Reflection: Weeks 9–12
Mastering, Artwork, Website, and Final Wrap-Up (Gibbs Reflective Cycle)
Description
In these final weeks, I worked on finishing and mastering all of my tracks, designing the album artwork, and publishing everything. I completed five full tracks: Title Theme, Ghavoran, Dairon’s Blackout, and two others, each designed with different areas or moods in mind. I also finalised my website, crmusic.co.uk and uploaded everything for people to see.
I used LANDR to help with mastering and distribution, and managed to upload the whole EP to Spotify and YouTube Music. I also created my album logo and cover art, based on ideas from the Metroid series, and titled the release Recharge. I used Clip Studio to draw everything myself, and it felt like the final piece that tied everything together. I also did some last tests with AI tools like Magenta Studio, but they didn’t match what I wanted musically.
Feelings
At first, I was worried I wouldn’t finish everything in time, especially after getting behind earlier due to illness and burnout. But once I started seeing things come together, the tracks sounding clean, the art looking good, and the uploads working- I felt proud of what I’d done. It felt good seeing my workout in public and on real platforms.
I still felt annoyed by some of the AI results. Even at the end, they didn’t match my vibe, but instead of seeing that as a failure, I used it to prove how important human creativity is in this kind of music.
Evaluation
What went well:
- All five tracks were completed, mastered, and published
- My Recharge album cover was great, and people liked the design.
- Using LANDR and releasing tracks on Spotify.
What didn’t go well:
- I was still having difficulty with certain AI software that was not suited for my job.
- The LANDR uploading system required me to input the same information five times, which was frustrating.
- I was not able to include as much gameplay as I desired as I hadn’t planned sufficiently.
Analysis
In the final weeks I brought everything together: music, visuals, publishing, and identity. I saw how much I’d learned, not just about production but also about presenting myself as an artist. I started thinking about what a real release looks like, not just a college project.
I also realised that finishing strong is more important than everything going perfectly. I adapted even though I didn’t stick 100% to my original plan (like making full AI tracks). I also saw that visual design and branding are important. The Recharge logo made the whole EP feel more professional, and a proper website gave people somewhere to go.
Conclusion
I’m pleased with how it all turned out. I made more music than I originally planned, handled the ups and downs, and finished something I’m genuinely proud of. I’ve proved to myself that I can complete a proper music release, not just as a student, but as someone who wants to work in the industry. I feel much more ready now for university and for doing this kind of work professionally.
Action Plan
- Build on this workflow for future projects, track planning, artwork, and release.
- Keep experimenting with visuals to match my music
- Get better at backing up logins and info so platforms like LANDR are easier to use.
- Keep developing as ZebesDweller and explore using game footage for future tracks.
- Try entering game jams or finding a small developer to work with.