I went to an Arts High School….it was two jazz classes….one we played standard jazz songs….the other we learned music theory…. Best 4 years of all my schooling….no sports, just the arts….small school with everyone wanting to be there….no gangs!….got to take a lot of great equipment home on the weekends…mics, 4 track, amps, bass, drums….I wish I would have tried even harder than I did! But I sure loved it.
It sure shows in your grammar that you only took arts classes. You use more ellipsis than a boomer on Facebook and other punctuation seemingly at random.
My mom received her Bachelors in Music from McGill Conservatory. She had to perform a recital, take a 3 hour exam, and go in front of the board. She was 15 yrs old....(1947). At 40, she received her MFA in Musicology from UMass Lowell, auditioned for, and was chosen as a piano soloist for the BSO 1971. In 1976, she graduated Boston College with her PhD. 3 of her students went on to Juliard. She was one of the founding members of The Groton School (for the Arts) - Groton MA. Mom taught at Ulowell for a year, but did not like the regiment...she remained in private practice for 35 years. 🏆🏅🥇 Oh yeah...she ALSO raised us 2 kids, did laundry, cooked dinners...and was a PHENOMENAL wife and mother!!❤❤❤
10:43 this sums up my 7 years at university studying music. So well said. A totally pointless skill set. You also mentioned it gives you tools not job prospects. Spot on!
I considered some music schools years ago, but as none were local (and other reasons) I was not able to afford it without racking up a huge debt But the environment was a big part of what I wanted
IMHO as a Juilliard graduate, the most important thing one can do is to meet and work with fellow artists of all ages who inspire you and challenge your musicianship and knowledge of music. In addition, our tastes, interests, and opportunities evolve over time so information and skills you picked up in the past might very well come in handy in the future. Never stop learning!
i love your shout out to your support system! it is such an important part of what people simply label as 'talent.' also, my harp teacher was also super tough (yet still caring). i knew i had a shot at continuing with a music career my senior year at berklee when she said, very nonchalantly, "good job. okay, next piece ... " i positively hated being a woman there (from everyone assuming i was a singer, to teachers asking if i knew what middle c was, all the way to fairly regular sexual harassment), BUT i now have my dream job, some incredibly deep and meaningful relationship with other ladies from berklee (even after graduating 12 years ago!!), and otherwise really enjoyed my music school and what i learned! thanks for the prompt to reflect on my own time at music school!
I got a music degree at age 40 after 25 years of gigging with rock and blues bands. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and, later got a great Government job on the basis of having a degree. I am still playing, recording and writing and processing the information I got via my degree. I was fortunate, but have never regretted my time at the Conservatorium. Good work and good luck with your degree.
As usual, excellent video. I graduated with a minor in music in 1988 (yep, I’m really old) and while my career has never been primarily in the music field, I have never regretted the work to get that minor. BTW, our required group keyboard class was titled “Keyboard Skills” and we referred to it as “Keyboard Thrills.”
that last part he talked about the lessons from Rik Emmet, that was obviously the most important bit.. having someone show you true support and trust, this is something we look in our parents but they usually fall short, as they have their own issues they never solved.. so giving support is usually not a priority.. Having someone you truly trust give you this gift of support is something you will always carry in you, this is what we usually needed as kids, but if you have someone gift you this you can satisfy that inner child - this is the most important thing for succes - the idea that you have support.. your subconsciousnes will always know you are doing this because you have something to give, that you are worth it.. I have failed and picked up myself so many times, I realised I had never ever had this internal feeling of support, I'm always "bootstraping" my self, usually feeling totally worthless, like I have nothing to give nothing I do is right and I will never ever be OK.. then I pick myself up a bit do my best, burn candle from both sides do everything, then burn out, get down.. etc - this is a fucking disaster of a life.. Getting actual help with this at least made me understand I can get this support from someone else, it's possible to fix this, takes time and dedication - but most importantly you can only get it from someone else , and unfortunately, almost impossible to do it yourself, since we are social beings we are wired to interact with other people, and the emotinal support we needed was only possible to be gained from our parents, but if you never got it there.. you can get it with someone else.. In any case, I loved this bit, truly sounds authentic, and I discovered I really love authenticity - no matter what you do, just be you
Thanks for sharing Sammy G! Great to hear the stories. I went to OIART in London for audio engineering and it was a lot of similar experiences. 1 year to fully commit to audio and music! Never in my life would I have that chance again (and no also be worrying about rent and income etc) and I knew it, so thankful to have had that opportunity :)
2:25 I remember hearing a story about the guy Sammy G is talking about here. I’m not sure if he’s talking about Jordan Evans or Matthew Burnett but whoever it was, both of them worked on the track ‘Not Afraid’ by Eminem; the lead single for his comeback album ‘Recovery’. The single went on to be 10x platinum (globally) and the first rap record to ever be certified Diamond in the US. If I remember correctly they had to miss graduation to be at the Grammys to accept their award for ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’ and their ‘Best Rap Song’ nomination. They went back to their humble roots to manage and produce one of Canada’s brightest artists from the last decade, Daniel Caesar; if you have not heard of him or his work, take a moment to listen. They recorded his first single ‘Violet’ for his first EP ‘Praise Break’ when Daniel was homeless. They also produced his follow up breakout EP ‘Pilgrims Paradise’ which features BADBADNOTGOOD, another group Sammy G mentioned! YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!
