74 Point Blank Music School reviews

Workshops - classes - 1 2 1’s

Interactive - short hours

8

Excellent

Great

Excellent!

They give us good opportunities to network with musicians and set up good workshops with people in the music industry.

I like how practical and interactive the courses are, however I wish the lessons were longer.

8

Very good, great resources for students.

Amazing

Yes, very supportive to whatever issue you may be having.

In both my modules, both teachers explain thoroughly where it could lead us in the music industry. They both help me learn lots of new skills each lesson and are very supportive.

I love how the teachers use their own careers as examples and showcase their work to us. It makes me feel secure that I'm learning from people who are still making music till this day and have experienced life in the music industry. I don't dislike anything so far.

8

Great!

Good! Been living here all my life

I'm not afraid to ask for support or help in lessons if i don't understand something. My tutors also remind us about booking in one to ones to talk aboit anything which is very helpful to know

Not noticed much input apart from the occasional post on the website for auditions.

I like how it involves all aspects of creating music, recording music and working in the industry. I dislike the lesson structure and the way it is taught as it feels like all the lessons are rushed and I don’t give me much time to practice and learn what Ive have been taught, it’s just 3 and half hours of information thrown at me.

8

The facilities are fairly good. I do t think the sound proofing of the rooms is very good though.

Very exciting and overwhelming. Great for making contacts and hearing about new things.

I think it is very good although I don’t think it is very clear on how to reach out and get the support.

The level of detailed information made available through the business modules is extremely extensive and provides more than enough knowledge to get you started in the industry. Plugged In where music and ideas can be shared and the VLE that connects you to other like minded students is all fantastically networked which is what this industry is all about and can prove to be extremely useful. Point Blank have amazing opportunities for students to take part in and offer some first hand experience within the industry, from the student DJ takeovers to the opportunities to take part in customer feedback with some of their partners like Pioneer. Above all else the level of confidence that seems to grow with the vast, accurate and professional knowledge that is always being passed on, all of which helps to increase employability.

I love the way that classes are very much about being part of a group rather than teacher and student. I like the way we are tested randomly on knowledge we've been learning. I find it extremely useful to be able to access all of the learning material at any time and catch up on anything I have missed. I don't like the fact that at times there are issues with the VLE or changes rolled out and not fully tested before term time, where students are the guinea pigs and reporting faults. I don't like the fact that you only get 20 minutes of 1-2-1 time with tutors fortnightly (I think more time or more frequent is needed) I don't like the fact that at times no examples are given as to how the assignments should be presented and assumptions are made about the level of academic ability. In some cases information changes without notice and explanations whether in the brief or in person are not all that clear. I don't like the fact that Point Blank use freeware (OBS) to stream live classes as the software is extremely CPU intensive and causes a constant sync issue webcam and audio, this was particularly difficult in the media for film module where examples of scores were played in live classes and sound wasn't synced to the pictures for which we were supposed to listen and watch for emotional connections between the two. I don't think that every tutor works to the same high standard during live classes, one in particular who seems to waste a lot of time procrastinating, veering off or changing topic, repeats himself over and over and then gets lost in thought or simply stops talking altogether. The best way for me to describe this experience would be to suggest that its very often like watching someone trying to teach how to erect a piece of flat pack furniture for the first time without any instructions, harsh but often the case. I am disappointed with some of the feedback I have been given for assignments as it has been very vague and not helped me to better my studies moving forward or at times has made little or no sense according to the brief. Tutors are not always online and you may have questions that go unanswered for some time if at all (as has been the case with another particular tutor) and the fact that assignment deadlines take place at midnight on the Sunday of any given week which means that should there be any issues or questions you may have you are unable to make contact with anybody.

2

I am a distance learner so do not benefit from any facilities. However having been on site I can say that all of the facilities are absolutely fantastic and was sorry that my best option was distance learning because I really wanted to spend time at this location.

Again I live 120m miles from the site but have been out in and around the local area and there is plenty within an acceptable radius to accommodate all tastes.

As mentioned previously this is mixed for me, I struggle with mental health issues and at times this has effected my ability to work, focus and understand some of the academic expectations! Members of staff that are available to speak with directly working from the school have all been fantastic and helped me with everything I have ever needed. The tutors that work from home or alternative locations are not always very supportive or tentative, support is often limited (largely due to time) but usually pretty good and enough to help you on your way. One or two tutors though in my opinion have talked over me during 1-2-1 sessions (20 minutes fortnightly)and severely limited the amount of information available in such a short time, tutors given feedback that is not helpful at all in explaining how or why it was given, ie. "great essay but off topic" and tutors not responding to urgent questions close to deadlines.

Pointblank hosts regular masterclasses from artists and industry professionals who provide insights into jobs within the music industry. World renowned record label Columbia records had hosted auditions at Point Blank. There has also been other record labels who've come to scout new talent. Pointblank also notifies students about possible DJ and music production competitions/opportunities.

Liked Most: Courses are extremely hands-on. The tutor explains a concept and gives students the opportunity to try out what's being taught in class. This is a back and forth process and it really solidifies what's being taught. Liked Least: Some courses could've been structured better in terms of their weekly content. In some modules, there's a lot of content to be taught for each week and it seems like the tutors are rushed.

15

The universities facilities are top-notch. There are several studio spaces with industry standard equipment. The only drawback is that these facilities aren't accessible during our breaks. As a student in term-time, we are focused on the courses being taught and working towards finishing our assessments. It is during our breaks that we get to work on projects outside of our class assessments. We also have more time to practice what is being taught in term-time. So, not having the university facilities during breaks isn't ideal.

City life is excellent. There are so many outlets for music in London and never ending list of things to do. Definitely one of the best cities to study and experience life.

The uni is extremely prompt in terms of its support to the students. This extends to the staff and tutors. In terms of academic feedback, the tutors are always approachable and they're always willing to assist the students. The 1-2-1 sessions with the instructors is an exclusive opportunity for all students at Pointblank to get personal feedback/assistance on any matter. There is also a wellbeing team at Pointblank, who offers counselling support to students.

They teach us tips and tricks of the industry and answer questions

I like the hands on approach to everything. Teachers expose us to a lot of valuable experiences. However I do not like how we take classes that are irrelevant to our degree.

16

Pretty good. They need more studios though

Amazing!

Pretty good, their one to one system is a little mediocre though

Currently in year 2 and have to say, Point Blank has exceeded my expectations. Their experience is detailed and based on real life examples. In addition, they are preparing me to a career into the music industry, which previously never thought it was possible. Thanks for such a dedicated team and for the professional delivery.

Based on real life experience!

40

n/a (online course)

great and the team is really passionate

Ups killing in a variety of industry disciplines.

Flexibility is key. Lack of face to face networking is a con.

36

Online VLE needs work.

Love it.

It is helpful, however, it would be better to have more 1-2-1 with tutors in a more focused or standardized manner.

As i can see they make a lot of projects and workshop giving the opportunity to students to make their contacts wider

I like most about hiding spots in different elements like mixing or branding. I don't like basic stuff because i have the knowledge allready .

2