It’s well documented that music, and in particular electronic music, has traditionally been a male-dominated industry. Thankfully, there are loads of fantastic artists and initiatives working tirelessly to rectify this and make a change.
This International Women’s Day, we are celebrating some of the exceptional women who have joined us at pointblank for thought-provoking talks, essential music production and DJ masterclasses, plus more. Tune in below.
Anna Lakatos: Modal Synth Live Performance and Setup Overview in Ableton Live
In this tutorial, Anna Lakatos aka Anna Disclaim, pointblank lecturer, Native Instruments Product Specialist and Ableton Live Certified Trainer, gives us a glance into her live set-up and how it all works.
Using Ableton Live to host the performance, Ableton’s Push 2 to navigate the arrangement and perform live loops, Native Instruments’ Maschine+ via Ableton Link, a Novation Launch control for effects and 2 Modal synths to jam along with, Anna shows how she delivers a hypnotizing live set.
Sara Simms: How To Make a Techno Track w/ Captain Plugins & Mixed In Key 10
pointblank alumni, Sara Simms, is a captivating DJ, turntablist and multi-instrumentalist electronic music producer who’s known for her love of music technology. In addition to being championed for her techno sets and turntablism skills, she’s the founder of the record label, Simmetry Sounds.
For this special live masterclass, we were joined by DJ/producer Sara Simms to showcase how to make a techno track using Captain Plugins and Mixed In Key 10.
Flava D: ‘Happy’ – Track Breakdown
Flava D has been on our radar for years with her blend of Garage, House, Grime, Funky and Bassline. With tracks out on labels like Butterz and Local Action, it’s not like we’re the only ones, either. For her meet up with DJ Ravine, we get a look under the bonnet of her track ‘Happy’.
A producer since the age of 16, Flava D is a musician who relies completely on her inner sense for a melody. With no formal training or more than a passing knowledge of theory and terminology, she works with a melodic precision that suggests the exact opposite.
Lily McKenzie: How to Write, Record and Produce Your Own Vocal Tracks
For this masterclass, we were joined by Lily McKenzie to break down her track ‘You Don’t Know’ and showcase how you can work as both a vocalist and producer simultaneously by exploring songwriting, production and vocal recording techniques.
Establishing herself with a series of high-profile collaborations with some of the biggest names in grime and UK funky, Lily McKenzie has worked with the likes of Giggs, Stanton Warriors, Crazy Cousinz and Yxng Bane, to name a few.
Risa T: How to Make an Acid Bassline with the TB-303
In this video, our Course Content Developer Risa T takes a closer look at the software version of the iconic TB-303 bassline synth from Roland Cloud.
Released in 1981, the TB-303 played a key role in the development of electronic music and cultural movements. It’s best known for its squelching, hypnotic sound, which was later coined as the sound of “acid”. Now, decades later, the synth is available in a software version from Roland Cloud – and we’re here to show you the ins and outs of it.
If you’re feeling inspired by any of the sounds or tutorials from the amazing artists above, we offer a number of courses in Music Production & Sound Engineering, DJing, Radio Broadcasting, Singing and Songwriting and more in London, Los Angeles, Ibiza and online.
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When you register with pointblank, you access an array of free sounds, plugins, online course samples and much more! Simply register below and visit our Free Stuff page to get your hands on a range of exclusive music-making tools and tutorials provided by the team. Fill your boots!