How To Music Major

howtomusicmajor:

First seen on my Patreon and website!

There are a lot of majors out there that supposedly “don’t have jobs.” You may have heard that you “can’t just get a job at the Philosophy factory,” or that tenure-track professorships are going away. Fair enough. However, unemployment is currently at a decade low, which means all these philosophy and music and history majors are finding work somewhere. How? Well, my guess is that a lot of them know how to convince employers that their skills are useful. Here are five skill sets you can learn in any major.

Event management. Have you planned a recital? Do you help out with student organizations? Have you ever figured out who was going to bring the chips to the next meeting? You’re beginning to develop event management skills. Start volunteering to take on responsibilities for larger events. If you can point to a big event you’ve pulled off, you’ll have an incredible industry-crossing resume booster.

Writing. Being able to clearly communicate over text is a hugely important skill. Don’t brush off papers and English classes - go to the Writing Center offered by your school if you need help. Being able to write clearly is important for program notes, resumes, biographies, grant-writing, and a million other things, both related to music and otherwise. Start a blog (like this one!). Put in a little more effort on your next paper. See if you can work at your school’s newspaper. It all helps.

Programming. This may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy music theory, you probably have the right kind of brain for coding. It’s all problem-solving with numbers and weird terms and formats. Taking a programming course or two in your undergrad could lead to freelancing opportunities, a day job, or even just a better understanding of how to build your personal website. You can also study online through a whole bunch of resources, include The Odin Project, Codecademy, and the app SoloLearn.  

General leadership. Join the board of a student org. Get a job as a house manager. Become an RA - free housing! Go to leadership training events. Anything that helps you get the feel for being in charge of a group of people is going to be so, so helpful to you in the long term, especially if you plan on directing, conducting, teaching, or otherwise leading any group of musicians ever. Plus, it will be very helpful on future resumes.

Problem-solving and research. Take your history courses seriously - they are where you’re going to learn a lot of research skills. Ditto your music theory classes - they will teach you how to figure stuff out when it’s dense, confusing, or just weird. Use your library access as much as you can. Learn how to google effectively, because the ability to teach yourself something quickly can make you stand out. Understanding how to find the answer to a question is a skill EVERYONE needs. Rarely in the real world will there be a textbook assigned to a situation. If you know how to figure stuff out on your own, you’re going to be able to do a lot more in life.

Now go forth and learn stuff. You got this!

Like this post? Buy me a coffee!

First seen on my Patreon and website!

There are a lot of majors out there that supposedly “don’t have jobs.” You may have heard that you “can’t just get a job at the Philosophy factory,” or that tenure-track professorships are going away. Fair enough. However, unemployment is currently at a decade low, which means all these philosophy and music and history majors are finding work somewhere. How? Well, my guess is that a lot of them know how to convince employers that their skills are useful. Here are five skill sets you can learn in any major.

Event management. Have you planned a recital? Do you help out with student organizations? Have you ever figured out who was going to bring the chips to the next meeting? You’re beginning to develop event management skills. Start volunteering to take on responsibilities for larger events. If you can point to a big event you’ve pulled off, you’ll have an incredible industry-crossing resume booster.

Writing. Being able to clearly communicate over text is a hugely important skill. Don’t brush off papers and English classes - go to the Writing Center offered by your school if you need help. Being able to write clearly is important for program notes, resumes, biographies, grant-writing, and a million other things, both related to music and otherwise. Start a blog (like this one!). Put in a little more effort on your next paper. See if you can work at your school’s newspaper. It all helps.

Programming. This may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy music theory, you probably have the right kind of brain for coding. It’s all problem-solving with numbers and weird terms and formats. Taking a programming course or two in your undergrad could lead to freelancing opportunities, a day job, or even just a better understanding of how to build your personal website. You can also study online through a whole bunch of resources, include The Odin Project, Codecademy, and the app SoloLearn.  

General leadership. Join the board of a student org. Get a job as a house manager. Become an RA - free housing! Go to leadership training events. Anything that helps you get the feel for being in charge of a group of people is going to be so, so helpful to you in the long term, especially if you plan on directing, conducting, teaching, or otherwise leading any group of musicians ever. Plus, it will be very helpful on future resumes.

