Program Overview

Music Production & Vocal Performance Certificate

Program Overview

Our 6-month Music Production & Vocal Performance Certificate teaches the most important fundamentals of singing and production, including vocal musicianship, vocal technique, music composition, track building in Ableton Live or Logic Pro and music industry studies. It can also begin your international journey from Los Angeles to London, as it gives you the chance to apply to transfer directly into the second year of a 3-year BA (Hons) degree program at pointblank's London School. Developed and taught by professionals who’ve worked with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Pharrell, Skrillex, and more, this cutting edge college-level program is the perfect start to your musical career.

Courses

• Term 1:
  • Music Composition
  • One of the following courses:
    • Music Production: Ableton Live
    • Music Production: Logic Pro
  • Vocal Musicianship - Level 1
  • Piano Keyboard Skills - Level 1
• Term 2:
  • Singing - Level 1
  • Audio Engineering
  • Music Business

Expert Instructors

• Carol de Leon: Singing
  • Grammy Award winner Carol de Leon has bachelor's and master's degrees in voice performance from UC Riverside and CSU Northridge and deep experience as a recording artist, choir director, and singing instructor.
• Mitch Kaplan: Singing
  • Mitchell Kaplan, an award-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist, has collaborated with icons like Sandra Bernhard, Ana Gasteyer, and Cady Huffman. His songs have been performed or recorded by Chaka Khan, Thelma Houston, Sister Sledge, Sam Harris, and Martika. Kaplan's music has appeared in films, including Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, and his song “If I Travel Up” is featured in the end credits of the documentary Studio One Forever.
• Ted Taforo: Music Production
  • Los Angeles-based musician Ted Taforo, a two-time ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award winner, is known for his powerful saxophone sound, versatility, and unique compositions. His saxophone playing has featured on Grammy and JUNO-nominated recordings, as well as Netflix shows. Ted has collaborated as a saxophonist and horn arranger with artists like Spoon, Telemakus, Efajemue, Chino Corvalan, David Trenching, Jeff Bernat, Duncan Thum, and others.

Career Opportunities

Following a few difficult years of the pandemic, the music industry is now in a period of rebuilding (14% bigger in 2022 compared to 2021) meaning that there are more opportunities than ever to forge a new career as a vocal performer. A renewed interest in gigs, festivals as well as more productions and sync work means that there are lots of options to establish a range of exciting careers in vocals, composing or engineering in the studio or live.

• Perform: Vocalist
• Write: Songwriter
• Produce: Vocal Producer
• Write: Lyricist
• Perform: Artist/Performer
• Arrange: Composer
• Manage: Artist Manager
• Direct: Musical Director
• Compose: Vocal Arranger
• Coach: Vocal Coach

Included with Program

Students in this program receive software included with tuition and enjoy exclusive discounts including but not limited to:

• 50% off Ableton Live Suite
• Pioneer DJ rekordbox 6 worth $149
• Discount on Pioneer DJ equipment
• 50% off Native Instruments Komplete 14
• 70% off Eventide Plugins
• 40% off Serato DJ
• 55% off Roland Cloud Ultimate

FAQ

• Are there any admission requirements?
  • Admission into any college-level program at pointblank requires that the prospective student:
    • Be 18 years of age or older (under age 18 may be accepted only with signed parental consent)
    • Possess a high school diploma or the equivalent
    • Be provided a current pointblank Music School Catalog
    • Sign a School Performance Fact Sheet and an Enrollment Agreement for their program
• What equipment do I need to buy?
  • None at all! Every pointblank student has access to their own fully-equipped workstation in class and during their practical studio work outside of class time. If you decide to purchase equipment for your own home studio, we will be happy to help you arrange student discounts from our leading industry partners including Apple, Ableton, Pioneer, Native Instruments, Serato, Izotope, Waves, and more.
• When are the classes scheduled?
  • For most 10-week courses within in this program, classes meet once per week for 4 hours (with a 15-minute break included) at one of the following session times:
    • 10:00am – 2:00pm (Morning Session)
    • 2:30pm – 6:30pm (Afternoon Session)
    • 7:00pm – 11:00pm (Evening Session)
  • Musicianship and instrumental courses meet once per week for 2 hours each at similar times. Some programs contain up to 3 or 4 courses per quarter, so check the "Key Info" section on each program page to see how many classes you'll be attending each week. Classes are scheduled before the start of each quarter; call for the most up-to-date information on scheduling and class availability. Our facilities are also open for student use six to seven days a week (depending on the quarterly course schedule), giving you valuable studio time to make your music and reinforce your new skills outside of class sessions.
• Do you provide student housing?
  • Our students have many options for housing accommodations near pointblank Los Angeles. Please visit our Student Accommodation page or Contact an Admissions Advisor for more info.
• I work full time. Can I enroll?
  • Yes. Classes are usually available in the evening and on weekends, and we will be happy to arrange a class schedule that works around your other professional commitments. Please check with an Admissions Advisor to see what scheduling options are available by calling or by completing the Contact Us form.
• I'm an international student. Can I enroll?
  • International students have different options for attending pointblank classes depending on their country of origin. These include the B2 visitor visa, the ESTA visa waiver program, and more. We do not offer F or M student visas at this time.
  • Further information for international students can be found here on our International Students USA page. Please call or contact us for assistance.
• Help! My question is not answered here.
  • If you have further questions, please contact an Admissions Advisor or call us directly at . You may also review the pointblank Music School Catalog for complete information about our programs and policies.