NAFA Diploma and Degree.

[teraslasch]

NAFA Diploma and Degree for music.. what do you guys think of it?.. should i go for it? or should i go overseas, i wana know wads the standard like for NAFA ... i am currently still young, 1 + more yrs to complete my sec sch life, and i've decided to go to a music sch to extend .. im interested in NAFA's music compsition with technology .. anyone graduated frm NAFA have any comments or opinions to give?

 

[soft]

teraslasch, what is your principle instrument and what is your current skill level? what do you hope to attain by enrolling in these courses?

 

[teraslasch]

i have currently 7 yrs of piano experience and im currently grade 6, taking grade 7 next yr, and taking theory grade 6 this yr. i am also a euphonium player in a sch band.. and i hope to become a proffessional music composer using technology ..

i have some of my works at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/tingsihaomusic.htm

 

[DoubleBlade]

but i thought NAFA does not offer Sound Engineering?

It is only La Salle that offers Sound Engineering...

 

[teraslasch]

not sound engineering.. just music with technology..

 

[teraslasch]

does anyone know any music school that a sec school student can enter( switch schools ), becoz NAFA requires a diploma.. any other specialized music school that doesn't require a diploma but full time?.. i forgot the names .. =/..

 

[DoubleBlade]

I'm sorry to be a party booper but here's what i have to say....


I shared the same kinda mentality as you when I was in secondary school.I wanted to make music and sound engineering my life as some of you might already know.But sometimes what we fail to see is a broader prospective.What I mean by that? For instance you might think you have got what it takes to take up music full time , certs , skills , technical work , you have it all but what most of us fail to see is that there are lots of other people your age there who might already posses a grade 8 cert for both theory and practical who also want to get into a full time music school for example NAFA.To add oil to the fire , from my experience there are a lot of other foreigners wanting to study in these music schools and most of them so happen to come from China.As you know China has a really enourmous talent pool probably a thousand times more than Singapore.You're not only competing with our local people but with those Chinese nationals as well and mind you they are really musically inclined.It's like they consider music like drinking water.A few days without music and they will become "thirsty"....

does anyone know any music school that a sec school student can enter( switch schools )

May I ask what you're implying is that you want to leave sec school to study music full time in a music school WITHOUT getting an O level cert first?
I highly doubt that the Singapore Govt would allow this to happen.Everywhere you go nowadays looking for a job , you always see that familar "Minimum O level holder" on their job application criteria...

I understand how you feel because I myself felt this way before and I don't blame you for it but sometimes life may not go as how you wanted it to be.

My advise to you is to consider your decisions carefully.If you are really that serious about pursuing a virtuoso career , then by all means work hard on your piano and hopefully get the grade 8 practical cert by next year if possible before the 2006 academic year for NAFA commences....

If not since you already posses a grade 5 theory cert , you could go to La Salle after your O levels.They offer diplomas in Classical Music , Jazz Music , Pop Music and World Music.Sadly the classical music course requires a Grade 8 prac and grade 6 theory cert but for the rest , the minimum requirement is a grade 5 theory cert in addition to your L1 R4 O level score...

I wish you good luck in your future endeavours and lastly please for the love of God...NEVER NEGLECT YOUR STUDIES!!!!!

It took me 3 years of my sec school life to finally realise the importance of having a decent O level cert

 

[NoMiS]

I'm sorry to be a party booper but here's what i have to say....

well.. the fact tht u have given.. it may be true.. but let me ask u one question.. how many out of so many make it??? they all may have the talent.. posses a certain level of grades in music.. but the fact is.. all this.. u can achieve too.. yes it takes time.. but.. have u ever tot tht its possible to get in too?? many do not get in.. becuz of mentality like urs.. they feel its kinda impossible.. and they look for a backup plan.. and often.. they settle upon it.. becuz they are comfortable with it and chose to stick with it... but living a rather mediocre life.. becuz tht is not wat they really wanna do... well those whu succeeds in music.. gave all out.. everything tht they have... doing the things tht pple dun find it "normal" due to society's expectations.. and pple discouraged them... saying tht they will nv make it.. becuz of this and tht.. (i am not saying u are.. no offence..jus ab example.).. but when those pple whu strieve hard.. and do make it.. those whu once dicouraged them or kinda put tem down.. says tht.."oh tht is becuz he or she is talented" but they do not realise one thing tht.. talents are made not born.. and.. failures are part and parcel of life to help us grow to be successful(thts why they always say "failure is the mother of success").. those pple whu chose to stay put in utheir comfy zone.. are afraid to take risks.. yes.. there are many competitions.. but if u dun even have the confidence in urself.. would the sch be confident in u?? for tose whu is willing.. positve bout wat they do.. and perservere... the rewards tht they get for the price tht they have paid.. becomes a lot sweeter.. becuz they are doing wat they noe is rte and wat they want to do in life... the whole point is.. have a positive outlook on urself.. as tough as it may seem all it takes is to believe in urself.. and ur abilities.. everyone is born smart and talented.. but becuz of acceptance.. they conform to the society and chose not to be different.. and dare not take risk.. so brothers and sisters.. as much competition.. as much impossibilities u find in it.. the only person tht stops u from doin wat u wanna do.. is urself.. u are whu u think u are.. and u do wat u tell urself wat u wanna do.. in the words of addidas.. impossible is nothing..

