Preparing for music school is an exhilarating time in every musician’s life. You’re about to leave home and embark upon a creative journey to master your craft. As you frantically text your new roommate to make sure you’ve crossed all your T’s and dotted all your I’s, it’s easy to forget about the supplies you may need for music school. Here are some essentials that I never realized I needed until I arrived:
- High quality headphones
-
You’ll be listening to (and recording) a LOT of music during your career, so it’s important to invest in a solid pair of headphones. Airpods are great, but there are other wireless pairs that you may want to try.
- A 3-hole puncher
-
A lot of music needs to go into three-hole binders, especially if you’re in a vocal ensemble. Owning your own hole-puncher will save you dozens of trips to the library or school of music office!
- Tons of binders
-
These are a must for most ensembles. Purchase some sturdy, solid black binders for vocal ensembles and symphony orchestra. Any extras you have will come in handy for music theory courses.
- A portable music stand
-
For some reason, these necessary commodities are often scarce in every music school. You never know when you’ll be in a rehearsal or practice space that doesn’t have many (or any) music stands available. Always bring your own, just in case. As many people say, it’s “better safe than sorry.”
- All the concert black you own
-
Musicians wear black constantly for performances, mostly because it’s the easiest color to coordinate with others. Bring a variety of different clothing items and accessories to accommodate various performance spaces. Some concert halls are freezing cold, while some practice rooms are blazing hot.
- Song books and sheet music
-
You’ll certainly acquire more during your time in music school, but bring whatever music you have. You never know when that old Essential Elements book will come in handy during string methods!
- A metronome
-
While there are a multitude of excellent metronome apps for cellular devices, it’s always helpful to own a hand-held metronome. These are often more consistent and accurate in keeping time; therefore, you’ll be a better musician for practicing with these.
- Manuscript paper
-
A lot of courses, including written theory, require you to sketch out different notes and chords on a staff. Owning several sheets of manuscript paper will save you hours of hand-drawing perfect staffs. Another music school hack is purchasing a Quik Staff pen that beautifully draws five lines in seconds!
- Post-it tabs
-
Mini post-it notes or post-it tabs will come in handy to organize your music. It’s incredibly helpful to color coordinate tabs for different ensembles so you’re not fumbling trying to find music during your many rehearsals!