Honestly, I am getting a bit overwhelmed now. A lot of things are going on not only in this subject but everything in general but MMS 172 has been one of those courses that actually makes me stop and say, okay, this is different. And by different I mean good. It is likely that this is the first course of which I have attended, in which the concentration is purely on audio. No visuals, no fancy edits, simply sound. I did not expect so much to like it at first. Such as a part of me just thought, it is audio... how difficult can it get?

However, as the weeks progressed and I began delving into the modules I came to the realization that there is far more to sound than I had anticipated. What actually got me into it were the listening exercises. I liked that it wasn’t just about reading through a module and answering stuff. We actually had to listen and reflect. It forced me to pay attention in a way that I normally don’t. And it was fun.I would put on my headphones and just sit in my room, with my eyes closed, and attempt to analyze in detail what I was listening to, how the sound changed, what astood out, what layers there were. I would even re-listen to some of the tracks just to pick some minor details.

My favorite activity, I believe it was the first one where we were able to measure the various dB levels of different environments and I recall doing it in my room, our living room and even outside our house. It was such a simple thing, but it made me appreciate that we just go around with all these sounds going by and never really consider them. I mean, I have lived in this house years, yet I have never really listened to it, until I had to actually sit down and measure its loudness or quietness.

When the course started, I had this one question in my head to why is sound even that important, especially in a time where everything is video-based and visual-heavy? And now I think I’ve answered that for myself. Sound isn’t just background. It carries emotion, atmosphere, and it makes or breaks how we experience something. Also, I thought music production was easy. Like, open a program, lay down some tracks, and boom, you’ve got a song. But no, I was wrong. It takes so much layering, adjusting, and balancing that I didn’t even know existed before this class. It definitely gave me a whole new respect for people who work in audio production now.

I remember during my introduction, I just wanted to understand sound better and hopefully improve my ability to notice the details. And honestly, the course has helped me do that. The topics weren’t far from what I imagined, but what surprised me was how much I ended up liking them. I didn’t expect to be this invested. I think it’s because the lessons don’t feel forced and that our professor gives us space to explore. 

Of all the modules, the one that would come to mind is the mixing module or unit 3 in general. I always thought that mixing was more about raising or lowering volumes or even blending sounds but now I consider it more of an art. It does not have one right way of doing it.. I read this part where it said if five different people mixed the same song, it would come out five different ways, and it gave me an understanding that it’s personal. It also made me less scared of the idea that my output won’t sound “perfect,” because maybe it’s not supposed to, and that it’s supposed to sound mine.

I have also got a lot of inspiration by simply reading through the posts that my classmates have made. It’s good to know that we’re taking completely different ideas and creativity. Some may be getting into spoken word, others are creating storytelling pieces or original music. I could not miss mentioning one of the posts that I found particularly interesting, as a person will be making a narration of a bible story. Seeing that post felt like a quiet confirmation that I was on the right track. It motivated me to not second-guess myself anymore and just to go with the intention of my project, not doing it for a grade, but because it actually means something to me.

Speaking of my project, I’m pretty confident that my plan will work. I have a decent setup and a recording space that may not give a “perfect” sound, but it feels like the best choice for what I’m trying to do. We were also given enough time to plan everything, which really helped ease some of the pressure. What also helped were the clear guidelines from Sir Al and the sample projects he shared, they gave me a better idea of what’s expected.

Speaking of our prof, I like very much how Sir Al reviews our discussion forums and provides comments with constructive feedback. He does not simply say good job or anything general but he highlights what we can improve or what we must understand. Aside from that, I’m also grateful for my classmates because they have been very active as well, and just by reading their posts and seeing how they are approaching the lessons, I definitely learned a lot.

Now that we’re approaching the final stretch, I’m honestly both excited and a little nervous. I am not feeling too pressured though, because I already have the equipment that I need, and I believe that my sister will perform the vocals well. I have no idea how it will all turn out, but I hope that I can get it all done successfully and that the end product will satisfy me.

I know I’m almost done with my time at UPOU, and honestly, this project feels like a good warm-up for what’s ahead. I know things are only going to get more challenging from here, but I feel more ready now. I’m not saying I’ve got it all figured out, but I’m willing to keep going and keep learning. <3