Is Music Production a Good Major?

As anybody nears the end of their high school academic career, it’s a popular question: What are you going to major in when you go to college? Depending on what you want to do with your life, choosing the right major is the first big step to attaining your career goals. If it’s medicine, biology seems like a good fit and an engineering degree is a must if you want to design buildings or other structures.

For many industries, declaring a major, attending 8 a.m. classes on Monday, and planning your next four years is an absolute necessity. After all, wouldn’t you want the most educated molecular engineers designing the pharmaceuticals you need to live a healthy life? Doesn’t it make sense that an accountant has the right amount of schooling before doing your taxes?

But does the same apply to creative endeavors? Do you need a degree to sell millions of dollars worth of paintings or write screenplays for movies that are seen all over the world? Sure, there are technical aspects to almost any creative field, but they aren’t necessarily the driving force behind a successful career.

Is music production a good major?

The better question is do you need a major in music production to begin with. Do you think Dr. Dre went to a music production school, declared a major, and attended classes for four years? Or do you think he put in the work to perfect his process, his craft, his abilities?

Of course, not everyone is going to be blessed with Dr. Dre’s natural talent. But becoming a music producer isn’t something you can just read about, get your diploma, and then find a job. There is certainly an educational aspect to learning music production, but is it more important than experience?

There are aspects of music production where attending classes can only help your career path. Learning to play an instrument or taking vocal lessons can certainly play a role in music production. Many producers will pick up a guitar or add backing vocals in a pinch. But do you need a degree in music production to prove you can play the drums or carry a tune?

The music industry doesn’t think so. Sometimes it feels like the only people looking for degrees or are interested in where you went to school are other colleges or universities. The very best music producers didn’t reach that status by going to school for music production or the recording arts. They gained experience in other positions and used that knowledge to start their production careers.

Rick Rubin, one of the most influential music producers of our time, started his career by getting kicked out of CBGB for starting a fight with the crowd (with help from friends in the crowd). He went on to discover The Beastie Boys, work with Russel Simmons and Johnny Cash, and become an innovator in the music production industry.

The Recording Connection Process

We designed our Audio Engineering and Music Production Program after seeing so many students take courses at a music production school and leave four years later with nothing more than a diploma, a firm handshake, and a “Good Luck!” Sure, they may have learned music theory, spent some time working with available gear, and produced the music of other students.

But did they learn how to work on the fly, calm an angry client, or organize an entire album from scratch? We knew there had to be a better way to learn music production, to take students out of the music school classroom and put them in real-world situations.

With Recording Connection, your education comes in the form of real-world situations, your classroom is a professional recording studio. You’ll learn how to work with digital audio workstations, equalizers, soundboards, and other music technology needed to produce music.

We’ll place you with an industry insider that has been producing music in their studios, using the latest digital audio workstations like Ableton Live and Pro Tools, and creating a network of connections with others in the music business. Our mentors work with award-winning artists and platinum-selling acts–this is their life. And it could be your life.

Our courses last anywhere from six to nine months, a far cry from the full-time course load you’ll have at a four-year university. We don’t require prerequisites–you’ll work with your mentor and Academic Facilitator to create a curriculum that works with your strengths. But you will be expected to spend five days a week in the studio. Which, if you think about it, where would you rather be?

Are You Ready to Amplify Your Life?

We’d like to backtrack a little bit on our answer to the “is music production a good major” question. It is ABSOLUTELY a good major–but do you want to earn it in a classroom, reading about electronic music production and music composition in front of a blackboard? Or do you want to major in real-world experiences, have the opportunities to make connections in the industry, and truly learn what it takes to run your own studio?

We created Recording Connection for students like you, students that are ready to step into a fully immersive environment and learn from those that have made music production their career for years. Learn sound design, theory, and how to record, mix, and master records for others or yourself.

You’ll need to put in the work, though. Music production isn’t a fallback position for our mentors, this isn’t their hobby. They’ve been working, grinding, and continually improving their technical skills while discovering new creative avenues to improve their craft. And during your time with us, they’ll expect the same from you.

The best part? You’ll be working with people already in the industry, making connections with those that can help with your career when you’ve completed your coursework. Many of our students find work with the mentors they learned under, get work at other studios, and even start their own studios.

Are you ready to start your life in music production? Apply today.