by Matt Baamonde.

I’d spent the last year and half waiting for one moment.

Every time my fingers touched a guitar, or listened to a piece of music, I’d return to this point in time. Friends or family would occasionally see me lose focus and ask me where my mind had drifted. I’d smile politely and say, “Oh, nowhere… just daydreaming.”

But I knew. I knew exactly where my mind went. I was wrapped around this very moment, considering scenarios: what I’d be doing, and who would be here, doing it with me? I had to be here, because I knew, deep-down, that it was the place that could take me the rest of the way. The "Big Move" that would help me reach my musical dreams.

With such a moment pending, I had so much to look forward to, so much to hope and dream about…

And now, looking back, I probably should have anticipated having quite a bit to fear.

This moment, which I had been so desperate for, was fully realized when I stepped into my dorm room on 150 Massachusetts Avenue, stared out my window over the Back Bay area of the city of Boston, and tried to comprehend all the possibility and opportunity that was around me - waiting for me.

But nothing hit home and made me feel so completely overwhelmed as when I read the words that opened my introductory letter:

“Welcome to Berklee College of Music.”

It’s been several weeks since that day, and I’ve tried countless times to try and describe the way it feels to be here. I tried taking notes on everything that has happened, tried recreating the history and prestige of this school in a few paragraphs, tried to find words that captured all the energy, events, and emotions that are Berklee. In truth, I almost gave up entirely to the phrase, “Words cannot explain…”

Instead, I’ll just describe a conversation I had last night with a few of my buddies from back home.

They all go to different schools and the conversation was about how the first weeks of classes were treating us. One was finding his math and science classes extremely difficult, he was so frustrated with Advanced Calculus and hated doing endless formulas and mentally racking problems. Another was overloaded with law and political studies, saying he’s locked up in his room with books scattered about and wishing he’d get a chance to have some fun.

Then they asked me about my classes. I almost didn’t want to tell them, it didn’t seem humane. But it was just too hard to contain. With intense enthusiasm, I explained how I’d just gotten back from my ensemble class, after playing guitar in my student band to a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s, “Riviera Paradise.”

This is school!
This is college!
This is Berklee!

Welcome to the eXperience!

I welcome you to Berklee X, my new Modern Guitars magazine column where I'll track my experiences throughout my stay at the Berklee College of Music.

And for those of you who already know about Berklee, (and no, for the two hundredth time, not BERKELEY in California) there should be no surprise at my joy and fervor over being here. For those who don’t, (where have you been?) - let me ask you a question.

Do the names Dream Theater, John Mayer, Al Di Meola, Steven Tyler, Mike Stern, Living Colour, Wayne Krantz, Killswitch Engage, and Steve Vai mean anything to you?

The alumni (and those names are just scratching the surface) from Berklee are not the only thing to be wide-eyed about. Over the years, since its foundation in 1945 by Lawrence Beck, Berklee has become one of the most renowned and established music schools in the world.

So what about Berklee separates it from the rest of the music education world?

Often called the “Anti-Conservatory”, the focus is less on classical styles and more on providing a strong education and networking base for students of jazz, rock, gospel and more, as well as technical studies like production and engineering and film scoring.

And, besides the fact that it’s one of the only contemporary-style music colleges to date (with a highly esteemed jazz history), it happens to be centered right in the heart of Boston. Beautiful and modern, yet homey and inviting, Boston is one of the most ideal places where a nineteen year old college student could find himself. It’s impossible not to have something to do here, with countless streets filled with every store, restaurant, and public facility you can imagine, and, because it is home to seemingly hundreds of colleges, it is also home to some of the most attractive young women in the US. : )

Getting back to Berklee, the facilities alone are enough to make you want to rethink the word ‘college.’ I know I did when I first toured the school two years ago. Berklee contains several buildings that stretch across a small portion of Back Bay Boston, mainly up and down Boylston Street and Massachusetts Avenue. Each building has various functions, the main building being the Uchida Building, which is home to most of the school’s administration and instrumental departments- including the world renowned Berklee Guitar Department.

Every room is unique, and contains things that you would never see in a regular university. Where you normally have blackboards, you now have white boards lined with blank music staffs. In place of the teachers’ desks there are pianos or electric keyboards, and, (depending on your instrument and class,) lining the walls are guitar and bass amps, drum kits, and keyboards.

Think “School of Rock” on steroids!

Also, Berklee’s acclaimed MP&E (Music Production and Engineering) Department boasts millions of dollars of recording equipment, most of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Those classes are only available to the elite few late-semester students who are accepted.

So who am I to be going to a school like this?

Well, just a few weeks ago, I considered myself a guitarist - and a good one at that. Having played cello for years throughout elementary, junior high, and high school, I picked up guitar along the way and it has been my instrument of choice ever since. On and off with instructors, I’ve always been dedicated to the instrument and have learned most of the theory and technique of music and guitar on my own.

Most people would call me a shredder, though I shudder at the title, (as much as I like to fly up and down scales and arpeggios with excessive distortion and whammy bar madness.) I go by the stage-name Baazar and have spent most of music career performing with local bands from back home and recording my own solo music in my self-built home studio. Several of my songs have won awards online.

I consider my influences much more diverse than my style. I listen and love all sorts of music from smooth jazz to metal, classical to funk, R&B to country, and even rap. I’ve never been a great jazz or blues guitarist as much as I understand and appreciate the style and theory, which is one of the primary reasons I sought a Berklee education.

Of course, this was all before my placement audition and testing. (Did I mention ‘fear’ before?) Now, after seeing some of the other entering student’s performances, I wonder how I passed those elementary school music classes. To say the least, the first few weeks here have been extremely humbling.

That said, after two weeks of classes, I’ve suddenly found my skills growing exponentially. Each student is required to take a set of introductory courses ranging from Ear Training, Harmony and Arranging, Professional Music Writing Skills, and Intro to Music Technology classes, (granted you don’t test out of them.) Each class is is a prerequisite to the next level and they take up most of the first four semesters. With some of the most laid back instructors (and fellow students and musicians) I’ve ever encountered, I’ve never been so excited for class before.

In addition to the core music class, each student is assigned to an ensemble class (my favorite), where we form student bands and practice sight-reading and performing various tunes in all different styles. Then there are instrumental classes, where each student goes to class to study their primary instrument with students in the same field.

Also, unique to Berklee, are weekly, private, one-on-one instruction sessions. I often wonder why this class is only half an hour long as it’s probably the best half hour of learning I’ve had so far here. After two classes, I’m finding myself comprehending and playing things I considered way out of my league as a guitarist.

With all the craziness that makes up and surrounds Berklee, it shouldn’t come as a shock to say that I found the inspiration for this column after returning home from the first official Berklee hockey game in its history. That’s right, hockey! Berklee has an official hockey team, (its only official sport.) I’ve never seen such enthusiasm from the few hundred fans that attended, where Berklee skated to victory against Emerson, 10-7, in the highest scoring hockey game I’ve ever seen.

Now that the year has begun, I can only imagine what lies in front of me. I wonder how I will look back at this time upon graduation, and can only dream of the abilities, skills, resources, and friends I’ll have as a, hopefully, well-rounded (and well-grounded) musician.

I guess this what they call ‘Opportunity Knocking’.
I guess this what they call a once in a life-time experience.
The Berklee eXperience or Berklee X.

I’ll do my best to make the most of it, and to bring all of you along for the ride.

And so, this concludes the first edition of Berklee X. Please email me any questions or comments. I’d love to hear from all aspiring and established musicians, especially Berklee alumni or anyone looking into attending Berklee.

So far, so good…

All the best,
Matt Baamonde
“Baazar”