Pre-Semester Planning (January Scratch Tracks + System Design)

Before the semester officially began, I met with John in January to map out the entire capstone structure. This meeting functioned more like pre-production for a record than a class check-in.

I brought in early scratch tracks for each project so we could establish the foundation of everything before entering any formal recording environment. These scratch tracks weren’t meant to be polished — they were functional tools used to determine key, tempo, structure, and performance direction.

We spent time refining:

• what key best supported my vocal range

• what tempos felt natural in performance

• how arrangements should evolve across sections

• what elements needed to be tracked live vs built in production

This phase was critical because it removed uncertainty from the later studio sessions. Instead of experimenting under time pressure, I already had directional clarity before the semester even started.

During this same period, I also began planning external performance opportunities. I started submitting for pride events, national anthem performances, and other live bookings, with the intention of making this semester not just about production, but about expanding real-world performance experience simultaneously.