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Other => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Ricky on March 28, 2013, 03:29:27 PM

Title: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Ricky on March 28, 2013, 03:29:27 PM
I'm curious what you guys and girls either study or work with. Feel free to include as many details as you want. I will start.

I've noticed that many of you either intend to study music or already do study music. Well, I'm not that lucky I guess. I'm at my 2nd year of my electrical engineering studies. The education is in total 5 years out of which everyone studies pretty much the same courses during the first 3 years and the last 2 years consist of a master that you choose (and specialise in a narrower area). I'm considering choosing either a master with focus on the environment or a master with focus on electrical power engineering. So why did I choose my education? Well, ever since the 8th or 9th year of elementary school (in Sweden we have 9 years of elementary school, 3 years of upper secondary school and ofc higher education for those that want) I've been wanting to do something about the issue of environmental destruction and global warming. I thought I could do the most by choosing upper secondary school education focusing on technology and so I did. I realised that the best choice after that would be electrical engineering. After all the main issue (in the global warming problem at least) is how we convert energy (sadly by burning coal or oil in many cases) and there's also the issue of how to store and transport the energy and so on. So batteries, grids, photovoltaic cells etc. are things that need to improve.

Now I'm very interested in music too. Why don't I study music instead? Well, the thing is that I've only got into in music when I was like 15 years old (and I listened to hip-hop then). I did like music before then (for example when I played video games) and I admired people in my surroundings that could play the piano or something else. I just didn't have the enviroment for music I guess. EIther way when I was 16 I've started playing piano and in the beginning I was totally lost, not knowing what I should be doing and in a sense I've always been a little lost in my piano playing but I think I'm currently on the right track. Either way slowly my interest for hip-hop faded away as the interest for classical music grew stronger. I've learnt reading notes, I've started learning music theory (especially from Lypur's music theory (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB585CE43B02669C3) series), I've started doing ear training. A little more than two years ago I've started reading The Oxford History of Western Music (I finished the books in about 10 months or so) which further got me into classical music and I've gained an even better understanding of music. A few years back I came to the realisation that I want to compose and since then I've been getting closer and closer to my goal. I've started hearing original music ideas in my head about two years ago and all I need is a good ear and I can start working on actual compositions.

It seems like everyone who composes says that they started to play an instrument when they were like 7 years old or even younger or maybe even started composing back then. It can be somewhat discouraging but I won't give up. I believe almost anyone can compose if they got the right circumstances (knowledge of music theory, a good ear, let ideas flow etc.). Either way I will keep working on music theory, ear training and start composing asap. I do intend to study music some day in the future when I'm done with my electrical engineering education. Maybe I can take some music courses in the meantime. My future job will probbaly not be in music but it most certainly is and will be a cool hobby.

I guess what I wrote there would be more suiting in the introduction thread but either way, your turn.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: GaryOak on March 28, 2013, 05:20:58 PM
I'm a statistics major. I chose this education on a whim but I'm actually starting to like this shit. Not gonna go into any detail because I'm pretty sure it would probably be very boring.

I also had one year of electronics engineering studies but that didn't suit me.

I rather keep music as a hobby just because most of the pro musicians I know are very poor.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Jompa on March 28, 2013, 05:28:26 PM
I am 16 years old. Which means I am a first year in high school.
The high school I go to is kinda special. You can either apply to it as a normal "studying specializing"-student, OR...
You can apply to it as a music student on the high school's special program.
Getting inn is extremely hard - like I mean just nuts! Your grades have to be at least 5 out of 6, and that is totally nuts! And in addition, you have to pass an entrance exam on your main instrument that is very hard. When I graduated from junior high, I had 5.4, which was the best result anyone else got that year! So basically, I made it into music-high school and am feeling very privileged about it!

My school-day is extremely long, because it has so much music in it, and if the special program is gonna give us the same options as the normal students, later on in life, we need to have 6 hour school-days every day!
But that is just fun, because it is all about music! :D
My main instrument is the tenor saxophone, and my two bi-instruments are song and piano.

If anyone is wondering, I have played sax and doing music related stuff for three years - piano and singing, I've only been doing since I started at the school. But don't go around thinking that "oh, he's only played for three years, he must suck", because I am a hard worker when it comes to music, and I definitely wouldn't have passed the entrance exam if I sucked! :P

The different subjects on music I have are:

So yeah, that is fun! ;D
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: SlowPokemon on March 28, 2013, 05:32:36 PM
Next year I'll be studying music composition in college.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Roz~ on March 28, 2013, 05:35:18 PM
I'm studying translation from English to French and French to English. But mainly from English to French. I'm also taking Japanese classes so that one day I can translate stuff from Japanese. I could also translate stuff from Spanish but I don't really feel like it.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: FallenPianist on March 28, 2013, 07:01:50 PM
I'm studying Aerospace Engineering, hoping to focus on astronautical engineering.

We have absolutely no life during the session, but it's worth it (I hope :P).
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: KefkaticFanatic on March 28, 2013, 09:05:41 PM
I totally thought this was a spambot based on the giant wall of text with one link stuck in the middle.  But I guess not..

I'm an electrical engineering major ending 2nd year of studies.  However, the first 2 years are mostly prereq and fundamentals so I haven't done much EE besides basic circuits and signals courses.

I thought about music when I was younger, but it's one of those things where very few can be truly successful, plus I felt it more of a hobby sort of thing.  The same with my Japanese studies.  I got through the first course in the 3rd year series but had to stop after that because it was just too much work with my other classes :(

Though, I'll probably continue through summer classes or community college at a later time~  That along with Mandarin ^^
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: ETFROXX on March 28, 2013, 09:55:23 PM
I have no fucking clue.

I should figure that out.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: FSM-Reapr on March 28, 2013, 10:32:11 PM
I study with my computer.

THE TITLE IS MISLEADING BTW.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Ricky on March 29, 2013, 01:04:34 AM
Quote from: FSM-Reapr on March 28, 2013, 10:32:11 PMI study with my computer.

THE TITLE IS MISLEADING BTW.

Well, if you have a suggestion for a better title then go on and tell me.

Quote from: KefkaticFanatic on March 28, 2013, 09:05:41 PMI totally thought this was a spambot based on the giant wall of text with one link stuck in the middle.  But I guess not..

I'm an electrical engineering major ending 2nd year of studies.  However, the first 2 years are mostly prereq and fundamentals so I haven't done much EE besides basic circuits and signals courses.

Oh well, I guess I like writing (too much) sometimes. Either way, I've had many preparation courses too such as 5 math courses (plus the one I have now which is called statistics and signal processing (it is what it sounds like)) two physics courses (one with mechanics and wave physics and the other is about quantum/material physics with topics such as the free electron model, semiconductors etc.). Either way we had curcuit analysis first year and the second year has had more EE courses. Except for the math and a project course we had the physics course with semiconductors etc. which I've mentioned, a course with electromagnetic fields which deals with the very basics like Maxwell's equations and I currently have an electronics course and a measurements technology course (with mostly EE specific measurement tasks).

Quote from: FallenPianist on March 28, 2013, 07:01:50 PMI'm studying Aerospace Engineering, hoping to focus on astronautical engineering.

We have absolutely no life during the session, but it's worth it (I hope :P).
I've heard that is one of the hardest types of education. Good luck.  :P


@Jompa, in general I've heard that studying music and getting work after it is quite hard. Firstly there is ofc a big competition as you say, at least in the case of studying performance. You have to have luck to start early in life with music and you have to work really hard. I've heard that even if you manage to get in and complete the education chances of getting a job in music are pretty bad. But don't get discouraged by it. Keep working on it and you will reach your goals. :)
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: FSM-Reapr on March 29, 2013, 01:42:52 AM
I was only kidding lol
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Jamaha on March 29, 2013, 03:36:18 AM
Quote from: Ricky on March 28, 2013, 03:29:27 PMI've noticed that many of you either intend to study music or already do study music. Well, I'm not that lucky I guess. I'm at my 2nd year of my electrical engineering studies.

Hey!

But yeah, electrical engineer here. Third year of a (supposedly) five-year degree, as the majority of students take something like 6-7 years. Officially it's three years for bachelor's and two for master's. Should get my bachelor's degree by the end of this year, so half a year later than the official three years. But yeah, need to write my thesis next fall.

