Anika & Benny actually have both studied Drums. Anika studied at the "Popakademie" in Mannheim Germany and Benny studied at "Bfs für Musik Dinkelsbühl" and later in Hamburg.
I love that this question was asked. I went to and graduated from Berklee and have asked myself this question for the last 10 years. I completely agree with the networking aspect of it. That’s invaluable, but like you said, not the only way to do it. I’ve been paying my bills teaching drums since I left, and being able to say that I went to Berklee has really helped set me apart from other teachers too. But that’s where the pros end in my opinion. Everyone has these schools up on a pedestal because of some of the players that came out of them, but simply attending the schools will not make you better. That is solely on you to put the work in. There are some amazing teachers at Berklee but also some not so amazing teachers.. I had a private instructor not show up to some of my lessons because they were scheduled for 9am. I had a teacher show up to a final half an hour late because he was grocery shopping. It’s not nearly as hard as you’d think to put in minimum effort and get out of there with a degree. It’s structured, but it’s easy to not follow the structure. You also have to take some required classes that are questionable. Like conducting. I had to take two semesters of conducting. Why? And it’s EXPENSIVE. So expensive. I truly don’t think the cost justifies the experience. Online lessons are so accessible these days, you can email a teacher at one of the schools and set up lessons on your own. There are learning platforms like creativelive and so many others that can teach you how to use certain programs or how to record. If you do end up going to a music school, LEARN SOMETHING LIKE AUDIO ENGINEERING. You already know how to play drums, and you can continue to learn. But a skill like audio engineering is necessary nowadays, even if you don’t think it is. Wish I had known that when I was there. But like I said, there are other resources available so I can still learn that without Berklee. If you’re in a position to attend and not go into massive debt, go for it. But if you’re not, think really hard about the trade off. You don’t need a music school to be great. You don’t. You could just move to Boston and become involved in the music scene. You’ll meet Berklee students that way and start networking without having to pay the tuition. Just some thoughts from someone who has been there. Thanks for posting this clip!
I also went to Berklee, albeit for only a semester. Didn't feel like I was learning anything crazy or life-changing the short time I was there. Networking was nice, but like you put it, not worth $40k and available from other places.
I'm in my senior year in high school and am really considering (pretty sure about) going to music school, but not so much to be a "sick" drummer, but to grow as a complete musician, learn production, writing, improvising, like not be only a drummer. But I still have doubts about it because it is really expensive, and taking such a desition about my life and environment makes me nervous. Also I have tried everything you mentioned in the video, but I live in a country were this things barely exist so I ran out of camps and networking. I did like your position about the topic.
I just want to say you're one of my favorite UA-cam drummers and educators. You're playing is phenomenal and inspiring. It's so well thought out and executed. Your insight about drumming and the music industry in general is always spot on too. I do agree with you. There is opportunity and community now that makes it possible to do just about anything you need to do to advance your music career that a music school traditionally provided. When I was coming up we didn't have the internet let alone UA-cam. We didn't even have mobile phones! You went to the best school that you could afford and would let you in or you moved to LA or New York and dived into the middle of the action. Some of the most successful cats I know were self taught and came in through any open door in the industry they could find even if it wasn't a gig where they were actually playing. Like roadie, tech, or sound. On the other hand the skill you gain learning in a group setting under the guidance of a knowledgable teacher is unique. Knowing how to conduct yourself professionally in a group setting and on a big stage isn't something you learn right away or at all when working your way up through the local bar bands. Back when I was coming up most of the self taught musicians ultimately ended up on the scrapheap even if they did have some momentary success. I saw great bands get signed only to have their recordings shelved or have zero tour support. Either of which were career killers. I know great musicians who toured and recorded all over the world with legendary artists only to end up broke when the gigs dried up. But all the cats I knew that went to music school were able to at the very least make a decent living in the industry through good times and bad. Thankfully it's a different age with new technology and new opportunities to learn and advance. I'm amazed at all the talent out there that's coming from every corner of the globe. It's mind blowing. I think there is no better time to be a musician and no better time to be a drummer. Whichever path you choose you have real legitimate choices rather than a roll of the dice as it used to be.
I’m currently attending to California musicians institute, it’s online currently because of covid of course but I will be transferring to California once everything is good. I can tell you this, it’s really cool having all of these professors teach you drum set and what to look out for awhile preforming, not only that but you build connections with them and also get to meet artists and musicians at the small “clinic camp” and hear their stories and give advices to the students. I got to meet record labels, spoke one on one with them and also met music producers who have told me behinds the scenes of the music industry. It’s really fun studying in something you actually love to do, but there’s 1 con, and that is money. I come from a family that doesn’t make much, but we get through. I know once I’m done with school (if I choose to stay) I will take me awhile to pay the school, and it will take a lot of faith to hope I can land a good gig. I’m not making in this into a pity party story , just saying the truth, because I know someone is in the same shoes as mine. I have a back up degree dealing with agriculture, just incase if my music career goes slower than I expected but If you put your heart, mind, soul, blood, time sweat and tears, anything is possible. Much love from Texas ❤️
Great podcast!!!!! I been playing for 13 years and have learned chops from E-books and polyrhythms, drum notation all from the internet!!! Great point!!
