- Maker: Bilal Amodu
- Genre: Audio Reflection/Essay
- Level: Graduate
- Program: Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media
- Course: WRIT 5340: Multimodality & Digital Media
- Instructor: Dr. Eric Mason
- Semester Created: Winter 2021
Description:
This project has been inspired by the podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed, in which the host explores the personal and societal relevance of the many facets of the human-centered world. The essay I produced examines “The Snake” a soul song that unexpectedly emerged in the United States’ national debate regarding immigration and compels us individually and collectively to explore our understandings of trust, openness and safety.
Reflection:
This project was my first experience using the platform Audacity, or manipulating audio files independently. Given my nonexistent experience in using sound, I did not seriously consider the difference between an audio composition and a written one until I had begun the recording process. I tend to write prolifically, and the draft of the essay I produced resulted in a 22 minute audio file, which became difficult to edit manipulate and proofread due to its size. One of the main issues I experienced was selecting and incorporating supplementary audio to correspond with the narration. Many of the files I selected did not fulfill my vision, or were not long enough, or clashed significantly with the narration. I ultimately spent much of the revising process consulting tutorials to create loops and reduce audio amplification in an attempt to resolve these issues. In addition to the supplementary background ambiance, the project contains additional sound clips, one being the opening melody of Brown’s song without the lyrics, and another featuring Trump reading a line from the song to the supporters at his rallies.
In the future, I would be cautious not to record as much audio as I had, which would enable me to spend more time reviewing the file and addressing issues such as muffled words or odd pauses. I would also spend more time ensuring that different audio tracks were appropriately synchronized and did not interrupt each other. A smaller file would also present me more flexibility in adding other forms of supplementary audio, and manipulating the background audio to include pauses and transitions to reinforce the narration.
