Berklee online music courses?

[Styxx]

Anyone have experience with Berklee online music courses? I am thinking of signing up and trying their courses in writing and production. Any insight or experiences shared would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[newmewzikboy]

Styxx:

I don't know anything about the online courses, but I know a LOT about courses at berkeley and the faculty. My suggestion is, if you can, buy materials from their bookstore (not online). They have a number of publications that they use in their classroom instruction - written by instructors. Some of it can be very interesting and useful. Some of it is just common sense. You can save yourself a tremendous amount of money. And then post your questions here online...

[dewdman42]

I took one and it was a complete waste of money for me. If you don't know much of anything about music you might find it interesting, but I found it to be a complete waste of money. I wanted to get into a more advanced class and they wouldn't let me without first taking the first class....berklee harmony. Ultra simple. The whole course could have been read in a berklee press book, only a few chapters of such a book. The teacher didn't teach anything. They had online animated instructions you would follow (no different than reading a book) and then you would submit a very simple homework assignment to a forum where the teacher 99% of the time would say to everyone "Great job". very rarely did they have any criticism for any of the submissions because the homework was dead simple. The class got into some debates in the forum over some topics and the teacher hardly participated. Onely once or twice did he step in and offer something to the discussion and one time he sent out an interesting white paper.

All that for the low price of like $600 or something. How do you spell RIP OFF?

This course did not cover what is covered in a semester at Berklee by the way, not even close. We are talking ultra simple. Honestly, I can't reccomend it. You can get in lively debates on numerous online forums, you don't need to pay berklee for that. You can discuss harmony and theory many places online. Going to berklee might be great experience, but their online system is a cash machine for them...based on berklee name..pure and simple.

[Styxx]

I took one and it was a complete waste of money for me. If you don't know much of anything about music you might find it interesting, but I found it to be a complete waste of money. I wanted to get into a more advanced class and they wouldn't let me without first taking the first class....berklee harmony. Ultra simple. The whole course could have been read in a berklee press book, only a few chapters of such a book. The teacher didn't teach anything. They had online animated instructions you would follow (no different than reading a book) and then you would submit a very simple homework assignment to a forum where the teacher 99% of the time would say to everyone "Great job". very rarely did they have any criticism for any of the submissions because the homework was dead simple. The class got into some debates in the forum over some topics and the teacher hardly participated. Onely once or twice did he step in and offer something to the discussion and one time he sent out an interesting white paper.

All that for the low price of like $600 or something. How do you spell RIP OFF?

This course did not cover what is covered in a semester at Berklee by the way, not even close. We are talking ultra simple. Honestly, I can't reccomend it. You can get in lively debates on numerous online forums, you don't need to pay berklee for that. You can discuss harmony and theory many places online. Going to berklee might be great experience, but their online system is a cash machine for them...based on berklee name..pure and simple.
Hmmm, I wondered about the possibilites. ;)

[newmewzikboy]

Styxx: Honestly, save your money. Riddle books are ok but dont expect miracles. What exactly did you want to study? I think you said "production"?

[Styxx]

Styxx: Honestly, save your money. Riddle books are ok but dont expect miracles. What exactly did you want to study? I think you said "production"? Yes, I can see that after searching their bookstore. Just about everything would be review and most likely a waist of my money and time. Heck, may as well dust off my old college books and start reading.

[newmewzikboy]

How about taking smoe of the money and getting some one on one training in Buffalo? Or maybe a class or two in your area?

[Styxx]

How about taking smoe of the money and getting some one on one training in Buffalo? Or maybe a class or two in your area?
Been there done that. Need a fresh perspective from a professional atmosphere. Anyone worth studying with in this area hardly would take the time unless you are a full time student and doing nothing else.
I'm searching for books in my interest.
You are very helpful and I don't mean to downplay your suggestions. I know what I have expereinced in this area and believe me ...

[newmewzikboy]

I came to a head in my own education, when I read and digested just about everything on the market, including some old materials from the library and bookstores HUGO NOLAND(?) CANON; Convertible Counterpoint in the Strict Style by Taneiev. And going to rare book rooms at university to review musical manuscripts. And paid hansomly for some really rare theory books put out by Yale and Harvard press.