And man! Rik is the main reason I started believing in myself a bit more and thinking that music was achievable afterwards. I’m in the “can this really work out” stage now, but I’m slowly getting a bit more headway in the things I love about music.
I took lessons on one instrument when I was very young, and right now I'm learning another from books and my own judgement. I have to admit that of those two experiences, I'm finding the self-directed learning to be a much better one. I feel a lot more motivated to practice and a lot more willing to apply some amount of self-discipline when I'm working directly toward goals I set for myself -- even if some of those goals might be the same ones a teacher would set for me. However, I'm also drawing on a lot of the knowledge and experience I got from learning to play that first instrument in a classroom setting. There were a lot of concepts when I was starting out on the new one that I didn't have to learn, because I already knew them. If I had had to learn everything from scratch, I don't know if I would have stuck with it.
Wonderful video Steve! This is so on point and very much in line with what I remember from my music school experiences :) I like your point about privilege - it's not often acknowledged but it is a fact that many musicians have a tremendous level of support from their family. Helps to live in Canada too, where tuition fees are not totally insane! Hope you are well brother!
Great video! I agree with your take that practicing just jazz vehemently probably isn't condusive to a well-rounded musical toolkit. My only gripe is the take that bebop is clinging to life because it's taught in schools. I think that a lot of it can be a bit "heady", but, really, is very listenable and will always have an audience. This is parallel to the fact that a lot of it is chops-busting. =)
I love how real you keep it in your videos. I think your videos will not only help me improve as a musician, but even moreso as a guitar|bass teacher, which I will likely be doing a lot of until I can find some kind of career (hopefully but not necessarily in music).
I played drums in the second jazz band in college and the director for the first two semesters was a cranky old jazz saxophonist who had some impressive credentials. I liked the movie Whiplash because it reminded me of my experience in jazz band for that first couple of years. My director didn’t hit anyone, and threw things NOT at students, and cussed, but his approval when I nailed an end of semester concert felt really good!
It’s 2am. I’m struggling to sleep after watching some scary videos so I decide to watch my favorite music youtuber answer some questions about music school with a little hope of him reading my question out loud. Turn out he did. You really made my night, Sammy. Thank you.
Am currently undergoing the basic course in music production and performance ...and this video has helped me decide whether I really want to study beyond what I'm already doing or just begin working on my career immediately when I'm done
@@jimmygubbins I've decided I wait untill I experience the full course before making the decision cos it's too early for me to plan this out rn ..if I need to study more after completing the course I would prolly do uni if not I'll just focus on making brand for myself
I have degrees in music performance and education from Kent State. Last week I cleaned shart off of my classroom floor. I would have used my diplomas to mop up the mess but I forget where I put them. Choose your life path carefully my fellow travelers.
Definitely worth it to me (MM Theory/Compositiom, 1996). Didn’t help with career in music, but helped get a great job in a music-related area, and, best of all, had great experiences and learned so much in the courses.
I had 3 semesters of music in college (2 theory, 1 classical guitar). I would say i learned a bit( my ability to read and write staff music, transposing to orchestral instruments), but it was expensive for what I learned. I may also have partied a llittle too much..
Ugh, so many bad memories from improv. That course really didn't treat drummers well. One time I was doing unusually well in my solo on vibes and when I finished, the teacher just said... you coulda played outside the key y'know. I was just pleased I didn't hit any wrong notes.
Dude that’s amazing you’re able to have that kind of support system! Lots of peeps hate on that but having the right people in place is essential to make ANY kind of success !
