Should I try to start majoring in Physics and Music Theory?

[86Timewarp]

I'm just curious really...I'm a sophomore in high school right now and I dont have physics until next year, but people are telling me to put it off until senior year so I can catch-up with my math (I'm Algebra 2 now, Geometry next year.)

 

I want to be an aerospace engineer but I also want to have a back-up career just in case. Since I know piano, acting, and singing, should I try to aim for colleges with courses in both?

[Brent]

Yes.

 

You should aim to be an engineer, but have a BACKUP degree in music, JUST IN CASE you can't find a career in ENGINEERING

 

:thumbsup:

 

You got your shit together.

[86Timewarp]

Haha thanks Brent, hopefully I can find something....my school's scheduling system sucks :blank:

[Megalomania]

not to sound like a party pooper but when you get to college, you're going to find it very difficult to study in engineering and music. I'd say engineering, music, and medical fields have the most rigid schedules; you don't really have much say in other courses unless they fit within that field (I know because my brother's majoring in civil engineering).

[86Timewarp]

[Tnspieler1012]

I dabbled in music at my college, but the music program was so strict and isolated from the rest of the uni, that I had trouble getting into anything more than elective piano lessons. Music majors had by far the most classes to take, and even the simpler sounding majors like music business required numerous proficiency tests and recitals. Other schools might be an exception, but considering how starkly different the fields are, I imagine it would be insanely difficult to tack on a theory minor to something as demanding as engineering, much less a major.

 

But more importantly, I cannot see how music theory would be a sensible back-up. What exactly would you do with it if engineering doesn't work-out? Surely you wouldn't get paid to sing to play, if anything try music education. At least that has some pragmatic import, but by what I know of engineering from my science/math friends at college, you'll probably have your hands too full to really devote yourself to another major that would require a completely different set of prerequisites.

[Kiame]

This... well, it doesn't sound all that clever.

 

Feel free to prove me wrong, but if you are doing a proper engineering course (as extensive as aerospace is) at a good university, you aren't going to have any time to study music in any capacity beyond recreational. My best friend is doing aeronautical engineering she's swamped with work. I actually just got off the phone with her and her work load is on par with mine (I do medicine). My work load at the moment is immense. If I miss one day of study my whole week is ruined. If I was trying to do even something as simple as Psych 101 as well as this, I'd be in all sorts of trouble.

 

But hey, maybe you're a multi tasking genius. But I doubt it. I know some very clever people and not many actually pull that off. Don't get me wrong, some degrees it is possible to do two. I know people who do teaching and psychology or something and they get through fine. But when you are talking about the high demmand courses such as engineering, medicine or vet science - it's going to be hard.

 

It will be even harder (if you can imagine) because the two degrees, in your case, aren't complimentary. I have a buddy doing law and international studies and he gets through fine because the two are similar and mesh together quite easily. But engineering and music? Hmm. Tricky business.

 

You'll also start to realise things aren't divided up for you like they are in high school. It's not like you just do "aerospace engineering" for half a day, then do your music stuff. A degree as compelx as aerospace engineering is going to branch off into thousands of tiny different topics and fields and you will be hard pressed even doing well. It's hard.

 

I hate to be that person, but I don't think this is a very realistic goal. By all means, go for it, but just don't expect to be easy and I'd put money on you getting a month in and changing.

[Violet]

As I am finishing up my degree in music education right now, I believe my input will be important here.

 

First, you can't just go into music theory for a bachelor's degree. It's just not possible. Now, if you got a degree in music education, you could get your master's in music theory. (I've actually thought about doing it myself, but I won't. At least, not yet.)

 

Anyway, doing music on its own is hard enough as it is. I don't know how other schools do their credits and whatnot, but it takes a lot. First, you have to be somewhat talented to get into the school of music. Some schools are stricter than others, but they don't just let anyone walk in and declare a music major. You have to audition for it and get accepted. Also, the schedules for a music major take up more time. Why? We have more hours to take. The average degree takes 120 credit hours. My music degree requires 133. Thankfully, I took summer classes and had 18 hours of AP credit going into it, so that wasn't really an issue for me. There's also the matter of classes for music majors being worth less. People in other majors complain about having 4 3-hour classes. When I started out, I was taking 10 classes worth 16 hours. That included ensembles, some fundamental music classes, a weekly studio class, a weekly lesson, and recital attendance (which didn't count for any hours, but was required for 7 semesters in order to fulfill part of your degree). Oh, and you HAD to do at least one ensemble a semester. That's required for all music majors, including composition majors and those majoring in guitar.

 

Anyway, I don't know about engineering, but I imagine it has its own challenges. Trying to do that and music at the same time is a terrible idea.

