How Can I Include ReMixing, With my Passion For Computers

[Halt]

How Can I Include ReMixing, With my Passion For Computers?

I like computers. But Im unsure if i can include this with that? I would like to in some way, but how? does anybody have any ideas?\

I mean, im going to college in a year, im going into my senior year. Is there a way to include this with computers?

[Yoozer]

The practical boring advice:

With the economy right now - pick a job that's of any use and that brings in the money. Take up music as a hobby. You get to enjoy it, and you get to buy any instrument you want to, plus doing something completely different from your day job keeps things fresh.

Quite a number of people I know do not want to stare at another computer screen after they've done so all day.

[Halt]

The practical boring advice:

With the economy right now - pick a job that's of any use and that brings in the money. Take up music as a hobby. You get to enjoy it, and you get to buy any instrument you want to, plus doing something completely different from your day job keeps things fresh.

Quite a number of people I know do not want to stare at another computer screen after they've done so all day.

True, Im prolly going to go into Hardware. Thanks ;]

[Kanthos]

If you're lucky, your school will have a course or two in audio production or digital music. Take them as electives and view your music as a hobby. If music gets you somewhere, great! If not, you haven't spent years in a degree that will force you to find another job anyway.

[Skummel Maske]

Yeah, Kanthos and Yoozer really said it. Separating your job from your hobbies might be the best way to go.

[The Pezman]

What about application programming/development? I've toyed with the idea of working for Propellerhead/Cakewalk.

[dannthr]

Honestly, in today's world, it's easy to combine ANYTHING with a passion for computers.

If you're adept at computers, then there are quite a few options as far as day jobs go, if you want to combine it with anything, well, like any filter, that narrows your choices.

Keep in mind that if you want to explore the artistic side of music, then you don't need to go to school for it, you can, and it can help, but you don't need it. Everything you need to know about music composition, theory, orchestration, is at the very minimum, 50 years old, and on average over 100 years old. There are a ton of resources available.

So I wouldn't worry about the music half. Plus, if you go to a liberal arts college (which I always recommend), then you'll more than likely have access to music courses even if you're a comp sci major.

I make a living writing music, but my BA is in English. Now English isn't necessarily one of the great tech degrees where I get job offers right out of school, but my point is that you can study anything you like in school and still do music.

Yoozer makes a great point, but at the same time, while it's important to think about protecting yourself, you can combine them if that's what your wish is.

Now, if you want to do music technology and synthesis and application development, you'll want to go comp sci all the way. Your love of music will guide your focus even in the world of programming, that's just part of your personality.

Pezman, don't be afraid to explore working for other companies. Of course, there will always be the dream job, but definitely be willing to work for OTHER music app developers, there are a ton of great ones.

I have a friend who would like to work at Pixar, that was her dream job in college. But right now, she's got a great job making the graphic interface for Lego Universe. Great job, fun project, not her dream job, but that's okay.

Be willing to expand your dream. It's easy to get attached to one specific thing, but you might be surprised what satisfies your ambitions once you're out there.

[analoq]

I more or less took the path that Kanthos suggested-- I studied CS and IS in college and took a music technology program on the side.

What I found was:

- I can write code for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more code for fun.

- I can not write music for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more music for fun.

I had more opportunities than most to pursue a career in music, but it would've destroyed a hobby I enjoy.

I stuck with what I have the mental stamina for and now I easily find jobs and yet still have fulfilling hobbies.

cheers.

[dannthr]

That's a really good point. Definitely try to see if you even like making music 8+ hours a day for someone else before you jump into it.

Not to mention any crunch time there might be, and there probably WILL be crunching.

For me, it was drawing. I love drawing, but I can't do it for someone else. It shall always remain my hobby. I just don't like that kind of commission work.

EDIT:

Though, I do want to mention something re: fatigue. If it's something you really want to do, if it's one of those dream jobs, then realize that fatigue is something you can work through. Like a muscle. Many composers I know carefully manage their fatigue during the course of a soundtrack development. Maybe they write some days and render other days. Maybe they get their material out when they're hot, and maybe they just work on performances when they're not feeling inspired. But in the end, most all of them face the situation where they're not inspired at all, and yet, they work through it, and maybe their work isn't the best that day, but it's done.

[Halt]

I dont plan to take comp Sci. im not much of a PC programmer. More likely to go into Applications.

Coding/Hardware. I code and whatnot. but i dont find coding as much fun as building and putting together computers, my chances are im going to be an Application Specialist. or something like that.

Not a PC programmer. im between Hardware/Applications. I have been for a while.

[Zephyr]

I more or less took the path that Kanthos suggested-- I studied CS and IS in college and took a music technology program on the side.

What I found was:

- I can write code for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more code for fun.

- I can not write music for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more music for fun.

I had more opportunities than most to pursue a career in music, but it would've destroyed a hobby I enjoy.

I stuck with what I have the mental stamina for and now I easily find jobs and yet still have fulfilling hobbies.

cheers.

I'm just like you on this one, I love music but I get over-musicked (musiced?) very easily.

[sgx]

I more or less took the path that Kanthos suggested-- I studied CS and IS in college and took a music technology program on the side.

What I found was:

- I can write code for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more code for fun.

- I can not write music for 8 hours a day, then come home and write more music for fun.

I had more opportunities than most to pursue a career in music, but it would've destroyed a hobby I enjoy.

I stuck with what I have the mental stamina for and now I easily find jobs and yet still have fulfilling hobbies.

cheers.

sounds like me. I decided back in college that while I really enjoy making music, I really did not want to do it for a living, at least if it wasn't entirely on my terms. I want to make music that I'm excited by, and I'm very much not interested in making music other people ask for. I'm pretty sure if I did music for a living, I wouldn't feel like doing it for fun.

So, I work in multimedia design (web design/video production/minor audio production). I'm definitely better at music than any of the stuff I do for work, but it is safer and easier to do this multimedia stuff for a living.

If someone comes up to me and says, "hey i love your sound - i've got this super exciting film or game that we want you to work on, and we want basically the same type of material you make anyways!" I'd totally be up for that. I'm definitely not writing any jingle for commercials. Ugh.

[dannthr]

I wish I had a gig for commercials--they average between 5k-20k for a couple of minutes.