SUPER cool that you got to study with and get advice from Rik Emmett - I sadly have never met him, but my parents did at a concert and he was purportedly an absolute class act.
i went to a “state” school where every teacher went to “berklee to beijing to curtis to paris conservatory”. got out for under 30k(4 years) and have made a good living as a musician owner thirty years. all my conservatory and berklee buds still haven’t paid off loans or were rich (i’m not i’m from a tiny alabama town originally). Roll Tide and i still practice 4-10 hrs per day with two kids in private school
Man I love your videos and your Samuraiguitartheory is amazing I bought it about 3 or so months ago and iv learned so much from you! Keep it up man youre awesome!
Wow, I remember reading Rik's column every month way back in the day in Guitar (I think) magazine. He was a huge inspiration to me just from that (first time I'd heard of a mode I think) and I can't imagine how great it was to have private lessons from him.
Hey! I went to Humber! It was the HVAC/ Refrigeration technician program, but still. I won't name names, but I have a few buddies who are currently, or were in pretty well known bands that went there to. One guy actually left a band because he thought they were going no where. 3 hours later they were signed on to the Van's Warped tour and a deal. They had already found someone else.
Being a late starter on guitar originally playing keyboard, third sentence strategic advantages on keyboard and playing close harmonies that are difficult not impossible on guitar and certainly going Beyond six voices (unless you have a 7-string guitar), on the other hand the patterns and guitar once you get out of first position or more easily transposable than having to deal with key specific fingering.
For me, there are only pros. 1. I saved a ton of money working it out for myself. 2. In the course of my studies, I made myself learn the other parts played by the band, as well as the range and characteristics of the instruments involved. It paid off during my record production years, as I could work out the interactions among the parts being played. Most graduates of formal training tend to know only their one or two instruments -- something that surprised me when I discovered this. 3. Remember Item #1? Well, after 29 years of practice, performance and struggle, I was finally able to get a record deal; however, five months later a couple of jazz freeloaders came in who didn't know any of the album material, nor did they care to. One of them decided that HE was going to take over "for the good of the group." I couldn't walk away fast enough from the trainwreck that band had become. By that time, I had invested four years of MY FRIGGIN' LIFE in that group; if I had spent money to get to this sudden ending, I'd be supremely pissed. I know this because another member with a Master's Degree decided to stick around, only to get kicked out. Believe me, she WAS pissed! But I'm not bitter.
..going to music school is not that easy..thats is why i am thankful for music channels like these.not that i will understand everything they will put out but atleast i will have a proper context.
how much did you know about music theory before getting into music school. id love to go but im scared of not knowing enough and im really having trouble teaching myself
I loved your Rik Emmet story - I went to a little jazz school in Los Angeles and for one semester I played piano in a small ensemble directed by Rob McConnell (look him up, kids). I count that as the single most valuable time I spent there. Plus, he was Canadian, so what's not to love? Why am I not Canadian?
Hey, that last song you brought in that Ric liked, do you remember it? What style was it? Curious what it was, love to hear it sometime. Great video my friend.
Most Americans when they think of famous musicians from Canada if they're old they think of Guy Lombardo (and his Royal Canadians, which was his band name), Oscar Peterson, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot, before requiring Fame as a Singer/Guitarist/Composer, Lightfoot actually played Jazz drums. In an interview I heard him lament about not being a little more proficient about guitar chords and having to be laying on a capo transpose. Inside of this I've heard his song "Beautiful" on top and easy listening radio for years before I learned what the song was and who performed it and like this song and finally was able to lock it down via sense of Google search and found the UA-cam video.
holy shit if I had taken my music more seriously I would've been in the same class as Sammy G I was probably at the same auditions as him hurts to hear the take on bebop I mean yeah it's a dead genre but I sure do love it also that question at 5:58 doesn't really make sense and I wish the wording had been addressed "rock" vs "just theory, jazz, and classical" is a bizarre and misleading dichotomy
i don’t think i’m ready to audition for a school yet. i need to sit down practice and study more. i’m trying to get into berklee so wish me luck within the next year guys!
On my own I would consider myself a jazz player more than anything, this means more on the late 1950s early 1960s jazz Organ trio format more than anything else (he'll have done plenty of performing outside of this context). And more commercial environment, I push myself more as a "Supporting Stooge," mostly with Blues and R&B, and occasionally more Blues or Fusion oriented Rock.
I would never last in music school. There is no way I would be able to study and practice things I have no interest in, like jazz. It's just how my brain is wired.