 

If you have any other questions regarding the music route, please let me know. I will do my best to help. :nice:

[86Timewarp]

Thanks guys, I'll probably look into acting if thats more logical. I kinda now see a huge error because I'm wanting to take such restricted careers and trying to do both might not be the best.

 

And Violet; And if I didn't say this earlier, ever since the 7th grade, I've been working in my music background (self taught piano, read sheet music, choir and advanced choir for 4 and 2 years now,) so I have a bit of background so I'm not a total stanger, bt deffinally there's room for improvement. I also did the plays at my school, singing in the ensemble, stage manager, and technical specialist so there's that lmao

 

I'm also picking classes today, if not Monday, fore my junior year.

Currently I have Chemistry and after that I have a choice to ether take Physics, Forensics, Anatomy, etc. Since I had biology freshman year, I have two years to take Physics. So my question is, should I put it off until senior year to get my math up, or go for broke and take it next year and try to aim for AP Physics?

[NumbersGirl]

Depends on what you want to do with the music theory side of it.

 

It's certainly possible, if that is what you have your heart set on. My ex-boyfriend from high school went on to study / major in mathematics and in music theory (tapping into the importance of mathematics/harmonics/or something like that in music). He's now a bass player (and sometimes backup singer) for hire and travels with whoever hires him, and also helps with albums if requested.

 

 

 

/don't remember why I broke up with the dude

[Violet]

Thanks guys, I'll probably look into acting if thats more logical. I kinda now see a huge error because I'm wanting to take such restricted careers and trying to do both might not be the best.

 

And Violet; And if I didn't say this earlier, ever since the 7th grade, I've been working in my music background (self taught piano, read sheet music, choir and advanced choir for 4 and 2 years now,) so I have a bit of background so I'm not a total stanger, bt deffinally there's room for improvement. I also did the plays at my school, singing in the ensemble, stage manager, and technical specialist so there's that lmao

 

I'm also picking classes today, if not Monday, fore my junior year.

Currently I have Chemistry and after that I have a choice to ether take Physics, Forensics, Anatomy, etc. Since I had biology freshman year, I have two years to take Physics. So my question is, should I put it off until senior year to get my math up, or go for broke and take it next year and try to aim for AP Physics?

 

Acting? More reasonable? Uhhhhhno. It's highly unstable as far as trying to find jobs is concerned.

 

Oh, so you do choir? That's nice. :nice: Maybe if you worked hard enough, you could go into a choir program in college or something. One thing I've learned is that college definitely helps you improve A LOT. Also, piano can help you; if it's like my college, you're required to take piano classes (that teach you the very basics of how to play piano). If you're good enough and get into a music program, you can talk to someone and maybe test out of some of those classes. (My school of music offered me that option during my orientation, and I ended up testing out of all but the last one, and only because the professor thought I needed a refresher on a bit of the theory.)

 

As far as the physics question, I've never had to take physics. However, I do know that if you go for it, get into AP Physics your senior year, and do well enough, you can acquire college credit and get some of your classes out of the way, which is always a good thing. I didn't have to take any English or history in college due to that very thing. (I bombed the Calculus one so badly, though. Thankfully, I only needed one semester of math, anyway.)

[86Timewarp]

Acting? More reasonable? Uhhhhhno. It's highly unstable as far as trying to find jobs is concerned.

 

Oh, so you do choir? That's nice. :nice: Maybe if you worked hard enough, you could go into a choir program in college or something. One thing I've learned is that college definitely helps you improve A LOT. Also, piano can help you; if it's like my college, you're required to take piano classes (that teach you the very basics of how to play piano). If you're good enough and get into a music program, you can talk to someone and maybe test out of some of those classes. (My school of music offered me that option during my orientation, and I ended up testing out of all but the last one, and only because the professor thought I needed a refresher on a bit of the theory.)

 

As far as the physics question, I've never had to take physics. However, I do know that if you go for it, get into AP Physics your senior year, and do well enough, you can acquire college credit and get some of your classes out of the way, which is always a good thing. I didn't have to take any English or history in college due to that very thing. (I bombed the Calculus one so badly, though. Thankfully, I only needed one semester of math, anyway.)

 

I'll have to take Calculus :wreck: I hate Algebra 2 :angry:

 

The only thing I can't do is read rhythms lmao. For choir I'm a tenor, but I'm supposed to be a baritone, but I'm fine as a tenor. Once you head into C4+ territory I'm screwed lmfao

[Violet]

Not to sound like I'm slamming you guys, but lack of ability to read rhythm is a typical choir thing and not really a you thing. (Many of my choir friends in college have acknowledged this.) Of course, you guys have the added challenge of learning words. But yeah.

 

Why on earth are you singing tenor if you have trouble with stuff over C4? Good gosh. :dead: Please tell me you're at least a tenor 2 and not a tenor 1. That would be beyond stupid.

