I do 20 minutes, its part of my morning routine: Cafe and soundgym. After I do 15 minutes of music production and 5 minutes of sound scouting, where i look for new sounds =)
I'm curious, @Ruben Degendorfer, are there places you go to find new sounds? I'm trying to do more listening, but I'm overwhelmed with the amount of music out there.
Hi @Oliver Shou ! Right now it takes me about 40 mins. On the first days, it took about an hour.
At first, I assumed that if I took the time to listen super carefully, then I would get the right answers... this wasn't always the case.
So throughout the week I've been developing more of an instinctive style. Following my gut reactions as soon as I sense them. It's been working really well, but doesn't always work, too.
Hi @Oliver Shou It might help! :) Maybe you'd like to join me for a 90-day challenge? Our SPI isn't too far apart and I'd be honored to grow alongside you!
The current strategy has been to keep doing the exercises until I advance to the next level, as much as possible.
I suspect that unless I correct my areas of weakness within the day, I won't be able to retain the improvements.
I feel like these exercises are also like going to an actual, body-building gym. 1 rep is hardly enough to get you to the point of growth. You have to keep doing the reps to the point that your body feels pain. If you're not feeling pain, then your body is not growing.
Hi @Art For! I'm no expert either, there's the kind of pain you get from having the wrong workout form, and there's the good kind that builds muscle. :) You might want to check this video out!
Hi @Dave Soltura, I'm even less an expert in Gym than I am in... SoundGym 😉 but I'm not so sure this kind of comparison is correct... Ears are not muscles, anyway, and in every video I saw from mixing experts they reccomend to avoid ear fatigue, because that cause ears to listen worse... In my personal case, anyway, I suffered from ear infections when I was a kid and I prefer to be really very cautios with my ears! I think everybody has to find his own path, anyway, so I hope you can improve as much you want! I try to do the same... Best, Art
@Art For Oh, if you mean pain in the ears? I absolutely agree! lol! My analogy was just that you have to train to a point where you do get returns, and not just train for the sake of training.
As I mentioned, I suspect that unless I correct my areas of weakness within the day, I won't be able to retain the improvements. So on sound gym, I try to train until there's clear progress within the day. I prefer not to train and fail and leave it at that, because I don't think that leads to long-term gains Or at least, it isn't as effective.
Going through the workouts and just failing is akin to doing 1 rep at the gym, and calling it a day. It leads to no actual progress and is routine for the sake of routine. That's what I meant by this-- not the direct correlation of also having to experience pain with sound gym haha.
I should've been clearer with my analogy. So yes, we absolutely shouldn't train our ears to the point of fatigue or damage. :) They're not like biceps.
@Art For , once you type the (at) sign and type the name, you have to wait for the dropdown and click the person's name. It won't appear red or bold in the preview, so I don't actually know if this will work, but it should!
Goodness. Today has been one of the hardest of all, and the changes in the details in the games are much more minute. I must have spent 2-2.5 hours this time. Still, the SPI and percentile boost are encouraging.
Just imagining how tough it would be by day 90... but I guess that would make it all the more worth it. :)
@Dave Soltura thank you for the @ 'trick' ;-) About muscles and pain: I understand better now; it was the word 'pain' that 'scared' me! About retaining progress: I see that's for me is a back-forth process and some days are better some are terrible! It seems the same even for other users, readin some post here and there but I think anyone has to find his way I wish I had two hours a day but I'm happy if I can do my 30 minutes a day... For me I see that if I focus on a particulat kind of exercise (compression, eq, etc.) for a period of time (days) I get better results faster so then I can concentrate more on the other types (I started with compression so now I'm at higher level - more points for exercise - and now I'm concentrating on eq in my daily training and at the I do a compression review... Hope you'll get the best as soon as you can! Art
Really having trouble with Pan Girl, Stereo Head, and Distorted Reality.
I have a pair of on-hear DT770s, and they're known for their great sound stage and stereo width. But I don't know if I should be listening for what the outermost sound is or where is the center of the sound, or whatever I need to pay attention to...
For distorted reality, I tend to listen for a crackling sound, but it doesn't always work.
In my opinion the panning games are hard to master with headphones. Try listening on speakers or at least use something like Waves NX to simulate speakers. It should be way easier then.
For Distortion you‘re right with higher frequencies. If you can’t hear any obvious distortion, try listening if the track sounds in any way warmer, more upfront or louder.
You must have been looking at the opposite direction, @Oliver Goldkuhl , when you received each one of the 3! you've got up to date (Iron, Bronze and Silver ears). Didn't you get a notification at those moments? SoundGym also posts those achievements here for everyone to know and cheer you...😅 Maybe you were focusing so hard on workouts...!!
Congrats on Bronze, Dave! Nice milestone. Don't let the difficulty of games make you think you're not doing so great, because you are indeed!!
By the way, do you play your daily games only once or do you insist for a while, making several more tries until you pass a level -or get tired of trying? I was just curious about your method in order to have further information on your quest...
