Chapter 212 (1/2)
Volume 6 / Chapter 212
TL: LightNovelCafe
Editor: adkji
When Laura went into the recording booth and sang ‘A,’ Jun Hyuk got lost intensely in thought. Laura thought of her shortcomings and waited for Jun Hyuk to say something.
He contemplated for a while and spoke to her as though he suddenly remembered something,
“Laura, shall we take a 10 minute break? Have a cup of coffee or something.”
Laura left the booth to drink coffee, and Jun Hyuk spoke to the sound engineer quietly,
“Did you hear the part where her pronunciation was shaky?”
As soon as Jun Hyuk spoke, the sound engineer sighed.
“Whew. Maestro, try listening to this.”
The sound engineer looked through a folder on the hard drive and opened up several files on the screen.
“This sound library is the file we use as a standard when we need precise pronunciation. There are recordings from vocalists and some from vocal guides. Languages are separated by series, so let’s talk after listening to all of them.”
Since it is America, a showroom of different races and people, there is a wide variety of ‘A’ pronunciations. Even those who speak English perfectly, show subtle differences in pronunciation by lineage.
Jun Hyuk listened to all of the files, took off the headphones, and the sound engineer spoke,
“Laura’s pronunciation just now was almost perfect. I honestly think it’s phenomenal that she changed so much over just 3 days. Even if it doesn’t sound precise in Maestro’s ears, the public won’t be able to tell the difference. I would even bet on it.”
“But, there is a difference in the music if it comes to the standard that I want it at. The overall feeling changes.”
“Yes, Maestro. I understood that completely since I can’t believe the difference between 3 days. It’s just that I hadn’t imagined that precise and consistent pronunciation would make such a great difference.”
The sound engineer saw that Jun Hyuk’s expression remained the same and stressed again,
“Take a look at the wave file. There’s almost no difference with the guide sound. Don’t you think it’s meaningless work beyond this?”
Laura had been watching with a coffee in each of her hands, and gently interrupted,
“Uh, Jun. How close is my singing just now to the goal you have in mind?”
“35%.”
“What?”
“35%?”
The two people cried out at the same time and were speechless.
“Don’t be so surprised, Laura. I lowered my goal for exact pronunciation. You just have to get to 70%. I heard this song on the violin yesterday, and it was hard even for an instrument to maintain the same sound. 35% is in relation to the whole thing, including the technique to change tone and expression.”
Laura’s expression relaxed after she heard Jun Hyuk’s explanation. This is only the 2nd recording. If she has accomplished half from the beginning, she will be able to follow the rest.
“Laura, you’re doing well right now. Honestly, I’m also confused as to where to draw my standards. I’m going to decide after listening to you sing some more, so it’s not to the point where you have to worry. Then, shall we try it again?”
Laura went back into the recording booth with a much brighter face. Jun Hyuk listened to her singing and changed the standard value of the pronunciation he first thought of, little by little.
He directed with the thought that in the worst case scenario, he would release the score alone. If he releases the score and vocalists put the song in their repertoires, he would be able to decide on the standard then.
But Jun Hyuk could not shake the feeling of regret. He wanted to be able to hear the bliss of a coloratura that comes from perfect pronunciation with his ears, instead of just in his head.
***
One month passed with Danny focused on practicing for his choral concerto performance in Jun Hyuk’s apartment, while Laura was waiting in the studio in anxiety like a student who had just finished taking a test and was now waiting for the results.
Jun Hyuk, President Stern, her professor, agent, and record label executives were gathered in the studio and listening to her recording.
There was not a moment when everyone except Jun Hyuk and Laura were not trembling while listening to the song flowing through the magnificent speakers. To put it in terms of pop music, it was like listening to an album full of songs that are 1st on the Billboard chart.
When music stopped coming from the speakers, Jun Hyuk stood up from his seat and spoke,
“I believe that up to here is the best. No matter how much we work on it, it won’t get better. Oh right. We did not use machines to work on the calibration.”
Up to here?
Better?
Everyone looked at Jun Hyuk in disbelief.
It was singing that had the essence of Italian opera aria, Bel Canto. And with just one sound! Their fingertips are still trembling from the dramatic tension that dominated all 5 songs.
A fresh and beautiful melody, unbelievable tune, frequent changes in a dynamic beat, a rhythm that increases tension, and even a mysterious melisma (a group of notes sung to one syllable of text).
They had goosebumps the entire time they were listening because of Laura Goldberg’s incredible singing that could handle a song containing all of the essences of arias so wonderfully.
Because each of the 5 songs had its own character, there was no way to rank them. One song brought out the listener’s compassion and there was another where the part that repeated legato (smooth, flowing manner, without breaks between notes) and staccato (each sound or note sharply separated from the others) fluctuated to the point of breathlessness.
This song seemed to show the complete abilities of vocalists with a lot of pitch intervals, treble, and scales. There was nothing left to say about it.
But, the composer himself sounds as though he feels something is lacking.
“Maestro Jun. Why does it sound like there’s a nuance that there’s something falling short?”
“It seems that Maestro is also satisfied since the recording has already been completed.”