Great clip... What you explained is what I did. I emailed various colleges and enquired about what books they use and bought them and worked through them. And took lessons with top end pros when available and practiced hours everyday and took gigs when they arrived. In the end because I wasn't in a course I could accept any gig that came up without distracting from classes. And because I wasnt drilled by one particular teacher week after week I quickly developed multiple styles, my own techniques and sounds designed to fit into the real world groups I played with, not simply playing great in a college band, but then uncomfortable out in the real world because the techniques they teach don't work unless you're playing festivals, football stadiums and entertainment venues. I see this alot. College grades with chops for days complaining when they can't virtuosically rim shot, ride the crashes and linier fill all over the gig because they're playing a small pub / club date and the band gets shut down for being too loud. Or where they could have spent 100 hours learning real songs instead of 200 hours learning an audition piece they'll play once, maybe twice. I see benefits in music schools by way of quickly sourcing answers to questions, but I see lots of generic clones and "cookie cutter" style playing as well.
Great video!! I just graduated from Ithaca College in the spring of 2020 with a degree in classical percussion and am now doing a masters degree in Entertainment and Media Management. I agree with a lot of what you said here, because as much as I value the time I spent in a classical conservatory environment, music school isn't for everyone who wants to be a musician. There are a lot of ways to spend the money and a lot you can do. What music school does you is train you to be an all-around musician in a formal classroom environment with skills such as music theory, aural skills, sight reading, composition and many more formal elements of classical training. But if the only learning you do is in the classroom, that will only get you so far. I learned just as much about being a musician by going to weekly jazz jams and playing gigs with friends (covers and originals) as I did in the classroom, and I was able to apply a lot of my skills to different areas. All of that came together when it was time to perform my junior and senior recitals, playing a mix of classical, jazz and progressive music at both. It worked for me, but it may not work for everyone. Some people leave music school after a year because they don't like the formal training and classroom setting; I know a few people who dropped out for that reason and are now pursuing music still but outside of the classroom. Some people really like it and go for the formal training, many of whom with the goal of becoming a music teacher, professional audio engineer, music producing/business, etc. The questions to ask are, what is right for the individual, and what the individual thinks will be most beneficial to put their money towards in the long run. There's also the element of super focused conservatories versus larger universities with a music program as one of the schools, so if you want to go to college for music, the question is how focused you want the total environment around you to me.
In my experience (I went to a school right outside of NYC), music school (/an arts school) is such an amazing experience, both for the other creatives around you, and the things you learn from the professionals there daily. But, if you're borrowing money and not getting any significant scholarship, it might not be worth it financially in the short term. Tough question for sure
I'm actually so happy that university in Canada is so cheap versus university in US. And we have some great drum teachers in those universities, most of them with impressive national/international career.
Berklee was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but it's really not worth the money. As you mention here, I made a ton of friends and studied with amazing drummers like Dave DiCenso and Rod Morgenstein, but the school is just too expensive.
I mean, it depends cause there’s a bunch of benefits on going to a music school cause you learn different things on how to play certain styles which can be very helpful to input it in drumming. But if you’re very serious on automatically getting into a band then you don’t need a degree for it cause it obviously doesn’t really require a music degree.
If you want to be a drumset player, beware of university music programs, which will emphasize classical percussion over drum set. It's very easy to find oneself endlessly practicing marimba etudes for upcoming exams, and not focusing on the drums. Some university percussion depts will be quite coy about explaining to you before you commit, how much drum set playing will actually be in the curriculum. Iv'e recently had this experience with a student of mine who went on to be a music performance major, only to find very little drum set in his schooling. He's outta there..
Anika & Benny actually have both studied Drums. Anika studied at the "Popakademie" in Mannheim Germany and Benny studied at "Bfs für Musik Dinkelsbühl" and later in Hamburg.
