Final Capstone Reflection Journal Entry

The last requirement of the Capstone Project prior to your presentation is to

reflect on the process by writing a final journal reflection. You will need to answer
ALL required questions.
Please use PARAGRAPHS IN YOUR WRITING. YOU MUST INCLUDE DETAILS IN
YOUR RESPONSES.
___________________________________________________________________
¨ The Capstone is a unique and demanding challenge. In completing it, what
did you learn about your subject? Your skill set? Yourself?

¨ How is your project relevant to you, the school or the community-at-large?

¨ How did you demonstrate the six Core Competencies throughout this
project? (See attached Core Competency sheet)

¨ What impact if any did your Capstone project have?

¨ Thinking about the whole process and your finished product, what are you
most proud of?

¨ What was a difficulty you encountered and how did you solve the problem?

¨ What is one thing about your finished project you wish you could change?
Why?

¨ What advice would you give to a student who will be completing their
Capstone Project next year?

¨ What source from your research helped you the most? (or least?).

¨ What is one thing about your approach to your project that you wish you
could change? Why?
From the very start of the project all the way back in May 2021 when I made the
very first version of “New Butterfly”, I remember making it that early morning
after waking up and needing to do something. After that morning of walking
around, playing it on loop before I headed to school, the sun in the sky, and the
slightly cold air. I was officially set on starting the process of an album. At this
point, I knew the name, how many songs, and some of the things that I wanted to
say. Many songs ended up having multiple versions until I got the right one and
after 2 years of slow progress, I have a version of the project that I think is the
best that I can show off that this very moment.

In the process of creating it, writing it and recording it, I knew I was bound to
learn a couple things, but some were more personal than others. But I did learn a
whole bunch off production stuff. From when I first started the project to now, I
can now produce fully composed songs. I learn sight mixing techniques, how to
record, how to sing (kind of, I’m still working on it), and how to layer multiple
vocals. When it comes to skill set, I now know that most of the time, I have no
idea what I’m doing. All songs were written but last minute into recording, some
verses were completely changed when I recorded them, some even done on the
spot.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted to make something that said a lot about
who I am whether it be in a good or bad context. I’ve always thought the music
where the singer is the good person and there’s no reason for everyone to be
rude to that person was always corny. I wanted to make things that showed the
good side of me and the bad, and it be the listeners decision on who I am. As
humans we all can be good and bad people.

To live life believing that you are a heaven sent angel and that you’ve done
nothing wrong or have no reason to have people that dislike you is a delusional
way of living. If we all stopped being idiots and stopped lying to the world about
who we are, it will make people leave but will fully make everything better for you
down the road. These songs show many different states of mind, moments where
I care for other people and those where I couldn’t care less about how anyone
feels about the things I do. Sometimes the music is uncomfortable. But now that
I’m near the end of the production, I think that’s the point. I’m pointing out my
strengths and my flaws as a human. In today’s age, almost nobody does this. They
all live in their deluded worlds and hate anyone who takes a bad step. These
people can be our friends, partners, parents, etc. So doing this, I know, will make
many people look at me differently and some may not want to talk to me
afterward, but that’s okay. I did what they were/are too scared to do. I’m not
here to pity, praise, attention, nothing. If you want to silently give me empathy,
then that is your call. But I don’t want anything besides your ears in your own
time.

Something I learn about myself is my focus is not all that good. My deadlines suck,
and I push many things for the last minute. I also had difficulty trying to get the
vocals I envisioned when writing the songs. When it comes to those, I did the best
I could, with some songs just having a couple of takes just compressed together to
get a final version out. I wish I didn’t sleep on the project for as long as I did,
cause now I find myself trying the best I can to get everything I can completed
these days when I could have done half of what I’m doing months ago and not
have that much to worry about. I have zero regrets on making 14 songs, my regret
is that I couldn’t finish them on time. If I had to say something to those who will
be creating their projects next, I would simply say to spend as much time as
possible and don’t wait last minute to do things. You will find better results.
Depended on project, the research you do at the start will help you later down
the road, for my case, I didn’t need to look at the research at all.

Regardless of results, I’m thrill of my results, but worried about how others will
react to the work. But I did it and it’s real.