I have some criticism of the use of classical music in music education for the non-classical performer. So I don't object to learning some of the material, where ever since on how to make the material more usable to someone who's not going to barf back perfect renditions of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart Etc. How to more fastly learn components of their material for application elsewhere is Paramount over being able to play a perfect recital of these compositions. Well I did study some classical piano in private lessons, fortunately my music teacher was also a gigging musician who in addition to playing church services also played in bars. As a result she did try to turn what instructions she gave into practical material like taught some of the theory along with learning a composition. When she was younger she lived in Chicago for a while and tried to get a job as a band director in high school which was forbidden because she was a woman. They have no problem with female Coral directors but anyone involved with instrumental music that was an issue.
Wow... My parents aren't and we'rent that way... They most certainly reminded me every day.. that I had no income.. and wasn't sure where I was going and what to do after school...
I play guitar but I am also interested in production, so what I decided to do when I went to school for music, I decided I could get better at guitar ok my own time and went for a degree in music production instead.
Hopefully, the school of your choice has a veterans center. They should be able to tell you about your benefits and start you on the road to getting enrolled. I started by just going to admissions and then got introduced to the head of the veterans center who helped me a lot.
Your the first person I've heard that went to music school and said piano proficiency was a waste of time. I played my guitar for years, and I had all these chords memorized, but I didn't really understand how they all worked together or even why a chord was called an augmented 7th chord. When I took a couple of months of piano lessons the guitar actually got easier. Plus I can play two octaves at the same time. Yeah, yeah, you can on guitar, but most guitar players are not Stanley Jordan. Glenn Tipton, guitarist for Judas Priest says he didn't learn to play guitar until he was 19. Because he already knew how to play piano the guitar was easy for him to learn. Plus it's just another tool. John Paul Jones only played bass for Led Zeppelin because they needed a bass player at first. However, he plays everything. He claims this was from taking piano lessons as a kid. Hey still love your UA-cam channel. I just think this is a little shortsighted. What do I know? I'm just a weekend musician who makes a living in IT.
I got a bachelor's degree in a program that I just wanted music school in Berkeley California put together they were in fact still in the development phase of the program when I first attended so I was sort of a lab rat in their developing their curriculum for the degree.
I'm auditioning for a music school in less than a month and this gave me motivation and hope. Thank you
i have an audition in a few months too, best wishes mate!
Good luck!
best of luck!
Good luck buddy, work like a maniac and have fun
@@toalladepapel you too!
I went to an Arts High School….it was two jazz classes….one we played standard jazz songs….the other we learned music theory…. Best 4 years of all my schooling….no sports, just the arts….small school with everyone wanting to be there….no gangs!….got to take a lot of great equipment home on the weekends…mics, 4 track, amps, bass, drums….I wish I would have tried even harder than I did! But I sure loved it.
that sounds cool.... seems like the ideal school experience.... i should try it.... if i decide that music is the career i wanna go in....
It sure shows in your grammar that you only took arts classes. You use more ellipsis than a boomer on Facebook and other punctuation seemingly at random.
@@barretprivateer8768 so what….you are worried about the wrong things…..next!
It's like that 21 Jump Street episode...everyone playing "hoops". :-)
...
My mom received her Bachelors in Music from McGill Conservatory. She had to perform a recital, take a 3 hour exam, and go in front of the board. She was 15 yrs old....(1947).
At 40, she received her MFA in Musicology from UMass Lowell, auditioned for, and was chosen as a piano soloist for the BSO 1971. In 1976, she graduated Boston College with her PhD.
3 of her students went on to Juliard. She was one of the founding members of The Groton School (for the Arts) - Groton MA.
Mom taught at Ulowell for a year, but did not like the regiment...she remained in private practice for 35 years. 🏆🏅🥇
Oh yeah...she ALSO raised us 2 kids, did laundry, cooked dinners...and was a PHENOMENAL wife and mother!!❤❤❤
Hello! I just got my first guitar for christmas! Has nothiny to do with the video, but im super excited :D
Very nice! What kind of guitar did you get???
Nice! What sort of guitar did you get?
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris fender stratocaster, cream colored
@@okamiwithacamera6077 I've got one of those myself and I love it!
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris yeah its awesome
10:43 this sums up my 7 years at university studying music. So well said. A totally pointless skill set.
You also mentioned it gives you tools not job prospects. Spot on!
