Chapter 68 of 100

Chapter 68: Ten Days, Four Songs

17 min read4,331 words

When Shen Zhi received Li Yunzai's sheet music manuscript, he carefully read through it and immediately praised it. These four songs, although not the mainstream dance tracks of the current music industry, were top-notch ballads.

So when Li Yunzai entered the recording studio, Shen Zhi, with a smile, patted his shoulder and said, "Yunzai, really well done! You've created three songs in just a few days, truly impressive!"

Li Yunzai felt a bit elated by the praise. After all, Shen Zhi was the golden producer of LOEN. Getting his approval was a great honor.

"Nothing much, Teacher Shen. Time is tight, let's start recording!"

It was already January 3rd. Recording the songs and shooting the MVs had to be completed within a month to allow time for the record company to produce the album and release it before Valentine's Day.

Recording a song usually took about ten days, with constant repetition. Shooting an MV also took about a week, plus post-production, which would definitely take more than ten days. Now, Li Yunzai had to record four songs and shoot four MVs, all of which needed to be completed by the end of the month, a daunting task.

"Alright... I'm also eager to hear these songs!" Shen Zhi nodded happily, a satisfied smile on his face, clearly pleased with Li Yunzai's professionalism and composure. Unlike some who would get carried away with a few compliments, Shen Zhi didn't detect any such feeling from Li Yunzai.

Since the four songs Li Yunzai had composed already had lyrics and melodies, only minor adjustments were needed during the recording process, saving a lot of time. If Li Yunzai hadn't prepared the songs in advance, they wouldn't have been able to complete the recording by the end of the month, let alone shoot the MVs.

"Which one should we record first?" Shen Zhi asked.

Without hesitation, Li Yunzai replied, "Let's start with 'Elimination'!"

Shen Zhi nodded in agreement. He also had a good feeling about 'Elimination.' The video Li Yunzai posted online wasn't perfect, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

All the preparations were already in place. Li Yunzai walked into the recording booth, put on the headphones, and gave Shen Zhi a thumbs-up, indicating he was ready. He didn't need the lyrics, as he had memorized all four songs.

"I've told all the lies

You believed every one

A simple 'I love you'

You never trusted

The plot in your book

I don't want to act out

Because I like a happy ending

...........................................................

I can only say I accept it

Your unease wins your trust

But I get eliminated with your comfort......"

Any voice has its beauty. Some are as clear as silver bells, others are deep and hoarse, or even raspy, each with its own charm. Li Yunzai's voice was clearly on the hoarse side, but not entirely. This kind of voice, when singing ballads, is particularly good at touching others.

With a smooth and resonant singing style, Li Yunzai used his best singing techniques to perform the song. Shen Zhi couldn't find any flaws in Li Yunzai's singing, only describing it as perfect. The only issue was the music.

Although Li Yunzai used various software to edit and mix the music, it was still far from the professional recording software.

"This song requires a high level of vocal skills. The first minute or so is almost like a cappella, with the piano accompaniment almost negligible. This part needs some improvement. I think you can do better. Also, in the accompaniment, I think adding some deep cello elements would be good. What do you think?"

Li Yunzai recorded the song five times in one go, then he and Shen Zhi sat in front of the control panel, listening and discussing the recordings tirelessly. As a golden producer, Shen Zhi had a strong desire to make every melody perfect, and Li Yunzai shared this passion, making them a perfect match.

"Um... Indeed, I still lack some experience in composition. Please do as you see fit, Teacher Shen!" Li Yunzai said humbly.

Shen Zhi nodded approvingly. He was very satisfied with Li Yunzai's songwriting skills, and Li Yunzai's humility made Shen Zhi believe he would go far in this field.

Thus, for two consecutive days, Li Yunzai worked until midnight and was back in the studio at 8 AM the next day. After two days, the master tape of 'Elimination' was finally completed.

However, their work was far from over. After finishing 'Elimination,' Li Yunzai and Shen Zhi immediately started recording 'I Should Love You.'

This song had a bit of a rock flavor, completely different from 'Elimination.' While 'Elimination' had a somewhat gloomy and melancholic tone, 'I Should Love You' was an upbeat, inspiring song about facing love with courage and determination.

Shen Zhi had asked Li Yunzai how he could write two ballads with such different styles, but Li Yunzai just smiled without answering.

However, Shen Zhi knew that Li Yunzai had never been in a relationship. A young man who had never been in love could write touching love songs, which Shen Zhi found incredible. Writing songs requires inspiration from daily life, and only by experiencing love can one create good, emotionally rich songs. Yet, Li Yunzai seemed to defy this "natural rule," leaving Shen Zhi puzzled.

During their collaboration, Shen Zhi also noticed Li Yunzai's exceptional musical sense and high grasp of rhythm. He could always correct any off notes or melodies that would cause the song to sound off after listening a few times.

"It seems that this time, the president's judgment was finally accurate... This kid is indeed talented!" Shen Zhi felt fortunate for Bae Song-in, who had signed Li Yunzai.

Previously, he had always envied YG's golden producer Teddy for having G-Dragon, but now, he could proudly say that LOEN's Li Yunzai was no less, and perhaps even better.

'I Should Love You' took two and a half days to record. By the end of the fifth day, both 'I Should Love You' and 'Elimination' were completed, which was the fastest and highest-quality recording Shen Zhi had ever seen in his career.

By the afternoon of the seventh day, 'I Should Love You' was completed, and by 10:30 PM on the tenth day, 'Maple' was also finished.

In ten days, from January 3rd to January 13th, Shen Zhi and Li Yunzai completed the recording of four songs. Shen Zhi swore this was the fastest he had ever recorded songs, almost completing one song every two and a half days, which was his limit.

"Ah... Finally done!" Li Yunzai stretched his arms. For ten days, he had been under constant pressure, even sleeping restlessly at night, fearing any issues during the recording process that could delay the schedule. Fortunately, they managed to complete the recording in the shortest time possible.

"Hehe, Yunzai, don't be too happy yet. You'll be tired tomorrow!"

"Yes... Shooting MVs is much more tiring than recording songs!" Li Yunzai sighed. Recording songs was a piece of cake for him, but shooting an MV, which he had never done before, was a real challenge.

"Teacher Shen, have you found the female lead for the MV? Who is it?" Li Yunzai asked.

"Already found! These ten days, we've been busy in the studio, but other departments have also been working, contacting directors and selecting the female lead. After ten days, everything is ready, and we're set to start shooting tomorrow!" Shen Zhi stretched and said.

"Can you give me a hint? Who is the female lead?" Li Yunzai asked curiously. After all, he was very curious about the female lead he would be working with.

"Why so eager? You'll know tomorrow... I heard she's very beautiful... Yunzai, you're in luck!" Shen Zhi patted Li Yunzai's shoulder and smiled mischievously.

"Tomorrow, we'll start with the MV for 'Maple.' Speaking of which, why do I feel like 'Maple' isn't finished?" Shen Zhi looked at Li Yunzai with a puzzled expression.

"Hehe... Teacher Shen, your eyes are sharp. Indeed, it's not finished. The song is too long, so I only wrote the first half. The second half hasn't been created yet!

Also, I've told the president about the shooting requirements for the MV, planning to shoot it in two parts, with a continuous story. I plan to write the second half when we release the first full album in October this year." Li Yunzai explained.

"That's a good idea, very innovative." Shen Zhi praised.

"Even the best ideas need fans to buy into them... Teacher Shen, I'll be off then!" Looking at the time, it was already 11:30 PM. Li Yunzai yawned and stood up. He needed to rest well tonight, as tomorrow would be the real battlefield.

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