Over the last two months, we have brought you weekly installments of our "Journey Through Sound" series, which has been very well received. When the series ended, we interviewed one of our current Hybrid Diploma Course students, Jadyn Goff, and ASE Alumni Lloyd Metcalfe to get some feedback on their experience and bring you this behind-the-scenes view of what it is like to be a student at ASE Cape Town.
We first heard from Lloyd Metcalfe:
ASE: Was it a surprise to hear from George Hattingh again after so many years?
LM: Not at all. We have tried to keep in touch since I graduated ± 13 years ago. George has always had a good connection with all past students, so when he got in contact it was easy catching up.
ASE: Your journey at ASE started in 2006 when you registered for the Legacy Diploma in Sound Engineering. What impact would you say that those years had on your successes in the industry and your career today?
LM: They were definitely massively beneficial. The people I met, the facilities we used and, most importantly, the education I and my fellow alumni received carved the path I would eventually take into the film industry.
ASE: Even though you were only exposed to Module 1 of the new Hybrid Model, what was your impression of how much the programme delivery has evolved since you were at ASE?
LM: I'm jealous, man. The course layout is incredible. Module 1 is a fantastic intro not only to ASE but also a bright future in the Music and Entertainment industry. I think ASE has come such a long way but still keeps the essentials that make ASE what it is.
ASE: What was it like working with Jadyn?
LM: Energy and passion. Jadyn reminds me of me at her age, bright-eyed and excited about her passion. It's such a key time in her life to get the right education in this industry. I'm glad she chose ASE because I think it offers the best education in the industry.
ASE: What would you say to an aspiring young content creator who might be nervous about getting involved in media and entertainment at the moment?
LM: Honestly there is no better time than now to be involved in content. If you have energy and passion you can really make waves, not only in the content industry, but (in certain cases) any industry, if you use the tools right. It's a very exciting time for content creators as we are the new Hollywood film makers/actors/score creators.
ASE: We have already seen that the academic results of our students engaging with the Hybrid Programme have an improved academic average when compared to the previous delivery of the programme. Why do you think this is?
LM: It makes complete sense. You have all the content at your fingertips whenever and wherever. The course is executed brilliantly.
ASE: Do you think that the new Hybrid model gives the learner more freedom and access to resources and information when compared to the traditional full-time on-campus method of delivery?
LM: I think what the Hybrid Learning does is allow for a more one-on-one approach to learning. When we were studying, there were like a hundred of us in the M1 studio trying to hear Andrew talk about Midi keyboards and sometimes the horseplay in a class of that size can disrupt the entire lesson. On a computer, tablet or cellphone there are no distractions. It's as if the class is intended specifically for you and of course you can replay certain parts that went over your head until it sinks right in.
Now to Jadyn Goff:
ASE: What did you think when George Hattingh approached you to be the star in the series “Journey Through Sound”? What was your first reaction?
JG: I was so shocked and surprised and thereafter the excitement of the concept rose and I became extremely anxious; however, all my feelings became focused on putting out a great performance. I was very happy to be chosen for this series because it was something different and unique.
ASE: What has it been like working with Lloyd?
JG: Working with Lloyd was so much fun, absorbing his energy, his experience and his knowledge. Lloyd also taught me some tips on how to set up all the cameras and lights which was pretty cool. He has such a stunning nature, he is a very hard-working person and I'm so glad to have met him.
ASE: Do you think it helped you focus on your work, and that it improved your overall experience? Or was it more of a distraction?
JG: It definitely made me focus more on my work, I had to take notes on what we've learnt in each lesson in order to give sufficient information about the lessons, which improved my overall experience. I learnt interesting information and it sunk into my head so when it came to the Assessments, I could always recall the information easily.
ASE: What was your favourite part of creating the series?
JG: My favourite part was definitely the experience and exposure I got as well as the things I've learnt along the way. Creating the teaser was pretty fun to do because I got to dance and just be myself. Another one was when I kept messing up my sentences when I had to do the interview parts and all I did was just laugh. This series is definitely something to remember.
ASE: What did your family and friends think about seeing you on their phones every week?
JG: They were so excited and proud of me and couldn't wait for the next episode to come. I really do appreciate my family and friends because they showed their support and shared it everywhere, which meant a lot to me.
ASE: Was the on-campus start to Module 2 everything you hoped it would be?
JG: My word, where do I begin! It was definitely everything I hoped for and it was absolutely incredible to be on campus. The vibes were awesome and, to be honest, I was actually quite sad that we only had two weeks on campus. It was so much fun getting to work on the towers, and trying to make the instruments come out of the amps and monitors, routing certain instruments or mics to certain channels and cable rolling. It was phenomenal! The information that we learnt on campus was amazing, especially in Pro Tools! And the Cape Town first year students, what a vibrant bunch they are! It was really nice to get to know them as well, which made the experience even more fun. I already miss them so much that I want to go back to my second home in the studios at ASE.
ASE: We have already seen that the academic results of our students engaging with the Hybrid Programme have an improved academic average when compared to the previous delivery of the programme. Why do you think this is?
JG: I think it's because you can always go back to the previous lesson and just recap what you've done or just go over the work which you have instant access to. The Hybrid Program also forces you to complete the lessons because you need to click on certain icons in order to progress to the next lesson. They also added pop quizzes to see if we understand the work and what concepts we need to work on more than others.
ASE: What would you say to an aspiring musician or producer that is interested in gaining more knowledge and possibly a qualification in Audio Technology? Should they consider ASE’s Hybrid Programme?
JG: I would say get you backside here to ASE as soon as possible to gain the amount of knowledge and experience the lecturers have! And if you want to take your talent and passion to the next level, this is the place to be. The feeling you get when you walk into ASE is nothing but warmth.
You can take a look at the whole series HERE.
On our YouTube channel HERE.
On our website HERE.
If you want to find out more about Jadyn, visit her on Instagram
If you want to find out more about Lloyd, here are some links:
Visit him on Instagram
His website, HERE
Or Vimeo, HERE