Rik Emmet needs to see this. I almost cried D:
(As a teacher, it touched me more than it probably should)
I considered some music schools years ago, but as none were local (and other reasons) I was not able to afford it without racking up a huge debt
But the environment was a big part of what I wanted
IMHO as a Juilliard graduate, the most important thing one can do is to meet and work with fellow artists of all ages who inspire you and challenge your musicianship and knowledge of music. In addition, our tastes, interests, and opportunities evolve over time so information and skills you picked up in the past might very well come in handy in the future. Never stop learning!
i love your shout out to your support system! it is such an important part of what people simply label as 'talent.' also, my harp teacher was also super tough (yet still caring). i knew i had a shot at continuing with a music career my senior year at berklee when she said, very nonchalantly, "good job. okay, next piece ... " i positively hated being a woman there (from everyone assuming i was a singer, to teachers asking if i knew what middle c was, all the way to fairly regular sexual harassment), BUT i now have my dream job, some incredibly deep and meaningful relationship with other ladies from berklee (even after graduating 12 years ago!!), and otherwise really enjoyed my music school and what i learned! thanks for the prompt to reflect on my own time at music school!
I got a music degree at age 40 after 25 years of gigging with rock and blues bands. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and, later got a great Government job on the basis of having a degree. I am still playing, recording and writing and processing the information I got via my degree. I was fortunate, but have never regretted my time at the Conservatorium. Good work and good luck with your degree.
As usual, excellent video. I graduated with a minor in music in 1988 (yep, I’m really old) and while my career has never been primarily in the music field, I have never regretted the work to get that minor. BTW, our required group keyboard class was titled “Keyboard Skills” and we referred to it as “Keyboard Thrills.”
that last part he talked about the lessons from Rik Emmet, that was obviously the most important bit.. having someone show you true support and trust, this is something we look in our parents but they usually fall short, as they have their own issues they never solved.. so giving support is usually not a priority..
Having someone you truly trust give you this gift of support is something you will always carry in you, this is what we usually needed as kids, but if you have someone gift you this you can satisfy that inner child - this is the most important thing for succes - the idea that you have support.. your subconsciousnes will always know you are doing this because you have something to give, that you are worth it..
I have failed and picked up myself so many times, I realised I had never ever had this internal feeling of support, I'm always "bootstraping" my self, usually feeling totally worthless, like I have nothing to give nothing I do is right and I will never ever be OK.. then I pick myself up a bit do my best, burn candle from both sides do everything, then burn out, get down.. etc - this is a fucking disaster of a life..
Getting actual help with this at least made me understand I can get this support from someone else, it's possible to fix this, takes time and dedication - but most importantly you can only get it from someone else , and unfortunately, almost impossible to do it yourself, since we are social beings we are wired to interact with other people, and the emotinal support we needed was only possible to be gained from our parents, but if you never got it there.. you can get it with someone else..
In any case, I loved this bit, truly sounds authentic, and I discovered I really love authenticity - no matter what you do, just be you
Merry Christmas! 👍🎸🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing Sammy G! Great to hear the stories. I went to OIART in London for audio engineering and it was a lot of similar experiences. 1 year to fully commit to audio and music! Never in my life would I have that chance again (and no also be worrying about rent and income etc) and I knew it, so thankful to have had that opportunity :)
Thank you for making a video about this Sammy G, it's the sort of thing that helps myself and a lot of people out
This video slaps. It resonates with my experience in music school pretty much to the tee
2:25 I remember hearing a story about the guy Sammy G is talking about here. I’m not sure if he’s talking about Jordan Evans or Matthew Burnett but whoever it was, both of them worked on the track ‘Not Afraid’ by Eminem; the lead single for his comeback album ‘Recovery’. The single went on to be 10x platinum (globally) and the first rap record to ever be certified Diamond in the US. If I remember correctly they had to miss graduation to be at the Grammys to accept their award for ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’ and their ‘Best Rap Song’ nomination.
They went back to their humble roots to manage and produce one of Canada’s brightest artists from the last decade, Daniel Caesar; if you have not heard of him or his work, take a moment to listen. They recorded his first single ‘Violet’ for his first EP ‘Praise Break’ when Daniel was homeless. They also produced his follow up breakout EP ‘Pilgrims Paradise’ which features BADBADNOTGOOD, another group Sammy G mentioned!
YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!
And man! Rik is the main reason I started believing in myself a bit more and thinking that music was achievable afterwards. I’m in the “can this really work out” stage now, but I’m slowly getting a bit more headway in the things I love about music.