Problem-solving and research. Take your history courses seriously - they are where you’re going to learn a lot of research skills. Ditto your music theory classes - they will teach you how to figure stuff out when it’s dense, confusing, or just weird. Use your library access as much as you can. Learn how to google effectively, because the ability to teach yourself something quickly can make you stand out. Understanding how to find the answer to a question is a skill EVERYONE needs. Rarely in the real world will there be a textbook assigned to a situation. If you know how to figure stuff out on your own, you’re going to be able to do a lot more in life.

Now go forth and learn stuff. You got this!

Like this post? Buy me a coffee!

howtomusicmajor:

12 months before: Maybe, perhaps, possibly mention the recital when choosing repertoire.

6 months before: Consider starting the scheduling process for the recital. Decide against it, that sounds like work and you have plenty of time.

5 months before: Check the recital hall calendar, realize there’s only two weekends still open during the month you want to have your recital. Panic and get it scheduled ASAP.

4 months before: Actually decide what you’re going to perform on your recital. Choose at least two pieces because they sound cool even though you’ve never seen the sheet music.

3 months and 3 weeks before: Realize that the pieces you chose because they sound cool are REALLY FREAKING HARD. But you can’t change them because that would be wimping out. Apologize to your accompanist for what you’ve accidentally done to them.

3 months before: Actually start practicing stuff in earnest.

2 months before: Realize this is going to be the best recital in the history of EVER, you’re going to have this in the bag.

1 month before: Realize that there is no way this is all going to come together in time, it’s going to be awful, panic.

3 weeks before: Start practicing truly obsessively. Alternate with avoiding the practice room at all costs. 

2 weeks before: Finally memorize/solidify that one piece. Take a deep breath. Panic a little less.

1 week before: Do your dress rehearsal. Learn what still needs work. Feel calm.

6 days before: PANIC.

2 days before: Decide that you’ve hit the point of no return, and move into calm one final time. It’s gonna be okay.

Day of: Be a little numb, outside of obsessive, ritualistic preparations like drinking hot Emergen-C and doing lip-trill runs. Do the performance.

Afterwards: REJOICE IN YOUR FREEDOM. Become a little sad that you no longer have a goal to practice for. Remember the next thing you need to prepare for. Repeat from beginning.

Ah yes, I see I have once again returned to stage 2: 6 months before. I have my rep largely picked this time, at least.

(via thestressedsaxophonist)

Practice is one of those all-pervasive things in the music world that no one ever really seems to fully pin down. Tons of people have theories or guides, but there is no definitive single way that is the Best Way to Practice. It’s different for everyone. One of the things that everyone disagrees on is when to practice - morning? Night? Noon? Any minute you’re not in class, eating, or sleeping? There’s so many conflicting options!

Here’s the How To Music Major guide to choosing a practice time.

Figure out what times of day you are most awake and alert. I run out of brain as the day progresses. I am most awake before 2 pm, and I have the most focus then. Focus is key to successful practice. If you feel wide-awake and ready to go at 8 pm, then consider practicing then. If you love the sunrise and being awake before the mailman invigorates you, then practice at 7 am. Do what works for you.

Figure out when your instrument works best. This is probably mostly a thing for vocalists - my voice feels different throughout the day. I talk a lot and I’m loud, so my voice tends to be less than awesome at the end of the day unless I’m specifically focusing on saving it. However, first thing in the morning I haven’t talked enough, and i have to spend a lot longer warming up so I don’t do myself a harm. Instrumentalists, you can consider weather in this - it’s probably not great to practice violin first thing after walking to school in the freezing cold, unless your gloves are awesome. Literally let yourself warm up first.

Avoid times directly after an ensemble or other rehearsal. Rest is important. If I practice after choir, I know I’m going to be a little vocally tender the next day, so I have to practice beforehand. If you sit for two hours in orchestra, only to go and sit somewhere else for another three hours without a nice stretch in between, you’re going to risk carpal tunnel. Take breaks!

