What if I would like to produce music using DAWs?

College Majors Music Majors
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<p>For those wondering what a DAW is - digital audio workstation, such as Cubase, Abelton, Reason, ProTools, Logic, etc. An intuitive computer program that emulates thousands of dollars worth of synthesizers and whatnot, for a few hundred dollars - not your conventional approach to musical composition.</p>

<p>Based on my research on CC, it seems that virtually all schools require an audition. The challenge for me is that I am not formally trained in any instruments, aside from the 2 years I spent in junior high playing the clarinet; and the only thing left from that experience are my reeds. </p>

<p>On that same token, I DJ often (CDJS, not turntables) and produce music using DAWs, but it seems that this is not an accepted form of displaying one’s ‘musical talent’. </p>

<p>First question, then: should I begin training myself on an instrument I enjoy? It would be the piano, without question.</p>

<p>Second question: what is the financial feasibility associated with a minor in music industry? It usually requires a few years for people’s music to be heard by the ‘right people’ (labels and whatnot), and realistically money doesn’t grow on trees - I need to have a stable source of income for hte interim between graduating and having decent cash-flow from gigs and selling my songs.</p>

<p>So it has dawned on me that I must 1) have some sort of technical degree, training, etc. that will allow me to secure a main source of income or 2) if a music industry minor can help bring in the cash as soon as I graduate, then I will put that minor to use as my main source of income until my musical composition career launches. </p>

<p>I see a challenge with the former option, in that I must 1) experience greater debt and more schooling in order to secure a financial base and 2) I can’t find anything that overlaps with a music/recording arts/music industry major that is a relatively stable career. I’ve heard horror stories about ‘polar-opposite majors’. I don’t want to be the next story.</p>

<p>At the end of the day, I want to be able to produce awesome music, namely trance and techno, but I need to be ably to sustain myself financially up until the time I can rely on my composition as a reliable conduit of income. I’m not sure if I should attend a private school, like Ex’pression, and master the DAWs, while also working a job (albeit, mediocre job), or somehow gain entrance to a music program and also major/minor in a field (regardless of how similar or distant the major or minor would be) that will land me a job as soon as I graduate college O.o</p>

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<p>You should look at Middle Tennessee State - low tuition and their Recording Industry Major is in the Mass Communications school, so no music audition is required. Also great connections in the Nashville area (which isn’t all country music, you know).</p>

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<p>“isn’t all country music” - lmao, that was very funny. </p>

<p>Thanks for your input, I will research it in a few hours…and, perhaps, bring an entirely new dimension of concerns stemming for their program. But, I hope not! Lol. Thanks again =)</p>

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<p>The University of Miami has Electronic Music as a principal instrument for their Music Engineering and Music Business programs. Look into that.</p>

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<p>Plus Miami has lots and lots of great industry connections, too.</p>

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<p>My daughter is a music major and “new music” classical composer. She uses ProTools for electroacoustic composition, which is an important element in most composition programs. You can most likely submit music composed with a DAW in a portfolio, but check with the schools. They usually like at least one live performance, which usually means live musicians. Also, the DAW music may not be well represented on a CD if performance involves multiple speakers- that is something you would know, not me, for sure.</p>

<p>A composer does not have to play an instrument (daughter, like you, played clarinet in high school). There are schools/conservatories that do not have instrumental auditions for composition or general music applicants. But if there is a school that you want to go to that requires one, maybe you can brush up on your clarinet unless you are already strong in piano.</p>

<p>Piano is important for theory. Composers may or may not use it for composing: it depends on your process. But it sure does help with the study of music.</p>

<p>Are you looking to do a BA, BS, BM degree? A bachelor’s in music can open access to many jobs, just like any other bachelor’s. But if you want to work in music engineering or business or industry or recording, many people on here have directed and will direct you to programs. I know one parent here has a son at Hartt doing a program for composition and music technology. Others here know a lot about programs and will help.</p>

