Prospective Colleges

Jonah Turner · Post by **Jonah Turner** » 20 Dec 2016 6:17 am

Do you guys have any advice on where I should focus my college search? Right now I've been looking at Middle Tennessee State in Mulfreesboro, about 30 minutes south of Nashville, but I assume there's other areas of the country with a lot of opportunities for steel guitar too. I'm especially looking for colleges near teachers for private lessons and with at least a small opportunity to play in bands, country or jazz. I'm taking a bus trip to Nashville in April for my high school show choir and was planning to visit MTSU and probably Vanderbilt, but it would be nice to try to visit a few others before my senior year.

And if somehow there's a university with a faculty member who plays steel guitar I'd be interested in that too.

Thanks!
-Jonah

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 20 Dec 2016 6:26 am

Jonah, forum member, Dave Mudgett is a college professor, steel player, who hails from Pennsylvania, I believe. Maybe he'll chime in with some helpful insight for you.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 20 Dec 2016 6:33 am

I believe that ETSU has very cool music program!

h

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Dec 2016 7:32 am

I know that Belmont University in Nashville used to support steel guitar as a major. Perhaps it still does...

Cody Angel · Post by **Cody Angel** » 20 Dec 2016 11:17 am

I've hear great things about each of the above mentioned. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from my experience at South Plains in Levelland, Texas. Commercial music program geared at people working after school. You take live and studio sound experience, as well as a minimum of one video class. It's the middle of nowhere, I grant you, but the instructors have been there and done what you want to do, and the program sure helped me out a lot. Good luck wherever you decide to go!

Cody Angel · Post by **Cody Angel** » 20 Dec 2016 11:19 am

The steel instructor at SPC is Steve Williams. There are 3 players in the program now I believe. Also, some great players around that area I learned from.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 20 Dec 2016 12:41 pm

I still teach software engineering at Penn State, and I play steel, guitar and other stuff - technically retiring in June, but may continue to teach some. I'll be split between here and Nashville at various times, we have a place down there. I think there are several important questions:

1. What do you want to study and what area are you thinking about for a career. Not necessarily the same, but might be.

2. How do music & steel guitar fit into issue #1? If you're thinking music-oriented education, that's typically very different from, let's say, engineering or science with music as a side-show.

3. What kind of school do you want, and think you can get into and afford? For example, in-state vs. out-of-state public schools vs. private schools; career school vs. "liberal education" school; there are big differences at a lot of levels among these (focus, tuition, admission, financial aid, etc.)

IMO, if you can get into and somehow afford a particular school, it's a buyer's market for college education. So be picky if you can.

For example, if I knew I wanted to do music for a career and wanted to major in that, I'd first focus on how aligned a music dept or school was to what I wanted. If I wanted a career in country music and didn't want to just woodshed and try to break in, I'd no doubt think about Belmont in Nashville. I almost went to Vanderbilt for my doctorate, good place if you're looking for a strong 'regular' academic program mixed with proximity to Nashvegas. Don't know that much about MTSU academically, but it's certainly close to NV. Jazz, I'd probably be thinking Berklee in Boston or perhaps University of North Texas, great jazz programs. There are many others, but those two come to mind.

For other non-music study near serious music scenes - University of Texas has choices in Austin, San Antonio, and Arlington, plenty of country and other music there. Plenty big music scene in Athens Georgia where University of Georgia is. Lots of cities have good universities and pretty vibrant music scenes - Boston, NYC, DC, Seattle, Portland, SF, others. Not sure how much pedal steel you'll find up in the northeast here. Out here in Central PA (as James Carville says, Pennsylvania is Philly, Pittsburgh, and Mississippi in the middle) there are steel players and country music, but not a ton of us. You can study pretty much anything you want at the big places like Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and so on, but you could do the same at Nebraska and pay in-state tuition.

My take - I've been around universities most of my life - feel free to ask more specific questions if you like.

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 20 Dec 2016 6:56 pm

Christopher Woitach is a music professor at Western Oregon U. in guitar, and an excellent pedal steel player, but very focused on jazz. Worth taking a look, and touching bases with him - he's a member here.

Jonah Turner · Post by **Jonah Turner** » 21 Dec 2016 5:11 am

Wow, thanks guys! There are a bunch of colleges on the list I never would have thought of, like SPC and South Plains. I will definitely be contacting some and laying out my options further.

