MMS 172 Assignment 1: Pre-production

Producing audio is something completely outside my comfort zone. Sure, I’ve made music remixes back in high school (mostly for school dance performances) but I wouldn’t exactly call that proper audio production. All I really did was download MP3 tracks online, cut and stitch them together, and hope the transitions sounded at least a bit seamless. If they didn’t, I’d just throw in a sound effect to mask the rough patch.

That said, stepping into actual audio production for this class was a little intimidating. Coming up with a single project idea was already a challenge. At first, I wanted to try something different. Maybe a podcast, a radio drama, or even a newscast. After all, audio is a flexible medium with so much creative potential. But eventually, I realized that “different” doesn’t always mean “better.”

I decided to produce a cover song instead. It might sound like the more obvious and simpler route, but I saw it as an opportunity to focus more on the technical side of production. Since its content is already existing, I could dedicate more time to experimenting with audio quality, mixing, and the actual execution.

The Concept

A cover song, by definition, is a new performance or recording of a song by someone other than the original artist. Since the material I’m working with already exists, that lifts some weight off the pre-production process. I don’t need to write lyrics or compose a melody from scratch anymore. I can instead use the original as a guide for the arrangement and flow.

But just because the content is already there doesn’t mean the process is easy, especially for someone like me who’s new to all of this. Still, I’m treating this not just as a school requirement, but as a personal challenge. It’s a chance to learn how things really work in audio production. From setup, to recording, to post.

PROJECT PLAN

The decision to go with a cover song was largely influenced by my boyfriend, Red. I might have the tools to produce a track, but singing is not one of my strengths. I only sing at karaokes after a few shots of tequila. So having Red on board was my deciding point. I honestly wouldn’t have done a cover without someone I trusted to bring the vocals to life.

We started by talking through the direction we wanted to take. We shortlisted songs that suited Red’s vocal range and matched the kind of sound I’d be comfortable producing. We leaned toward OPM, especially acoustic-leaning tracks, since the acoustic guitar would be our main instrument.

Eventually, we chose Pahina by Cup of Joe from their album Silakbo. According to their main vocalist Gian, the song is “about viewing someone as the most remarkable chapter of your life.” That message resonated with the both of us. It’s also a great song to produce as it has a cinematic build-up, especially towards the end. That gives me room to experiment with sound layering and dynamics in post-production. It felt like the perfect piece that balances between something meaningful and something creatively exciting to work with.

LOGISTICS AND ROLES

The production team for this project is fairly simple, just Red and me. Red will handle all the vocal parts, both the main melody and harmonies, and play the acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, I’ll be taking on the technical side of things. I’ll set up the gear, manage the signal flow, record, edit, mix, and master the tracks.

While the acoustic guitar is our main instrument, I want the final output to feel full and immersive. That’s why I’m planning to add a few digital elements, like keyboards or ambient layers, depending on how the arrangement evolves. I’ll be working on those inside the DAW.

Arrangement-wise, it’s a collaborative process. While I’ll be structuring the mix, Red and I are constantly discussing phrasing, vocal layering, and how we want the guitar parts to build the mood. It may be just the two of us, but we’re treating it like a real production team.

PRODUCTION AREA AND EQUIPMENT

I’ll be recording everything at home, specifically in my bedroom, where I’ve already set up my workstation. It’s far from a professional studio, but among all the rooms in the house, mine has the least sound reflection. Probably thanks to my thick blackout curtains.

That said, the space is not soundproofed, so external noise is still a concern. To make up for that, I’m building a DIY portable sound booth to help isolate the mic and minimize reflections. I’m also scheduling recordings during quieter hours to avoid distractions and interruptions.

As for equipment, I’m keeping things simple and manageable. It is my intentional choice to use gear I’m familiar with, so I can focus on the output instead of getting overwhelmed by unfamiliar tools.

Here’s my planned setup:

I used to rely on a USB condenser mic (Fantech Leviosa MCX01) but over time, it started producing this constant low hum. So I recently upgraded to the Boya BY-M100 Pro, a large diaphragm condenser mic with XLR output. It’s more sensitive, which I actually like as it captures sound in a way that feels richer and more detailed. It also has selectable polar patterns, which gives me better control over mic positioning.