<p>I know it is scary financially to study composition, but sometimes it is good to focus on what you really love to do, and things work out. You sound like you might enjoy the recording/sound engineering, but if it is composition that you really want to do, you can major in that and pick up recording skills in internships or gigs as you go. Sounds like you are already building that experience. And you don’t even have to work in a musical field to support your composing: like Ives, you could work in insurance!</p>

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<p>Gaining piano skills would help. This might be easier OFF the C21H30O2.</p>

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<p>^lol</p>

<p>First off, no degree guarantees netting a job in year one post-grad. But ENG might be the closest. And if you have any interest/desire in that area, there’s a great option possibly available for someone with your set of interests and presumable mixing/mastering skill.</p>

<p>What kind of HS GPA/SAT scores do you have? Are you also good at programming/calc etc.?</p>

<p>It might be a long shot, but the University of Michigan has 4 streams in its “Performing Arts Technology” degree sequence, the most “traditionally stable” in terms of employment being Curriculum D, which confers a BS Engineering and for which there is a healthy volume of recruitment in the audio engineering world.</p>

<p>The benefit of that program is that a good deal of your portfolio can be DAW-composed, and they have an appreciation (and aesthetic) for electro/trance/etc. as opposed for mere tolerance in the department. (Eg. Ritchie Hawton was a visiting guest/lecturer earlier this year ;)</p>

<p>You do not have to audition on an instrument for curriculums B,C and D – you interview instead after they listen to/view/review your portfolio. </p>

<p>However, you do have to submit at least one fully notated score, and they do prefer a recorded sample of you performing (but you could possibly get away with submitting a video of a set if you perform using looping/abelton or other electroinic/interactive approaches.) You also submit created samples and any programming you’ve done.</p>

<p>You <em>would</em> however, for Curriculum D, need to submit a full, min. 3 pc. acoustically “captured” stereo mix – but it doesn’t have to include YOU as a performer. So if you have access to the gear and the capacity in protools (you could even impress them with a 5.1) you could make a solid portfolio that offsets your lack of traditional, western music study. You didn’t mention if you have any experience in live reinforcement.</p>

<p>That said, it may also not be a fit. In that program, you absolutely need a minimum of 4 units (two years) of theory, and theory <em>can be</em> murder at Mich, particularly for those without deep background or years of piano, etc. However, some folks have the “feel” for theory right away and “get it” while others don’t. What was your experience or exposure level on theory when you played clarinet?</p>

<p>There may also be a few composition profs who WILL insist on live performance of your work on traditional instruments in upper years. My son did have a western classical background/underpinning as a musician but had not composed much for strings in the past, preferring, like you, electronic composition with a mix of contemporary alternative, but surprisingly enjoyed writing for a string quartet when faced with the need to.</p>

<p>And the programming/calc elements required in Curriculum D benefit from a pretty strong background in math/science with a min. of ACT 28 in math to be considered for the program.</p>

<p>So, if that all fits, that would be an option – though it’s a competitive one – a max. of 4 students get in each year. </p>

<p>If it doesn’t sound like a fit, tell us what fits with your background/proclivities, and what doesn’t. I’m not particularly certain that music industry is what you’re looking for from your comments and I certainly wouldn’t encourage pursuing that type of degree – particularly with the sole goal of making money – unless you had a passion for the business part of business. That’s just my opinion, however.</p>

<p>Good luck in your search.</p>

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<p>Not sure what your finances are and you don’t have to tell us, but you might want to look at Berklee. [Majors</a>, Minors, and Programs | Berklee College of Music](<a href=“http://www.berklee.edu/majors]Majors”>Bachelor of Music: Majors) Note the composition, contemporary writing and production, electronic production and design, and film scoring areas of study listed and described.</p>

<p>I"m form the northeast and only know that area. You might want to check out Hartt at U. of Hartford, Northeastern, UMass Lowell, NYU.</p>

<p>You might want to read a lot of websites before deciding on major and minors and future job plans, or maybe you already have. I think you can form job plans as you go, while studying what you want to study and have talent in. But that’s just me.</p>