[Coldplay]

Not to sound like I'm slamming you guys, but lack of ability to read rhythm is a typical choir thing and not really a you thing. (Many of my choir friends in college have acknowledged this.) Of course, you guys have the added challenge of learning words. But yeah.

 

Why on earth are you singing tenor if you have trouble with stuff over C4? Good gosh. :dead: Please tell me you're at least a tenor 2 and not a tenor 1. That would be beyond stupid.

I can't read this fucking Chinese

but I think you're being really mean to him : (

[Violet]

I'm not being mean to him. I just don't understand why his choir instructor insists on putting him, a baritone who has trouble with notes above middle C, on tenor which, if he's singing tenor 1 (and I really hope that's not the case), can go up at least to the G above that, if not higher. (It shouldn't be any higher than G if it's a typical SATB with consideration for part writing rules and ranges, but that rule has been broken many times.)

[86Timewarp]

Not to sound like I'm slamming you guys, but lack of ability to read rhythm is a typical choir thing and not really a you thing. (Many of my choir friends in college have acknowledged this.) Of course, you guys have the added challenge of learning words. But yeah.

 

Why on earth are you singing tenor if you have trouble with stuff over C4? Good gosh. :dead: Please tell me you're at least a tenor 2 and not a tenor 1. That would be beyond stupid.

 

I am lmao, well I can go a bit above C4, the only reason is my choir teacher's been with me since middle school (she teachers after school choir at my old middle school, but teachers full time at my high school) I've sang tenor and my ear is used to it. The only way I can get past half of C4 is by belting :uhoh: I also need to warm up lmao

 

I can't read this fucking Chinese

but I think you're being really mean to him : (

 

Nah, she's not

 

I'm not being mean to him. I just don't understand why his choir instructor insists on putting him, a baritone who has trouble with notes above middle C, on tenor which, if he's singing tenor 1 (and I really hope that's not the case), can go up at least to the G above that, if not higher. (It shouldn't be any higher than G if it's a typical SATB with consideration for part writing rules and ranges, but that rule has been broken many times.)

 

It's kinda my fault :uhoh: I voluntarily put myself for a tenor. I can sing baratone if it's SAB, but for SATB I always do tenor because I can pull it off

[86Timewarp]

dp

[a_face_of_light]

This... well, it doesn't sound all that clever.

 

Feel free to prove me wrong, but if you are doing a proper engineering course (as extensive as aerospace is) at a good university, you aren't going to have any time to study music in any capacity beyond recreational. My best friend is doing aeronautical engineering she's swamped with work. I actually just got off the phone with her and her work load is on par with mine (I do medicine). My work load at the moment is immense. If I miss one day of study my whole week is ruined. If I was trying to do even something as simple as Psych 101 as well as this, I'd be in all sorts of trouble.

 

I have a friend who is studying Medicine too and if studying Aerospace engineering is as intense then I agree with everything you've said, he won't have time for music.

[Violet]

I am lmao, well I can go a bit above C4, the only reason is my choir teacher's been with me since middle school (she teachers after school choir at my old middle school, but teachers full time at my high school) I've sang tenor and my ear is used to it. The only way I can get past half of C4 is by belting :uhoh: I also need to warm up lmao

 

It's kinda my fault :uhoh: I voluntarily put myself for a tenor. I can sing baratone if it's SAB, but for SATB I always do tenor because I can pull it off

 

Your ear may be used to it, but if your voice isn't equipped, you shouldn't do it. Singing in too high of a tessitura for one's voice for any extended period of time is damaging to the vocal chords.

[86Timewarp]

I see what you mean, like I'll know when the range of the music gets extremely high so I'll back off, but other then that I'm situated....I just need my self confidence to boost lmao and thanks for helping :nice:

 

Edit: I sing Tenor 2 o_o Last year I could do Tenor 1 and thats when my schools musical was the Drowsy Chaperone....dear god that composer must've hated tenors because we sang higher then the sopranos o_o

[Coldplay]

I just don't understand why his choir instructor insists on putting him, a baritone who has trouble with notes above middle C, on tenor which, if he's singing tenor 1 (and I really hope that's not the case), can go up at least to the G above that, if not higher. (It shouldn't be any higher than G if it's a typical SATB with consideration for part writing rules and ranges, but that rule has been broken many times.)

[Violet]

I see what you mean, like I'll know when the range of the music gets extremely high so I'll back off, but other then that I'm situated....I just need my self confidence to boost lmao and thanks for helping :nice:

 

No problem. :nice:

 

 

Sorry. :disappointed:

[86Timewarp]

This just just for you Dee

 

[Coldplay]

I can't even play notes on a guitar without consulting a chart :disappointed:

[86Timewarp]

I'm left handed so its more difficult for me to read chord charts and tabs :blank: e to E my ass :angry: