In Assignment 2, my plan was to record and produce the track using GarageBand. However, by the time I got to actually building the project, I realized GarageBand’s limitations were slowing me down. It was fine for sketching out rough ideas, but once I wanted to experiment with layering sounds, effects, and vocal chops, It was nearly impossible. And no it's not a skill issue. You have to believe me.

That’s why I decided to switch to FL Studio. Yep... I bought the Producer Edition... cough and it's NOT because of the bonus points! If I hadn’t made the switch, I don’t think I would’ve been able to create something that felt this unlimited. And now I'm addicted to window shopping for serums and whatnot.

5. Vocals

I recorded the main vocal lines using my microphone, then split them into layers:

• Main Vocals (e.g., “You can find me…”)

• Adlibs for texture

• Chopped Vocals 

• Processed Layers (pitched-up “nightcore” effects, filtered parts)

By the way, the vocals that I did for the production were mumbled at first. I had no lyrics written for it yet.

6. Experimentation (Overlapping Tracks)

One of the key creative choices was overlapping tracks into each other. Instead of treating each part as separate, I let bass bleed into leads, leads bleed into FX, and vocals cut across both. This gave the track its chaotic, "hyperpop" energy -- assuming that I gave it justice.

Looking back, this overlapping technique is what turned my song from a loop into something alive.

Recording was only the first step; I also experimented with where to place them. For instance, some vocals overlap with instrumental breaks to keep the track moving.

These subtle details prevent a track from sounding like “loop + vocals” and instead make it feel like a finished piece.

It's not the best I could do... but dude, it's not that bad for a first try. I would even argue that regardless if I had absolutely no clue about music theory, it looked pretty neat. 

Writing came later in the process, since I needed the instrumental first to set the mood and direction of the words. I had written a draft for blondesdosavelives prior to this project, but I finally finished it all in one sitting. I let the loop guide the rhythm and phrasing.

I was intimidated because I don’t have formal music theory knowledge. But I leaned into instinct and honesty, shaping the lyrics around themes of longing and salvation. That, I do know. (Un)fortunately.

Mixing was where things started to feel overwhelming. Once I had my vocals and instrumental recorded, I needed to make them sit well together. I had difficulty in understanding how the track list and mixer channels worked in FL Studio -- I had no idea what I was supposed to do with it. I didn't even know how involved it was with the entire song until late into the stage.

I focused on a few basic goals:

• Balancing levels using presets and plugins, so that the vocals wouldn’t get buried under the instrumental.

• Adding depth by doubling some bass parts and slightly panning certain tracks.

• Smooth transitions through effects like reverb and delay, which helped soften harsh cuts between sections.

• (Texture with vocal chops, giving the song that “hyperpop” edge.) -> I ended up not doing this anymore.

Even though I felt limited by my lack of technical knowledge, I managed to achieve a sound that surprised me. The mix probably isn't good. Even so, I was able to work with it based on the little knowledge I had from the videos I've watched from my friends.

And then... I found this. My track has never sounded so good... but I needed to pay for it. 😭

Ultimately, I just had to stick with my final output.

I think the biggest lesson I got from this project was that creating a song is as much about problem-solving as it is about creativity. That said, I also recognize I could’ve managed my time better. I spent way too long deciding whether or not to even buy FL, and that left me with only three days to put the whole track together. Still, I surprised myself with how much I was able to do in that short window. The song isn’t perfect -- the mixing and mastering were more guesswork than skill -- but I feel proud that I finished something that actually sounds like a real track.

I think what I’m most proud of is that this project represents my first real attempt at producing hyperpop, a genre I’ve admired but never tried making before. The lyrics are personal, the production is rough but ambitious, and the whole thing feels like a snapshot of where I am as an artist right now. 

It's definitely far from the big leagues... but it's mine. 😊

Moving forward, I want to deepen my understanding of mixing and mastering instead of relying on presets. I also want to give myself more time to write and refine my lyrics. I wanted to eventually change the structure of the song... ugh. I actually didn't really like it after listening repeatedly, but I figured that this is proof of my very first project.