Remember that you need food and stuff too. No, for real, take breaks!! Leaving a half hour of downtime every couple hours in my schedule has made this semester SO much nicer. I start to get really hangry if I have to focus for more than four hours without anything but a power bar. By leaving lunch time and downtime and socialization in my schedule, I can restore my focus and buy less queso to go. It’s great.

Be respectful of others’ time. If you practice at home, don’t practice before 9 am or after 8 pm. Don’t be the loud trumpet neighbor - no on likes loud trumpet neighbor. Also, if you’re practicing some sort of shared instrument or in a shared space, be strict with your practice times. The organ is only yours for the hours you reserved it, and the practice room you had to reserve for is coveted for a reason.

Once you’ve considered all these factors, the best time for you should be fairly obvious. I practice at 11 am every day, because I’m awake, I’m coherent, and I haven’t sung in choir yet. It’s been very successful for me so far, and I bet your perfect time will be too!

First seen on my blog and Patreon!

In my nearly six years of post-secondary education in music, I’ve discovered that there are six easily identifiable kinds of music major. Not every student fits one of these categories, but you’ll see these people on the regular, regardless of your school

The Basement-Dweller:

I don’t mean to use this in the pejorative sense. Instead, I mean that this kind of music major lives on a cot in the basement of the music building. They are so dedicated (and overloaded) that they don’t leave the building unless it’s to go to the library or the cafeteria. Occasionally. You can hear the basement-dweller practicing in the depths of the building at all hours, and you will. Frequently these people are also on the boards of multiple organizations, because they don’t know how to stop. Everything gets done, but the person is essentially a cryptid.

The Partier:

No one knows where the Partier gets their free time, or their free spirit. Frequently, these people are underclassmen, because upperclassmen and grad students don’t have the energy to club. They get more excited as the week goes on, frequently attend their Thursday and Friday 8ams hungover (or still buzzed), and spend all of their ensemble rehearsals on Monday talking about the rager they attended on Friday and Saturday. They are loved or hated, depending on the person’s loveability.

The Doesn’t Care:

Unlike the Partier, everyone knows where the person who Doesn’t Care gets their free time. It’s all the time they don’t spend in class, or practicing, or doing anything else. They are a true music-lounge-lizard. Frequently, they spend their time in the music lounge talking about how they’ll start practicing in a few minutes. They won’t until the day before their lesson, and then they’ll complain about how their teacher yelled at them. Will either shape up or probably become a Communications major.

The Self-Promoter:

This person has started three different ensembles, does solo work, and has the best social media presence in the school. You know this because it’s all they ever talk about. Their facebook feed is a daily update about what they’re doing, and ways to spend money to see their stuff. When they graduate, that kind of hustle is probably going to make them decently successful. However, to the people that they currently attend school with, it is the most endlessly annoying thing.

The Extra:

This person is always at Top Volume. You can hear them laughing from the next floor. They are often filled with High Drama. Frequently embraces the idea of being a diva/divo. If they don’t have a unique fashion sense, they’ll make up for it by being showy in some other way. If they’re a nice person, they’re beloved. If they’re a negative person, they will be… not beloved.

The Life-is-Together:

This person is a myth.

What You Should Bring:

• A notebook per class
  
• If you have one, a LIGHT laptop (and charger)
  
• PENS (in multiple colors)
  
• PENCILS
  
• Water bottle
  
• Planner
  
• At least one add/drop form
  
• Phone (and charger)
  
• Portable battery
• SHEET MUSIC BINDER (prepped in advance as much as possible)

What you will bring if you are a mess like me:

• Whatever is still in your backpack from last semester
  
• Two half-full notebooks from last year because you have never filled a notebook with notes and you suspect you never will
  
• Two textbooks that are never needed in class
  
• Planner
  
• One pen (green)
  
• Two pencils (both running low on lead)
  
• Laptop, no charger
  
• Phone (important!)
  
• Coffee (VERY important)
  
• Water bottle (empty??)
  
• Sheet music binder (made, all translations done, but no tabs so it takes 80 years to find stuff)
  
• Misplaced enthusiasm