For converting my audio signals, I’m using the Maono PS22 Lite USB audio interface, paired with my Maono MH700 monitor headphones. It's a basic setup, but it does the job well enough for my needs.

For my software, I plan to use two main DAWs. Audacity, which I’ve used before and feel comfortable with, and Tracktion Waveform, which I’m excited to try out. Tracktion’s clean interface feels more beginner-friendly compared to something like Reaper, which can be a bit intimidating.

Since I don’t have access to physical pedals, amps, or keyboards, I’ll be simulating those elements using virtual plugins. This gives me the flexibility to experiment with different textures and effects without the need for a full studio setup.

SIGNAL FLOW

My signal flow is fairly straightforward. For the input flow, I’ll be using my Boya BY-M100 Pro microphone to capture both the vocals and acoustic guitar. The mic then connects to my Maono PS22 Lite USB audio interface, then to my laptop (MacBook Air M2) where it gets recorded. I’ll be recording the guitar and vocals separately to allow better control during mixing.

Virtual instruments, like keyboard parts, will be added directly in the DAW, so no external routing is needed for those.

The output flow is basically the reverse. The audio goes from the DAW, back through the Maono interface, and into my Maono MH700 monitor headphones.

PROJECT TIMELINE

Since this is a small-scale production effort and I’m working around household noise and personal schedules, I decided to have a flexible timeline that gives us space to troubleshoot and adjust along the way.

Instead of following a linear schedule, I’m going with an agile workflow. I intentionally overlapped some pre-production activities, like finalizing the arrangement, with both the recording and mixing phases because I expect creative changes to happen throughout the process. As we move forward, some arrangement choices might need to shift or adjust on the fly. During the recording sessions, I’ll also start cleaning up the tracks right away. That way, I can check for quality early on and give immediate feedback if anything needs to be rerecorded.

RECORDING

To get the cleanest sound possible, I’m recording Red’s guitar and vocals separately. Here’s the recording flow we'll follow:

Guitar: I’ll start with the guitar since it sets the tone and rhythm of the song. I plan to record two styles, one plucking and one strumming.
Vocals: Because the original song is performed by two vocalists, I’ll be recording two main melody tracks and at least one harmony.

I also plan to record multiple takes for each part so I can choose the cleanest versions or even stitch together the best parts if needed. Everything will be done in my room using the DIY sound booth to minimize reflections and unnecessary background noise.

MIXING

For mixing, I’ll be relying on my DAW to do most of the heavy lifting, especially since my physical setup is pretty minimal. If needed, I’ll simulate guitar amplifiers and effects like pedals directly in the DAW. After laying down the guitar and vocal tracks, I’ll also start layering my virtual instruments like my keyboard.

Before I get into panning, balancing, or adding spatial effects, I’ll clean up the raw recordings first. This includes trimming, noise reduction, and applying basic filters like a high-pass filter (HPF) to cut out any noise.

In terms of spatial placement, I already have a rough idea of where I want certain elements to sit in the stereo field. However, this setup is just a starting point as I expect things to shift along the way. This is exactly why I structured my timeline to be iterative and responsive to feedback.

For the bridge part, I plan to be more experimental. I want to create a dramatic, cinematic feel by using wider reverbs and delays. Almost as if the vocals are being performed in a larger, open space. This will help establish a build-up and make the bridge feel more expansive and emotional.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Audio production is definitely something outside my comfort zone, but that’s also what makes it exciting. Planning this project made me realize how challenging it actually is. At first, I thought producing a cover song would be simple. After all, people post song covers on social media using just their phones. So how hard could it be, right? But I realized that this simplicity also leaves no room to hide. That’s why I knew I had to pay closer attention to sound quality and be more intentional with each step.

I don’t have a full studio setup, and I’m still learning the technical side of things. I’m working with what I have and learning on the fly. I’m sure I’ll run into challenges. But I’m approaching these not as setbacks, but as part of the learning process. I’m not aiming for perfection. I just want to start creating. And maybe, this project is something that will make me fall in love with audio production.

Rhon Joshua Calupitan | 2022-30993