Is Music Production School/Degree Worth It Today?

If you want to know if a music production school/degree is worth it, then this article can help you. This article will explain what you’re most likely to learn from music production school and whether getting a degree in music production is worth it in today’s age. 

This article explores the Pros and Cons of music production school/degree, which music industry roles require a degree, the value of a music production degree, the content most courses will cover, and whether all these things can help you progress within the music industry. 

What will you learn

The different types of studying

There are three main ways you can study for a music production degree, Full-Time, part-time, and online/Remote.

• Full-Time Learning
  Full-time studying involves attending your university/college or school at least three times a week in person (It can vary, but this is the average). Here you will have lectures, lessons, and practical lessons. You will also most likely have access to the campus library, facilities, and studios anytime during the week. These courses are often done by people who live on or near campus and have no other major commitments like working full time.
• Part-Time Learning
  Part-time studying involves attending your university/college or school at least once a week in person (It can vary, but this is the average), and you will also have online lectures and lessons. These may be live or pre-recorded. Despite only attending part-time, you will most likely have access to the campus library, facilities, and studios at any point during the week. These types of courses are often done by people who live near campus and have some other commitments like working full/part-time and don’t want to have to commit to attending in person more than once a week.
• Online/Remote Learning
  Online/Remote studying involves only ever attending lectures and lessons completely online; some people may never go on campus through their 3–4 year courses. The online classes are often live to allow people to take part and ask questions in real time and are recorded so people who can’t attend can still access the classes. In some cases, you may still be able to access the campus facilities, but this is not guaranteed. These types of courses are often done by people who live in a different country or far away from the campus and have commitments like working full and don’t want to have to commit to attending in person. These courses are the most flexible as you can watch the classes and access the content and any time throughout the day. Although some people may struggle with the lack of in-person teaching.

How a degree can help your career

Self-Employment

Employment

Career paths that do and don’t require a degree

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Learning valuable and reliable information
  The information provided is guaranteed to be the best of the best, unlike other cheaper/free sources like YouTube.
• Learning new skills
  You will learn a wide array of skills and new techniques.
• Learning the industry
  You’ll learn how the industry works and how you can succeed within it.
• Creating a professional portfolio
  You will be shown how to create a professional portfolio to help you get work.
• Learning professional writing skills
  You will learn how to read and write professionally, which will be expected from higher-paying clients.
• Learning how to present yourself as a musician
  You will learn how to present yourself, whether in an interview or in general day-to-day life.
• Being able to have one on one talks with music professionals
  You will have the opportunity to talk to your teachers/professors.
• Meeting like minding people
  You will get the chance to meet other like-minded individuals, and this can help you make contacts within the music industry
• Student discounts
  Although this may not seem useful given the costs of the degree itself, you will benefit from student discounts, especially on plugins and other software.
• The degree
  A degree is very useful and can help you secure jobs and be taken more seriously.

Cons

• Expensive
  Even if you can get a student loan, getting a degree is very expensive. Most courses range from $4000 to $15000 per year.
• Time-consuming
  You will spend a lot of time completing work and learning content to complete your degree; not only that, but most degrees range from 3-4 years, although there are faster options available.
• Difficult
  Getting a degree is not an easy task. It requires a lot of time, patience, and skill.
• Similar information elsewhere
  There are other online and in-person sources where you can learn the same information and skills that your degree will give you for a lower price or even for free.
• Getting a degree is not guaranteed
  It’s not guaranteed you will obtain your degree, although it’s very uncommon that people can eventually fail the course if they fall behind on the coursework or just struggle to understand the content.
• Work is not guaranteed
  Many people think employers will be all over them once they have a degree, offering jobs, but this is simply not the case. A degree only helps you when applying for jobs; it doesn’t guarantee the job.

Common Questions

• Is music production a good career path?
  A music production career has its ups and downs, but overall, it’s a great career path. If you have a genuine passion for creating music, you should consider a career in music production.
• What do music producers do?
  The term music producer means many things in today’s age. Beatmakers, sound designers, sound engineers, and many other roles have been generalized as music producers.
• What career path can music producers take?
  Beat Makers, Producer For TV/Film, Audio Technician, Mix Engineer, and Sound Designer are among the many career paths music producers can take.

Conclusion

Thomas Thandi

I’m a Music Producer and Sound Engineer from the UK. I have been working with music my whole life and I’m currently studying Music Production and Sound Engineering at university.