At first, I thought I'd only play once... but I found I was easily irritated by the idea of not having substantial progress.
So from Iron Ears to Bronze Ears, I aimed to get as far as I could within the day and try to pass all levels each time. This would lead to 1 to 2.5 hours of practice time.
But now, I'm beginning to reach the point where advancing to the next stage is much more difficult, so I'm a little more lenient about just getting them over with. Still, I try to put in considerable time.
The way I imagine the next weeks will be like is, I won't go to the next level as often, but I'll be happy with just beating my current high scores, even if it's within the same level.
After all, I'm noticing that the SPI gains are much higher at this percentile, so even small differences in high scores will probably feel like substantial gains. :)
And what about the piano for distorted reality? Except for two samples in which either certain notes are played too loud or dissonances result in a harsh vibration that makes you think of distortion, the rest of them are clear enough to detect any added effect (well, at least it works for me...)
Really enjoying kit cut and peak master now, since cheetah helps me make quicker decisions. Also sped through EQ knight Level 10 faster, considering I took much longer in previous stages.
I think the learning is so holistic, that improving with some exercises helps you with others!
When I recall the mix, it’s usually several db lower than the sample. I usually have to add “estimated mental makeup gain” because what I remember is just much quieter than the real thing.
This happens even if I’ve listened to the piece for more than a minute, or several. Is anyone else experiencing this, and do you have any tips?
Hi @Pankaj Tiwari ! There is something, and it's worked so far.
Compression leads to a reduction of dynamic range.
That said, I've found that a lower ratio like 2:1 has a more noticeable thump than an 8:1 ratio. 8:1 might be louder over all, but differences in dynamics are there for sure. They're subtle, but noticeable.
Sometimes a higher ratio also tends to sound less dull, or more disrtorted once in a while. More natural sounds tend to be lower ratios in my experience.
Back then, I was only trying to observe if the weak audio would get louder, to signify a higher ratio. But that isn't always the case, because signals won't get louder unless they're past the threshold.
I also turn the bypass switch on and off at times to experience just how dramatic the changes are. Bypass, 2:1, bypass, 8:1. Something like that. It's still very tough, but it's working so far. :)
@Dave Soltura When it comes to listening between 2:1 and 8:1 compression, usually the 8:1 will sound a lot more washed out and almost far back. Easiest to notice when the attack time is 0ms, but for when it's a question of between 2:1 & 8:1, and also 75ms and 100ms, what's easiest for me is trying to hear if the sample is squishy. So far that has pointed out to me that the ratio is 8:1
Today was a really busy day work-wise, so I only had very little time for the challenge and ended up doing just 1-2 tries for each exercise.
I really do need time do invest in this to improve.
I did find though, that I breezed through Distorted Reality much faster and leveled-up! It's as if my ears had acclimatized to a new level of sensitivity, after the long weekend break.
I now listen for changes in db while looking at the LED meters on my interface. For attack and release-based questions, I start by getting used to the bypassed version. Then I remove the bypass: if the changes in amplitude are more intense, I rule out 0ms attack. Bypassing also helps me know if the track is “hard-hitting” to begin with, so I don’t mistake it for attack and release.
For Balance Memory:
I used to try to visualize the stereo image by imagining the physical location of each instrument. I now find that it's better to simply listen to the track long enough for my ears to get used to them. There's no way around that, in my experience. At least in my case, rushing balance memory never works.
For some reason, Kit Cut is harder than Peak Master. With Peak Master, I don't need to listen to EQ off, and I can get a general idea of the boosted frequency. But for Kit Cut, I always have to listen to EQ off to get an idea of the cut frequency. I tried not turning EQ off but it wasn't working for me.
Guys, sorry for vanishing into the abyss. There was a horrible storm in the Philippines, and we got flooded and had to move houses. Had no internet and electricity for days. BUT we're completely safe, and settled down now, so time to resume this!!
I just want to congrat, because you do very well. And also Im currious about your training approach, because I started around same day like you, but my perform goes much slower. Could you be so kind and get me any advices, please? Thank you.
@David Kravak, you are too kind. I believe myself to be a slow learner, compared to most so there's really only two things I'm doing:
1. Practicing to grow. I try to make it such that for every exercise, I will at least try to: a. Level up. If not, b. Get a high score.
I try this for all the games. Sometimes, I won't get A or B for a certain game that has become too hard. In that case, I just move on and try that with the other games. I believe that eventually, when I come back to the hard game, my brain will have adapted so I could do better than yesterday.
Once in a while, I'll feel llike I want to level up twice in a game. Because what leveling up does is allow you to get higher points the next time you play, and I'm highly driven by seeing numbers go up.
2. Enter the flow state. I try to close all other tabs, and get rid of other distractions.
For me, both of these are only possible with a time commitment. I expect to spend an average of 2 hours a day on exercises. This is because I know that if I only spend 45 minutes, I'll hardly reach the gains that I want. The more time I spend on exercises, to a point, I become more focused. I begin losing focus about 3 hours in.
