I am only a sophomore in High School… but I am pretty sure I know what I want to do in life… but not 100% sure… I’m stuck between, a Music Major, or a Computer Programmer… I’m really good with music, I like it alot, and I can make music too… everything I do in life has to do with music in some way, whether its actually creating music, or even just listening to the radio… but I love computers, I want to know everything about them… I know how to do alot on them now, but I want to go deeper, like programming them, building them, stuff like that… so what do all you guys think??
There’s more money in computers. You can always play chamber music at night, or with a community orchestra. IMO that’s better than settling for a low-paying job in music, and doing computer programming at night.
Well one can be a habby that will keep you happy. The other will pay your bills and give you the money to enjoy your hobby. Computers is where the money is at. You might want to look closer at what part of a computer interests you the most. Programming is a totally different path than building them. I find building them much more enjoyable than programming them, I’ve done a lot of both. Thats my opinion though, you may excel at programming and suck at building them. Look into all of it, you have some time to explore.
As an art-guy who’s in the same sort of mind (I enjoy programming/designing games and such, but I also like drawing), I say study computers and get a job doing music for videogames. “But that’s just kid stuff!” Sigh…
Music you can probably teach yourself on your own time if you have some talent, and you can always sign up for courses on the side or whatever…Programming and such is something you’d probably want to learn in classes (but then, programming classes don’t teach much of anything useful if you’re into videogames, heh…).
- Tsugumo (who will probably be living in an apartment alone eating instant noodles and sleeping on the floor because he decided to make “kid stuff”)
Wow, you sound exactly like me only a about 3 years ago. I even have some screen names as sokkerstud kewl. Anyways, I choose the computer route. I was very into music, I was drummajor for the marching band and everything. Their is no reason why you ever have to stop playing music or listening to it. I have well over a thousand mp3s and I’m constantly listening to music. However, unless you want to be living on the road, scrapping up road kill for dinner you’re gonna have to find something that pays the bills. I know that alot of computer companies will hire kids who have alot of experience in music, espescially if they want to program. Part of my senior research paper was on how music aids in programming skills. Anyways, I’m a freshman now in college and I’m going to major in SANS—systems analysis. I’ve found that in college you have alot of opportunities to just kinda play around in music, at alot of schools you don’t have to be a music major to be in the marching band. Also you can always take music courses as electives. I plan on taking some intro percussion classes. So be sure to find out what extra-curricular programs a university has when making your decision. BTW where do you plan on going? Anyways, I’ve started to really learning about computers now that I’m finally getting to the good stuff. So if you stick with it.
Anyways, here’s some advice while your still in HS:
*Get all the nookie you can, their is nothing better than band nookie. Those long bus rides to football games are the best.
*Pracitce now and get good, play as many different pieces as you can, that way when you hear it later in life you can think about all the nookie you got while you were in band.
*Try out for drummajor. Even if you don’t think you can make it. If you want help, please just ask me.
*Learn as much about programming as you can. Mostly C++. I’m going to test out of my SAN 174–intro to C++ because I can basically teach that class.
*Take AP tests.
*Apply to colleges early
*Go to Miami University in Oxford Ohio. (We were ranked #3 in Playboy for the hottest girls!! 
They ain’t lying either man!!)
*Get band nookie.
Will you be quiet already? You’re going to ruin our reputation. Now every horndog’s going to want to be in the band. Sheesh.
In response to the OP, musical ability and computer ability go hand in hand. When I think of my musician friends, most of them are programmers or are involved in systems administration. Computers are a great way to make a good living while you play music in your time off. The key is to find a job that will allow you the time to play.
That being said, the thing about computers/programming is that you can learn it pretty quickly compared to learning to play music to the point where you can do it professionally. I’m just guessing here, but it sounds like you might be interested in one of the more technical areas of music rather than being an instrumentalist. You might want to check out programs at schools with strong music technology programs. If that’s what you really want to do, don’t settle for a school with a couple of dusty synthesizers and recording gear from the 80’s. In all honesty I think you’ll be better served by going to a university rather than a music technical school. There are all kinds of things like engineering, sound design, sound effects, and post production (when they take the movie, the music, the dialog, the sound effects and mix it all into the final production you see at the theater) that you can start learning right now. Make sure you keep up with your math and physics. Maybe there are some folks at your high school that want to make a video that needs music or sound effects or something. It’s a good time to experiment.
Even if you pursue a career as a composer, you’ll still become deeply involved in the technology because so many functions (recording, mixing, mastering, synthesizers, samplers) are moving or have moved into the software realm.
You’re probably into some of this stuff already.
You don’t have to give up one for the other.
But here’s a thread of mine from last summer:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=36249
Now I had a high paying office job which I didn’t enjoy. You seem to enjoy computers and thus, a computer career for you would not be simply selling out.
I can tell you that I would never have been happy in my little cubicle. I am now in my 2nd semester of music school and I’m loving every day of it. Yes, I will be in debt for a long long time when I get out, and I’ll probably never be wealthy, but I’ll survive. If music is what you love than you’ll survive too.
Good luck
This thread is better suited to IMHO. I’ll move it over there.
And forget about the music, kid. It’s a marvelous avocation, but a crappy way to make a living.
Interestingly enough, people who are into music are almost always good at programming. Same type of analytical process I think (or same side of the brain). I’ve heard of people hiring music majors as programmers, and it working out real well.
I’d definitely go for the programming though, more demand and better pay. Maybe a music minor would help make college more interesting for you though. You can always compose/play music after work. Although usually after work I’m drained and don’t feel like doing anything.