I took lessons on one instrument when I was very young, and right now I'm learning another from books and my own judgement. I have to admit that of those two experiences, I'm finding the self-directed learning to be a much better one. I feel a lot more motivated to practice and a lot more willing to apply some amount of self-discipline when I'm working directly toward goals I set for myself -- even if some of those goals might be the same ones a teacher would set for me.
However, I'm also drawing on a lot of the knowledge and experience I got from learning to play that first instrument in a classroom setting. There were a lot of concepts when I was starting out on the new one that I didn't have to learn, because I already knew them. If I had had to learn everything from scratch, I don't know if I would have stuck with it.
Props to Samurai Mom & Dad! Great video, btw.
Ooo! Now I HAVE to hear about those heated debates in your music business class! There’s your next video topic.
Wonderful video Steve! This is so on point and very much in line with what I remember from my music school experiences :) I like your point about privilege - it's not often acknowledged but it is a fact that many musicians have a tremendous level of support from their family. Helps to live in Canada too, where tuition fees are not totally insane!
Hope you are well brother!
I'm trying to learn music on my own and watching this is really insightful
what instument do you play, im just curious.
@@santiago3871 guitar and piano
@@eryalmario5299 nice
Great video! I agree with your take that practicing just jazz vehemently probably isn't condusive to a well-rounded musical toolkit. My only gripe is the take that bebop is clinging to life because it's taught in schools. I think that a lot of it can be a bit "heady", but, really, is very listenable and will always have an audience. This is parallel to the fact that a lot of it is chops-busting. =)
Dude! We have to hear that last song now! What high praise!
Let's make this happen Sammy G!!!
Don't do music school unless you are truly okay with learning in a structured college environment.
I love how real you keep it in your videos. I think your videos will not only help me improve as a musician, but even moreso as a guitar|bass teacher, which I will likely be doing a lot of until I can find some kind of career (hopefully but not necessarily in music).
I played drums in the second jazz band in college and the director for the first two semesters was a cranky old jazz saxophonist who had some impressive credentials.
I liked the movie Whiplash because it reminded me of my experience in jazz band for that first couple of years. My director didn’t hit anyone, and threw things NOT at students, and cussed, but his approval when I nailed an end of semester concert felt really good!
It’s 2am. I’m struggling to sleep after watching some scary videos so I decide to watch my favorite music youtuber answer some questions about music school with a little hope of him reading my question out loud. Turn out he did. You really made my night, Sammy. Thank you.
Am currently undergoing the basic course in music production and performance ...and this video has helped me decide whether I really want to study beyond what I'm already doing or just begin working on my career immediately when I'm done
What did you decide??
@@jimmygubbins I've decided I wait untill I experience the full course before making the decision cos it's too early for me to plan this out rn ..if I need to study more after completing the course I would prolly do uni if not I'll just focus on making brand for myself
@@SourPotato ah okey nice, hope everything goes great for you! And remember when you’re successful i helped cheer you on! Go clive! 😂😂
@@jimmygubbins thanks alot Jimmy
@@SourPotato no problem mate
It’s awesome to see what a good support system can create. I’m glad you have that 🤟🏽
I have degrees in music performance and education from Kent State.
Last week I cleaned shart off of my classroom floor. I would have used my
diplomas to mop up the mess but I forget where I put them. Choose your
life path carefully my fellow travelers.
Scott... I am so sorry... I want to throw up, but also just but you a beer, friend.
TL:DR don't study music unless you REALLY want to but if you do it's worth it in many ways
Backpacking around Australia! My man! Hello from Brisbane.
One of the best videos I've seen on this topic.
Thinking about going to music school as well.. Thanks for all the great insight! This really cleared up a lot of questions I was having.
Really insightful. Thanks for this.
Great honest video my friend!
being from Ontario, i really enjoyed this one. Thanks Ol Sammie G
Definitely worth it to me (MM Theory/Compositiom, 1996). Didn’t help with career in music, but helped get a great job in a music-related area, and, best of all, had great experiences and learned so much in the courses.
I had 3 semesters of music in college (2 theory, 1 classical guitar). I would say i learned a bit( my ability to read and write staff music, transposing to orchestral instruments), but it was expensive for what I learned. I may also have partied a llittle too much..
Very cool video. Great info. Definitely something to really think about before making the commitment, but awesome for those who choose to go that way.
Ugh, so many bad memories from improv. That course really didn't treat drummers well. One time I was doing unusually well in my solo on vibes and when I finished, the teacher just said... you coulda played outside the key y'know. I was just pleased I didn't hit any wrong notes.