2 hours a day is quite a lot though, and it is costing me time with clients in my voiceover buisness.
But all I think is that by the time I'm done with the 90 days, I'll be able to serve them better. I'm also thinking of potentially doing this all the way until I become Soundgym Certified.
I estimate the earliest I would get it would be in a year, at my current pace, if I do decide to get it. I'm just thinking, assuming I live to be 100, wouldn't it be worth spending just 0.10% of my life (2+ hours a day x 365 days) to be a SoundGym Certified audio engineer? :) (I actually also watch a video or two under the courses every day.)
Sorry, I began rambling haha. But that's my thought process, David!
Thank you for your message Dave, I appreciate it! It helps me to see my approach differently. I hope you achieve the certification (and me too,haha). Take care!
Hey, Dave! I have just read your latest post and I'm completely freakin' out! The flood almost took you away, you had to leave your home for days (I hope you and your people are all safe now)... and here you are again, pure energy and enthusiasm, putting a smile on our faces and posting your daily report!! You're such an inspiring beast!!
It's clear to me that there's a vast difference between doing the exercises first thing in the morning after a shower, versus last thing before going to sleep at midnight.
I'm exhausted from waking up at 5am today, and my focus is barely holding on. All I can think of is wanting to sleep haha. Got stuck with balance memory and Pan Game. Part of me thinks it's becuse I'm using the Shure SRH440 plugged into a laptop versus the DT770 Pros I usually plug into an interface. But that shouldn't be an excuse.
Next time, I'll try doing the exercises later in the day, but not this late!
It's actually 12:28 am as of writing, and I should really be asleep by now haha. I think I still did these exercises fairly well, and that's the biggest SPI boost ever!
Maybe because the exercises I did today are way ahead of the ones I did yesterday.
SPI and how far over diamond ears you get depend on many different factors, so it's hard to see what's behind them... But we all have been newbies at a certain moment, and I remember how any sign of being noticed, coming from veterans, felt like I was being pushed forward...But everyone, from 0 up to 5M SPI, can have questions and might need help with whatever he/she finds in the middle of the road. I just support and help as long as I feel my words or my knowledge can be useful...And I wish it happened more often!
Your case is quite unique, actually. The first time I knew from you was the day you posted about your 90-day plan. Your determination made me leave a comment encouraging you to 'write some report from time to time so we can see your progress...' or something like that. See where are we now: close to reaching the midpoint on your path, with a bunch of guys/gals following your DAILY reports, cheering while you pass by, á-la-Tour de France. If you and your quest don't deserve, at least, some words of encouragement and support, no one would do...! And I didn't even mention natural disasters!
Today was rough! Could only afford 1 hour versus my usual two, and Distorted Reality was a beast. Distortion is hardly perceptible at this point, or that could just be the headphones I'm using. Hmm...
That said, the tiny growth today helped me cross the 80% mark! I feel good about that!!
By the way guys, in case I haven't mentioned it yet.. I'm actually releasing a YouTube video documenting this journey (only on key days), and I might scroll through the comments section in that video. :)
I agree with what @Quantas Vacas. said. It has been fun watching you grow. Some of your posts have made me go try a new approach. I hope you continue to post even after you reach your goal.
This has got to be the most horrible percentile/SPI boost I've had in this journey, and it makes sense: I only spent 30 minutes today. I cheetahd my way through everything.
I've been doubling down on my business, and it's now 12:35 am as I write this.
I failed most tests, but added Compressionist - 3rd, Kit Cut – 2nd, to my high scores, but no new top scores, unsurprisingly.
It's really a matter of time x effort for me. I believe I gave my all, but 30 minutes just isn't enough for exponential growth.
But would it be possible to reach Silver by Day 45? Who knows!!
@Cuantas Vacas and @Derrick Estefan, thank you for the kind words and encouragement, always. I'm surprised you're taking new approaches based on a newbie's process. I'd love to learn more from you two!!
Its funny I was stuck on dB king and distorted reality for a month or more without improvement then i was reading some of the comments and boom 2 levels up just like that. You are like a muse LOL
For Balance Memory, I decided to “take notes” and see if that would help.
I wouldn’t consider it cheating, because I wasn’t tracking the exact levels with an app or anything. But I do consider it to be like training wheels.
In my notes, I ordered them from loudest to weakest, with a number on the left ranging from 1-10, indicating how loud they are with reference to each other. To the right, I used qualitative notes to help me understand the implications and characteristics of the numbers.
This technique helped me get past a Balance Memory stage I’ve been stuck on for several days now.
Attached is a screenshot of the word doc I kept open, parallel to the Balance Memory tab.
You know how when you select a range in pan game, and it goes green? This time, I got that, and “perfect” text popped out, I think twice in a row! Pretty sure that’s normal for many of you, but these are my first “perfects”! 😊
4/5 new high scores today!
