Chapter 10

The Spotlight of the Genius Vocalist Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Original Song

There are only two weeks left.

Within this period, we need to select three high-quality songs. From today, we need to prepare intensively.

The meeting place is still Park Cheol-ho's studio in front of Hongdae.

"Are you here?"

To my surprise, Song Da-som arrived on time. I thought she would be late and have to pay a fine.

"Of course, I'm here!"

Her still husky voice is impressive. Her characteristic energy is lively, which is good.

As soon as she arrived, she slowly plucked the strings.

Soon after, Kim Ha-joon came in.

"Is our jammer here?"

"Ah, sister. I'm not a jammer. I'll be an adult next year."

Kim Ha-joon grumbled.

He slowly sat down and took out his bass.

About ten minutes before the agreed time, Lee Sung-jin came in, and about five minutes before, Park Pil-joon ran in.

"Ha... Safe..."

He panted.

"Why don't you leave earlier?"

Song Da-som looked at him with half-closed eyes, and Park Pil-joon quickly retaliated.

"You're always late, but now you're coming early and making a fuss."

I looked at the arguing Song Da-som and Park Pil-joon and lightly clapped my hands.

"Alright, that's enough. Has everyone decided on a concept?"

It's time to choose the songs.

I told them to think about what concept they wanted to do while having a meal.

"Brother, how about the Goblin Band's song from Naver? What do you think about trying something in the thrash metal genre?"

"I don't like it."

"Me neither."

"Hmm, that's a bit..."

It was immediately rejected.

Song Da-som looked disappointed.

"Have you ever tried heavy metal?"

When I asked, she shook her head.

"Then why do you want to do it?"

"Just because it feels good?"

She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then smiled.

"Absolutely not."

If we do heavy metal, we can closely create a song that matches Song Da-som's voice.

The problem is that I have no feeling for it.

It's almost impossible to create that voice within two weeks.

How to handle the keyboard is also an issue.

"Let's try heavy metal later."

It wasn't entirely bad.

At those words, Song Da-som's face slightly fell.

It seems she wanted to challenge heavy metal.

Kim Ha-joon was smiling on the side.

"Ha-joon, what do you want to do?"

"......I'll go with the flow. I don't have any specific preferences."

When I pointed to Kim Ha-joon, he stopped smiling like a deflated puppy.

Lack of confidence.

His weakness is that he is too sensitive to his surroundings.

That day, he kept apologizing to us, who were drunk, while drinking cola.

Even when I told him not to worry, moments like this happened.

He has a tiring personality.

But if I instill confidence in him, he will change someday.

During my trainee days, there were friends with low self-esteem like him.

As they gained experience and grew older, they became more indifferent and grew more.

"Just be honest. You don't have to pick a specific genre."

"I want a calm song... with the bass sound a bit more prominent."

He said in a deflated voice.

Song Da-som seemed to want to challenge him but held back.

"Hmm... Okay. This is the first option."

"No, brother. What about thrash metal?"

"Rejected. It's too niche."

I quickly looked at Lee Sung-jin and Park Pil-joon.

"I want R&B or country. But honestly, with your voice, R&B is better. I also have some melodies in mind for that genre."

"Okay. R&B is the second option."

Lee Sung-jin's opinion was the most important, and fortunately, it matched mine.

The other members occasionally composed songs, but everyone agreed that his composing ability was the best.

The band's usual country style didn't suit me.

I was planning to go in the direction Lee Sung-jin wanted, but it would be better to do something that fits well.

"I also want R&B."

Park Pil-joon said, looking at him.

Fortunately, the R&B faction grew.

I cheered inwardly.

"I also want R&B."

If other cover songs create a grand stage, this song will create the final feeling.

The discussion quickly narrowed down to R&B.

"Ah, about the stage, can we go with a more intense and scratchy feel?"

Song Da-som complained, stopping plucking the strings.

It seemed she wanted to emphasize the guitar more.

"That's for another song."

I said with a slow smile.

Song Da-som looked tough on the outside and hard to approach, but she was actually very simple.

No, she could be persuaded.

Listening to others and agreeing with them.

She was also proactive in expressing her opinions.

"Let's make this the last song. How about setting up a calm stage to leave an impression?"

"Hmm... Is that so?"

