"Hugo, try adjusting your breathing, don't articulate the words too clearly, and slightly elongate the gaps between each word, connecting the melody smoothly." After twenty minutes of recording, Marc began teaching Hugo some simple singing techniques.
Hugo wasn't a professional singer; his understanding and interpretation of songs relied solely on his instincts without any formal training in singing or breathing techniques. Upon hearing Marc's explanation, Hugo didn't quite understand, but he didn't pretend to know and directly asked, "Marc, are you asking me to connect the notes slightly when I sing?" Marc nodded in agreement, and Hugo further inquired, "But how do I make it coherent? Can you demonstrate it for me?"
Faced with Hugo's request, Marc became immediately troubled, and his smiling face contorted with hesitation. "I'm just a film composer, not a professional singer. Today, I'm helping you out as a sound engineer, but I can't demonstrate it." Hugo found amusement in Marc's conflicted expression and said, "How about this: I'll try it myself, and if the effect isn't good, we can make adjustments. How does that sound?" Hugo didn't mind investing more effort into studying and learning as long as he could genuinely acquire something. Even geniuses need to put in 99% of hard work, and Hugo had no reason not to strive.
"Very well," Marc responded cheerfully.
Joseph sat on the couch and started feeling uncomfortable in his buttocks. Although the couch was soft, sitting still for a long time made his muscles stiffen. However, this wasn't his own home, so he couldn't relax on the couch, especially considering that Hugo was still working hard. Joseph didn't want to relax too much, even though he couldn't discern any differences in Hugo's performance.
In the recording studio, Hugo kept reinterpreting the song over and over again. Occasionally, Joseph could detect some differences, such as Hugo speeding up the tempo or adding vocal embellishments. But most of the time, Joseph was completely lost, watching Hugo and Marc engage in lively discussions without understanding what they were so excited about—they all seemed similar to him!
In reality, Hugo's voice blended into the melody, producing a very pleasant sound quality. It was warm and bright, like sunlight leaking through the cracks, clear and radiant. Hugo's singing style wasn't greasy; it was as pure as the morning dew on the grass, refreshing to the ears. However, due to the lack of singing technique, Hugo continuously discussed the nuances of interpretation with Marc, meticulously sculpting the performance of the entire song.
This process was not interesting; on the contrary, it was dull and even boring.
But Joseph could perceive Hugo's dedication and focus. This kind of Hugo was not unfamiliar to Joseph lately. Whether it was during the audition for "Scent of a Woman", reading the script for "A Few Good Men", or discussing acting with Jack Nicholson, Hugo always immersed himself completely in the learning process. Joseph could sense that although Hugo didn't know many things at first and was merely a beginner, he didn't mind starting from scratch. During this recording session, Joseph could clearly feel Hugo's progress. It was as if he was a parched lake being replenished with clear spring water at a visible rate, allowing the scattered sunlight to sparkle on the calm surface.
Although it was just recording one song, Hugo and Marc discussed it for a solid 45 minutes. They sang the song more than 30 times. Not to mention the singer himself, even the listener Joseph was about to vomit from the terrifying feeling of the haunting melody. When they finally completed the recording of "Next Time You See Me", both of them wore satisfied expressions on their faces, while Joseph showed a relieved look as if saying, "The torment is finally over".
"Hugo, you really should find a professional vocal coach... No, you're a born singer. Explore and refine your talent, and you'll shine brightly soon. However, you should definitely find a professional sound engineer. You see, during the recording process, professionals can provide help beyond just technical aspects. As a guest sound engineer, I'm not at that level," Marc sincerely expressed his opinion to Hugo, his face brimming with honesty, making it hard to refuse.
Looking at Hugo's beaming smile, Marc could see a hint of bashfulness in that sunny face. Faced with his praise, Hugo wasn't refuting or modestly declining, which indicated that, although insignificant, he had started to have a bit of confidence. At least, deep down in his heart, he hoped to believe in himself. That was a good thing.
"I think Rob will be very happy," Hugo changed the topic sideways, still feeling a bit shy. "At least it means the movie won't have to worry about the theme song anymore. Also, I can earn some extra income. It's a good deal."