Eventually, I started reading dissertations. You can find some amaising things to read here on any subject you might be interested in. Really well written; gone through extreme critical review. You might want to get your hands on a few. Peruse the online catalog on UMI, or go to a college library or public library and peruse teh catalogs there since they have better search machines. You can get them from teh library for FREE if you don't want to pay. I look for new ones every year from the major schools around graduation time. Its fun to do research...you find a lot of gems, and you dont get polluted by the regurgitation you hear in teh old regular books and classes. It opens your mind to your own ideas...

[dewdman42]

If you're looking for some new materials that are somewhat Berklee-esc in nature, but just something new, revigorating(sp), inspirational or just give you a refreshing perspective on concepts you already know..here are a few reccomendations that I didn't see on that Berklee book list.

1 - The Lydian Chromatic concept - George Russell. I am about to start reading this. From what I have read so far, prepare to blow your mind.

http://www.lydianchromaticconcept.com/

2 - Jazzmaster Cookbook, Jim Grantham. I just stumbled upon this last night and I intend to order it. Its on amazon too apparantly. Its basically all the Berklee stuff but re-distilled into a different presentation from a guy that spent some years post-Berklee teaching the concepts himself and perhaps expounding on them a bit. Its in the link below, along with two other books I might also get:

http://www.megatar.com/english/Accessories/Learning/learning.html

3 - From the above link "Basic Harmony" which doesn't look basic at all and looks like some completely new twist on it that I want to read about. Not berklee stuff. But intriguing from the description.

4 - 'Jazz Improvisation: The Goal-Note Method' -- by Shelton Berg. From the above link. This is berklee-esc also and I plan to get this book also.

5 - Reharmonization Techniques - Randy Felts. Already mentioned this one, but I have it sitting here in front of me, so I will mention it again. I personally think this is just an overview of Berklee concepts..but explained very well. This book would probably just be a review for you, but light reading. Perhaps a few insights. Berklee press

6 - I already mentioned a book by barry Nettles on Berklee press..which is also pretty good stuff.....lots of Berklee stuff in it. I'm still reading it.

7 - How gutsy are you? There is always Schillinger.

Beyond that...maybe what I would suggest is that you consider getting away from berklee approach and try some completely new approaches. The berklee way is unique and for me, after years of classical theory, I am finding the berklee way to be refreshing and provide a new perspective. However, for you, you might be better off just reviewing your Berklee stuff a bit and then diving in head first to some deep traditional theory stuff like counterpoint, 12 tone rows, etc. spin your head in new directions. Then there is always that Equal Interval System. :P

[Bob De Celle]

I can't resist making a comment on the discussion, but when I read the name Schillinger, it brought me back 60 years.
When I was discharged from the army in 1946 I looked for an arranging teacher, in Boston, and came up with a teacher whose name was Larry Berk. He told me that he wanted to take advantage of the G.I. bill of rights, and in turn to open a school in Boston that would have the name "The Schillinger House". I enrolled in the school and with the enrollment came a two set volume of the Schillinger System. I admit that I wasn't all that interested in any complex theory at the time, so I didn't pay too much attention to the system.
To make a long story short, so I won't bore you all too much, the school, for some legal reasons closed and Larry Berk joined in partnership with a friend by the name of Lee Daniels. Hence they opened up a school called Berklee.
An astounding evolution IMHO.
Hope I didn't bore you, but I guess you had to be there to appreciate any of this. Now I'll shut up.

[dewdman42]

That is an amazing story actually. YOu didn't happen to save any of the original study materials from the first Schillinger school with Berk did you? (Besides the 1946 edition books)..??

[Bob De Celle]

That is an amazing story actually. YOu didn't happen to save any of the original study materials from the first Schillinger school with Berk did you? (Besides the 1946 edition books)..??

No, I'm sorry I didn't save anything. I actually don't know what hapened to the material. After moving to NYC, I was living in a loft at the time, and had some rent problems. I left a lot of things behind, much to my regret.
I guess at my age everyone has an amazing tale to tell.

[Styxx]

Berklee is way out of my range even for on line. Let's put it this way, for the fees they are asking for on line courses anyone would be much better off actually enrolling and attending classes at the college.