Breaking new ground

The scalding hot water sprayed from the showerhead, washing away the soreness in his muscles and the fatigue in his spirit. Renly couldn't help but close his eyes, tilting his head back, letting the water droplets cascade over his face. Gradually, he began to relax.

The first day of album production was an intense operation, far more exhausting than acting.

When it came to selecting album tracks, George and Herbert were both stubborn, neither giving an inch. George, despite his role as the producer, didn't act unilaterally, and Herbert, as the recording engineer, exhibited unparalleled professionalism. They had their own perspectives, and tensions flared. It almost came to blows.

Even though Renly tried to mediate as the intermediary, the effect was limited. After repeated rounds of screening, they could only temporarily settle on a candidate list with the number sixteen.

Sixteen songs were still too many for an album. However, this was their limit, the result of a three-way tug of war. As the producer, George had the final say. They would start with arranging, recording, and post-production and, once the complete tracks were available, select the best-performing works in terms of completeness and fit from the sixteen, making up "Don Quixote".

With this, the preliminary preparations had finally come to a temporary close.

However, today's work was far from over. The three continued their discussions until 7 PM. After dinner, Renly immediately entered the recording phase.

"Old Pine" became the first song to enter the recording studio. One reason was that this song had the simplest chords, and the arrangement was relatively straightforward. Besides the missing folk guitar, it only required traditional folk instruments like bells, drums, pianos, and xylophones. The arrangement took less than thirty minutes to complete and retained Renly's original flavor, making the recording process relatively straightforward.

The other reason was that both George and Herbert were fond of this song. "Old Pine" possessed the temperament of traditional folk, akin to the carefree and whimsical nature of Scottish wanderers. Simultaneously, it carried the grandeur of traditional rock, its lightness weaving through the calm atmosphere, portraying the surging waves of clouds and making it breathtaking.

Renly spent over two hours recording the instrumental part in the studio. Of course, he didn't do it alone. George had invited two professional studio musicians to handle all the instrument recordings. Then, he spent nearly two hours dedicating himself to the formal recording of the singing part.

Recording wasn't easy.

It wasn't like a live performance where everything flowed naturally from the heart, allowing for the existence of imperfections. Standing in front of the recording microphone, every aspect of the performance would be put under a microscope, broken down into countless fragments, polished detail by detail, including pitch, rhythm, pronunciation, breath control, and other technical aspects of singing.

What was even more critical was the emotional aspect, which couldn't be overlooked.

During live performances, the entire show flowed seamlessly, emotions like flowing mercury, coherent and smooth. Whether it was good or bad depended on the momentary performance. Even if it wasn't perfect, there was no turning back, and one had to go with the flow. This relaxed mode gave performers more freedom.

But when it came to recording, emotions needed to be full and appropriate. If they were insufficient or excessive, then redoing was necessary. Repeatedly recording a single lyric dozens or even hundreds of times was normal. However, this meticulous approach led to the entire song becoming fragmented. The injection of emotions was equally fragmented and intermittent, making it challenging to express emotions, thus forming a vicious cycle.

Live performances tested talent, while recording work tested concentration. Both tasks had their difficulties and couldn't be taken lightly.

Before midnight arrived, Renly had finally completed the recording of "Old Pine".

This wasn't Renly's first time in a recording studio. His previous recording experience in Sound City had left a deep impression. However, this time was different. Recording an entire album increased the workload and the difficulty of the task. Today was only the first day of album recording, and a long journey lay ahead.

Nonetheless, all beginnings are difficult. After taking the first step, things started to improve. Although today's work was incredibly demanding, it went smoothly. The collaboration between the three gradually settled down amidst some stumbles. This was a good sign.

After turning off the showerhead and drying himself with a towel, Renly left the steamy bathroom. He dried his hair while heading towards the kitchen. After a day of hard work, he had felt a bit parched during his shower.

As he walked through the living room, the corner of his eye caught a figure sitting on the couch. If it were someone else, they would have been frightened by the sudden appearance of a person at home. However, Renly had long grown accustomed to such occurrences. He didn't bat an eye and didn't even slow down his steps. Instead, he casually greeted, "Still not resting?"