Hugo's sincere response made Marc laugh with delight. "There's no doubt about it," Marc said, looking at Joseph standing up. He knew they were preparing to leave, so he didn't bother to keep them any longer. "Well, you should go now. I'll continue my work on the score. It's a long journey, after all."
Marc's swift farewell felt like he was ushering Hugo and Joseph out. But after their brief interaction just now, Hugo knew that it was Marc's personality, so he didn't dwell on it. "Good luck!" Hugo said, without further ado, and left the recording studio with Joseph.
As they walked on the path away from the studio, Joseph couldn't help but curiously ask Hugo, "Will you become a singer in the future?" It wasn't the first time Hugo had demonstrated his musical talent, from "Second Chance" to "Don't Look Back in Anger". Although Joseph had limited knowledge of music, it didn't hinder his understanding of Hugo's gift in this area.
When Joseph first heard Hugo say he had composed "Second Chance" he dismissed it, thinking Hugo was just fooling around. But now, Joseph couldn't continue thinking that way.
"Perhaps," Hugo casually replied. If it had been in the first few days after his arrival, he would have eagerly answered, "Yes". But after months of settling in and experiencing the Algric incident in the "A Few Good Men" crew, Hugo knew that Earth didn't revolve around him, even as a time traveler. So, instead of being too hasty, he preferred to take things slowly.
Hugo looked at Joseph and expressed his thoughts for the first time. "Hehe, actually, I'd prefer to form a band."
"Rock band?" That was Joseph's immediate thought.
"Yes," Hugo answered decisively, "but let me correct you. Not all bands are rock bands." The term "band" commonly referred to rock bands now, encompassing various instruments like lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums. But besides rock, there were also jazz, pop, and other musical styles that bands could choose.
However, for Hugo himself, Glory or Death was a rock band without a doubt. They had experimented with other genres over their ten-year career, which was an inevitable part of exploring music.
"That won't be so easy," Joseph said. Most bands are formed by a group of like-minded individuals, but Hugo was currently an actor, and he didn't have any music friends around him. So, forming a band wouldn't be that simple.
A band isn't like shooting a film, where you can recruit a group of actors to gather together. A band represents a style, a fusion and cohesion of the individual flares of all its members. So, forming a band is indeed not that simple, which made Hugo miss his Glory or Death bandmates even more.
If we could form a band in Los Angeles, a group of friends coming together for the same musical dream, discussing music, creating music, and touring together, wouldn't that be great? Even if this band struggles in the underground rock music scene like Glory or Death, it doesn't matter, because the journey that bandmates take together for the sake of music is the most important thing.
"I know, so I'm saying that creating music can't be rushed," Hugo said jokingly with a smile. "I also don't think I have the ability to become a singer right now. So when Rob gave me this opportunity, I actually thought he was joking." Although he had gained some confidence, Hugo still didn't feel completely comfortable with the role of a lead singer. If he were to form a band at this moment, Hugo naturally would sit in the position of a guitarist.
"Will there be more work to arrange in the coming days?" Hugo asked as he and Joseph got into the car, fastening their seatbelts. Now that "A Few Good Men" had finished shooting, their expected break should be coming, right?
Sure enough, Joseph shook his head. "We'll take a break for a while. The release schedule for the movie will probably be announced soon, and we'll get busy afterward, so there's no need to plan any more trips now." The reason they arranged the premiere of "Final Analysis" earlier was that Joseph didn't know when "Scent of a Woman" would be released, and Hugo needed continuous exposure. Unfortunately, it unexpectedly brought the job for "A Few Good Men".
"Promotion?" Hugo let out a long sigh. After completing the film shoot, he didn't feel much, but when he learned that the movie was about to be released, a sense of restlessness suddenly struck him. "It's hard to relax." Hugo sighed and then suddenly saw a shadow in front of the car. He screamed, "Joseph, an eagle!"
Joseph was startled by Hugo's reaction and quickly hit the brakes. He didn't know what was going on because he didn't see anything. But when they stopped the car, they saw a sparrow perched lightly on the front of the car. It looked around for a moment, gave Hugo and Joseph a disdainful look, then fluttered its wings and flew away.
Joseph could only shake his head, feeling speechless. "Hugo, are you serious? An eagle? An eagle!"
"A Few Good Men" - "The Good Sailor"
"A Few Good Men" - "Glory to the Sea"