Tried starting right before 7pm, instead of midnight. That way, I get to use most of my creative energy for clients and work, but I still have enough left for sound gym at night.
Too early in the morning meant I'd be exhausted by the time I started doing my creative work, and too late in the evening meant I had a much harder time processing the lessons. I think afternoon to night is the best balance so that I can keep doing this, without affecting my income.
3 new high scores, 1 with some improvement, and EQ mirror had no improvement at all...
From being the easiest exercise for me, EQ mirror is suddenly the toughest. Well, I did spend more time on it before. I truly believe I could pass EQ mirror 9/10 times if I just took the time to listen carefully. However... it really does take time to figure it out. I've been saying, Meh, that sounds close enough as of late, since I've been busy dealing with post-flood expenses and logistics. But not bad, I guess. Still making those improvements!
Finally broke through Stereohead Level 8, one of my toughest exercises. My approach is now estimating the stereo width with reference to the sound that came before.
Also curious… what practice songs are stuck in your head? Here’s one…
“Let heeeer smaaall feet. POUND the GROUND with Sounds of… volcAAAAaaanoooooooes!”
@Dave Soltura , you truly are an inspiration - your post has motivated me (on day one, nearly a week ago) to try and follow the same kind of journey.
My goal is to train 6 days a week, even though my training sessions will never be as thorough or long as yours (I think I spend 30 min. to 1 hour each day on the exercises at the moment), but I hope to trail your progress as best I can !
I've been logging my results too (I'm now on Day 5), but I don't dare to publish them ; still, writing it down feels like it's more commitment and that's what I need, I think.
Congratulations on your journey so far (and extra respect for keeping up as well as you did even through the hard times you had/have due to the extreme weather), and I wish you much courage & willforce for the continuing of the journey !
@HSMusic_ DNF Courage friend, even if your progress is minimal, if you are advancing then what you are doing is worth it. I started with very little experience but with a lot of desire to work and make a dream come true, I even retired from work to dedicate myself 100% to music production. It was risky but I don't regret it because I'm going after my dream. Always dare to do more and may problems never stop you on your way, a problem is only the test for the next level in your career. Much encouragement and never give up.
@HSMusic_DNF Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this... you encourage me, as well! I truly wish you all the best. If ever you go public, I'd love to follow your progress. :) If not, that's fine, too!
Had 3 new high scores today, but no level-ups. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't have a l of progress with EQ mirror. I still think it's a skill I excel at, but it's incredibly time-consuming. I'm almost guaranteed not to advance if I don't have enough time, but if I have time, I keep getting things right.
Compressionist freaked me out, with my first Release-based question! I was able to get it, thankfully. Stoked answer more of those!
Finally broke past the first EQ mirror that I couldn’t get past! Next level!
First time seeing a score like 1,631,992 any exercise. This was on peak master!
And that's gotta be the biggest spike of SPI I've had so far, and quite a big jump in percentile! I'm grateful!
I have a feeling that if I really wanted to hit gold ears faster, I'd need to do more of my top-performing exercises, rather than my weaker ones. But, I don't think my skill set would be very balanced.
Really glad I took this challenge on, and thank you everyone for your continued support!
@Jonathan Nelson That's a completely valid concern. Sometimes, I think I'm just a theoretical engineer with all this.
One active use case I have for this is mixing live sound at church.
In spite of getting relatively far with Distorted Reality and Reverb Wizard, I'm finding that in practice, I don't hear them. Rather, I hear them but only suspect that they are there but don't have the confidence yet to say that, they are there. It usually takes someone else from the tech team to tell me, Hey... there seems to be some feedback... Can you do something about that? It's when others call attention to it that I think, Oh, so I really WAS hearing it. Given this, I'm beginning to apply this stuff, but it has to go hand-in-hand with the real deal.
I've also been watching at least 1 video of the Learn feature every day, and the knowledge there really pairs up well with the exercises. For instance, I now know that I can't possibly completely remove the reverb from the mix, if the space itself isn't treated. I would've just continued to think that I could fix it in the mix, but the Learn videos said to get it right at the source.
All the EQ-related exercises have helped me have more discerning ears, for when a certain freuency is boosted or cut. This is REALLY handy for my mic reviews:
I just need a better technical vocabulary to describe the frequencies better.
DB King has helped me mathematically adjust the sliders, knowing the effect it would have on the mix. Like, +3db is a fairly noticeable sound, +5 is more pronounced, but +1 is subtle enough for most not to notice. It has helped me make fewer mistakes while mixing live.
Compressionist has helped me improve the dyynamic range of live mixes. I now have an idea of what amount of Attack is too much, and what instruments that would go well with.
Balance memory, as HARD as it is, has given me a sense of what mixes sound balanced and not. It has helped me roughly recall the mixes between different band member combinations, when I don't use presets. I've also learned that just because their sliders are palallel, it doesn't mean that they'll be perceived as equally loud.
