Student Remixes Released on Tutor's Label

Point Blank tutor Danny J Lewis recently offered up his track ME2U to anyone who wanted to have a go at a remix with the best ones to be released on his Enzyme Black imprint. He got a healthy response from willing producers resulting in a great package of Danny’s original version plus seven hot remixes. This included versions by Point Blank students Hans Berg, and Logistix who completed the Deep and Soulful Pro Prodcuer Course and the Remix Pro Producer Course.

Danny talks about the interesting way this idea came about and what he thinks of the final results in an interview on Niall Redmond’s Digital Groove show on Irish radio channel, RTE Pulse. You can listen to that and preview the tracks from the release over at his soundcloud page.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to win a FREE COURSE

If you follow our tweets, and blog posts you will probably have realised that we LOVE giving you opportunities to win things and this month is no different!

We are running the YouTube subscriber competition again and the lucky winner will receive a free music production course at Point Blank! All you have to do is subscribe to our YouTube channel and you'll be automatically entered into the prize draw.

The winner will be able to choose a 4 week Pro Producer course online or attend one of our London based weekend courses - for free!

All YouTube subscribers are treated to our exciting series of free weekly tutorials. Taken from our acclaimed range of 4 week genre based music production courses, each tutorial reveals music production techniques as used by the pro’s. The current series is:

How to Write a Song: A series of 5 in-depth tutorials featuring professional songwriter Jony Rockstar (who has worked with Sugababes, Amy Winehouse and Alicia Keys) recording a track with singer Ms D in the studio and editing it in Logic 9.

In addition we will be uploading a series of monthly celebrity masterclasses and Q & A sessions including:

Tommy D (Jay Z, Kanye West, Kylie Minogue)
Ben Westbeech (Strictly Rhythm, Brownswood Recordings)
Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams, Katie Melua)
Paul Epworth (Kate Nash, Florence & The Machine, Bloc Party)

And there are plenty more exciting videos to come...

To enter into the Point Blank prize draw, subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

Then email us at nick@pointblanklondon.com with your YouTube user name, the closing date for the competition is the Friday 5^th November, so get subscribing now for your chance to win!

(Please note that this competition is for new subscribers only)

FREE Online Live Stream Pro Producer Masterclass - Groove Clinic

Exciting times prevail at Point Blank as we prepare to step into the growing realm of live internet broadcasting. That’s right, we are giving you the opportunity to watch as a pro producer guides you through popular music production techniques live on screen.

We know that not everyone can make it to our college in London so for all you music-makers worldwide, this is as close to being in the studio with our team of pro producers ...as you can get!

The first broadcast is scheduled for Thursday 7th October through our new Point Blank Livestream channel and will be on the topic 'beats and groove'.

For a short period only the broadcasts will be FREE and OPEN TO ALL – ie. you do not need to be a Point Blank student to watch.

For those that enrol at Point Blank Online you will have access to an even deeper level of 1-2-1 interaction. In the private forum and weekly web chats, students are able to pose questions directly to their tutor and classmates. On top of that, our system of Direct Video Response™ allows you to upload your projects each week and receive a personalised feedback video analysing your track with an instructional voice over, revealing tips and tricks to take your music to the next level.

So be sure to tune in to Point Blank at 6pm UK time (5pm GMT), Thursday 7th October for an exclusive taster of the music production courses at Point Blank Online.

1 Year Diploma Students Get Free Online Resources

Previously available as a part-time only qualification, the 1 Year Diploma is full-time and comes with as much practice time as you can handle in Point Blank’s state-of–the-art studios. As well as access to the Point Blank studio facilities 7 days a week, students on the Intensive Diploma course now gain unprecedented access to a range of online resources from the online music production school, content which retails for £3225 but which is free for Intensive diploma students: Logic Beginners, Logic Intermediate, Sound Design, Art of Mixing and Songwriting.

This is Point Blank's flagship product for those hungry to learn - fast!

Songwriting Competition with Jony Rockstar

Songwriting is a tricky old game to get into; not only does it take a lot of talent to write a song, but you also need valuable contacts if you want to get writing for the top artists. To celebrate the launch of our new Songwriting Course, us here at Point Blank have set up a pretty swanky competition and are offering you the chance to bag some prizes that will give you a kickstart in your songwriting career.

