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Music Schools Part 1 - GIT
(19 Apr 04)
The cons and conclusion
Cons:
OK, I gotta be all honest. First of all, I loved the time there. I don't remember a time in my life that was so focussed on music. Sure, I had to take care of some of the "mundane" things, but other than that, I was pretty much playing / learning / jamming / practicing 24/7 during my time there.
There weren't many things to worry about outside of music. And the environment, with all these players surrounding you, plus the resources the school offered really helped me stay motivated and not burn out or get stuck in a rut.
Even though you can probably get all the material and lessons some through other means (books, the web, videos etc.), you probably won't be able to match that focus on music in such an intense way (ie you won't have so much time each day to practice and learn, colleagues on hand to jam with or to motivate you).
So that was pretty awesome.
However, there were some cons. The GIT is pretty expensive (I heard that Berklee is too), and it seems to get more expensive every year. So the question is: can you afford that?
Don't forget about all the other things you have to pay for... food, public transport or a car, rent, stuff like clothes and guitar strings, medication etc.
Of course, you will think about that kinda stuff before you sign up to attend for a year or so. However, sometimes it's tough to plan ahead and think of all the extra costs you'll have to deal with.
If you are not a US citizen, it gets even more expensive and difficult to organize everything... Visa and all that stuff. AFAIK, you're not allowed to work in a regular job with a student-visa, so that is not an option either to earn extra money (if you're really motivated, you won't have the time anyway).
Try to come up with a lot of questions and contact an MI representative to really get an idea about what needs to be done and how much you'll have to invest. You should have some extra-money in any case of an emergency too.
North Hollywood can be a pretty dangerous place. I never went out at night (I was too busy practicing anyway) but I heard some pretty scary stories about people being mugged and stuff. Of course, that doesn't have to do with the school directly, but after all, you have to live somewhere, and since LA is not exactly a small town, you might wanna live in North Hollywood itself in order to save the time and money you'd have to invest if you commuted there everyday by car or public transport.
I heard that a lot of things have changed at the GIT... several faculty members left (i.e. Brett Garsed, who was pretty much my favorite instructor there), it seems as if there aren't enough students either (Paul Gilbert mentioned some "empty hallways"). There are about 200-300 students at the GIT right now (at least that's what I was told 2 years ago by a representative)... in the 80s, there were more than 1000 students signed up. I guess that has to do with the pricing too.
Also, a lot of graduates complain about the huge amount of material they get... piles of paper and stuff... it can be a bit overwhelming. However, these days I appreciate it, cuz I still have a bunch of things to look at in the future.
Finally, keep in mind that a degree, a diploma from any school (whether it's a university or a school like Berklee or the GIT) is not a guarantee to achieve musical success. Sure, it might be easier to get some jobs or more students with that diploma on your wall, but it won't guarantee that you'll get rich and famous.
Remember, music is an art, and the GIT (and other schools) are supposed to help you learn more about that art, educate you and broaden your horizon. But it still is an art, and the creativity, inspiration and heart... those things YOU have to invest. That can't be taught at any school.
Fare thee well
That's it. As I said, not a regular article, just something based on Oakleafs idea... so keep that in mind when you rate this one, ok? :-)
I hope this will clear up some things for you. Keep in mind that the best source for information is contacting the school and its representatives, or even visit it one day to check it out.
I tried to give you my true opinion, I am not an affiliated with the MI, and I don't think I am very biased or anything.
Next time, I'll have an actual article for you again, so stay tuned, k?
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Eric started playing the guitar at age 10. He attended GIT and studied with Scott Henderson, Brett Garsed, Dan Gilbert amo. Eric is involved in several bands and recording projects and his instrumental debut - Hidden Creek - plus his instructional book Talking Hands - A Guide To Contemporary Lead Guitar Techniques is available HERE
Visit his website at www.ericvandenberg.net
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