MMS 172 - Project Output 

Since I will be producing an original song, I envisioned it to sound cozy, but not necessarily chill. To be honest, starting the brainstorming for this was hard because I have no idea where to begin. Prof. Al suggested I reuse the songwriting part from one of my songs before to save time, but I wanted to create something that I haven't wrote or thought of yet. A little stubborn, am I? But please bear with me! The output wasn't all that bad ;) 

And before I began recording, I was actually able to purchase a better headphones at a Octagon, a gadgets store in Ayala Malls Manila Bay. I did mention before that my earphones were cheap and just bought from Shopee, I compared the two and holyyyyy cowwwww, the difference was huge. I could hear better sounds in my new one. 

Before I actually laid out my plans in stone, I thought of creating a Spotify Playlist filled with songs that act as inspiration and can help me build my project. They helped me get get to know on what kind of vibe I'm looking for, and for what kind of mixing I can try. This is what really pushed me more into further solidifying my project, because as I was listening to the songs in the playlist, I get to picture out how audio panning really does wonders to one's ears. 

So with that, I wanted to incorporate vulnerable lyrics in my song, and I wanted it to be in a form of a "leave a message" call. But of course, the whole song isn't going to sound like a call, because then it would sound noisy, so some sound bytes that sound like voicemail are added in the intro, ending, and sneaked in some parts of the verses. 

Why a voicemail inspired song you may ask? Growing up with debilitating anxiety, and now diagnosed with OCD. It has always been a compulsion of mine to obsessively ask, and make sure of things. And so incorporating the feel of it being an intimate voicemail left by someone, makes it seem like it's desperate, similar to how I am most of the time with my nonsense worries, begging for clarity, because to me, ensuring there was an answer meant that I could control it. The idea of not knowing feared me. 

II. Songwriting and Composing

Guitar 

My first audio track was the whole song played out in a guitar and with no vocals, but I was singing it in my head as I am recording to make sure I've got the right measures. The first verse and the first chorus was played with a fingerstyle, while the rest was with a muted strum. 

I then recorded another audio track with the guitar, but this time with strong single strums using a guitar pick. I added this on most parts of the song, but it is very distinct in the half of the first verse. I wanted to build a more clearer sound so this was very much needed. 

For the main guitar progression, they were mainly in the center channel, except for the single strums who are slightly in the left. A slight reverb was added on them, and the bass and treble levels were tweaked to make sure they retain their guitar-like richness especially when mixed with other audio tracks later on. The trebles were emphasized most especially on the single strums, because if it had more bass, it would be drowned out now. 

The fingerstyle guitar audio was also added as a flair in the second verse and second chorus where the muted strums are now emphasized. I added that to put some richness in the song. 

Main and Back-up Vocals 

I recorded the main vocals first before I head on to adding back-up vocals. This helped me figure out on how to add the other vocals, because I could play both the main vocal and the guitar track and begin from there. 

Main vocals retained in the center channel, and the back-up vocals were in differing positions, some were in the left, and some were in the right. I wanted to make it feel like two voices were talking to one another, like a conversation, and so that kind of audio panning worked out for the back-up vocals. 

As usual, a very slight reverb was only added on these tracks as I didn't want the lyrics to drown in echoes, but the back-up vocals' setting had more room size in it. Some back-up vocals' filter curve were changed to a Telephone preset as to create an effect that it was coming from a call. 

Harmony Vocals 

Throughout the second verse and to the last part of bridge, you'd hear some oooo and some ahhhh. The same effects were added as the back-up vocals, but with lesser room size to still ensure they could be heard and blended well with the main vocal. Different positions as well for the audio panning, especially for the last part of the bridge, to make sure it sounded like multiple people was bringing intensity to the song, 

Piano 

After the vocals were added, it was time to add the piano. The piano had the same chord progressions and tempo with the main guitar. It had no reverb as I wanted to make it firm in sound, but the piano keyboard was set to a sustain setting so that was enough. The piano is panned slightly to the right channel. 

Mixing