Hi guys
Alright,here it goes.Ever since I started playing guitar,i've wanted to attend Berklee.I have gone through their website and it seems like my
dream land
I've been doing some research about the admissions and audition process.So here's the thing.
They keep auditions in India every December.
And i'm finishing school in March '12.So i'll be attending the December '12 auditions.
That gives me around 8 months of solid time for practice.
I'm really serious about getting in and I was wondering if anyone on GMC has experience with Berklee before.

During the course of the next year,i'm planning a rigorous practice schedule.So I would like some advice and tips for that.
Technical areas I want to develop are speed,accuracy,alternate picking,sweep picking etc.
Apart from that,soloing and improvising skills.

So how should I approach this target?

I see this as being a bit like a race - its not a matter of how fast you can run but rather how fast the other runners are. Meaning, its not really a question of how good you can get, but how good other other people at the audition are. I hate to be a party pooper, but you're going to be competing against musicians who probably have many years of intensive practicing and composing, and eight months of intense practice on your part won't be able to compete with those guys, at least not when it comes to technical playing.

You should consider devising a different strategy, like developing your composition skills, or mixing your ethnic music with Western music. Something that will stand out against the "dilalu-dilalu-dilalu" all the other shredders will be doing I could be wrong, but I think they're more concerned with you developing as an individual musician instead of being a technician.

I would try to show that you can handle many different styles and try to show that you will be a good student and be dedicated. Practicing as much as possible won't hurt, but try to not stress yourself out. You will play much better if you are relaxed than if you are nervous. Just do your best. You can't control whether or not other people are better than you.

If you are serious. Try this.

http://picksnlicks.com/Guitar%20Lessons/Ex..._workout_1.html

Remember to stretch and warm-up.

There are quite a few post on Berkley on The Gear Page, your ability to pay might be more of interest to them than your guitar playing ability.

Sorry for not making myself clear,i'm not aiming to shred at the audition. I'm planning to play some Carnatic music (South India Classical music) fused with Western elements,as Mudbone pointed out, for the audition.But to be able to do that requires technical proficiency.
The speed and stuff is just to improve my overall playing and skill level.My goal is not to focus on speed alone.

Yes,eight months is not nearly enough to bring me close to players who've been playing for longer.
Instead my goal is to develop MYSELF and be at a level which is better than where I stand at the moment.

I'm hoping my knowledge and 7 years of experience in my native music will serve as an advantage.

+1 I would approach things in the EXACT manner

Musician =/= shredder



I am sure of it anything original and heartfelt is an unbeatable weapon at your disposal best of luck!!

They definitely care a little too much about your money. It is about 20-40,000 USD a year. I didn't go simply because the school won't make you a better player, only your determination will. Just about anyone can get in, so long as they have the cash. It might even be cheaper to just study at a conservatory if you can.

" I came out not playing that great but with a lot of knowledge of chords and theory."

-Emily Remler

She graduated from Berklee in 1976 at the age of 18. She is an amazing Jazz guitarist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfV7q3NIkQo

I agree.A good guitarist can be from anywhere.I wanna go to Berklee to become a better musician.I want to have a complete working knowledge of theory and the instrument itself.

These books used together will teach you everything you need to know

First off, The entire series for this is fantastic.

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Jazz-Guita...d/dp/073902406X

Use it along with this

http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mar...8120&sr=8-1

All the theoretical knowledge you will ever need.

I applied to Berklee college of music in 2006 and went to Germany to do the audition! It was a great experience and I got offer a good scholarship but in the end I chose LA music academy
Berklee is a very good school and they have great teachers over there
As I remember at audition you had to do a few things
1) play two instrumental songs
2) show some improviasation in blues over standard I-iv- v progression
3) ear training they will be playing note on piano and you have to find it on the neck also they will ask you to play a scale and a few triads
Good luck to you!!!

How hard is the ear training art? Do they play fast runs or just simple melodies?

No it wasn't that hard you just have to know guitar neck pretty well and you'll be alright

This is a very good approach man! I also agree that looking for your uniqueness (as Steve Vai says). If you want to have a intensive training, check Nihilist1 link. Maybe it's a bit long but you can use it as a guide.

Agree with you 100%

That's a very valuable goal to aim at, and all the guys gave great suggestions. I'm not sure what is your current level of theory knowledge, but if you do want to practice something, practice several things at once. Practice finding the root within the pattern, practice over chords/music, and practice combining the chords. Alex mentioned I - IV - V improvisation. If you like, you can check out blues improvisation course that we are doing atm, it contains some useful info and directions on how to properly support the music behind you (in this case, 12 bar blues progression) with your phrases.

I read somewhere that the biggest strength of Berkeley College is to give they students orientation to constantly play with the band.
When you play with other musicians - you learn things that are impossible to learn in any other way...

What he is saying is true, as long as you have your 20-40thousand a year you shouldn't worry too much about the auditions,

Also, as John Petrucci said on his DVD Rock Discipline, he made his own folders for each technique and collected articles and pieces which helped whim work on each technique separately, and he eventually quit Berkelee,

I'm not saying it's not good to go to Berkelee, but there's a whole lot that depends on you and NOT the school you go to,

Or try to look into other small colleges sometimes you can get better education and more attention from teachers it might be more important when you are trying to learn and not just get a diploma