New Dubstep Production Course!

[Doctor Doctor]

We at Point Blank are happy to announce that we've added a new course to our online curriculum. The Dubstep course is aimed at users of Ableton Live and features unique one-to-one tuition from a pro music producer, using Ableton you will create a complete Dubstep track incorporating authentic drum sounds, bass patches, leads and effects.

Check the full course outline here: http://www.pointblankonline.net/dubstep ... n-live.php

At the helm for the Dubstep Course is Jonny Miller, acclaimed producer, DJ and label manager who has racked up releases on labels including Aquatic Lab, Sidestepper Recordings, K7 and Twisted Funk. Jonny will examine a broad range of production techniques from bass heavy dubs through to more techno influenced flavours.

Point Blank takes a unique approach to online learning. Having worked through a weeks worth of exclusive course materials, each student submits an assignment. In return, they receive a unique one-to-one feedback video (Direct Video Response™), in which a pro music producer analyses their track and offers technical and creative advice.

In addition to one-to-one video feedback, tutors also host a weekly live Masterclass where students can discuss music industry topics, raise technical questions and share information. Course materials including video tutorials, project files, audio resources, DVR™ and detailed course notes are available to students for a full year from enrolment.

Class sizes are strictly limited and enrolment is now underway. If you would like to learn more then check out the course page where you can view a full summary of the courses and watch free sample videos:

http://www.pointblankonline.net/dubstep ... n-live.php

So please comment freely as all feedback and opinion is very welcome and if you've got any questions or queries just post them on here and I'll get right back to you.

Cheers for reading!

Luke (Point Blank)

[3phase]

i give up .. lets all spam a bit around here now

[macmurphy]

Seriously? A Dubstep production course? Whatever happened to people just making the music they feel, rather than the music they have been taught to produce?

[flippo]

Seriously? A Dubstep production course? Whatever happened to people just making the music they feel, rather than the music they have been taught to produce?

dubstep is a club that people join

[oneummon]

Jonny is an old broken beat cat, so he's got some knowledge beyond generic dubstep wobble.

[Doctor Doctor]

Well thanks for the responses, even if some are negative.

The negative comments seem to be centered on the fact that they you simply don't want to see a Dubstep Production Course being taught. While this may be case, I'd like to know why you would be so against the idea?

Although some maybe be already well expereinced with making music there are lots of people out there who want to learn as much as possible and maybe want to be shown by a professional how to achieve their goals of making their own tracks to a high standard.

Some people may have little time to commit to learning the skills of production alone and with the aid of free interent tutorials or they may simply wish to speed up the process to some degree or they may simply want to ensure that they learn from a professional rather than picking up any bad habits (which are often seen in free tuts) or not learn the full potential of their DAW.

We don't wish to teach students how to attain a certain generic sound or 'to sound like...', we want to arm students with the skills and techniques to go and use their creativity and potential to create their own original, unique and forward thinking tracks.

The fact is that we consistently have students on the same course coming away having produced a whole range of unique sounding tracks, we have never seen a class of students all producing the same sounding tunes. For examples of past student tunes from other courses you can check out:

http://www.pointblankonline.net/fre...ured-tracks.php

If anyone wishes to post some constructive criticism after checking out the full course details I'd be happy to answer and we do strive to take all the comments on board so we can continually improve.

We honestly feel that this is a great course and we have worked hard with extensive course development to ensure that we deliver a service to the highest standard. We also feel that this course will be of genuine interest to some of the Ableton forum users.

So yeah, please continue to comment freely, and post any questions or queries you have and I'll get back to you right away.

Many thanks for reading,

Luke (Point Blank)

[macmurphy]

Fair points all well made Luke. I was a bit dismissive, probably down to the early hour and lack of coffee

It's not that i don't want to see a Dubstep Production Course being taught (or any other genre specific course for that matter!). If it helps people learn about the ins and outs of their software and teaches them production skills then that's fantastic.

I suppose when it comes to making music i just don't aim for any particular sub-genre (although i end up labelling it idm/electronic for Soundcloud etc.) and i must admit i get a bit perplexed when people do.
Maybe it's a failing of mine. Should i be more focused? I don't know.
Maybe i already am focused and don't realise it

Neil.