Using a host of tracks and stems provided by renowned top songwriter, Jony Rockstar (who has written and produced for top ten artists including Sugababes, Amy Winehouse and Alicia Keys), you can write a song of your own over the backing track, arrange the parts in whatever order you want and remix before the laying down the vocals; the song is your oyster, so to speak, and you're free to be as creative as you wish.

So if you fit the bill of lacking the industry contacts and possess the talent to write amazing music then this competition is a tailored fit.

Jony himself will be listening over each and every track to decide who will get the chance to spend a day with him in the studio... oh, did we forget to mention that? Furthermore, the winner will also receive a free place on the Songwriting Course, taught by Jony Rockstar, as well as a yearlong free subscription to Soundcloud and the opportunity to have your music signed to Point Blank publishing.

Deadline for track submissions is 1st November so you have plenty of time to knuckle down, write a song and impress Jony with your talent. Backing tracks and stems can be heard below, but for full details and guidelines on how to enter the competition click HERE.








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The Weekend That House Built

Next up for Point Blank's Pro Producer Weekend series is Deep & Soulful House, which will take place over 9th and 10th October at Point Blank's studios in Hoxton, London. As with all of the Pro Producer Weekend courses, they are based on the popular online courses whereby students learn all they need to know about music production while focusing on the genre they love. This time around, online Deep & Soulful tutor, and all-round house honcho, Danny J Lewis will be mentoring the students, who will benefit from an intimate learning experience within a small class environment for this exclusive session.

Otherwise known among the deep and soulful house community as Enzyme Black, Danny's years of experience have led to him working with massive labels including Defected, Ministry of Sound, XL Recordings, as well as credits with artists and DJ's such as Gilles Peterson, David Morales, Kenny Carpenter, Todd Edwards, Todd Terry, and Danny Rampling to name but a few.

The Deep and Soulful House course hones in on all styles across the board from Chicago to Detroit to New York and the UK; the classic flavour of major players Kerri Chandler, Charles Webster, Marshall Jefferson and Defected Records, through to the modern raw vibe of deep cats such as Theo Parrish, Omar S and Delano Smith.

Below are a selection of the best from a great bunch of soulful house tunes produced by our past students of the online Deep and Soulful House course. Crank up and check the vibes!


House - Student Tunes by Point Blank


The Deep and Soulful House Weekend course takes place at Point Blank (23-28 Penn St, London N1 5DL) on Saturday and Sunday 9th and 10th October from 11-7pm on both days and is already heavily subscribed. But if you want to snap up a late place, call David now on +44 (0)207 729 4884 OR email david@pointblanklondon.com OR book online at www.pointblanklondon.com.


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New Learning Opportunities at Point Blank

This September, Point Blank unveils 5 brand new year-long courses designed to give more choices to students. Specially crafted following extensive research amongst the 800 strong onsite student body, the courses will further cement Point Blank’s reputation as the ‘Best Music Production and DJ School’ as voted by DJ Mag on six occasions:


1. Intensive Music Production and Sound Engineering Diploma

Fastrack your way to expert music production by taking a 6 module Diploma in one year with two lecture days per week. Comprehensive, intense and thorough this whirlwind option will change the way you see, hear and feel music.

2. Music Production Certificate (Logic)

Featuring Apple’s audio software Logic in Introduction to Production, Native Instruments programs in Sound Design and finishes with Art of Mixing. A fantastic year of learning!

3. Music Production Certificate (Ableton)

Pioneering software Ableton Live is finding favour with DJs, producers, remixers and bands alike. In this course you get to grips with all the facets Ableton Live can offer you whether in the club, studio or performing live.

4. Sound Engineering Certificate

Introduction to Production, Sound Engineering and Art of Mixing are combined in the Sound Engineering Certificate to give a rounded approach to those who wish to be able to record live instruments/bands professionally as well as produce great records.

5. Music Business Certificate

Due to popular demand from students on our 3 month Music Business module, Point Blank now offers a year long program designed to leave no stone unturned in your quest to learn every thing possible about how to succeed in the music business.

All the above courses start in late September 2010 and are already heavily subscribed. But if you want to snap up a late place, get in touch now on 0207 729 4884 and ask for David or email david@pointblanklondon.com or visit our website at www.pointblanklondon.com. Otherwise, courses begin in January 2011; those interested should enrol now though to avoid any disappointment.