How to become a Musician
This article provides in-depth information into What is a Musician? What Musicians do? Degrees for Musicians, Steps to become Musician and much more.
A musician is somebody who creates, composes, produces and performs the art of music. A musician is a person who after learning the skills in music, performs music professionally in front of a crowd to fulfil his passion. To become a musician, one must build the career with both technical knowledge as well have the good sense of rhythm.
What does a Musician do ?
A musician generally builds his career through singing at public forums, social events, travels far off places to sing and other things.
- A musician performs music in live concerts, paid functions, in their own bands to entertain customers.
- Travels far off places to perform.
- He, sometimes, even performs for underprivileged poor people.
- Performs as a background singer sometimes.
- Establishes their own music academy and teach music.
- Learn to play music with different musical instruments.
- Give their whole life to music to keep on improvising on it.
- Promote their music through reality shows and social media performances.
Steps for becoming a Musician
1
Taking Lessons
A musician is a gifted individual. They get their skills polished starting from their childhood. Taking lessons helps them in learning the different methodologies of excelling music.
2
Learning To Play (any) Instrument
These musicians will be definitely interested in learning at least one instrument. Sometimes, musicians are gifted in learning all the instruments they want to. It is a soul to the music musicians’ play.
3
Get Trained At A Conservatoire
Aspiring musicians can get special training in conservatories where they would be coached to learn and polish their skills and conveying their talent to others.
4
Getting Degrees In Music
An associate of music learns to perform in music groups, music production companies, choirs. This is actually a preliminary level where the musicians learn to apply music in music theories and learn different forms of music like jazz, classical, commercial, classical, etc.
A Bachelor’s degree accredited by National Association of Schools of Music makes the musical skills stronger for the aspiring musical directors and composers which needs an audition to get into the program. They are trained to learn the present worldly trends in music to be in the flow.
5
Making The World Know
After acquiring the professional skills, make the world know through performing at public events, composing an existing song in a reprised version, publishing your songs on YouTube. Other ways might be to hire a manager or agent to for launching you as a new talent to the music producers.
Musician Degree Levels
Associate
An associate’s degree makes the musician learn the basic concepts and theories of music. The students learn playing new instruments and complex music. They learn to play as musicians in groups, choirs and other big production companies.
Music Theory
- Pitch
- Rhythm
- Keyboard communication
Objectives
- Major & minor scales and key signatures
- Beat & Tempo
- Note names of all white and black keys
Ear Training
- Sight Singing
- Sight Listening
- Error Detection
Objectives
- Sing rhythms or melodies
- Melodic dictations, harmonic dictations
- Error detection in rhythms & melodies
Instrumental Instruction
- Playing an instrument
- Rehearsal Strategies
- Learning various ensembles
Objectives
- Skills of playing an instrument
- Time management
- Learning to play collectively
Bachelors
A bachelor's degree program in music provides advanced learnings in musical skills of composition, production, theory. Students learn to play different types of instruments.
Advanced Musical Composition
- Sound Recording
- Audio mastering
- Live Mixing
Objectives
- Aesthetic & Practical Perspectives
- Class Visit to mastering studios
- Mixing of sounds
Physics of Music
- Ear & Perception
- Vibrations
- Sound Intensity
Objectives
- Sound Level Measurement
- Vibrations in musical instrument
- Decibel Scale
Music Literature
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Communication Skills
- Empirical & Quantitative Skills
Objectives
- Creative thinking & innovation
- Develop, interpret ideas orally, visually & written
- Manipulation & analysis of numerical data
Masters
The master’s degree in music focuses into more advanced forms of musical composition and theory. This is a specialized course where you will focus on only one aspect of music like jazz, contemporary, classical, etc.
Music Research Methods
- Research Questions
- Qualitative data collection
- Quantitative data collection
Objectives
- Prepare questions for research
- Secondary research by magazines, websites
- Primary research on field
Analytical studies of music
- Critical Thinking
- Historical Understanding
- Composing
Objectives
- critical enquiry and evaluation of sources
- analytical understanding as applied to listening
- technical and musical control in stylistic imitation
Principles and practices in music education
- Teacher-student relationship
- Observational Skills
- History of the profession
Objectives
- Ethics of the relationship
- Observing the behaviour of students
- Getting to know the art
Doctorate
The doctorate degree of musical arts is basically an advanced study which focuses on a more applied area of specialization in music. This degree basically takes 3-4 years to complete.
Music Theory
- Harmony
- Sight-singing
- Form and Analysis
Objectives
- Keyboard
- Ear training
- Music forms and types
Music education sequence
- Foundations of Music Education
- Technology Assisted Music
- Basic skills and Pedagogy
Objectives
- History of music education
- Various technologies involved
- Skills to play and practice teaching
Instrumental focus- Wind
- Instrumental Methods
- Basic skills and Pedagogy- Voice
- Basic skills and pedagogy- Guitar
Objectives
- Different methods of learning
- Basic Skills in singing
- Learning the method of use of guitar