doubleblade.. i am not flaming u.. but am here to encourage u man.. dun give up!!!

 

[teraslasch]

heh.. thx for ur advices.. i am determined to go to lasalle , i should have grade 8 theory and grade 7 piano by the time i graduate frm sec school.. i will definetely choose to go either to lasalle or NAFA.. but i think i would choose lasalle as they offer sound engineering.. I will definetely not be discouraged by others who thinks that it is not practical to go to such a school.. i will prove myself worthy! .. Btw, im still not too sure abt the courses in lasalle.. from what i have read, they offer classical , contempary popular music and music with technology.. under their CAREERS, they did not put composer under the music technology part, does that mean they will not go much into composing?.. I am currently taking some pop composing classes and i think 90% is inspiration if you have the foundation.. I am not aiming to be a conductor , but rather someone expert with audio, being able to cr8 the nicest music/songs + sfx for games or movies.. So what do you guys think? Should i go into music technology or go the classical way?...

 

[DoubleBlade]

Since you want to create music for games and movies , i guess sound engineer is the most obvious option...

The fact that you are confident that you can get your grade 8 theory and grade 7 practical by next year means that you would have a solid foundation in improvisation and composing.so...this is what i have to say...GO TO SOUND ENGINEERING AT LA SALLE

The classical music course prepares you to be a classical virtuoso but I doubt that you would ever want that path in life right? :lol:

Besides don't be disheartened by what others feel about you going to fine arts colleage.As far as i know , I was the only guy in the entire sec 4 batch of my school last year who aspired to go to La Salle when most of my other schoolmates had no idea what they wanted to pursue after their O levels.Sometimes you will have friends whom you have been close to all these years and suddenly they start straying away from you all because they look down on you as you do not belong to the mainstream students who only think that being a doctor , lawyer , engineer etc would bring you success in life...but heck , they do not deserve to be your friends cause friends stay with you thru thick and thin 8)

Good Luck!!!!

 

[soft]

just finished a 2 days rush job so do forgive me if i sound a little harsh here.

sound engineering does not create music. you can see from the course module of most audio engineer course that midi is quite focus on practical usage and never on arrangement or composing. there might be a module on music theory too. but that's it. never to create music.

teraslasch, if you are aiming to be a commercial composer who can do music for almost any usage, the best advise is to perform live. some of the popular arranger/composer in singapore all had a good part of their career in performing.

when you do shows, you will be forced to learn news stuff. from pop, rock, latin to oldies. these plus your classical training will come in handy when you are composing or arranging.

 

[DoubleBlade]

But I went to the La Salle Open House and the lectuerer showed me his students compositions...
He said that sound engineering requires one to be very versatile.For instance if they told you to create medival music , you should know what techniques and instruments to use during that point in time etc

It still requires one's own sense of creativity to be streched though...

 

[teraslasch]

heh soft.. laselle is different.. its music with technology , so theres still MUSIC.. not just totally audio.. so i guess i'll aim towards laselle's music with technology course.. all i have to do is whip up some good songs i have and put them into a cd for my audition in the year of .. 2007.. lol.. by then, i should have improved tremendously and i think they will accept me lol..
btw, can u guys critic on my works at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/tingsihaomusic.htm , i am currently working on 2 soundtracks for a RTS game for mammoth-games, an indie game developement online team.. so far, it is quite successful and i have successfully done a Athens Peace track, which will be up on their site soon.. do you think these kind of stuff will give me bonus to entry in lasalle?.. lol..

btw, i am aiming specifically for games/movie soundtracks or SFX, other genres are secondary to me and it does not matter, and im the type who prefers to stay in doors and do my thingzzz.. im not really into performing although playing the keyboard in a rock band would be fine for me.. lol.. composing rock/pop should come naturally to me once i have finished my composing course in one of the music schools..
Btw, if i take up the music with technology diploma at laselle, from what i read, i should still be able to arrange/compose, becoz arranger is one of the careers they have put under that course.. ..

 

[DoubleBlade]

To tell you truth , it's not all about good songs...

