At pointblank we regularly raid our contacts book to invite established names to take part in guest artist masterclasses. Featuring a diverse selection of artists from across the electronic music spectrum, these sessions not only give a revealing insight into the creative processes of successful musicians but also provide a great opportunity to mine insider industry knowledge. What follows is a round-up of recent guest masterclasses we’ve hosted, from track deconstructions to in-depth interviews, both here at the school and elsewhere under the pointblank banner. Now kick back, press play and learn a thing or two. And remember, if you want to be the first to catch these interviews and live events make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel. Of course, if you can envision yourself doing your own guest masterclass one day, the best first step would be studying us at pointblank. Throughout June, we’re offering a 10% discount off all London BA (Hons) degree and diploma courses, so there’s no better time to start your journey. To get your discount, just go to the enrolment page of your chosen course and enter PB10.
Roger Sanchez on: DJing, Creativity & Ableton Live
Roger Sanchez is one of the most influential house producers ever. That may be a bold claim but it’s one supported by his array of high profile remixes, influential productions and famed DJ sets. From winning a Grammy for his remix of No Doubt to chart success with his number one single ‘Another Chance’ not only has the S-Man conquered the global music scene, he’s also smashed the underground with his array of aliases and styles. We invited him to pointblank London to quiz him on a broad catalogue of subjects, including his approach to DJing, production, technology and his new compilation for Defected: Strictly Roger Sanchez.
Solomon Grey ‘Broken Light’ Track Masterclass (Logic Pro)
As Solomon Grey, London-based Tom Kingston and Joe Wilson mix acoustic instruments with electronics and sound design, creating a sonic calling card that’s both organic and synthetic in equal measure. Unsurprisingly, their soaring, widescreen sound was tapped by the BBC as the soundtrack for their The Casual Vacancy adaptation, but with Solomon Grey music also finding a home on labels as diverse as from Black Butter Records and Anjunadeep, you never quite know where they’re headed next. Here they break down their track ‘Broken Light’ in a Track Masterclass spot.
Lane 8 ‘Undercover’ (Ableton Live Track Breakdown)
US-born, Leipzig-based house producer Lane 8 is one of the rising stars of the Anjunadeep label. Walking the line between chill, home listening and emotive club banger, the man born Daniel Goldstein has earned support from the industry’s great and good – not least Pete Tong who singled him out as a future star. We invited him to deconstruct his track “Undercover”, taken from his debut album Rise.
Cazzette ‘A State of Bliss’ Track Masterclass
Swedish duo Alexander Björklund and Sebastian Furrer have been making music under their Cazzette monika since 2011, breaking through a year later with the massive club smash “Beam Me Up”. Known the world over for their powerful and punchy EDM productions, we invited them to the PB studio to talk us through the aptly titled “A State of Bliss” using FL Studio.
Hannah V – ‘It Ain’t Right’ Track Masterclass (Logic Pro X)
Hannah V has done a lot in her short career. As well as working with seminal production squad Bugz In The Attic to touring the world with artists like Rihanna, Jessie J, Sugababes, Jason Derulo and many more, she’s managed to find time to kick start her solo career in impressive fashion. With her new track ‘It Ain’t Right’ already making waves, we decided to pay her London studio a visit to find out more about her background, her creative process and how she put the track together using Logic Pro X.
Flux Pavilion & Matthew Koma ‘Emotional’ Track Masterclass
Flux Pavilion’s expert sound design and composition skills quickly turned him in to one of the biggest acts in modern dance music. While still living in student halls, his track ‘I Can’t Stop’ was given Radio 1’s acclaimed ‘Hottest Record in the World’ label, pushing him even further into the mainstream. He’s since produced for The Prodigy, Major Lazor and Example as well as remixing DJ Fresh, Skrillex and many more. Of course we had to head to his studio to find out how he does it.
DJ Yoda: DJing, Serato and Visual Masterclass @ Take Note 2015
For the past 20 years, DJ Yoda has been defining and re-defining DJ and mash-up culture, combining styles and genres across decades and continents. We asked him to join us for a masterclass at 2015’s inaugural Take Note – a brand new educational conference for the music industry. He shows us how he uses Serato and Pioneer’s DJM-S9 mixer for his AV show as well as talking about his DJ history and how he sees DJ technology evolving.
Stefano Ritteri (Defected, Dirtybird): Ableton Live Masterclass @ Take Note
Stefano Ritteri is a DJ, label owner and pointblank instructor who has released music on some of the leading house labels in the world, including Defected and Dirtybird. When pointblank was asked to host the second room at Take Note, we of course invited Stefano. Here he discusses his background and his approach to remixing in Ableton Live, taking a deep dive into Christian Nielsen’s Beatport chart-topper ‘Do You Mind’.
If you want to benefit from pointblank’s exemplary network of connections, learn from industry professionals and kick start your own career in the music industry, you should join us. Our BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering degree is the pinnacle of what we offer and gives you a 360-degree view of your options in the industry. Our courses are developed by professionals who have worked with Pharrell Williams, Chemical Brothers, Swedish House Mafia and Massive Attack and modules cover music composition, DJing, live sound engineering, music business and much more. Validated by Middlesex University, you won’t find a better way to immerse yourself in your passion for music. Find out more about our BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering degree here.
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