Song Da-som seemed to be thinking.

"The last one should be like that. Don't worry about the broadcast atmosphere; let's do what we want."

"Hmm... Alright. I like the idea of not caring about that."

Song Da-som quickly agreed.

"Then, Sung-jin, can you try making a melody?"

"Sure, I'll prepare it quickly."

I don't know why he was so talkative, but he kept texting on his phone while answering.

I carefully observed Lee Sung-jin's working style.

Composing is a task without a fixed answer.

Some people do it this way, some do it that way.

If there are 100 composers, there are 100 methods.

He played the keyboard.

"Guys, listen to what I've been thinking about."

Lee Sung-jin's style is to create harmonies first.

This is like building a road.

Removing obstacles like rocks from barren land and creating a path.

"Hmm... It's a bit off. Can you adjust the tempo a bit?"

Park Pil-joon said while listening to the harmony.

When he spoke, Lee Sung-jin slowly widened the distance between notes.

"What about this? It's in the order of 4th, 5th, 6th, and 3rd degrees?"

"I like this. But what about making the tone higher?"

Song Da-som suggested, but I shook my head.

I felt bad for continuously contradicting her opinions.

But she wanted to make the song brighter.

"Da-som, I'm sorry for always opposing you. But if we're going to do it, it's better to go with a completely different tone from the previous cover songs, a low tone all the way."

"Hmm... Okay. That makes sense."

Creating harmonies takes a long time.

It needs to be simple yet pleasant to listen to.

The harmonies Lee Sung-jin showed were definitely good.

This short melody will carry the entire song.

"Brother... What about making the tempo between the previous and current tempos?"

When Kim Ha-joon spoke, Lee Sung-jin made adjustments.

"No, I think a bit faster would be better."

Park Pil-joon stuck to his original stance.

"Is there a part where the guitar can shine?"

Song Da-som spoke cautiously.

When the members couldn't narrow down their opinions, Lee Sung-jin spontaneously hummed a melody.

And at that moment.

Everyone except him looked at each other in surprise.

"Sung-jin, can you implement what you just hummed?"

I quickly said.

It was a melody that felt just right.

It seemed perfect when combined with our instruments and my voice.

It felt like sending off Until Sunset. Now, I wanted to say we are Hooked.

I wanted to paint the morning.

We have now moved past the sunrise.

The streets are coldest just before dawn.

People who ride the first bus as if it were the last.

Businessmen stepping out of their apartments, yawning continuously.

Streetlights blinking before the morning fully arrives.

College students vomiting into the sewers, not yet sober.

A cat sitting on a high wall, then continuing on its way.

As the sound of cars on the road gradually grows louder.

Even though spring continues, my body shivers from the cold.

Scenes were painted from the melody.

"Brother, is this really good?"

"Definitely."

Lee Sung-jin looked at me doubtfully.

The other members answered for him.

One can't cut their own hair.

There was a moderate, neither dark nor bright, early morning in that hum.

"I really like this..."

Kim Ha-joon spoke cautiously.

He usually liked calm things.

I glanced at Song Da-som, and she was already holding her guitar.

She looked happy.

"Really? Then let's make it right away."

Lee Sung-jin excitedly played the keyboard.

I took out my phone and started working on the lyrics.

I expanded my thoughts even further.

There were definitely more important things in that scene.

Because our current selves were not there.

When I thought I could do more, I heard someone calling me a few times.

"Answer me. Hey, mister?"

"Uh... Uh. What?"

I looked at Lee Sung-jin, a bit flustered.

The other members were all surrounding him.

"Do you want to listen to this?"

I slowly listened to the melody coming from the computer.

About three seconds of sound.

If this is extended, it will create a road.

We need to run through this with our respective instruments.

I closed my eyes.

"Definitely good. Keep going."

The unpaved road is turning into a highway.

I didn't know Lee Sung-jin was a genius, as he usually doesn't talk much.

He quickly composed the melody, phrases, and repeated them.

In some sections, he made the phrases a bit faster, and in others, a bit slower.

"Wait, me! Me!"

Song Da-som, who was immersed in the flow, suddenly took out her guitar.

She matched her guitar sound to the introductory melody.

"What if it goes like this?"

I imagined a street, a shop's shutter.

