimates cost you nothing.</p>
<p>You and your family will need to sit down and plan realistically if you can afford a private university. If you know positively you cannot attend SC after the family discussion
please let the university know of the decision in order that one of the spring admits can be moved up to fall.</p>
<p>As a musician I will be bringing instruments to USC as well, namely 2 guitars and 2 amps. I would NEVER ship a guitar, but one of the amps is solid state, that I may ship, the tube amp definitely not. I have experience bringing guitars cross-country on planes and I’ll share what I do. I check my guitar in as a carry on and each time I board an aircraft I ask the flight attendant who welcomes you on the plane if she would kindly store the guitar in one of the compartments up front. The flight attendants have little closets, usually situated between first and coach, that they put their coats and small bags in. These closets are large enough for guitars and they have always been able to accommodate me. If you are flying to cali you will be traveling on large planes most likely, the only time I have ever had trouble is when I was taking a guitar with me on a very small plane; the attendant said she would have to put the guitar “below” with the other luggage, and as she saw my panic-stricken face she assured me she would find a really safe spot for it and sure enough it was okay, just a little cold, but okay… Anyways, don’t let bringing you instruments deter you from going to USC! Oh, and with the keyboard, that may be okay if you shipped it.</p>
<p>I’d never be brave enough to ship instruments like that. Seems like a great excuse to rent a car and do a cross-country road trip to LA! Eat lots of bbq on the way :)</p>
<p>There are PLENTY of places to buy good quality amps, guitars, etc in LA- new or used. Why not leave the heavy stuff or things that are easily replaced at home and buy amps etc when you get to LA? It will probably cost you as much to ship them to LA as buy new or used ones. Besides, aren’t you going to want to practice at home during the month long Xmas vacation?</p>
<p>menloparkmom, you haven’t shopped for “good quality” amps, guitars, etc., have you? The total value of the gear my son has carefully selected, saved for, been gifted on every occasion… well, I don’t even want to think about it. And these things are like his children. Or girlfriends. Or better. Like all musicians, he doesn’t view them as easily replaceable. No musician would.</p>
<p>But, seriously, musical instruments, amps and gear are shipped all over the world when they’re sent to stores. These things are shippable. You just need a good shipper. Perhaps contact Thornton and ask what other music students have done. I just don’t think you need to take EVERYTHING with you at first. You are living in a dorm, correct? Dorms are small. My kid’s amps are big. I know, because they’re often in our dining room! </p>
<p>Take a deep breath. Don’t make your college decision merely on the basis of one school being easier to get your stuff to!</p>
<p>Oh, and my son always carries his guitar on to the plane as well. All those college auditions, and he never once had to check it in cargo.</p>
<p>jazz/shreddermom,
My SON who IS a musician[ guitar and classical piano], is the one who suggested buying equipment in LA, as he has done, thank you very much. And guitar center is one of the stores he suggested. So if students want to take the chance of transporting expensive equipment back and forth across the country via the airlines numerous times over the next 4 years, it is their choice to take that risk. I was just offering a alternative. There was no need to take on a superior tone in your post to someone who was trying to be helpful…</p>
<p>Well, considering the tuition’s gonna cost us 1.6x my family’s annual income, I’d say I’m not in the position to buy a whole new USC set of equipment. Thank you for the suggestion, but I really can’t.</p>
<p>I don’t think taking an amp with you is a good idea, there might be even rules about playing loudly in the dorms (I’m not sure) and there might be amps in the practice rooms at the school you plan on going.</p>
<p>I would, though, take my guitar, if you really want more than one guitar take one in a different trip. Say take the most important one for you at the beginning of the academic year and then when you come back after christmas break bring the other one with you.</p>
<p>menoparkmom, I never ever in a million years meant to take on anything but a smiling, joking tone. In fact joking, panic-stricken and neutral are pretty much the only tones I have. I wholeheartedly and sincerely apologize if I gave the impression of a superior tone!</p>
<p>Yikes, I would be terrified to ship my guitar… but I do think instruments are shippable, how else would they be transported from store to store? Here’s my advice: bring one of the guitars and maybe the keyboard. Ship the keyboard and any amps, and take the guitar as carry-on luggage like the other poster said. I really think it would be a huge hassle to ship all of that stuff to USC and then ship it back any time you come home. Plus, (and I guess this would be the worst case scenario) you might get stuck with a roommate who has a bunch of stuff or doesn’t want all of that stuff in the room.</p>
<p>Can someone enlighten me as to why musicians are so guarded about their instruments? I know someone last year had his aunt/uncle drive his guitar down to LA, instead of flying it. Is it really that much of a risk to ship it, or personal attachment?</p>
<p>P.s. I’m NOT trying to make fun of anything…I simply want to understand, because I am not a musician :)</p>
<p>@maylix I personally wouldn’t ship anything valuable to me just like that, thinking that it might get bumped or whatever. It’s a matter of not trusting others of taking care of what’s really valuable to you (and expensive as well) I’m guessing it’s that… trust issues maybe? not wanting to take the risk? </p>
<p>@Lencias will you really be using a mic in your room? but by all means bring it with you as well, mics are really small so they won’t be much of a trouble. You’ll do with one of your guitars for a couple of months, if you really want to play keyboard/piano you have plenty of them at school (and I’ve seen the practice rooms at USC, each one has a beautiful piano inside so don’t worry much about that), otherwise take guitar1 first trip, keyboard 2nd trip, guitar2 3rd trip.</p>
<p>I get the feeling of not having both guitars there, since one’s acoustic and the other one is electric, being a guitar player myself, but really it’s not a live or die situation if you just wait a couple of months before you have both guitars :)</p>
<p>Musical intruments are fragile and often very expensive. I found out this year when attending music school auditions with my daughter that the cello players actually bought a plane ticket for their cellos and strapped them in with the seat belts during flights!</p>
<p>The keyboard and mic… I’m a composer/singer-songwriter, and I’ll be getting some new gear toward the end of the year (graduation gift), so I hope to continue making music at college…</p>