Chapters of Self-Discovery Through Sound: The Project So Far

A little while back, I embarked on a personal music project — a series of tracks I’ve come to think of as chapters in an ongoing story. I’m not a professional musician by any stretch, but that was partly the point. I wanted to explore a new medium of self-expression, to see what I might discover about myself through sound. So I set up a makeshift home studio (just a laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and some software) and started composing.

Each track I create ends up capturing a piece of what I was feeling or pondering at the time. For instance, Chapter 1 (as I call it) was born out of a late-night bout of nostalgia; it’s a mellow synth melody layered over a simple drum beat, and when I listen back, I can almost relive that cozy, wistful night. Chapter 3, on the other hand, turned into an upbeat electronic piece with a lot of chaotic percussion — not surprisingly, I made it during a week I was overwhelmed and trying to find excitement in the chaos. I didn’t plan these narratives in advance; they emerged on their own, which is the beauty of it. The music ends up being honest in a way words sometimes aren’t.

What has this project taught me so far? First off, humility. Creating music is hard! I might have good taste, but translating what’s in my head into actual sound takes practice and patience. It’s been a long learning curve with my digital audio workstation (I’ve googled “how to sidechain compress bass” more times than I care to admit). But it’s also teaching me to let go of perfection. Some chapters (tracks) feel rough, but I release them to a few friends anyway, like putting a part of myself out into the world without over-polishing it.

Perhaps most importantly, making music has reminded me why I love creating in the first place. It’s a conversation with oneself. Just like coding or writing, it’s a way to take an idea or feeling and give it form. Every new song is a chance to say something I didn’t know I needed to say. As the project continues, I’m excited to see how the later chapters unfold and what new sides of myself they’ll reveal. It’s a personal journey, and that’s what makes it so rewarding — audience or no audience.