the girl behind the music - tbz sunwoo ff

𝟬.𝟳

I headed to the studio and threw my bag onto the sofa behind the producer's chair. I took a chair and pulled it along with me to open the connecting door between the studio and the booth.

I plugged in a set of headphones to the mic in the booth and placed on the mic cover. I exited the booth and added a few more tracks that I can use as 'free space' to record.

I set up the count-in for eight counts for me to get used to music. The minute I hit record, I rushed into the booth and wore the headphones to hear the count in to be one bar before the start of the song.

One.

"Ah~~~~ Ah~~~~" I started putting in the high pitched harmony.

I took out my headphones and when back out into the studio to stop the recording. I listened to the recording, cringy slightly at my first take, before re-listening to it again to hear the quality of it. It doesn't matter if it's off-key (I can always auto tune it later) but the quality is where critics pick out and comment. Not satisfied with the first take, I deleted the track and re-recorded myself.

After about five takes, I finally got the quality I wanted. I closed up the booth and sat in my producer's chair and started editing my vocals to sound more like an android; not too robotic but at the same time not too humanised. I had also edited it to be slightly hidden in the music to prevent giving the fans a shock from the random vocals.

I relistened to the whole song again and again trying to find something that can be altered to added to find nothing.

I listened to it again, now closing my eyes to really feel the vibe of the song.

'That's it.'

I was done. I finally finished modifying the demo Ms.Kim had given me; and in a span of one week too.

I whipped out my phone and called Unnie downstairs.

"Hello?" Ms.Kang answered the phone.

"Unnie. I finished the song! Do you know where Ms.Kim can be?" I asked.

"That's amazing Sohee-ah! You stay right there, kay. I'll call Ms.Kim up for you. I'll text you when I've told her," Unnie replied happily.

An hour later, as I sat in the studio, heart pounding loudly and hands shaking from the music adrenaline, there was a knock on the door of the recording studio.

"Come in," I said loudly.

The door swung to reveal Ms.Kim walking in with a man following behind her.

"Sohee, this is Mr.Choi. He wrote and produced the demo. He was able to drop by to hear and comment on the demo," Ms. Kim explained.

I gave Mr.Choi a slight bow, he gave one back too. I stood back up to see him smiling comfortingly. I took a deep breath before proceeding to the laptop that was opened to the app used to make the song itself.

"Whenever you're ready Sohee!" he said, his voice filled with excitement.

I took another deep breath before playing the track. Despite hearing it and having it ingrained in my brain, the song sounded new. As though it was the start to a new type of genre or mood that I'll be working with for a while.

I monitored Ms.Kim and Mr.Choi's facial expressions from its reflection on the glass in front of us. When the song finally ended, I turned around to face them.

"That-"

'Oh my god'

"Was..."

'Ah. Oh no'

My head was practically panicking at this point.

"Amazing!" Mr.Choi complimented finally.

I felt like an invisible weight lifted itself off my shoulders.

"I like what you did to fill up the empty space in the background. It gives it a sense of freedom. It's a very nice title track for a rookie group," he continued to compliment.

I gave a small bow. "Thank you so much for that feedback. It really means a lot to me," I thanked.

"This is really beyond my expectations of you, Sohee," Ms.Kim addressed.

"Yeah. Good work Sohee!" Mr.Choi congratulated making me put on a wide smile.

"Now, when are you free to record this with the group?" Ms.Kim asked, taking me aback.

"The group?" I asked, yearning for a confirmation.

"Yes."

"I hope I'm not stepping boundaries here but shouldn't Mr.Choi be the one to record them? He's much more experienced than me, and, he also wrote a first demo to the song," I tried to protest.

Yes, I want to record their vocals. I'm not trying to push this opportunity away but I also believe that Mr.Choi's efforts shouldn't be put to waste. and also maybe that I'm scared to...

"That is true but you are the one who improved it. You have the latest information about how to feel and what emotions should be put into which lines. It would be better if you recorded their vocals and directed them on how to," Mr.Choi said.

I was still contemplating. I could sense Mr.Choi staring at me as I pondered.

"Think of it this way," he started again. "When are you ever going to have an opportunity like this? Recording vocals for an actual group?" he asked rhetorically.

My train of thought stopped at this point. I could make a really big breakthrough if this song goes viral.

"So what is your decision Sohee?"