10

"Liam, what was that?" Olivia asked, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"What?" I replied with eyebrows furrowed.

"That guitar solo, what else?" Lucas interjected, his tone slightly incredulous.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "It was nothing. I've learned about sliding, so I just did an impromptu."

I don't know why, but when I held that guitar, I instinctively thought of what I just played. I was going with whatever came to mind.

Haley, who had been watching the exchange silently, finally spoke up. "That was very good, Liam," she offered with a warm smile. She then turned to Dylan, seeking confirmation. "Wasn't it, Dylan?"

"Yeah…" Dylan agreed reluctantly, a hint of surprise in his voice. "It was good."

[Dylan's Commentary]

"When I was jamming with Lucas. I was pretty confident in my skills but…"

"Liam is just something else. Am I or my band good enough?"

[End]

"Hey, Haley," I said, my eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. "Do you sing? I mean, your voice has that tang in it. Have you ever tried your hand in singing?"

"No… I mean, I never got the chance," she responded, a hint of regret lacing her words.

"Wanna try?" I offered casually, turning my gaze towards Olivia and giving her a slight nod. She caught on quickly, pulling out a sheet with some lyrics on it and passing it to Haley.

Haley held the sheet of lyrics like it was something alien. "What is this?" she questioned, eyes flicking between the sheet and my expectant face.

"This is the new song we are working on," I explained, the edge of a hopeful smile playing on my lips. "We needed a female vocalist. While Olivia can sing, she's our drummer, so we needed another one. Why don't you give it a try?"

"You… You sure?" she asked, uncertainty hanging on her every word.

"Well," I paused, "I mean if Dylan doesn't mind."

"Well, he has no problem with it, right Dylan?" Haley shot a glance at Dylan, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Ye…Yeah," he stammered out, seemingly caught off guard. "Ok, then. I think I should go now. I have band practice today."

"Bye, see you in school," Haley bid him goodbye, watching as Dylan stumbled away.

As Dylan exited, the garage was left with just four of us; Haley, Olivia, Lucas, and myself. "Before we start," I began, switching my focus back to Haley, "Does your mother know about you being here?"

Haley's eyes widened, quickly pulling out her phone. "Oh, shit! She will kill me," she muttered under her breath, dialling her mother's number and pacing around the room nervously.

"Hello! Yes, mom. I'm with Liam," she spoke into the phone, her tone panicked. "No, why would I lie to you? Yes..." Her voice trailed off as she extended her hand to me, offering the phone. "Here, my mother wants to speak with you."

I took the phone from Haley, the line humming softly in my ear. Clearing my throat, I brought the phone closer, "Hello, Mrs. Dunphy."

"Liam?" Claire Dunphy's voice came out, sharp and commanding yet with a hint of concern. "Is Haley with you?"

"Yes, Mrs. Dunphy. She's here with us. We're working on a song, and we thought she might want to try singing," I replied, keeping my tone as composed as possible.

"Singing?" Claire repeated, a note of surprise in her tone. "Well, that's new. Just ensure that she's safe, alright? And no late-night sessions. I want her home before dinner."

"Of course, Mrs. Dunphy. We'll make sure she's home in time for dinner," I assured her, glancing at Haley who was fidgeting nervously at the side.

"So, you survived the Mom-quisition?" she asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"I think I did alright," I chuckled, glad that the unexpected phone call was over. "Ready to get started now?"

Me: Alright, team. Let's break down the song in more detail. Haley, the song is essentially a back-and-forth dialogue between two characters reflecting on their past relationship. The storytelling is central to its appeal.

Haley: Wait, why are you explaining the song? I just need to sing it, right? Just tell me how?

Me: Sigh… Haley, emotion is the key to music. If you don't feel yourself inside the song, it will be like reading the lyrics. So what emotion do you need to portray while singing?

Haley: So, I should try to sound... nostalgic?

Me: The song follows a common pop structure – verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, and then the final chorus. Your first verse begins after the intro, it's quite soft and subdued. But when you reach the pre-chorus, you need to build intensity and emotion, which then peaks at the chorus.

Haley: Got it, I think I can manage that.

Me: Good. Lucas, the bass line is an important element. It follows the chord progression of Db, Eb, Fm, and Ab. It starts out very simple and low-key during the verses but becomes more prominent during the chorus.

Lucas: No problem, I can handle that.

Me: Great. Olivia, let's talk about the drums. The beat in is pretty straight-forward during the verses, with emphasis on the kick drum and snare. But when the chorus comes in, it's all about those syncopated beats that give the song its characteristic bounce. Try to replicate the electronic beats using your hi-hat and snare.

Olivia: Sounds like a fun challenge, I'm ready.

Me: Excellent. Haley, let's dive a bit deeper into the melody. It spans a little over an octave. You understand what an octave is right?

Haley: Of course I do. I hang around with Dylan so I have some knowledge.

Me: okay, so make sure you're comfortable with the range. In terms of dynamics, there's a steady crescendo from the verses to the chorus and then it drops back down for the next verse. So, you'll need to control your volume and intensity according to these dynamics.

Haley: Alright, I'll try my best.

Me: That's all we ask for. It's all about making the song our own while staying true to its essence. Now, let's get to practicing!