Music Production & Audio Engineering Diploma
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-10-02 | - |
| 2024-01-08 | - |
| 2024-07-08 | - |
| 2024-09-30 | - |
| 2025-01-13 | - |
| 2025-03-17 | - |
| 2025-04-14 | - |
Program Overview
The Music Production & Audio Engineering Diploma program at Point Blank Los Angeles equips students with the hands-on skills and industry knowledge necessary to launch careers in various music industry fields. Through state-of-the-art studio facilities and mentorship from renowned professionals, the program covers essential elements of music production, audio engineering, composition, and sound design. Graduates are prepared for roles such as music producers, audio engineers, film/TV composers, and more.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Music Production & Audio Engineering Diploma is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to begin a career in various fields of the music industry, including music producer, recording engineer, film/TV composer, sound editor, music arranger, artist/performer, studio manager, A&R/label manager, and more. The program emphasizes hands-on learning in state-of-the-art studios, covering essential elements of music production, audio engineering, sound design, composition for film and TV, vocal production, remixing, and advanced mixing and mastering techniques. Students will gain proficiency in using industry-standard software like Ableton Live or Apple Logic Pro X, receive mentorship from experienced industry professionals, and benefit from networking opportunities through masterclasses, events, and industry connections.
Outline:
The program consists of 14 modules spread across four terms, lasting either 12 months (Regular Format) or 9 months (Intensive Format). The curriculum is designed to cover a comprehensive range of topics, including:
Term 1:
- Music Production: Ableton Live: This module provides a comprehensive introduction to music production techniques in Ableton Live, covering MIDI, making beats, melody and harmony, audio warping, recording and editing, audio effects, controllers, Push, sampling, track arrangement, automation, mixing tools (EQ & Compression), finalizing the mix, and advanced Ableton Live features.
- Music Production: Logic Pro: This module offers a thorough grounding in essential music production skills in Logic Pro X, encompassing topics like Logic X overview, drum programming, MIDI editing, drum machine designer, drum synth, music basics, MIDI effects, virtual instruments, audio processing, quick sampler, flex time and flex pitch, Live Loops, step sequencer, creating parts and structure, mixing and final mixdown, and Apple Certified Pro Exam preparation. Students practice sight-reading, aural recognition, dictation/transcription, and explore popular modern music styles.
- Piano Keyboard Skills - Level 1: This module builds confidence in fundamental piano keyboard skills, including scales, chords, melody, harmony, sight-reading, and more. Students learn popular chord progressions from modern music styles, write their own keyboard parts, and develop a strong foundation in musicianship and keyboard performance.
Term 2:
- Music Composition: This module explores the art of music composition, transitioning from technical production skills to the musical elements within a track.
- Production Styles: This module breaks down popular music styles, analyzing recording and production techniques, featured instruments, and the history and culture of various genres. Students gain insights into electronic music, dub, disco, house, hip hop, turntablism, rap, bass music, underground pop, and current trends in dance music.
- Musicianship for Producers - Level 2: This module builds upon Level 1, covering advanced musicianship concepts like chord extensions, voice leading, progressive sight-reading, chord progressions, musical analysis, ear training, dictation/transcription, and aural recognition.
- Piano Keyboard Skills - Level 2: This module advances keyboard skills, incorporating exotic scales, extended chords, melodic articulation, voice-leading, sight-reading, and improvisation. Students learn to craft creative piano parts, improve chart-reading abilities, and apply their musicianship to their productions.
Term 3:
- Art of Mixing: This module dives into the process of mixing audio from start to finish, using Native Instruments software and Waves plugins. Students learn about mixing environments, critical listening, hardware and plugins, starting a mix, controlling dynamics, EQ and separation, reverb, space and depth, echoes and delays, creative mixing techniques, mixing vocals, the mix process, and basic mastering.
- Sound Design: This module explores creative potential through sound design, utilizing Native Instruments Komplete to create unique sounds and enhance productions and remixes. Students learn about subtractive synthesis, wavetable synthesis, frequency modulation synthesis, creating multi-sample patches, sampling and drum design, processing and layering, resampling, Reaktor basics, reconstructing patches, using Reaktor as an effects plugin, and synthesis with Absynth.
- Studio Vocal Production: This module focuses on professional vocal production techniques, covering vocal microphones, preamps, recording techniques, comping and looping, vocal EQ and dynamic processing, FX for voice, compression, editing techniques, creative and corrective auto-tuning, correcting vocal timing, background vocals, studio performance techniques, ad-libs, and communication strategies.