I don't exactly know what kind of college I'll be able to afford, as I haven't taken the ACT in quite a few years. I do have a good chance of getting a National Merit scholarship next fall though, and that will help a lot by itself, depending on the college.

Thanks a ton for your help!

-Jonah

Walter Killam · Post by **Walter Killam** » 21 Dec 2016 6:58 am

Being a survivor of UNT, I can say they have a GREAT jazz program. I can think of 2 pedal steel players that made it out with Jazz studies degrees. The political situation there is a nightmare, the Profs & staff are constantly sniping at each other trying to get ahead (Publish or Perish).

That said, a lot of great players go there & take classes until they can find a gig with a road band, and come back to finish up later. (this can cycle several times)

If your goal is to hit the road UNT is a good start. You can get a good education there, but you MUST be very self motivated.

If your goal is to become an educator or something else (not road warrior), I'd think about Miami, or Berklee.

As a former Teaching Fellow, Adjunct instructor, and Student, I offer the following advice:

It may be worth taking a year off to establish residency in the state of your preferred school, most schools will defer admission dates if you are accepted, it never hurts to ask.

Get to the Financial Aid office early, treat it like a job. Be professional and courteous, apply for EVERY grant that you remotely qualify for (if you land in Texas, find out if the TEPG grant is still in play). Take out loans as a last resort.

GO TO CLASS EVERY DAY NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL (I can't stress how important this is)

Sit in the front row

Take good notes, and try to get to know your teachers personally, they can give you guidance on how to navigate their courses successfully.

I went through UNT, got 2 degrees, and walked out $800 in debt, which I paid off the day after graduation. I managed this by living cheap, working hard, & taking every grant I could find.

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 21 Dec 2016 9:58 am

Jonah, please friend on FB...Mick

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 21 Dec 2016 5:42 pm

I would look hard at MTSU or Belmont. A lot of successful music biz people have emerged from these two colleges. There is no shortage of great steel players in this area. (I wish I was one of them!) Nashville is a boomtown right now.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 21 Dec 2016 7:59 pm

Jonah,

PM Jonathan Cullifer. He is an excellent late 20's year old steel player Engineer/IT type in Nashville who plays part time. He went to MTSU. He may give you some pointers.

Best of luck!

William Polka · Post by **William Polka** » 26 Dec 2016 5:54 pm

Daughter went to MTSU on an athletic scholarship. Back in 2012 half the campus was brand new and seemed they were working their way over to the older half of it cuz there was construction going on all over.
She started in the audio engineering program but didn't stay with it...but from what I saw the facilities were really nice.
Faculty and staff were all very nice and very helpful.

Cody Angel · Post by **Cody Angel** » 27 Dec 2016 12:04 am

SPC and South Plains are the same, haha! It's a very affordable junior college with a great program. Shoot a pm or a Facebook message and I'd love to tell you more. Scholarships are available and I'd be happy to help how I can and put you in touch with people. Best of luck brother! A good act score and demo video would go a long way there!

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 27 Dec 2016 4:36 am

I would evaluate your career goals very carefully before attending any college these days. Many of the degrees are totally worthless and will never pay for themselves. Yes, there are careers that require a 4 year degree but many don't. It's your money, but I would evaluate very carefully before signing up for anything as you don't appear to have specific long term goals.

Robert

Floyd Lowery · Post by **Floyd Lowery** » 27 Dec 2016 6:01 am

Robert Parent wrote:I would evaluate your career goals very carefully before attending any college these days. Many of the degrees are totally worthless and will never pay for themselves. Yes, there are careers that require a 4 year degree but many don't. It's your money, but I would evaluate very carefully before signing up for anything as you don't appear to have specific long term goals.

This is very good advice !!

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 27 Dec 2016 5:24 pm

Cody Angel wrote:SPC and South Plains are the same, haha! It's a very affordable junior college with a great program. Shoot a pm or a Facebook message and I'd love to tell you more. Scholarships are available and I'd be happy to help how I can and put you in touch with people. Best of luck brother! A good act score and demo video would go a long way there!

I was going to suggest SPC, but Cody beat me to it.
From what I have observed, SPC is a very fertile learning ground for cranking out very talented singers, songwriters, multi-instrument musicians that go directly into the working world, playing and touring with top artists....especially the Texas/Red Dirt scene.
I tour with Cody's SPC roommate (I believe that's right)......serious, young talent