[NABS-L] Other options besides college

Wed Oct 16 13:37:56 UTC 2019

Hi John and all,

I studied as a musician, and although I always loved college and
academics, I can speak to the music as a career discussion here.

Most musicians do need to supplement their income with some other
skills.  I tutored German, taught voice lessons, worked at our
school's adaptive tech office, and eventually worked for a tech
company from home.  Somehow, accessibility testing became my
bread-earning job, and although it wasn't my joy in life, I was
grateful it could pay the bills.  I would recommend being more
intentional about this though than I was.  Think about what you like
to do and have some skill doing.  Do you like to work with people?  Do
you like mechanical things?  Do you like computers?  Do you like
teaching or working with children?  Once you've made a list of things
you can consider, begin doing some research into what it will take to
do those kinds of jobs.  If music is your career, then what other
hobbies do you have that you can turn into bread-earners?

And here's the thing, from one musician to any other fellow musicians
out there.  Seek to be a well-rounded musician.  It will give you more
life experience, allow you to see the world in different ways, thus
inspiring your creativity, and you will be able to make more money to
feed yourself.  Also, if you supplement your life with other assions
in addition to music, you will be less likely to burn out.

If you think about the types of side careers you are interested in,
you will be able to find out if they require college, trade school, or
anything else.  I will add here that if you are ever interested in
teaching music, this is much easier to do with a college degree.  You
can probably teach music without one, but the degree gives you a lot
of weight to throw around in that world as a teacher.

Julie

On 10/16/19, Gmail via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Good morning, I highly suggest you seriously consider college. There are
> many different programs out there to fit people of different styles. I am
> currently working on my masters now. You could go to technical or trade
> school as well. You should definitely do something and get a degree or
> certification in something. It is really hard to get respected even with a
> degree so you could imagine how it is as a blind person without. Many people
> want to do music and unless if you are extraordinary Lee talented you won’t
> make it as a musician. This is the hard but sad truth.
>
> Keri  Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Oct 16, 2019, at 8:32 AM, Emily Schlenker via NABS-L
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi there. This is most likely not a good idea, and those of us who have
>> struggled for years to get through college in order to be more employable
>> can attest to this fact. On the other hand, there’s nothing to say that
>> you cannot go to some type of trade program or technical program in order
>> to get a skill that will help you to supplement your income while you work
>> to make it in music. It may be that since music comes easily to you, going
>> to college or technical school might appear to be difficult, but this is
>> something that everyone goes through. The brain must be challenged if you
>> are to learn to do new things. Also, the vast majority of musicians who
>> now make a living with music worked a lot of interesting jobs when they
>> were trying to make it, and as someone who is blind, you need more
>> advantages like education and training in order to get one of these jobs.
>> You probably cannot just walk in to a pizza joint and start making pizza,
>> unfortunately. It is sad that things are this way, but it is a reality.
>> Good luck, and do not give up on either your music or education or
>> technical training.
>> Emily
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Oct 15, 2019, at 11:40 PM, Garrett Kearns via NABS-L
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> As a fellow musician I wouldn't rely on it as your sole mode of
>>> income. Is college not for you because you think this is a better
>>> option? I would at least get your associate's.
>>>
>>>> On 10/15/19, John Dowling, jr. via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> Hey Yall,
>>>> So, I’m still a junior in High School, and I just don’t think college is
>>>> right for me.
>>>> I want to persue my career   in music, and I’m still gonna do that, I’m
>>>> just
>>>> trying to think about any other jobs on the side.
>>>> Anyone have an advice for a struggling musician?
>>>> thanks,
>>>> John.
>>>>
>>>> Check out my first ever single: Do Dogs Go to Heaven.
>>>> https://song.link/i/1471016111
>>>>
>>>>
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-- 
Julie A. McGinnity
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; President, National Federation of the
Blind Performing Arts Division