MMS 172 - BLOG 2
Conquering the Waves
The Alchemy of Sound Design
Tapping into the world of audio recording and production has been a transformative experience for me. As a clueless beginner, diving into basics of what audio is, how it is produced and how we process it was a refresher course I didn’t know I need. One of the most interesting theoretical aspects that we covered in Unit I of the MMS 172 course was the noise exposure levels. I own an Apple Watch and I frequently get notifications telling me that my environment is too loud, I often think that it’s a glitch in the operating system. I mean, things can’t be THAT loud. But true enough when I downloaded and used the sound meter, such notifications usually happens when my surroundings go over 85dB – which I now know is bad for my ears.
Unit II is where things started becoming more interesting as we navigate audio production. Working on my pre-production plans got me excited and hyped up about the course. The excitement started because I invested in new gadgets I can play with; it peaked as I started working on my pre-production plans. Of course, it had a lot to do with working on a project with my son, but it’s also because it felt empowering applying the technical skills I was reading about. Applying room acoustics in my make-shift studio was the highlight of Unit II for me. I guess not getting a refund on my sound meter app was a blessing in disguise. After doing the sound meter trial activity, my interest in knowing my surroundings’ decibel levels made me reach for the app more often.
Diving into post-production got me questioning myself at first. Am I applying the correct effects? Should I apply compressions first, or noise reductions? Does the order of application matter? Ultimately, I rediscovered that YouTube does wonders when it comes to tutorials. It became my best friend for the remainder of the course. I learned more about mixing audio book recordings; I also asked Sir Al for samples and for advice on what makes a good voice recording output. The main takeaway is mixing audio and what makes a good mix is entirely up to your satisfaction. So, for the final project, I went with less effects and focused on making a good recording instead.
Collaboration: A Resonant Symphony
Out of all the bonus activities I participated in, working with Nhel, Miki and Phoebe on the collaboration activity was the most rewarding. Despite the distance, the whole process went smoothly – from choosing the song we’ll cover, to working on our recording techniques to make the mixing part easier. Although I’m not much of a singer, practice made me better. I played the original cover song too many times that my son who barely speaks Filipino started singing it too. You can listen to our output here.
Evidently, I discovered that audio production was a dance between technology and creativity. My chosen digital audio workstation (DAW) became my playground – a place where raw sound is turned into art. As I drag points and stacked tracks, I learned that sound is not just a collection of vibrations, but a palette of colours waiting to be mixed and manipulated. In the end, I orchestrated a symphony of possibilities – conquering the waves that allowed me to narrate and immortalise my life story.
The Art of Listening and Critique
As I continued to navigate the waves, I got to hone my technical skills and improve my critical listening skills. I explored the nuances of audio and slowly learned to distinguish a well-balanced mix from a chaotic one. Critiquing my work and that of peers taught me that quality lies in the details. I enjoyed reading through my classmates’ blog and finding comfort knowing that I wasn’t alone in the journey. In general, I find that most of us second-guessed ourselves in the beginning and had little to no trust that we’ll make it through the course. But eventually, we all figured it out in the end and learned that with a little patience and extra dose of motivation, we’ll make it through. Suffice to say, I think we all did well this term, at least those that I had the chance of reading through their journey.
The Echo of Growth
Reflecting on this journey, I realised that I find myself immersed in the reverberations of a course that has transformed my perception of sound. The course added a new skill that I can continue to hone as a working professional and as a multimedia student. In fact, I find myself eager to incorporate audio in most of my coursework this term. Apart from expanding my technical expertise, MMS 172 developed my creative instincts and honed my ability to collaborate and manage projects. Each lesson, challenge, and success has contributed to my richer understanding of sound and its possibilities.
As I move forward, I hope to carry the echoes of this experience to my other works, not just in UPOU, but also in my work as a creative professional. I can say that I am ending this trimester with an enriched perspective, a refined skill set, and a new passion for audio production. And so, with every beat, every note, and every sound I create, I continue to explore the endless possibilities that lie within the realm of audio.