Overall, it has also just given me tons more confidence overall to act in situations where I used to consider myself a technophobe. I run a small team of voiceover demo producers and always delegate the engineering to others, but now I'll have more credibility with leading them, and actually mixing more myself.
Today was brutal. Everything murdered me, except for Reverb Wizard, which I'v'e always excelled at. I only got to do it all for about 50 minutes, so maybe that's a factor...
But spending quality time with intense focus is becoming even more increasingly necessary. I hope I still keep getting better.
I stopped using my written notation system for Balance Memory. Instead, I applied this system to memory. When I look at the sliders, I imagine where they would be positioned, and I would assign each of them ranging from 1-10. The number would be a result of my individual assessment of how loud the instrument is, and how loud it is relative to the others.
Using this technique, I’m able to do balance memory maybe 3x faster, and with more accuracy (60-75%), versus when I was starting out and imagining the location of the instruments on stage.
For Balance Memory, I no longer use “imagining slider position” as the main point of reference. This is because, sometimes, the sliders aren’t as sensitive as you’d imagine them to be. The snares could sound like 5/10 in terms of loudness, but I would need to slide it to the very top to sound like 5/10. This is why I follow a numerical system first.
With this method, I’ve gotten 83% accuracy in about 1-2 minutes of memorization. I used to really dread Balance Memory, like it was my weakest exercise of all. Now I’m fairly confident with it and look forward to it!
Pan Girl and StereoHead continue to stay challenging. As much as I’ve “adjusted” to using my monitor headphones (Shure SRH440), I’m still finding it physically challenging to distinguish changes. I keep telling myself that if I had better gear, I’d maybe get a higher score. But for now, I’ll work with what I have.
Been treating Kit Cut like Cheetah.
Compressionist is still difficult because I have trouble with Attack vs. Ratio. Release is relatively easy to listen to.
Hey, Dave!! Some minor, though a-little-too-close-to-get-scary-at-times health issues have kept me away from SG for about three weeks, and I have just come to check out your progress during that period of time...and I'm speechless!!! Not only your pace is very strong, but also your daily reports about your experience with the games you had to face, the results you got and detailed insights on relevant topics or techniques relative to your workout...are improving and growing as much as your SPI does...!
You're doing an amazing job, both with your numbers and your inspiring words. It's gonna be great to watch the video-journal you're planning to do, but this post in itself is such a valuable document for everyone, specially for those who get a little lost, or desperate, when beginning the journey.
Unfortunately I couldn't witness your latest milestones, but I still want to congratulate you for your SIlver Ears Award and the SG Pivot recognition, which in your case it looks really meaningful. You have also surpassed the half-line of your quest...there should be a prize for that! ;)
Still some work to do, but please keep strong because I'm sure a nice bunch of people are already taking positions at the finish line to watch you cross it! 💪🚴💨
I think at this point, it's reasonable to think that Golden Ears is feasible within 5-7 days...
So I have a weird idea.
Since the Certification requires Gold/Diamond Medalist (That does mean Golden Ears, right?), and 25,000 learning points...
What if I take a break from exercises once I reach Golden Ears, and convert those 2 hour blocks into learning time to accumulate learning points?
I've been spending 2-15 minutes a day to watch videos alongside the exercises, so I'm currently at 3.5k learning points...
At that rate, HOPEFULLY, in 30 days, I will have watched enough. I like watching videos at 1.5-2x speed depending on the speaker's pace, so it's not impossible...
Is Certification possible in 90 days? Let's find out!!!
@Cuantas Vacas, I'm glad you're back, and I sure hope everything's okay! Please take care of yourself.
Thank you always for the encouragement... You're really good at it!
___________________________
For Balance memory, I may have gotten cocky at first and had a tough time.
So, I tried concentrating. I closed my eyes per stage and didn’t look at the sliders and imagined them instead.
I now listen for sounds in the order the sliders are shown. Sometimes, if a sound is so loud that I can’t ignore it, I immediately give it a number between 1-10, then proceed to listening to sounds from left to right. Eventually nailed it! Weird thing though: It’s my first time beating a stage, and only having the 2nd to the highest score.
EQ Mirror has stepped up a notch… It’s presenting me with less of the usual high pass filters, and most of them are notches now. Took me 4 serious attempts to get past the first stage.
For the first time, I don’t have the confidence that I can break past EQ mirror if I just had time. Technically, it would really help if I had more time: but even then, I wouldn’t be too confident about my answers.
It felt like real EQing. I eventually got past it, but spent at least an hour and a half on EQ mirror alone.
Was able to level up Kit Cut quite fast. I think Cheetah helps me balance taking my time and having urgency.
I'll do, thank you. I just wanted to add a comment on your idea of taking a break on workouts for having time to watch videos. I think that you'll need a good amount of daily time for vids if you want to get Certification in time, but I'd recommend a less radical move. I definitely wouldn't stop working out, since the skills you're acquiring right now will need some 'maintenance' exercising if you want to keep them sharp. You could just do your daily workout passing through the 5 games, trying your 'natural' best (one single try, full focus and trusting your ears and intuition), no matter if you pass levels or not. Some days you will, and some days you won't, but that doesn't mean you've wasted that time!
