The Kat Café is an audio podcast where I briefly talk about quotes that I like from shows that I love. This self-indulgent project is my way of putting out some of my thoughts that I haven’t shared with anyone before.

For this particular project, I chose to talk about my favorite show, Haikyū!!

In order to make this project come together, I collected my views about the show and along with that, I applied my knowledge of playing the violin. To be more specific, here are the components of my project followed by the sequence of its elements.

Project Components:

• 1 vocal track for the main podcast content

• 2 violin tracks for the intro and outro

• 2 virtual piano tracks for the transition sounds and its accompaniment

• 1 track for a sound effect (SFX: Pouring of a drink into a cup.)

Podcast Sequence

For my project, I ended up sticking with all of what I have mentioned in my pre-production blog. Specifically for my microphone, I gave up on purchasing a new one and instead just worked on improving the acoustics of my room. This led me to buying a windscreen and some acoustic foam panels instead. Gladly, it turned out quite well specifically for vocal recording. Listed below is the final list of the equipment I used for this project.

• Equipment

Microphone:

- TNW A21 Wireless Lavalier Microphone

Physical Instrument:

- Bachendorff 4/4 Violin

Headphones:

- Sony WH-CH720N

Digital Audio Workstation:

- Logic Pro

• Production Area

In my pre-production blog I have mentioned that my best option for the production area is the current room that I am staying in. I ended up following that plan. Since the room was not treated, I purchased a few acoustic foam panels and attached them onto a foldable panel that I used before for a different course. Since it is a trifold board, it is just right to surround my microphone for better sound quality. For my microphone, I couldn’t find a stand specifically for lavalier microphones but I do have a phone stand that is just the right height for me to record on my desk while sitting. Hence, I simply used a tape to fix my mic onto the bracket that is supposed to hold a phone. Because its angles are highly adjustable, I was also able to adjust and position it so that the mic directly faces me. When recording my vocals, I also made sure that there will be nothing else surrounding the microphone except for the foam panels. Attached below are photos of my final recording setup.

Script

The script is probably the only element of the project that perfectly followed my initial timeline. In writing it, I focused on talking about my personal experiences and thoughts about the show. I tried to make it as relatable and as conversational as I could. Attached below is a copy of my full script.

I first started recording my vocals for the main podcast content. As mentioned in the logistics section of this blog, I used my TNW A21 lavalier microphone for all the recordings that I did for the project. I made sure to use a windscreen as well as activate the noise cancelling feature of the microphone. To add, even if the foam panels did great work with blocking fan noise from reaching the mic, I still made sure to set the fan at relatively low mode, since the one that I am using can go down to a really light fan mode. Some of the recordings were also done when I was using an air conditioner instead of a fan, making it easier to get a silent environment.

Recording my lines was fairly easy but I did have to do some parts over and over again. Some because the projection of my voice wasn’t ideal while there were some that were redone because my initial script used too many similar sounding words–an overload of S’s for example. Naturally due to this, there have also been changes with my script along the way.

The violin recordings were probably the hardest part of the project, probably even more than the mixing and mastering itself. I learned the music pieces quicker than I expected but I just could not get the sound that I wanted when recording. It took a lot of trials but I found that it was better to record the violin without activating my microphone’s noise cancelling function since it made the violin sound kind of muddy and quiet. A downside of doing so is that it required me to turn off any electronic appliance that made any kind of noise. The results still weren’t quite what I wanted but I decided to leave it for the DAW to fix.

This project was a lot more stressful than I initially expected, especially as there were unexpected obstacles in the form of sudden requirements from other courses. Nonetheless, I think I did my best and I did enjoy working in Logic Pro. It was interesting how certain plugins can easily adjust and remove sounds that were unwanted from my project. Of course, I also enjoyed brainstorming and yapping about the quotes that live in my mind rent free. Something pleasantly unexpected about my project is how my vocal mix actually came out better than I thought it would, which I am very glad about. I think I have the acoustic foams to thank for that. Another aspect of my project that I was satisfied with is how I did my transition sounds. I finished those surprisingly quickly and with a quality that is up to par with my expectations.

I do wish I could do better with my violin tracks. Perhaps with a much better microphone, it could have sounded better. Not to mention that I think I could have done better with playing the instrument. I actually tried adding accompaniments for the violin tracks but I just couldn’t seem to blend the recorded violin well with Logic Pro’s Studio Piano. That one aspect is also something that I find regrettable.

With all that is said, I still think I did my best considering my time constraints. I hope I can get to explore audio mixing and mastering more, especially for the sake of my future career. As of now, I will make sure to remember what I have learned through this course and project.