They were very impressed with my audition piece , i mean for my piece i converted the entire Arabian scale for guitar and transpose it on my piano by getting the notes involved in the Arabic Scale and re-arranging the notes in accending order and from there i created a song out of it...
I dare say that the lectuerers were impressed with my Arabic piece judging by their facial expression...

BUT BUT BUT

I screwed up in my interview.I gave too vague answers and when they ask me how i come about recording my other song (not the Arabic song) , i just told them one day i laid my hands on the piano and let my imagination run wild.Actually that was partially true , but it took me a few days to mix all those riffs together into one song...
My piano teacher was really pissed with me because by saying this , it's not really considered a prepared piece but more like a form of improvisation...

I guess that was my downfall...THE FREAKING INTERVIEW!!!!!

Be confident and be sure to give elaborative answers to their questions because every segment of the audition cum interview matters to them!!!!
for all u know u may excel in the audition segment but when it comes to the interview you give vague and general answers , they won't even consider u in....

Take every part of the audition seriously and do not have the impression that once i get pass the audition stage , i can let down my guard during the interview because that's what really happened to me , as disappointed as i may be , i accepted it and moved on.So now i'm waiting for the 2005 academic year to commence at Ngee Ann Poly....

I'm just speaking from experience and hope you do not repeat the same mistakes as i did...

 

[teraslasch]

Icic, my senior to tell me to have drafts for ur project in ur audition, so if they ask you why you chose this instrument over that, you would be able to give a proper answer, like why not flutes over french horns as the melody for a grand piece etc.. lol.. what else did they ask u? gimme some tips ..

 

[DoubleBlade]

well they asked me how i came about doing this piece , what key is your song in , play a portion of the the song on the piano (because mine was a piano solo on CD)

there was also a written test.

some of the questions they give you 4 bars of notes and identify the key signature of the song which is basic music theory...

they ask you some general questions like have you ever tried a synthesiser...if yes state the model or have you ever tried a multi effects processor..if yes state the model

how do you connect an electric guitar?
how do you connect a mic?

what instruments form the rhythem section of a typical rock band

do you read sound engineering magazines , if so state the name of the magazine...

These are the questions i encountered for this year's audition/interivew as far as i can remember....

hope it's of some help to u

if u get into La Salle...I WANT YOU TO PHOTOCOPY YOUR MUSIC TECH NOTES FOR ME OKAY?!?!?!?!? whahahahahhahahahahah :roll:
because i already gave u an advantage by telling you some of the questions for this year's interview....

so much for acting as a 10 year series book

 

[teraslasch]

lol.. ic.. these are wad they ask for sound engineering... ok its time to read sound engineering magazines.. lol.. and its time to buy a MOTIF ES 7 wahaha.. learn all its features and pwn them lol.. btw.. written test ask u how to connect electric guitar? .. . .... but i don play guitar .. . .. all i know is plugging the damn guitar into either an amp or a computer which has audio in ports.. lol..

what instruments form the rhythem section of a typical rock band?
er.. bass and drums and 2nd guitar?..

btw, audition and interview, im still confused with these 2, arent these 2 around the same ? btw, wad grade of piano and theory do u have?.. the site says minimum is grade 8 for practical leh.. i dun think can get by the time i graduate frm sec 4.. unless im super.. next yr take grade 8.. when im suppose to take grade 7 .. lol.. but its impoosible... ARGGhh.. . how??..

and can u gimme some comments on my music..

 

[DoubleBlade]

yeah i guess you roughly got the hang of it :lol:

buy Sound On Sound Magazines , they really do detailed reviews on the latest equipment and even teach you some recording techniques...

but the problem is that they are really hard to find...on one month u can find them at popular bookstore at northpoint , the next month they don't sell them anymore than u have to keep on searching den later they sell at times bookstore at tampines mall and then the next month they dun sell it...like must go around singapore juz to look for this particular magazine but it's worth every effort thou... :lol:

 

[teraslasch]

can u read the 2nd part of previous post? i think i edited and u didnt see it lol..

this is the part :
btw, audition and interview, im still confused with these 2, arent these 2 around the same ? btw, wad grade of piano and theory do u have?.. the site says minimum is grade 8 for practical leh.. i dun think can get by the time i graduate frm sec 4.. unless im super.. next yr take grade 8.. when im suppose to take grade 7 .. lol.. but its impoosible... ARGGhh.. . how??..

and can u gimme some comments on my music..

 

[DoubleBlade]

sound engineering does not require any ABRSM certs

the only thing u have to worry about is your O level cert and a pass in physics or E maths in ur L1 R4 score....
but it would certainly be an advantage to possess some theory knowledge which i think should not be a problem for you....

the grade 8 for practical and grade 6 for theory is only applicable for the diploma in classical music...