I've learned not to get discouraged if I don't see much of an SPI boost: this is reasonable because I only got higher scores and level-ups for my problem exercises. I'm confident that sooner or later, I'll be back on the upper scale exercises that boost my scores. I put in the usual amount of time and effort into this, and I still reached new levels, so I'm still glad.
Compressionist
Now Level 14! Listening for the differences in db for Attack/Ratio was really helpful. I think I realized this because I took it right after DBKing.
Just truly heard that a higher ratio feels like the sound is “fatter” rather than “sharp.” Sometimes it’s really just a matter of not hearing any differences between the reference track and mine. Many of my mistakes are because of me saying, “That’s close enough.”
EQ Knight has been really trickly. It’s been teaching me the difference between “mids” and “low-mids” and what not. I think it’s the opposite of cheetah, because it trains us to be specific. Been stuck for a while now, and it might be among the hardest exercises even though I'm quite good at EQ mirror.
I think this isn't bad considering the time investment today. Only had 25 mins today so I sped past everything.
No progress with Cheetah. Too difficult when taking this past midnight, or I must be distracted by other concerns.
New high score for Peak Master, with 1 try, in a hurry!
I just went past Compressionist. Under 5 minutes. Treated it like Cheetah. Didn’t level up, but high score! I had idea I could treat Compressionist this way. I think I’ll keep trying it moving forward.
Dave, are you familiar with this EQ learning aid (copy-and-paste of something I have posted several times here):
SOUND GYM PEAK MASTER (and other EQ games) TIP:
Here’s how I do it: listen between the original and boosted signal for these accentuated vowel sounds in the boosted signal (they’re not exact to the hertz, but thinking with these guideposts has helped me):
125 Hz: UH 250 Hz: OOH 500 Hz: OH 1 kHz: AH 2 kHz: EH (nasal sounding) 4 kHz: EE 8 kHz: IH (the i has a short i sound as in the word ”if)
If you hear a blend of two adjacent vowel sound syllables, then just guess which one you hear more of, then extrapolate.
As embarrassing as it sounds... I've extremely exhausted today, so was only put 25, hazy minutes in. My minds is having a hard time getting into the zone because I am super sleepy as of typing this. I also feel as though milestones in my career have diverted my attention to tangible things. Yet, I understand that's no excuse. I'll try to do better tomorrow!
@Dave Soltura just something I noticed when I was using TrainYourEars EQ (before I knew about SoundGym), because those frequencies (125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000) are defaults in TYE. The vowels sounds on the far upper and lower end (UH for 125 Hz, IH (as in IF) for 8kHz) don't hold up as well as the others in the middle, but it is still a good guideline to use.
It's also sort of analogous to what the human mouth does - on a continuous scale - when when it opens up, an OOH with a closed mouth turns gradually to an AH as you slowly open your mouth (I can't get the higher vowel sounds EH, EE, IH, though, starting at OOH.)
Come on, Dave! Less than 1/3 left, you're almost there!! Today I'd like to dedicate this song to you and your journey (it is one of my all-time favorites). The power of dreams can take you very far!!
I'm not quite sure about the only one month to go aspect - I mean, I'm pretty sure that by this point, Dave has found whether these exercises helped him in his audio work. If it did, then I can only imagine that it would pay off to continue training after the 90 days mark, right ?
I completely agree that maybe, past a certain point, it would not necessarily make sense to spend 2 hours each day only working on SG (these may, after all, be better utilized for other audio works) ; But I feel like keeping on doing at least the 5 exercises, let's say 5 times a week would be beneficial in the long run (at least, for me) to keep on training the ears & the brain that goes with it.
I wonder, do you, Dave , feel the same way ?
(EDIT : Sorry, I kinda messed up the whole @ thing, I think I mentioned somebody else by mistake...)
Hey @HSM! Truthfuly, mixing is an auxilliary skill for me, but a highly relevant one..
I may still work out after this, maybe once a week at least, but not to this degree.
As a provider for my family (I'm also supporting a few others), it's critical for me to focus on production-oriented tasks. 2 hours a day or 10 hours a week could have a massive impact on my business, so I would likely use it to serve more clients, or create content. I believe in The Law of Diminishing Returns.
The reason I went in for a 90-day challenge is because I wanted to soak up as much skill and knowledge as I could without having to get a degree like in Berklee. If this were my highest paid skill, I would consider that, but it is not. I am an entrepreneur at heart and believe in the power of scaling. What I've learned here will supplement my microphone reviews (which are at scale), voice over demo production, and my coaching business.
I am a voice actor primarily, but voice actors who are also knowledgeable with audio production are rare, so I'm after the inter-disciplinary benefits. My goal is to be extensively more proficient than most voice actors, but not quite a world-class master who has spent 10,000 hours on a skill.