Term 4:
- Advanced Recording & Mixing: This module covers advanced features of Avid Pro Tools, including programming, recording, mixing, and translating techniques from other DAWs. Students experience recording and mixing a live band in fully-equipped studios featuring a 32-channel SSL Origin mixing console.
- Creative Production & Remix: This module focuses on elevating production techniques and know-how, building upon previously learned skills. Students explore remix analysis, extended and creative edits, writing and arranging vocals, advanced drum programming, isolating vocals, working with parts and stems, sampling and resampling, creative effects and automation, versioning, mixdown and automation, a remix challenge, and remixing as composition.
- Audio Mastering: This module provides an in-depth look at audio mastering, taught by professional mastering engineers.
Teaching:
The program employs a combination of lectures, practical exercises, studio sessions, and workshops to deliver its curriculum. The teaching faculty consists of experienced industry professionals, including established producers, engineers, musicians, and music business experts. Notably, students will benefit from mentorship by A&R Director Kwame Kwaten, who has extensive experience working with artists like Jay-Z, Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, and Seal.
Careers:
Upon completion of the Music Production & Audio Engineering Diploma, graduates are equipped to pursue a range of careers in the music industry, including:
- Music Producer
- Music Composer
- Audio Engineer
- Sound Designer
- Film/TV Composer
- Mixing Engineer
- Mastering Engineer
- Independent Producer
- Recording Studio Engineer
- Music Editor
- Studio Vocal Producer
- Production/Engineering Instructor
- Live Sound Engineer
- Audio Editor for Film/TV
- Remix Producer
Other:
The program has a limited class size of 16 students per class, emphasizing individual attention and personalized learning. Point Blank Los Angeles provides exclusive features and partner discounts to students. The program includes free masterclasses, events, and networking opportunities, fostering industry connections and career advancement.
Point Blank Music School
Overview:
Point Blank Music School is a globally recognized institution offering music education in various disciplines. It has campuses in Los Angeles, London, Ibiza, Mumbai, and China, as well as an online platform. Point Blank specializes in music production, DJing, audio engineering, sound design, singing, songwriting, and music business.
Services Offered:
Point Blank offers a range of certificate and diploma programs, both in-person and online, across various music industry disciplines. These programs vary in duration, ranging from 3 months to 18 months. The school also provides access to professional-grade studios and Mac suites equipped with industry-standard software and hardware.
Student Life and Campus Experience:
The school provides access to professional-grade studios and Mac suites equipped with industry-standard software and hardware. Students can expect to learn from experienced instructors and have opportunities to network with industry professionals.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Industry-leading instructors:
Point Blank boasts a faculty of experienced professionals working in the music industry.State-of-the-art facilities:
Students have access to professional-grade studios and Mac suites equipped with industry-standard software and hardware.Global network:
Point Blank has a global network of schools and alumni, providing students with opportunities to connect with industry professionals worldwide.Point Blank Record Label:
The school has its own record label, offering students a platform to showcase their work and gain industry exposure.Academic Programs:
Point Blank offers a wide range of programs, including:
Music Production:
Covers various aspects of music production, including mixing, mastering, and sound design.Audio Engineering:
Focuses on the technical aspects of recording and sound engineering.DJing:
Provides training in DJ techniques, mixing, and performance.Singing and Songwriting:
Offers vocal training and songwriting techniques.Music Business:
Covers the business side of the music industry, including marketing, management, and licensing.Sound Design:
Focuses on creating sound effects for film, television, and video games.Film Scoring:
Provides training in composing music for film and television.Other:
Point Blank offers scholarships and bursaries to support students financially. The school also has a strong alumni network, with graduates working in various music industry roles.
Entry Requirements:
Students seeking to enter the Music Production & Audio Engineering Diploma program are required to provide a content submission for entrance evaluation. Students may register first by clicking Enroll Now, but the entrance evaluation submission must be made prior to signing an Enrollment Agreement and beginning classes. The submission must be an audio recording of a piece of music (at least two minutes in length) which was produced and/or engineered by the student. The content must be emailed to admissions [-a-t-] pointblankmusicschool.com and must be submitted either as a link to content posted online or provided as an attachment in MP3, WAV, or AIF format. All students entering college-level programs at Point Blank must also provide proof of graduation from high school or the equivalent, or take an approved Ability-to-Benefit test. Complete admissions requirements are published in the Point Blank Music School Catalog, found on the Consumer Resources page.