Dude that’s amazing you’re able to have that kind of support system! Lots of peeps hate on that but having the right people in place is essential to make ANY kind of success !
SUPER cool that you got to study with and get advice from Rik Emmett - I sadly have never met him, but my parents did at a concert and he was purportedly an absolute class act.
Love you. Thanks for the education.
It was awesome hearing about your inspirations
I'm headed off to Berklee in September and am scared fucking shitless but excited (for production and writing not any instrument).
Perfect timing! I'm thinking of applying to music school, and humber is one of my top choices currently!
i went to a “state” school where every teacher went to “berklee to beijing to curtis to paris conservatory”. got out for under 30k(4 years) and have made a good living as a musician owner thirty years. all my conservatory and berklee buds still haven’t paid off loans or were rich (i’m not i’m from a tiny alabama town originally). Roll Tide and i still practice 4-10 hrs per day with two kids in private school
Thanks sam, this really motivated me
Thanks for the coupon - I just bought your solo course and your pentatonic course
Man I love your videos and your Samuraiguitartheory is amazing I bought it about 3 or so months ago and iv learned so much from you! Keep it up man youre awesome!
Oh dang! I graduated from Humber Music in 2018 - cheers! Trying to build more into artistry/production over the next while.
Thanks, im considering going to a music school and this helped loads.
Sammy is well grounded in reality.
That's one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Always looking forward to your next upload. Good stuff Sammy G
Excellent und very informative video! Always enjoy watching your vids! Greetings from Nova Scotia, Canada!
So many people in the same place in life as me. That feels kinda good to know
Thanks Sami-g for this video ❤️🤗
Valuable info thanks
Wow, I remember reading Rik's column every month way back in the day in Guitar (I think) magazine. He was a huge inspiration to me just from that (first time I'd heard of a mode I think) and I can't imagine how great it was to have private lessons from him.
Hey! I went to Humber! It was the HVAC/ Refrigeration technician program, but still. I won't name names, but I have a few buddies who are currently, or were in pretty well known bands that went there to. One guy actually left a band because he thought they were going no where. 3 hours later they were signed on to the Van's Warped tour and a deal. They had already found someone else.
Insightful and genuinely honest.
luv BBNG!!! would love to see them live.
Being a late starter on guitar originally playing keyboard, third sentence strategic advantages on keyboard and playing close harmonies that are difficult not impossible on guitar and certainly going Beyond six voices (unless you have a 7-string guitar), on the other hand the patterns and guitar once you get out of first position or more easily transposable than having to deal with key specific fingering.
He is right on target. I am a music major myself. Same experience.
When I was young "traditional jazz" definitely wasn't bebop. I must be getting old... 🙂
For me, there are only pros.
1. I saved a ton of money working it out for myself.
2. In the course of my studies, I made myself learn the other parts played by the band, as well as the range and characteristics of the instruments involved. It paid off during my record production years, as I could work out the interactions among the parts being played. Most graduates of formal training tend to know only their one or two instruments -- something that surprised me when I discovered this.
3. Remember Item #1? Well, after 29 years of practice, performance and struggle, I was finally able to get a record deal; however, five months later a couple of jazz freeloaders came in who didn't know any of the album material, nor did they care to. One of them decided that HE was going to take over "for the good of the group." I couldn't walk away fast enough from the trainwreck that band had become.
By that time, I had invested four years of MY FRIGGIN' LIFE in that group; if I had spent money to get to this sudden ending, I'd be supremely pissed. I know this because another member with a Master's Degree decided to stick around, only to get kicked out. Believe me, she WAS pissed!
But I'm not bitter.
Sammy g almost tearing up talking about his family. Cheers Big Man
Music and tech graduate here! Best time of my life
..going to music school is not that easy..thats is why i am thankful for music channels like these.not that i will understand everything they will put out but atleast i will have a proper context.
how much did you know about music theory before getting into music school. id love to go but im scared of not knowing enough and im really having trouble teaching myself
I loved your Rik Emmet story - I went to a little jazz school in Los Angeles and for one semester I played piano in a small ensemble directed by Rob McConnell (look him up, kids). I count that as the single most valuable time I spent there. Plus, he was Canadian, so what's not to love? Why am I not Canadian?
Trad ska and reggae are my favorite genres! What bands did you play with? I'd love to check them out.
Hey, that last song you brought in that Ric liked, do you remember it? What style was it? Curious what it was, love to hear it sometime. Great video my friend.
Great video
Whoa, this opens the bigger question, there's Samurai siblings?