I hope this answer didn't disappoint you. I have much respect for those who practice this craft full time and mean no disrespect, but it is not my main thing.
Also don't worry about the tagging. Having trouble tagging you, too!
Hey Dave, no problem - I can completely understand your position (even more so since it's so developed) :-)
I myself wish to do more audio engineering, so I guess that's why I'm more inclined to continue practicing in the mid- to long-term ; But I actually think that with your reasoning, I do respect your challenge even more - I truly hope you grow your business(es) to your liking and that you have successes on your path!
I found the panning challenges impossible with headphones until I recently started using CanOpener plugin on my monitor chain. Now it's still challenging but at least possible! Also this plugin has been a game changer for mixing in headphones and having it translate to actual stereo speakers.
@Tyson Arp : Excuse my ignorance but...How can you make a plugin (a VST or equivalent, I guess) that works inside your DAW work also for sound coming from a Chrome app (like SoundGym)?
@Cuantas Vacas. For me, I route my computer audio out through USB to my Audio Interface and then into my DAW so I can send it through my regular monitor chain where I include Sound ID and CanOpener. Your ability to pull this off really depends on the flexibility of your interface and number of channels available. In the past I've used an audio cable to take the headphone out from my computer to the interface, but recently figured out how to do it via USB and therefore avoid a couple more D/A - A/D conversions.
Pan game level-up! For some strange reason, doing cheetah right before it helped me make quicker and more accurate decisions. Maybe the coffee I had helped, too.
Dbking level up!
Eq knight high score!!
Compressionist high score! The close ratio (i.e. 2:1 vs 4:1, and 8:1 vs 4:1) questions were tough. It’s the release question in item 12/12 that got me. So close!
Spent about a full hour and a half today. I really enjoyed this session, too. I think enjoyment has a lot to do with growth and performance.
Congrats! Really enjoyed following your progress with the daily updates. Thinking you passed 300k after completing the daily workout? If so, then should get the Golden badge after completing your next daily workout ( see https://www.soundgym.co/help/item?id=why-i-don-t-get-my-award&f=0 ) Cheers!
Thanks for the information, @Tyson Arp . This goes directly to the 'important stuff: learn more about it' box, though now I've got a general idea about proper audio routing at my home PC setup. Mixing and producing were absolutely new to me when I started 'making' music on my computer, and I haven't gone too far yet, but reading about SoundID's features makes me think I might do a little better, at least here at SoundGym, if I tried that software, as I don't have monitors and do everything on headphones...
@Dave Soltura : You'll turn into gold as soon as you finish your next workout... So here are my pre-congrats to fill those hours before that happens! Great job!!
Wow! Looks like I REALLY need to sit down and make time for this. I can't just do it at the end of the day and hope I'd rack the points. I'm hoping that if I block 2 hours a day, I could get to 25,000 by day 90!
I'm trying to watch everything in 1.25 to 1.5x speed depending on the speaker's speech speed. But I also pause to absorb concepts that I find really important.
@Dave Soltura : I don't really want to break your hopes, but here's what I recon about the courses : I think that only the real-time spent watching counts for getting points (or at least that's the way I understand the guidelines) ; What I mean by this is if you watch a 30 minutes video in 15 minutes, then only 15 minutes' worth of learning points will be awarded. As far as I can gather, 25k points would be around 5,000 minutes (roughly 80+ hours?) of total watch time (I think I make around 5 points per minute of watch-time) ;
So, I'm really not sure you can get the certification in the 90 days you hope to (at least not if you don't sacrifice some other aspect of your tight schedule) :-/ ... That does not mean you shouldn't try though !
My take on video lessons is that you need to take the time to understand them - of course some lessons will be of little to no interest to you (maybe EDM production, for example), and in this case maybe you should spend your time re-watching lessons that are useful to you, as I gather this will still bring you learning points. But I would not advise rushing the videos ; in my opinion it cannot be as helpful as taking the time to watch them when you're well rested.
My calculation about the needed watch time may well be very wrong (as could be my assumption that only real-time watched counts, not theoritical video time), but I'd be happy to stand corrected about this.
@HSMusic_DNF: Thanks for looking out for me! I was just about to say much of what you said... While it's possible to do, man, that is going to DESTROY my work-life balance, haha.
Spent about 2 and a half hours today to get this boost.
I'm okay with this pace. If I keep this up, I don't mind getting certification by Day 100, 110 or so. :)
That's the spirit :-D (Don't forget to do your daily aural training too, even if it's a single pass on each of the 5 exercises- if you so wish, of course ;-) )
I totally agree with @HSMusic_ DNF 's last comment: Please don't just 'cut' with daily workouts!! After the huge sustained efforts you've already invested to sharpen your listening skills it would be such a shame to lose any % of those...! As he says, and I also did days ago, 'maintenance' is important and a single pass on your daily workout exercises should be enough for that purpose. 😅👂💪
EQ Knight – No change. EQ Mirror – WOAH what!? I cheetahd this and thought I’d fail, but I leveled up! Just 9 minutes of EQing. But… it’s just second place, and a million points short of my top score. So the quality of finishing it isn’t that high. Distorted Reality 3rd place! Delay Control – No change. Peakmaster – 2nd place!