[UKRuss]

What you need is a course.

However, I do think £300 notes on how to make dubstep is taking it a bit too far. Reason being that a production course is a production course, the principals remain the same regardless of genre, so for that reason alone having a dubstep specific course does seem to smack a bit of cashing in on a fad.

Now a Tarnce course, that would be worth £300.

[3phase]

"..you know that a genre is dead when people show up that pretend to teach the style.."


people should offer a production course... point.. and than tell that its based or focused on dub step techniques..

you never can teach the style anyway.. its all just techno..
sequenced and modulated electronic sound sources & dub mixing techniques...
thats the common denominator of all tech styles

[nylarch]

Interesting topic - I mean it would be appropriate to take a "blues" guitar course, although most people would probably just study guitar in general.

"..you know that a genre is dead when people show up that pretend to teach the style.."

My rule of thumb is its jumped the shark when it appears in a cover story in CM which means dubstep died last summer I think. Which is kind of true. Early dubstep was so sinister and cool (I'm thinking Loefah,etc.) and now its so rave-y and annoying.

[macmurphy]

What you need is a course.

I'll give a grand to anybody who can increase the likelihood of the thoughts in my head translating well into the written word

This fence is uncomfortable, so i'll hop off.

I've been thinking about this and i've come to the conclusion that if you need to be taught how to produce in a particular style then you probably have no clue about that type of music in the first place. In which case you should steer clear.

Early dubstep was so sinister and cool (I'm thinking Loefah,etc.) and now its so rave-y and annoying.

True. Somebody seems to have pulled it's teeth and clipped it's claws.

[tw1nstates]

I donno,

I wish someone had a course on making house music when i started out.

Would have saved me a couple of years of pissing about i reckon. . .

What's wrong with teaching a specific genre?

I think this whole debate and the one on Toms thing is a bit backward.

If you were an artist and studying you would learn how to draw and paint firstly, (it's better to be taught than learn yourself as you learn faster) then you would learn about certain styles and techniques then eventually you incorporate all of your knowledge and start making your own stuff.

once you know the rules inside out then you can break them with far greater ease success and you are more likely to come up with something creative. . .

Better that way that struggling to work it out yourself for years

[Doctor Doctor]

It's good to see a healthy amount of discussion around the course(s) we offer!

I just wanted to post a quick update:

After engaging in a good degree of discussion on this and lots of other forums, there seemed to be a significant amount of critical opinion toward the video we were featuring on the Dubstep Course page. This video is meant to be a taster to what to expect from the course and drum up some excitement for what we're offering.

So I then went away and chatted to the course developer, so we have now put together a much better video providing a better insight into what to expect from the course and the kind of topics covered.

Check out the latest course video taster here:

http://www.youtube.com/pointblankonline ... AfbQtFEf-0

Let me know what you think, and please continue to comment and ask questions freely by posting on here and I'll get back to you right away.

Oh yeah, and remeber to check out the full course page:

http://www.pointblankonline.net/dubstep ... n-live.php

If anyone's interest in enrolling get doing so soon as it all kicks off early may and places are limited.

Many Thanks,

Luke (Point Blank)

[swishniak]

I've been thinking about this and i've come to the conclusion that if you need to be taught how to produce in a particular style then you probably have no clue about that type of music in the first place. In which case you should steer clear.

well put.

i have a degree in performing music "in a certain style" and it made me hate it.

[ciw]

I've been thinking about this and i've come to the conclusion that if you need to be taught how to produce in a particular style then you probably have no clue about that type of music in the first place. In which case you should steer clear.

I disagree. I think it's possible to appreciate a certain style of music, understand it and what you're aiming for when producing it, but to have not mastered the technicalities of achieving "that sound". While that sound may be a cliche, you have to understand it so you can move on from it and do what you want to do, otherwise you'll be disappointed that your own productions, despite being innovative, don't have the quality of the existing classics.

Like Miles Davis said (maybe?) you have to learn the rules so you can break them properly.

Not that I actually like dubstep, but that's irrelevant to the discussion...