I love that this question was asked. I went to and graduated from Berklee and have asked myself this question for the last 10 years. I completely agree with the networking aspect of it. That’s invaluable, but like you said, not the only way to do it. I’ve been paying my bills teaching drums since I left, and being able to say that I went to Berklee has really helped set me apart from other teachers too. But that’s where the pros end in my opinion. Everyone has these schools up on a pedestal because of some of the players that came out of them, but simply attending the schools will not make you better. That is solely on you to put the work in. There are some amazing teachers at Berklee but also some not so amazing teachers.. I had a private instructor not show up to some of my lessons because they were scheduled for 9am. I had a teacher show up to a final half an hour late because he was grocery shopping. It’s not nearly as hard as you’d think to put in minimum effort and get out of there with a degree. It’s structured, but it’s easy to not follow the structure. You also have to take some required classes that are questionable. Like conducting. I had to take two semesters of conducting. Why? And it’s EXPENSIVE. So expensive. I truly don’t think the cost justifies the experience. Online lessons are so accessible these days, you can email a teacher at one of the schools and set up lessons on your own. There are learning platforms like creativelive and so many others that can teach you how to use certain programs or how to record. If you do end up going to a music school, LEARN SOMETHING LIKE AUDIO ENGINEERING. You already know how to play drums, and you can continue to learn. But a skill like audio engineering is necessary nowadays, even if you don’t think it is. Wish I had known that when I was there. But like I said, there are other resources available so I can still learn that without Berklee. If you’re in a position to attend and not go into massive debt, go for it. But if you’re not, think really hard about the trade off. You don’t need a music school to be great. You don’t. You could just move to Boston and become involved in the music scene. You’ll meet Berklee students that way and start networking without having to pay the tuition.
Just some thoughts from someone who has been there. Thanks for posting this clip!
I thought this was well written and very balanced. Thank you for your insights!
I also went to Berklee, albeit for only a semester. Didn't feel like I was learning anything crazy or life-changing the short time I was there. Networking was nice, but like you put it, not worth $40k and available from other places.
I'm in my senior year in high school and am really considering (pretty sure about) going to music school, but not so much to be a "sick" drummer, but to grow as a complete musician, learn production, writing, improvising, like not be only a drummer. But I still have doubts about it because it is really expensive, and taking such a desition about my life and environment makes me nervous. Also I have tried everything you mentioned in the video, but I live in a country were this things barely exist so I ran out of camps and networking. I did like your position about the topic.
I just want to say you're one of my favorite UA-cam drummers and educators. You're playing is phenomenal and inspiring. It's so well thought out and executed. Your insight about drumming and the music industry in general is always spot on too.
I do agree with you. There is opportunity and community now that makes it possible to do just about anything you need to do to advance your music career that a music school traditionally provided.
When I was coming up we didn't have the internet let alone UA-cam. We didn't even have mobile phones! You went to the best school that you could afford and would let you in or you moved to LA or New York and dived into the middle of the action. Some of the most successful cats I know were self taught and came in through any open door in the industry they could find even if it wasn't a gig where they were actually playing. Like roadie, tech, or sound.
On the other hand the skill you gain learning in a group setting under the guidance of a knowledgable teacher is unique. Knowing how to conduct yourself professionally in a group setting and on a big stage isn't something you learn right away or at all when working your way up through the local bar bands.
Back when I was coming up most of the self taught musicians ultimately ended up on the scrapheap even if they did have some momentary success. I saw great bands get signed only to have their recordings shelved or have zero tour support. Either of which were career killers. I know great musicians who toured and recorded all over the world with legendary artists only to end up broke when the gigs dried up. But all the cats I knew that went to music school were able to at the very least make a decent living in the industry through good times and bad.
Thankfully it's a different age with new technology and new opportunities to learn and advance. I'm amazed at all the talent out there that's coming from every corner of the globe. It's mind blowing. I think there is no better time to be a musician and no better time to be a drummer. Whichever path you choose you have real legitimate choices rather than a roll of the dice as it used to be.
I’m currently attending to California musicians institute, it’s online currently because of covid of course but I will be transferring to California once everything is good. I can tell you this, it’s really cool having all of these professors teach you drum set and what to look out for awhile preforming, not only that but you build connections with them and also get to meet artists and musicians at the small “clinic camp” and hear their stories and give advices to the students. I got to meet record labels, spoke one on one with them and also met music producers who have told me behinds the scenes of the music industry. It’s really fun studying in something you actually love to do, but there’s 1 con, and that is money. I come from a family that doesn’t make much, but we get through. I know once I’m done with school (if I choose to stay) I will take me awhile to pay the school, and it will take a lot of faith to hope I can land a good gig.
I’m not making in this into a pity party story , just saying the truth, because I know someone is in the same shoes as mine. I have a back up degree dealing with agriculture, just incase if my music career goes slower than I expected but If you put your heart, mind, soul, blood, time sweat and tears, anything is possible. Much love from Texas ❤️
if i really wanted to just get better i would get lessons but music school seems fun so heck yeah
Great podcast!!!!! I been playing for 13 years and have learned chops from E-books and polyrhythms, drum notation all from the internet!!! Great point!!
