Back in July 2014 we announced the launch of pointblank’s Los Angeles school, and since that time our LA branch has established itself deep in the center of America’s electronic music renaissance. Three years on, we thought it a good time to take stock of our unique connection to the LA scene which has seen us extend the reach of the ‘Best Electronic Music School,’ a title bestowed by DJ Mag and one which we have proudly held for over 9 years.
Our Los Angeles facility is located within Mack Sennett Studios – the legendary and long-standing film studios being a fitting venue for us to establish the LA branch of our 20+ year institution. Built by Mack Sennett (who landed Charlie Chaplin his first movie roles), there have been only five owners of the venue in the 100 years since it was built. With current owner and Head of LA School Jesse Rogg (producer for Sam Sparro and Banks) at the helm, the venue has hosted Oscar after-parties, fashion and photography shoots, plus music videos for the likes of Michael Jackson, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dr Dre.
Since opening its doors, pointblank Los Angeles has seen some of LA’s top industry figures and artists grace its studios. Hip-Hop producer DiViNCi led the first PBLA masterclass in February 2015 and since then we have welcomed legendary DJs and producers including Mix Master Mike, Robot Koch, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Alluxe and Daddy Kev, who have all hosted masterclasses for our student’s benefit. With our PBLA guests’ solid industry credentials now well-established, our gaze is firmly faced to the future to ensure we welcome many more music industry legends through our doors to inspire our students.
Mix Master Mike with PBLA DJ students and instructor Viktor Carillo
As a long-standing and trusted institution, we have built relationships with some of the biggest brands in the world, like Ableton, Pioneer DJ, Arturia and Native Instruments, as well as some of the world’s most well-respected industry professionals. One of the things we pride ourselves on the most at pointblank is the quality and reliability of our instructors. Each of our instructors is selected for their combination of talent, music industry experience and tangible success.
Music Production instructor Tom Wilson aka Sweatson Klank is a perfect example of the calibre of our instructors. An LA legend, he has worked with the likes of Flying Lotus, Mos Def and Just Blaze, as well as with brands such as Nike, Puma, Reebok, Novation, Ableton, Native Instruments and more. “I was the first teacher at PBLA and I’ve seen the school grow so much over the last 2 years,” he says. “For me, a milestone has been watching many of the students who I’ve mentored and become friends with, go on to make great music.”
As Wilson goes on to note, all of the instructors are also active LA-based industry professionals, whose ever-growing experience gets passed directly to our students. “What makes PBLA such a great place to learn is the teachers. All of us are industry working artists/professionals who have years of experience and are all currently active in the music arena. Currently, I am preparing to release a new album, singles, and am starting a record label.
PBLA has been steadily growing since its opening in 2015 and don’t intend to stop any time soon. We have significantly expanded our Los Angeles studios, adding a new DJ studio in 2016 and a third production studio in January of this year. We have also recently had founding N.W.A member Arabian Prince join us at PBLA to teach Music Business, joining our ever-expanding line up of top-level instructors. As an ever-growing establishment, we are constantly thinking of ways to expand and improve our courses and facilities. The last two years have seen us deeply embed our Los Angeles school into the history of pointblank and we are looking forward to watching it grow even more over the years to come.
Thinking of joining us at PBLA? For more information, contact a course advisor or give us a call on 323 282 7660. If you’re calling internationally, use the number +44 20 7729 4884. We are currently offering a free copy of Ableton Suite worth $750 with all our LA production courses, helping you get straight into your studies when you enrol.
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