Another month, another batch of former PB students making some serious waves out there in the real world. This is where we show off – like proud parents – recent success stories to give you insight into how music industry careers are established and nurtured right here at pointblank. In June 2016, we’re catching up with the Rio de Janeiro producer and singer Bian whose twilit electronic pop is taking over Brazil and beyond. We’re also checking in with Belgrade techno producer Tim Jackman and hotly tipped DJ and producer Mac White. Want to join them? Check out our London, Los Angeles and Online course pages to begin your own journey to the top.
Bian (Gomus – Complete Electronic Music Production, part of the Music Production Master Diploma)
Rio de Janeiro-based artist Bianca Merhy Fraga knew from childhood that she wanted to create music. However, after learning the guitar and drums as a child, and later starting – then abandoning – her studies in Psychology to find success as a traditional singer-songwriter, she still wasn’t quite sure of her path. pointblank helped cement her career; opting to study remotely on the Complete Electronic Music Production course, she was introduced to production and hasn’t looked back. “Since I began producing my own music, my relationship with it changed and I became more involved in the whole process as a producer as well besides composing, playing and singing.” Changing her artist name from Bianca to Bian to symbolise the break, she has quickly built up a profile.
“Studying music production with pointblank literally changed my life,” Bian continues. “Learning with pointblank made me understand music in another way: I feel like I understand music better. It allowed me not only to be an artist but also to work with the possibility of working composing/producing soundtracks and sound design for TV/film/etc. Music production is so different from jamming or playing a gig. It was groundbreaking to realize that producing my own music is the possibility to create a sonic reality of my inner world. This is the most profound change pointblank provoked in me. ”
Interestingly, the Brazilian label she releases on, Gomus, is run by Guto Guerra and Pedro Guedes – two former pointblank London students. A testament to the wide reach, globally and across the industry, that studying at pointblank helps you achieve.
Mac White (Whoyostro, Berberis and Basswalk Records – Music Production & Sound Engineering Diploma)
Sam McNally, aka Mac White, had some experience as a DJ before he undertook the Music Production & Sound Engineering Diploma in 2014. He was drawn to pointblank because he wanted to boost his production and musical knowledge quickly and effectively: “I was done with trying to teach myself using YouTube tutorials and text book style learning, I wanted to learn from the best; tutors I could listen to who have been there and done it (and are still involved heavily in the scene). When you hear the stories of the tutors journeys and the projects they have and are working on, you really believe what they teach you.” He has since signed his own productions to a number of labels, including Whoyostro, Berberis and Basswalk Records, all due imminently. His DJ profile has also rocketed, playing alongside Route 94, Will Saul and George Fitzgerald.
Furthermore, he is also an Apple Certified Professional in Logic Pro X and works as an Audio Engineer at Soundworks Recording Studio. His career, he says, was catalysed by pointblank and its unique and inspirational environment. “I enrolled on the course interested in music and left the course obsessed with sound,” he states. “For me this is just scratching the surface of what I want to achieve, but without pointblank my vision and direction wasn’t so clear, and that daunting thought of opening up Logic X and making myself produce has taken a full swing, where I struggle to leave it alone with every spare hour I have.
Tim Jackman (EUN Records, Countless Sounds – Audio Mastering, part of the Music Production Master Diploma)
Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, Tim Jackman creates punchy, precise house and techno. Tim – or Milan Mihailovic to his parents – studied the online mastering course, part of the Production Master Diploma, and has since lined up released on Berlin’s EUN Records, Countless Sounds from Berlin and UNT Records from Canada. “I want to say that the course I’ve finished was very helpful to me, providing me with great knowledge in the final process in electronic music production. Now my tracks sound clearer, stronger and ready to be played in any club.”
What’s more, since studying at pointblank, Tim has moved more towards live performance – a direction prompted by his winning three Korg Volcas as part of a PB competition. His most recent release, the Malasava EP is available via his bandcamp now. You can hear some a live performance of his track ‘Micro Exploration’ here.
Want to get out there and start making a name for yourself? Make like these guys and book onto one of our courses. To find out which course is for you, visit our London and Los Angeles course pages to find out more. We’ve got everything from sound engineering and mixing courses to singing, songwriting and music business courses, so if you want to start your career in the music industry, pointblank is the place to be.
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