Song Da-som playing her guitar in front of a shutter covered in graffiti.

However, Kim Ha-joon was not very proactive in making the song.

He seemed nervous even during practice.

Seeing this, Song Da-som scolded him.

"Ha-joon, you need to think of the bass line for me to come in."

"Ah, sister, just a moment..."

Kim Ha-joon looked deflated.

She was so engrossed in her guitar that she didn't notice his deflation.

It seemed the previous mistake still bothered her.

"Ha-joon, can you come here for a moment?"

"Sure..."

He approached hesitantly, looking dejected.

In such moments, one needs to speak softly and comfort.

It's already impressive that a 19-year-old is doing this.

"Have confidence. I was always like this during my trainee days."

I always blamed myself when I couldn't do something.

I kept going until I could... There was no time for mental breakdowns.

If I stayed still, I would be overtaken quickly.

"Keep going. You're doing well. It's just stage nerves."

Kim Ha-joon bowed his head deeply.

"No matter how much I think, I'm just a hole..."

He's not a hole.

Such mistakes can always be covered.

It was just a few seconds.

Even if you enter incorrectly, there are keyboards, drums, and guitars to cover it, to make it a simple mishap.

Kim Ha-joon, who usually practices silently and diligently.

He just lacks experience, and in such moments, he needs continuous opportunities to grow.

There are no monthly evaluations like during trainee days, but I cautiously shared what I wanted to say to my past self with Kim Ha-joon.

"It's okay, man. You can make a lot of mistakes. I'll wait for you."

I never heard such words from anyone.

That's why I wanted to be a little more mature now.

I was always impatient at 19.

"Thanks, brother."

"Then, don't worry about others and be proactive."

I said it a bit authoritatively, as if joking.

Kim Ha-joon smiled.

At that moment, I heard Song Da-som calling.

"Ha-joon, come quickly. You need to tell me where and how to come in!"

"Go quickly. I need to write the lyrics now."

I sent Kim Ha-joon off and went outside the practice room.

It was a bit noisy.

I wanted to immerse myself more in the lyrics.

While I was deeply immersed in the emotion, Park Pil-joon called me.

"Brother, come in quickly. This is amazing. Listen to this part."

He was excited. It must be a good song.

I had already heard the melody. Song Da-som's guitar was also good.

"Come on, quickly! Sung-jin has already arranged the intro, and it's really spine-chilling."

"How did he arrange it so quickly?"

"I don't know, but I always feel his composing is a bit strange."

It was unbelievable.

It felt like only about two hours had passed.

If he can compose a melody line this quickly, he could probably make an album in two weeks.

I opened the door and approached the band members.

When I heard the sound up close, it gave me goosebumps even more than before.

"What is this? This is insane?"

When the harmony was slowly set in the intro, the sound was uniform.

The scene of the night fading away was vividly painted.

The melody was more dreamy than before.

Like the early morning just after dawn.

"Shall we add the bass to the intro?"

I said spontaneously while listening to the melody.

The scene I imagined was unfolding.

It felt like stepping on each note of this scale.

But only one measure had come out so far.

"Ha-joon, can you play what you have in mind?"

"Just a moment. I'll get it quickly."

It seemed to take a bit of time.

We kept throwing out ideas as they came to mind.

I hoped one of them would stick.

"Can the guitar come in a bit softly during the intro?"

"I'll match it with Ha-joon."

Song Da-som answered.

She quickly took Kim Ha-joon to the side to match their parts.

"Can you turn up the keyboard sound a bit more in the beginning?"

Lee Sung-jin enthusiastically created chords on the keyboard.

He found the tones he liked from various harmonies.

When composing, you need to create the tone and play the chords.

Once a measure of chords that can fit my voice comes out, move on to the next chord.

Harmonies need to be added continuously.

Back and forth.

"I like this too."

Melodies kept being created from Lee Sung-jin's fingers.

I listened with my eyes closed.

To gradually capture the emotional line.

"This part is a bit off, right? Let's lower the note a bit."

When I spoke, he quickly lowered the note by a half step.

Park Pil-joon also found a strange point while humming the melody.

"Isn't the note jump a bit abrupt here?"

He slowly checked the points where the notes jumped between phrases.

"Okay, I'll change it like this."