So what happens when the dog catches the car? For student-musicians, having your music take off before your degree materializes poses this very dilemma. No doubt it’s a good problem to have, but you’ll need to apply some serious technology in order to manage. Whether it’s switching from a traditional college to an online school or learning new licks from internet forums instead of the garage next door, players have historic new opportunities to consider.
You may already be using a mix of classroom instruction and distance education, but what do you do when you need more flexibility because of your music? By this I’m not necessarily talking about the A & R exec hearing you play and then offering an on-the-spot contract, not that that’s a bad thing. I’m talking about the more likely scenario of reaching a new plateau in your skill level which requires a real stepping up of your commitment, concentration and most of all, time in order to nurture this new level of playing. This isn’t to say that a noticeable rise in requests for performances and sit-ins might not also accompany a growth spurt, but in any case, your schedule, at the very least, is going to need a major makeover.
Don’t look at your musical needs’ increased appetite for time as an either/or proposition for your desire to get a degree or key training you’ve wanted. Invest some time in exploring more internet-centered schools which offer the courses you need through the use of technology, hopefully without all of the rigid time deadlines that can box in many brick and mortar students. Find out which of the courses you’ve already taken can transfer, and then start looking at ways to use technology in order to maximize the time you have to build upon your artistry.
Your hands-on time, as you know, has no substitute; your time spent playing with others, though, has some wiggle room. If you’re not already working the online web sites, then start. Though the technology is new, the practice of sharing tips on how to play goes back to old school—really old school. Quality online communities offer refereed forums for serious musicians to share tips and techniques as well as the centuries old practice of tablature, showing, among many other things, fingering techniques and other practical advice for playing particular pieces of music.
No one can tell you when the time has come to make adjustments to your complicated world. Chances are, you’ll know when the time is right. Don’t be surprised if you feel a bit vulnerable when you decide to step away from the security of what you’ve experienced for the promise of what you know, but if you’ve put in the thousands of hours to reach your level of mastery, then you’ve overcome some pretty significant trepidations already.
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