Great clip... What you explained is what I did.
I emailed various colleges and enquired about what books they use and bought them and worked through them. And took lessons with top end pros when available and practiced hours everyday and took gigs when they arrived. In the end because I wasn't in a course I could accept any gig that came up without distracting from classes. And because I wasnt drilled by one particular teacher week after week I quickly developed multiple styles, my own techniques and sounds designed to fit into the real world groups I played with, not simply playing great in a college band, but then uncomfortable out in the real world because the techniques they teach don't work unless you're playing festivals, football stadiums and entertainment venues.
I see this alot. College grades with chops for days complaining when they can't virtuosically rim shot, ride the crashes and linier fill all over the gig because they're playing a small pub / club date and the band gets shut down for being too loud.
Or where they could have spent 100 hours learning real songs instead of 200 hours learning an audition piece they'll play once, maybe twice.
I see benefits in music schools by way of quickly sourcing answers to questions, but I see lots of generic clones and "cookie cutter" style playing as well.
Great video!! I just graduated from Ithaca College in the spring of 2020 with a degree in classical percussion and am now doing a masters degree in Entertainment and Media Management. I agree with a lot of what you said here, because as much as I value the time I spent in a classical conservatory environment, music school isn't for everyone who wants to be a musician.
There are a lot of ways to spend the money and a lot you can do. What music school does you is train you to be an all-around musician in a formal classroom environment with skills such as music theory, aural skills, sight reading, composition and many more formal elements of classical training. But if the only learning you do is in the classroom, that will only get you so far. I learned just as much about being a musician by going to weekly jazz jams and playing gigs with friends (covers and originals) as I did in the classroom, and I was able to apply a lot of my skills to different areas. All of that came together when it was time to perform my junior and senior recitals, playing a mix of classical, jazz and progressive music at both.
It worked for me, but it may not work for everyone. Some people leave music school after a year because they don't like the formal training and classroom setting; I know a few people who dropped out for that reason and are now pursuing music still but outside of the classroom. Some people really like it and go for the formal training, many of whom with the goal of becoming a music teacher, professional audio engineer, music producing/business, etc. The questions to ask are, what is right for the individual, and what the individual thinks will be most beneficial to put their money towards in the long run.
There's also the element of super focused conservatories versus larger universities with a music program as one of the schools, so if you want to go to college for music, the question is how focused you want the total environment around you to me.
Really good thoughts here, listening on behalf of my son. I'm glad you were able to offer different viewpoints vs. just a definitive opinion.
In my experience (I went to a school right outside of NYC), music school (/an arts school) is such an amazing experience, both for the other creatives around you, and the things you learn from the professionals there daily. But, if you're borrowing money and not getting any significant scholarship, it might not be worth it financially in the short term. Tough question for sure
I'm actually so happy that university in Canada is so cheap versus university in US. And we have some great drum teachers in those universities, most of them with impressive national/international career.
Which university? Im looking at applying to Humber
@@aidanschram9652 I'm in Montréal so I did mcgill university for one year and now I'm in my 3rd year at Université de Montréal.
Berklee was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but it's really not worth the money. As you mention here, I made a ton of friends and studied with amazing drummers like Dave DiCenso and Rod Morgenstein, but the school is just too expensive.
I mean, it depends cause there’s a bunch of benefits on going to a music school cause you learn different things on how to play certain styles which can be very helpful to input it in drumming. But if you’re very serious on automatically getting into a band then you don’t need a degree for it cause it obviously doesn’t really require a music degree.
I actually want both lol. And as an opportunity to live at another country.
@@QWRTkeyboard I can understand that
This would work for art school now, too!
If you want to be a drumset player, beware of university music programs, which will emphasize classical percussion over drum set. It's very easy to find oneself endlessly practicing marimba etudes for upcoming exams, and not focusing on the drums. Some university percussion depts will be quite coy about explaining to you before you commit, how much drum set playing will actually be in the curriculum. Iv'e recently had this experience with a student of mine who went on to be a music performance major, only to find very little drum set in his schooling. He's outta there..
Thank you for this
Berklee is like $60,000 per year
Screw that lmao
For some people making a structure is an issue
Agreed. But a solution that requires six figures of debt is clearly the wrong way to solve that problem. Ultimately, self discipline is free.
Should? No. Want? Yes. Life is not a linear procedure, whatever you want to do, do it. You'll regret it later anyway.
Dennis Chambers I believe didn’t go to school for drumming. For a fact I do know he doesn’t read music
he doesn't read music, or he CAN'T read music??? i find dennis chambers not being able to read sheet music a mind-blowing statement
Neither can i
But i aint a legend
Dave grol