19 minutes and 30 seconds for the exercise.
309,165 SPI, 91.4% percentile.
5,328 Learning Points!
Naturally, spending more time exercising means dropping my learning points gains. Just about 300 this time. If I spend more time, it would really ruin my work-life balance.
But I reckon, 300 points, while sustaining a skill developed for this long, versus 500 points while losing that skill, is so much better!
Can't take a screenshot of my LP for some reason... so here's the percentile stuff.
A lot of unexpected things happened today, so I really ended up racking a few learning points... The sight of EQ mirror froze me, because I know that exercise takes long. Maybe I'll give it a shot next time and do it fast.
Maybe this is just a good first step towards trying 25k learning points again... but within the time frame, it's really not realistic.
Given new commitments for the year and my current lifestage, I really may just have to call it a day (or quarter year) once I hit day 90.
6268 Learning points, and went up by 0.3% percentile!
Compressionist High score, 1 try! EQ Knight no change. Stereo Head High score, 1 try! Delay control no change. PanGirl no change.
BIG WIN: My wife's guitar began to make this screechy high pitched sound during a live session. I was able to sweep and cut it with relative ease. Wow!! Talk about a real practial use case! I was amazed at how the bad frequency really disappeared!
So sorry for the radio silence. Very urgent family matters and amazing work opportunities had to take precedence over this.
I'm still going to crawl my way through the last 10 days. No excuses!
Day 81
Watched three long videos on my audio weakness: signal flow. I at least now have a fundamental understanding of what inserts and auxes are, and the history of analogue mixers, and how they impacted digital mixing. I consider this substantial progress, because they're new concepts that will open many possibilities.
Again, not a lot of points today. But I learned a lot about why I should use a gate before a compressor, and the various scenarios of when a compressor or EQ should go first. Not a lot of content, but very practical lessons!
Learned about a more minimalistic approach to vocal EQ.
Apologies if I'm not getting a lot done here. I've been blessed with many new major projects for my voice over business, so those urgent matters have had to come first. But I'm still trying to make sure to show up every day, at least.
Hi Dave! Wow what a great news! Voice dubbing must be really exciting and thrilling... I wish you a lot of success! =D Your work on Soudgym maybe will give you a good extra focus I hope. Good dubbing Dave!
Learned about conventional delay effects, and now have a newfound appreciation for them.
And while this wasn't on SoundGym, I just learned how to use pitch correction on Melodyne 5... which is phenomenal!
With that out of the way.. the CHALLENGE IS FINALLY OVER!!
Goodness, this last stretch was quite the slog. Admittedly, I was quite happy with Golden Ears already. The rest of the days, I continued, because I needed to train myself to commit to public accountability and not quitting, simply because it's convenient. And although my attendance wasn't perfect either, I don't think the breaks were unreasonable, since they kept my life in tact.
What about the exercises?
Although I haven't done them in a while, I've continued to use them every day!
I'm much more confident with how I describe sounds in my YouTube microphone reviews.
At church, I can now hear feedback and unwanted sounds a mile away, and I can sweep + cut them with confidence, and fast, too!
I even noticed an unwanted metallic frequency in my voiceovers, caused by having an open Klean Kanteen nearby.
Ultimately, it's been incredibly worth it. :)
Do I see myself chasing after the certifiate?
Well, the idea was to get the certificate to get more clients... but as I mentioned above, I got a few major long-term clients, and have no real need for that now.
Would I recommend others do this?
If audio is something you spend time on almost every day, then yes!
I would also recommend a 30-day marathon instead of 90-days. There's so much you can accomplish in that time, and it may be all that you need. With 90 days, a lot of external factors can begin to get in the way: we've been flooded, moved homes, and had major professional breakthroughts in that time.
Thank you so much for all your support, Sound Gym community! Your kindness helped me finish this challenge!
P.S. This is definitely the end of frequent posting for now. But if ever I'm bored or feel like I need to grow my audio game, I may watch more videos with a slower long-term approach to getting the certificate. I'm open to doing exercises again as a form of recreation, especially to maintain gains.
@Dave Soltura Hi Dave! Well, what a journey! You went all the way, so congratulations! You did it for 90 days! Wow I'm impressed with your consistency and giving a daily report here, what you've done is great for the community, you're already an engaging person and despite the difficulties you've been through sometimes, you've remained focused and respectful. Many have followed you here and you have given us a good dose of momentum and positivity, so for that I (and we) are grateful. This will remain a mark here, as your original as well as kind approach will forever be a lovely and courageous example. (I'll write you a little message of gratitude on your Soudgym mailbox =) Thanks Dave!
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