Matthew Dunlop, sitting on the couch, didn't look up. He continued to flip through the contract in his hand. "This George Slender... "

In Matthew's hand was the record contract that George intended to sign with Renly. As Matthew had expected, before starting their recording work today, George had briefly discussed contract matters with Renly. Both of them were "art-first" types and didn't care about the details of the contract terms. The conversation ended smoothly.

After returning home, Renly had directly stuffed the contract into Matthew's mailbox and then went to take a shower. Unexpectedly, Matthew had brought the contract back downstairs.

Entering the kitchen, Renly saw a large pot of lemon water on the stove, which Matthew had apparently prepared in advance. He poured himself a glass of lemon water and walked towards the living room, asking with a questioning tone but a nonchalant expression, "What's wrong, any traps in the contract?" Although he sounded inquisitive, his expression suggested he wasn't overly concerned.

Whether as an actor or a singer, Renly was a bona fide rookie. Unfair traps were always present when signing contracts, and that was precisely why artists needed managers and lawyers to oversee these details. Otherwise, they might end up selling themselves and counting their money with a smile.

"No," Matthew's expression looked somewhat odd. However, since he hadn't finished reading the contract yet, he didn't rush to speak. He multitasked, asking, "How did the work progress today?"

"Not very satisfied," Renly grabbed two throw pillows to use as backrests and lay down on the couch, letting all his limbs relax. "The efficiency was really low. I guess I'm better suited for acting after all."

In Renly's eyes, he still lacked experience, be it in acting or singing skills, both were in short supply. Compared to acting, the progress and efficiency of the recording work were lacking. Even though he had completed the recording of "Old Pine", Renly still felt that the result couldn't compare to the feeling he had when he first performed on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. If conditions allowed, he hoped to record it again.

If George and Herbert knew Renly's thoughts, they would probably be astounded. For a novice in the recording studio, Renly's performance was nothing short of extraordinary.

From a purely technical perspective, Renly was undoubtedly inexperienced. He had only received basic pronunciation training, leaving his singing skills quite raw and straightforward. During his singing process, Renly relied entirely on his intuition. However, it was precisely this raw and unrefined approach that showcased his talent in the most vivid way.

In his emotional expression, interpretation of feelings, contemplation of thoughts, and resonance of the soul, especially with that slightly husky, warm voice, as smooth as a cello, it contained the essence of folk songs—resilience, carefreeness, wandering, spontaneity, and freedom. His effortless singing was enough to move anyone to tears.

It was as if beneath the twenty-one-year-old exterior resided the soul of a centenarian, one who had seen the vicissitudes of life, crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, witnessed the ever-changing clouds, and tasted the bitterness and sweetness of life. The sediment of years and the power of time were all fused into his voice, truly astonishing.

This was what a born singer was like. Completing a song's recording in just two hours, especially in a top-notch recording studio, subjected to microscopic analysis and scrutiny, was a challenge even for the most professional and top-tier singers.

But... what? Renly still thought the efficiency was too low? This was simply unbelievable! George and Herbert would probably be more than willing to give Renly a crash course in recording basics.

Matthew was also clueless about recording studio professionalism and couldn't distinguish the authenticity of Renly's words. However, he gave a wry smile and said, "But from this contract, it seems that George disagrees with your viewpoint."

Renly raised an eyebrow, puzzled as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Matthew's gaze lifted from the contract. "What I mean is that this contract not only lacks any traps but also places absolute trust in you and fully safeguards your rights." Matthew adjusted his sitting position and flipped to the earlier terms. "For example, you have veto power over the album. This means that if you are dissatisfied after the album's recording is completed, you have the right to demand a re-recording, or else the album cannot be released."

Even as an outsider, Renly knew how unbelievable this was. It was akin to an actor having veto power over a movie, something not even Tom Cruise had the privilege of.

"Furthermore, you have decision-making authority over all aspects, including the album cover, fonts, pricing, distribution channels, promotional projects, and more. Without your consent, the record company cannot make decisions casually." Matthew continued to drop bombs of information. Renly had never heard of such treatment. "And, before your consent, no one has the authority to alter your creations. In other words, as a creator, as an artist, your original creative spirit is fully protected."

Shocked, truly shocked! These contract terms were akin to those of an overlord enslaving others. The only difference was that Renly was the master, while George and the potential record company were the slaves!