Can I minor in music tech with no music experience?

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Hey everyone, I'm a rising senior and as I'm getting deeper into the college search and application process, I have been thinking more and more about what I want to major in. I'm leaning toward psychology for pre med (my dad is a surgeon and since I was a little kid he brought me to work w/ him and showed me the enviroment, life, struggles and rewards of being a doctor. I'm just saying this so I don't sound like every other high schooler who wants to be a Doc for the money.) </p>

<p>Anyways, I'm pretty sure psychology is the route I want to take to get there, but recently I'm realizing that I have a strong passion for music and dream of producing music. Not to be famous or get rich anything, I just really want to make music, specifically the studio production side of it. </p>

<p>The only problem is, aside from a passion for music, I know nothing about it. I don't play any instruments and I cant read music. I'm really just wondering if it would still be possible to minor in music tech with no prior experience or knowledge. Also, if anyone could recommend some schools that are strong in this are I'd really appreciate it. My stats are 3.5 GPA, 28 ACT which I'm taking again and i also plan on taking the SAT. </p>

<p>Sorry for the long post but thanks in advance for any help!!</p>

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<p>james, I’m going to help you with a reality check about music, based on the fact that you have no background in anything music related. To be a respectable music producer, meaning, one that can make an average living doing that, and to get accepted to a respected music school that will give you a degree in music production or something similar, you absolutely have to know how to play music. You also have to know not only how to read music, but also how to write it, as well as speak the language of music. You don’t have to be the best at playing your instrument, but you do have to be able to meet a minimum standard. At many schools, you will also have to audition on an instrument to get in, or at the very least, for music production, you will have to show a composition or music production portfolio. So while it’s not impossible to get to a music producer career from where you are, you are behind so many others that have the same thoughts, but those kids may already have 4-8 years of intense music training, in addition to 1 or 2 really great summer experiences that allowed them to actually compare themselves to other young music producer wanna-be’s. </p>

<p>So, to help you before you tell Dr. Dad, I would say you are dreaming a bit if, as a rising senior, you really don’t know anything about music and want to major in one of the most challenging music majors (technically). There are a few folks in the last month that have asked similar questions you asked, but with higher or similar background as yours. Scan this music majors forum for those threads and see what others have said to them.</p>

<p>Here’s why I’m being so harsh … knowing your dad is a surgeon, you will likely be eligible for no financial aid.Your stats are good, but not shoe-ins for scholarships or merit aid. As a person that would be checking off music or music production for their major, you will not be competitive at all as of this fall, and so your family would be expected to pay full tuition and full board. I don’t know your location, but that could be up to $50K/year in the Northeast, lower in some other areas. If you really want to explore this path, defer your college entrance for a year and take some basic music lessons. Better yet, take any music class this fall and see if you passion for the thought of music is as strong as you thought once you’re asked to participate in the making, playing, or editing, of music. </p>

<p>Sorry for being so direct … this is a practice for you for when your dad makes some of these same points.</p>

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<p>You might consider some private instruction before pursuing college level classes, since music is one of those disciplines where you are expected to have prior background. For example, a local studio owner near us offers recording workshops (if you live north of Boston PM me and I’ll send you a link). A workshop would be a low risk/cost setting to get your feet wet and see if you have aptitude and continued enthusiasm.</p>

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<p>James, as the parent of a child studying music tech, I have to echo what snowflake said. At my son’s school, it’s not even available as a minor or even a ba because the course sequence is so specific and consuming. that is not to say that you cannot learn some aspects of music production independently at a non-professional level. For example, at my son’s school there are a few general computer music classes for non-majors, etc. Today it is also possible to learn recording and sequencing skills on you own by self-study with equipment purchase and vocational classes. If you did those things while you’re an undergrad and turned out to be adept at recording and mixing, you might then consider taking some technical certification courses, but would not necessarily be competitive with students who’ve taken a professional degree in music tech at a school of music.</p>

<p>The point I want to leave you with is that considering a career in music technology/engineering at this point is more or less the equivalent of saying you’d like to be a concert pianist but you don’t play piano. The road is in some ways that long. Now, you can play piano every day and study for the next 10 or 20 years to follow your passion, but you could not be competitive in a talent-based admission setting at a university next year.</p>

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<p>Ok thanks for the help everyone. I just thought it would be something that would be fun to learn about. I was just curious and looking to see if something like that was possible, so thanks for your honesty. </p>

<p>And by the way SnowflakeVT, I cant tell Dr. Dad anything because Dr. Dad passed away when I was 13. I just look up to him a lot and when I think about my future I think of him and usually include him. Sorry.</p>

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<p>SnowflakeVT, I think you may have misread - this student is looking to minor in music tech, not major.</p>

<p>james24, don’t do anything silly like defer your college entrance, although I’m sure you wouldn’t anyway. Just look at the minor programs offered by schools you’re interested in. Sometimes they even tell you whether or not you’re expected to have prior knowledge. While it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever have a studio job without having passable skills in musicianship, you can learn about that while you’re in college as well. Some music minors require prequisite musicianship classes that you can complete during your freshman or sophomore years. So don’t worry. If you want an even better shot at it, you can start learning now by taking lessons & workshops that are offered locally.</p>

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<p>james24, Sorry to hear that you lost your dad so young. I will suggest that you not give up on this music interest, though. Music can be a hobby, a past time, or a career, so there are many ways to enjoy it. If you have a Mac, you likely have explored some of the fun features of Garage Band, too, and you don’t need a PhD in music to have fun with that. If you just want to pursue music recording as a past time or hobby, taking a class at a local music store or through a community program is a good option to see how far you want to take it. I would not avoid a class in colleage as an elective, either, especially if it is interesting and doesn’t have music-related pre-reqs. I was answering your question as if you were going to take a full major or minor and be in the same classroom as the folks with 8 years of music-related experience. </p>

<p>BTW, my daughter’s Dad (my husband) tried to convince her to stay away from majoring in music, and she was even more than prepared! She showed him … one year of pre-med and she switched schools to focus on music. So I was speaking of your dad as if he would have been as hard on you as my husband was on my daughter … dad’s (and mom’s) just want their kids to have a good life. We sometimes fall into a trap and assume certain degrees are the obvious path that lead to a good job, which we assume equals good life. We all know that’s not true, which is why some of us have kids that are musicians and artists to straighten us out. :)</p>

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<p>27Dreams and SnowflakeVT thank you and I understand what you mean now. But yes like I said I think you guys were just confused at first, my ultimate goal is med school. I just love music and although I can’t play an instrument I thought producing would be a cool way to get involved and learn about music. I was just looking into it for my own knowledge and personal reasons, not to go into it after graduation. </p>

<p>I am working and saving up for a Mac Book even though my mom insists that I dont need it and to wait a year and she would get me one. And I will just look into what the schools I’m already applying to have to offer someone with no experience. Thanks again for the help guys! I now know more than I did yesterday. Love this site.</p>

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<p>You can likely take electives in music production at schools where it’s offered (my son is at USC, where there are definitely music engineering courses that non-majors take), even without officially minoring it. If you love something, you can always learn more about it no matter what else you’re also doing. </p>

<p>What I do for a living now takes definite craft, yet it has nothing to do with what I majored in in college! But it’s something I was always doing in some fashion, and always learning about. I know that’s vague, but hopefully you get my gist regardless.</p>