Here’s Why You Should Get A Music Production Degree

For many of us, music is more than just a passion; it’s a way of life. If you want a career in exciting fields like music production, audio engineering, or mastering soundtracks, then you may want to first consider getting a degree in the field. Not only will it equip you with all the specialized knowledge you need, but it can also introduce you to professional peers in the music industry. Here are some need-to-know facts for anyone considering a degree in music production!

What is Music Production?

But what is music production, exactly? This is an umbrella term for a wide variety of skills and creative practices. Depending on the project, music producers may participate in songwriting, music composition, using a digital audio workstation to create new sounds, sound design, sound recording, sound mixing or remastering recordings. As you can see, it’s a profession with endless possibilities, that requires skills from audio editing to musical theory.

How Do I Learn Musical Production?

Music production is an incredibly rewarding career to pursue, but it can also be incredibly demanding. All those skills have to come from somewhere, and learning how to combine them in the right ways takes time. But accredited music production schools can be hard to find. You’ll need somewhere that truly specializes in music production, that knows how to train you from the ground up.

Needless to say, finding somewhere that specializes in a single, specific subject is tough. It’s unlikely to be available in your locality, even if you live in a big city. Timing can be an issue too. Even if you find the perfect music production course near you, you may not be able to fit it around your work hours.

An online music production degree is the solution to all these problems. You’ll have your pick of the best courses around the world. Better yet, you won’t be confined to a college’s single, narrow schedule. You’ll be able to watch lectures and complete assignments whenever it works for you. Here’s why an online audio production degree could be for you.

Find Your Passion – One of the most important things in developing a career is finding a way to make money from what you love. When a huge amount of workers were polled, they named the meaning of their work as the most important thing for them in their jobs, beyond money or status. Music production degrees are the ideal way to do that. They’ll let you explore a ton of different ways of making music, and help you get better at the things that matter to you the most.
Create Unique Work – Online colleges for music production open the gateway to more than just a permanent job. They let you build up a portfolio of your very own, learn to create your own work, and develop your personal creativity. This is especially important because of how creativity promotes flow. Flow is a state of mind that many psychologists call ‘one of the major ways that humans have discovered how to have a happy life. One of the most reliable ways to achieve flow is by regularly making creative work, which is a routine part of an online music production degree.
Impress Employers – According to the Boston Globe, ‘Employers want to hire someone who’s got it all. But what does this mean in practice? For an employer, the ideal worker is someone who’s adaptable. They can apply different skills to different situations. They’re creative problem-solver. They can bring diverse forms of knowledge together and apply them in new ways. This is exactly what an online audio production degree is for. It’ll give you a unique toolset to solve problems for employers.
Work With Famous Musicians – Since music production involves much of the background work that goes into making a final song e.g. audio editing, you’ll likely be working on other people’s projects as much as your own. This means that if you play your cards right, you could end up working with your heroes. Even the best singer needs people who know their sound design, for example. It’s a great way to get an inside look into the industry.
Find Tons of Opportunities – Music production is an industry that provides you with tons of flexibility. Since it’s an industry that exists in every nation and major city, no matter where you go, you’re likely to find work. Online colleges for music production also open doors because while they have a broad range of skills, they appear to non-expert eyes to be fairly specialized. One university found that 48 of their 50 music production graduates had secured jobs in the industry. It’s an easy way to give yourself lots of opportunities.

Best Online Degrees for Music Production

Indiana University – Purdue University

This college offers several online degrees in music production, such as Analog Audio Electronics and Music Technology. With a more technological bent, these courses will prepare you for sound editing and audio engineering everywhere.

Los Angeles Film School

This online course boasts more than the glitzy name. Not only do they cover all standard subjects in an online audio production degree, but they take students through a full course in the business side of the music industry. Plus there’s the chance of learning the big music names in L.A.

MasterClass

This revolutionary online platform offers classes from masters in every field. Learn about film composition from Hans Zimmer, beat-making from Timbaland, or dance music from Armin van Buuren. It’ll give you all kinds of courses to learn from.

Conclusion

Of course, the most important thing when considering a career change is to do your own research. But overall, an online music production degree could transform your future.

Bibliography

“Here is what makes workers the happiest at every age”, At Work, CNBC, accessed 18th Jan 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/16/here-is-what-makes-workers-the-happiest-at-every-age.html.
“Flow and Other Secrets to a Happy Life”, Psychology Today, accessed 18th Jan 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-cultures/201804/flow-and-other-secrets-happy-life.
“Employers seeking workers with a broad range of skills, study finds”, Business, The Boston Globe, accessed 18th Jan 2021, https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/11/19/employers-seeking-workers-with-broad-range-skills-study-finds/iqTgbTP3UnewOn2vpRavQO/story.html.
“Top 10 Reasons to Get a Music Technology Degree”, California University of Pennsylvania, accessed 18th Jan 2021, https://www.calu.edu/academics/undergraduate/bachelors/commercial-music-technology/top-10-reasons-to-get-a-music-technology-degree.aspx.