Career Options with a degree from GIT (MI)

[Mario8672]

What are some possible career options (for guitar) with a bachelor degree from Guitarist's Institute of Technology (GIT) at Musician's Institute (MI). I really want to go there, but I always wondered what I could do with that degree.

Thanks

[rjohnstone]

High school music teacher.
But you have to get a teaching certificate and/or a Masters before you could even do that.

I never understood the practical use for a BA from MI.

[Mario8672]

What about the certificate program (or another degree from MI)?

[fett]

I hate to say it but you can work at GC and try and pay off the debt that got you your "Degree" I may be wrong. But, I bet I'm not.

[Spivonious]

My experience with myself and my friends who have Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music, Music Technology, and Bachelor of Science of Education in Music Education: it is next to impossible to find a job unless you're willing to relocate, and even then the jobs are few and far between. Over half of my classmates are still working the jobs they had while in school, and half of the rest are working in their fields only part-time.

I'm very glad I made the decision to get two degrees - one in music and one in computer science. I loved learning about music, but I knew I wanted to have a guaranteed job too.

When hearing someone say they have a degree in guitar performance, all I can think of them doing is teaching lessons at the local music store for $15-$20 a lesson. My advice to you is to go to a general college where they have a good music program. That way you can major in something that will get a you job while taking the courses that will teach you about music and the guitar.

[Mario8672]

^What are some of these jobs that would require relocating?

[thetroy]

teaching most likely

[livebiz]

What are some possible career options (for guitar) with a bachelor degree from Guitarist's Institute of Technology (GIT) at Musician's Institute (MI). I really want to go there, but I always wondered what I could do with that degree.

Thanks

umm...starving musician? This isn't a career degree...go to B-School for career options.

[MikeStrat]

Get a degree in business and get good lessons on the side. Most of the great players that we idolize were self taught anyway. I have two friends that went to GIT and they live in a van down by the river!! They are amazing players but they can only get jobs playing in bands and teaching at the Music & Arts Center. Not a good plan for the future.

If you go to GIT have a back up plan like the lottery.

[charvelguy]

Get a degree in business and get good lessons on the side. Most of the great players that we idolize were self taught anyway. I have two friends that went to GIT and they live in a van down by the river!! They are amazing players but they can only get jobs playing in bands and teaching at the Music & Arts Center. Not a good plan for the future.

If you go to GIT have a back up plan like the lottery.

hmm, you guys are starting to sound alot like my parents... from about 25 years ago.
Not encouraging to see that the industry, with all its new and upcoming players, has not changed.

[scotty]

Look into a summer session. The other guitar player in my band took two of them. He learned a lot. Once you get there I am sure you will find the answer to a lot of your questions. It will change your life.

[lerxstcat]

MI is more for those who want to become working musicians than for those who want to go into academia, I think. Teaching and session work if you live in a city with a recording industry.

They have a luthiery program too, JCFer Ace took that course and has worked at music stores and now techs for bands I believe.

If you're looking for a traditional job, you're probably better off majoring in business and minoring in music at a school that has good curriculae in both.

[bratfink]

I don't know the particular college you refer to but in general I find that people with music degrees struggle in employment.

Music is such a competitive area and it is very difficult to make yourself employable simply as a music graduate. Unless of course you wish to become an adcademic in the area of music, then it is perfect. Assuming we are talking music theory here. There are so many different speciallities now that it can get confusing as to which one is right to do.

To give an example I know a chap who I get some lessons from now and then. He has a 1st class BA in Music in UK and he really struggles for jobs. He works spare time at a local shop and gives lessons during the week, but still lives with his mum and finds it pretty tough. I however chose the Engineering route and have a 1st class BEng in motorsport eng and an MSc in the same. I don't seem to have anything like the trouble my friend does getting a job. I really feel a bit bad for him becasue he is very talented.

That is by no means a perfect comparrison, just an example I can give in my circle. Regardless of the degree you do if you are motivated and enthusiastic you will get whatever job you set out for (in the end).

[joshulator]

First of all, does MI offer degrees or do they offer certificates? I don't know the answer, but I do know that there's a huge difference between the two.
Second, if you are good at math and engineering appeals to you, check out the music engineering program at the University of Miami in Florida. When I went, they had two versions. There was the music engineering degree, and the audio engineering degree. The two were very similar and took the same core classes, but the audio engineers were in the School of Science and graduated as EEs (which is a Bachelor of Science), while the music engineers were in the School of Music and graduate with a music degree. The music engineers took more music classes and the audio engineers took more engineering classes. I think they have since added another version of the program that gives an emphasis on the computer and programming side of the industy.
There are all sorts of professions you can go into from there. The traditional music engineer profession of course would put you in a studio recording bands or doing post production. You could go on the road and do live sound. But you also have guys that get more into design work, designing music equipment, or doing audio subsections in other products like cars, computers etc. If that's your interest, I reccomend the audio engineering degree over the music engineering degree. In hindsight, I wish I had gone that route. Also, look at how much audio work is done in video gaming today. Plus there's tons of audio design in cellphones and VoIP applications.

[delt]

At first glance this looked like one of those "earn your degr3e on1ine" spams