Most Americans when they think of famous musicians from Canada if they're old they think of Guy Lombardo (and his Royal Canadians, which was his band name), Oscar Peterson, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot, before requiring Fame as a Singer/Guitarist/Composer, Lightfoot actually played Jazz drums. In an interview I heard him lament about not being a little more proficient about guitar chords and having to be laying on a capo transpose. Inside of this I've heard his song "Beautiful" on top and easy listening radio for years before I learned what the song was and who performed it and like this song and finally was able to lock it down via sense of Google search and found the UA-cam video.
holy shit if I had taken my music more seriously I would've been in the same class as Sammy G
I was probably at the same auditions as him
hurts to hear the take on bebop
I mean yeah it's a dead genre but I sure do love it
also that question at 5:58 doesn't really make sense and I wish the wording had been addressed "rock" vs "just theory, jazz, and classical" is a bizarre and misleading dichotomy
i don’t think i’m ready to audition for a school yet. i need to sit down practice and study more. i’m trying to get into berklee so wish me luck within the next year guys!
My buddys uncle was in Triumph. Nice.
On my own I would consider myself a jazz player more than anything, this means more on the late 1950s early 1960s jazz Organ trio format more than anything else (he'll have done plenty of performing outside of this context).
And more commercial environment, I push myself more as a "Supporting Stooge," mostly with Blues and R&B, and occasionally more Blues or Fusion oriented Rock.
"transform solos from a bunch of notes into reasonable expression" was hilarious xD
Smooth ADR at the start of the ad 😂
I would never last in music school. There is no way I would be able to study and practice things I have no interest in, like jazz. It's just how my brain is wired.
If I had time it'd be a cool undertaking to go back for music, but my college debt is already high enough
I have some criticism of the use of classical music in music education for the non-classical performer.
So I don't object to learning some of the material, where ever since on how to make the material more usable to someone who's not going to barf back perfect renditions of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart Etc.
How to more fastly learn components of their material for application elsewhere is Paramount over being able to play a perfect recital of these compositions.
Well I did study some classical piano in private lessons, fortunately my music teacher was also a gigging musician who in addition to playing church services also played in bars. As a result she did try to turn what instructions she gave into practical material like taught some of the theory along with learning a composition.
When she was younger she lived in Chicago for a while and tried to get a job as a band director in high school which was forbidden because she was a woman. They have no problem with female Coral directors but anyone involved with instrumental music that was an issue.
Wow... My parents aren't and we'rent that way... They most certainly reminded me every day.. that I had no income.. and wasn't sure where I was going and what to do after school...
You should be a ventriloquist, I saw you saying "day" and I heard "week"!! Amazing!!! Keep up the good work Sammy. Have a good new years....
Getting a music degree is such a waste of time omg
Can we hear that song? Hehe 16:49
I like your forehand
I play guitar but I am also interested in production, so what I decided to do when I went to school for music, I decided I could get better at guitar ok my own time and went for a degree in music production instead.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Side note: I love ska.
I've actually been considering using my GI bill for music school, just having no idea on where to start or how to prepare.
Hopefully, the school of your choice has a veterans center. They should be able to tell you about your benefits and start you on the road to getting enrolled. I started by just going to admissions and then got introduced to the head of the veterans center who helped me a lot.
I love walk off the earth. I had no idea you had connections to them
Can you do a video about your favorite Steve vai songs or a Nother guitar Store video
Your the first person I've heard that went to music school and said piano proficiency was a waste of time. I played my guitar for years, and I had all these chords memorized, but I didn't really understand how they all worked together or even why a chord was called an augmented 7th chord. When I took a couple of months of piano lessons the guitar actually got easier. Plus I can play two octaves at the same time. Yeah, yeah, you can on guitar, but most guitar players are not Stanley Jordan.
Glenn Tipton, guitarist for Judas Priest says he didn't learn to play guitar until he was 19. Because he already knew how to play piano the guitar was easy for him to learn.
Plus it's just another tool. John Paul Jones only played bass for Led Zeppelin because they needed a bass player at first. However, he plays everything. He claims this was from taking piano lessons as a kid.
Hey still love your UA-cam channel. I just think this is a little shortsighted. What do I know? I'm just a weekend musician who makes a living in IT.
Daddy chill. That’s just his personal opinion. We all learn differently.
I got a bachelor's degree in a program that I just wanted music school in Berkeley California put together they were in fact still in the development phase of the program when I first attended so I was sort of a lab rat in their developing their curriculum for the degree.