I'm majoring in electronics for my bachelor's degree and minoring in automation. Automation wasn't as interesting as I thought, so I'm probably switching minors for the master's degree. Maybe radio engineering (if next summer ends up being fun) or signal processing.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Jompa on March 29, 2013, 04:37:08 AM
@Ricky, yeah I know, if you want to be successful in music, you basically have to be best! And I don't consider myself there yet - Norway's greatest saxophone player is in the same class as me!!! D: But he's classical, though  ::)
You may have read that I wrote that my school day is extremely long, because we need extra school to get the same opportunities as the normal students. Basically, when I'm done at Foss I have the exact same opportunities as anyone else, so I am by no means bound to become a musician just because I am in music high school. :)
I will be more than satisfied if I can continue playing saxophone as a hobby, perhaps my band will continue after I graduate, or maybe I'll find a big band to play in, or something :)
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: FSM-Reapr on March 29, 2013, 05:24:19 AM
I got my electrician papers after a year of apprenticeship training. Just so I'd have something as a plan B for life. Ya know, kids, money problems, bad economy...

Officially I'm currently on a break from school because of my sickness, but I'm doing my best keeping up with the others so I wouldn't have to spend an extra year in school than I'd have to. This unfortunately means that I won't have a summer holiday this year. It sucks.

But I'm on my way for a MD from jazz music. (<--wow in here I haven't hit the language barrier since last fall!)
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: KefkaticFanatic on March 29, 2013, 09:49:44 AM
Quote from: Jamaha on March 29, 2013, 03:36:18 AMI'm majoring in electronics for my bachelor's degree and minoring in automation. Automation wasn't as interesting as I thought, so I'm probably switching minors for the master's degree. Maybe radio engineering (if next summer ends up being fun) or signal processing.
Yea my "concentration" right now is signal processing, as that has the most interesting sounding classes in my opinion.  The wireless communication one also looked pretty cool though.
Title: What do you study/work with?
Post by: spitllama on March 29, 2013, 04:00:01 PM
I'm a Political Economy major with a minor in Business Administration
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Ruto on March 29, 2013, 05:41:19 PM
Hahahaha XD one of those "me" threads. Warning!!! XD

Anyway I started off college working on a BA in physics and a minor in studio art, then I transferred to another school to work on a BS in chemistry. I'm thinking about adding a minor in math if I can stay an extra semester or something. I think I'll go into astronomy if I can, if not, I think I'm going into physical chemistry. I currently do some research with biocatalytic nanomaterials which is kind of a mix of biochemistry (in the sense that it's chemistry with biological materials) and physical chemistry (synthesizing nanomaterials). One of the other professors is trying to get me to do research with her too. It involves a computer program and structures of proteins...sounds fun but it's a bit more than I can handle right now. It will be a great summer opportunity though xD And it's something to distract the grad schools with in case I do end up going into physical chemistry...my previous two research experiences only involved astronomy (distribution of galaxies and mapping an asteroid) xD There are so many interesting things to study in astronomy that I haven't really decided on a specific area of research yet.

As for non-research work, I've actually found stuff to do in art XDDDDD More as a hobby/favor, though. In photography, it's mostly going to concerts and taking pictures or video of the performers for publicity. Somehow after doing that, I've been talked about going back into drawing/painting/nature photography again and I also get violin lessons with Saria. It's pretty enjoyable as a hobby but I could always practice more.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: KefkaticFanatic on March 29, 2013, 06:32:54 PM
so many smarts.... stop hogging them all :(
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Olimar12345 on March 29, 2013, 06:55:15 PM
Might as well do this too.

I am a Music Ed. major at the University of Houston(third year of college), studying Bass Trombone under the principle of the Houston Symphony. I have also studied composition for 3 years(my catalog has gotten pretty big, too bad I can't show any of it here). I perform with multiple groups around town, and have recorded on two CD's. uuh okay I think that's it I guess..
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: Ruto on March 29, 2013, 10:04:54 PM
Quote from: KefkaticFanatic on March 29, 2013, 06:32:54 PMso many smarts.... stop hogging them all :(

:D :D :D

Hahaha well you're good at what you do too! I didn't even mention my English writing skills or Greek history obsession yet xD
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: BonusPwnage on March 30, 2013, 06:26:40 AM
I'm still in high school, but...
Next year I'm taking pre-calc, biology, french, honors english and AP Euro history. I'm also doing music theory and theater. I plan to major in mathematics or history, with music being a second choice.
Title: Re: What do you study/work with?
Post by: SuperFireKirby on March 30, 2013, 10:57:01 AM
I'm a Biology major, so that way I can get all the gurls.

I'll just be all like "Yo gurl, you wanna do an in-depth analysis of reproduction with me?"