Chapter 154 – Album is Complete
Time flies, time passes by little by little, and unwittingly fleeting, just like a white steed flits past a gap. (TN: Chinese idiom that means time is fleeting)
In the twinkling of an eye, the golden month of August has passed, and Beijing, a super city with a population of 30 million, has entered the fragrant September, when the sweet-scented Osmanthus flower bloom, and the intense summer heat gradually stop rising under the chill autumn air. It is about to usher in the best time of the year.
Blue Sky Creative Park, Nirvana Studio.
In the recording studio, Studio Manager Wang Changsheng, Music Director Wang Jing, Recording Engineer Wang Hui and three other members of Nirvana Studio gathered together were staring at Lu Chen with either nervous or expectant eyes.
Fine sweats were seeping out from Wang Changsheng’s forehead, his eyes were a little dazed, and his right hand could not help trembling.
Wang Jing’s eyes were still bright and vivid, but her action of her white teeth biting her lips exposed her inner emotion.
Wang Hui was the one who couldn’t endure the most. The whole person was shaking. He pressed his clenched fist on his mouth several times, as if he wanted to bite it hard, otherwise he would shout out uncontrollably.
However, Lu Chen couldn’t see this at all. He was wearing a huge monitoring headphone and listening to his own voice.
“Whenever I am lost in darkness, and fail to find the meaning of life,”
“Oh~ the brightest star in the night sky, guide me toward you.”
The song gradually stops but the residual sound lingers in his ears, just like the blood burning in his heart is still boiling hot!
After a long time, Lu Chen took a long breath and opened his eyes.
Under everyone’s expectant look, he took off his headphones, nodded and said, “This is good.”
“Yes!”
Three simple words instantly set off a frenzy of joy in the recording studio. Wang Hui was the first to shout, and then all three members of the Nirvana band clapped their hands hard.
Wang Changsheng smiled happily with relief. Even Wang Jing, who has always been calm, smiled like a spring flower.
They have reason to be happy, reason to cheer, and even more reason to celebrate!
Lu Chen’s debut album that was produced in Nirvana Studio was also the biggest and most important order the studio has received since its establishment. It has taken about two months, and now it has finally been completed.
Although there were some problems in arrangement, accompaniment, recording and post-production, and although they didn’t achieve the best outcome, everyone did their best.
The ten songs of the whole album can’t be said to be flawless, but they are sincerely qualified to be called a boutique. (TN: boutique – premium product.)
Lu Chen is already very satisfied.
100,000 yuan can have such an effect. It completely exceeded his expectations, perhaps the arrangement was a little bit green, and perhaps the accompaniment was not mature enough, but for this album “You Who Sat Next To Me”, it was really enough. (TN: Green – amateur/inexperience)
This little bit of greenness and immaturity doesn’t affect the main style of the work at all, and can even better show some temperament of campus folk songs.
He said wholeheartedly, “Thank you!”
Lu Chen first extended his hand to Wang Changsheng. For this album, the studio manager was busy running around, so that the production team had no worries, without credit for the hard work.
Then Wang Hui.
His work was the hardest. The recording and post-production were basically done by himself, often working late into the night.
And Wang Jing.
She was responsible for the arrangement of all the works. This Jingyin graduate has a good grasp of the style of the album and often encounters problems. She would often go to the trouble of revising and adjusting it, redoing it from the start several times.
Finally, there are the three band members, who also worked very hard.
Even if it was mainly for their own sake and the studio, Lu Chen was still grateful.
Because Lu Chen himself participated in the production process of the album. He was very aware of everyone’s contribution and efforts!
So, he wanted to thank everyone at Nirvana Studio by shaking their hands one by one.
The following things were simple. According to the contract, Lu Xi, who came with Lu Chen, paid the balance of the production fee to Nirvana Studios. At the same time, she also received the master disc of the album and the lossless high-quality audio files.
There are 10 songs in the album “You Who Sat Next To Me”. In addition to the title song “You Who Sat Next To Me”, there are eight works that form a unified campus folk song style, which are “Love in The Wind”, “The Brother Sleeping on My Upper Bunk”, “Cinderella”, “The Bright Times of Youth”, “Beauty”, “Those Flowers”, “Ballad of Time” and “Outdoor Cinema”.
As for the last song, Lu Chen originally intended to use “Once You” as the finale and a hidden surprise. However, considering the influence of “Singing China” and the overall style, he finally chose “The Brightest Star in The Night Sky”.
As for “Once You” and “Chasing Dream With A Childlike Heart”, let’s put them on the next album.
Taking a closer look, such a lineup can be considered luxurious. All the 10 songs are excellent works, with enough highlights in both melodies and lyrics, and real classics as the core.
For his first album of his life, Lu Chen will never be vague!
However, the name of the album made him hesitate for a long time. From the perspective of publicity, “The Brightest Star In The Night Sky” is undoubtedly the most appropriate. But it doesn’t fit the theme of campus folk songs very well.
After careful consideration, Lu Chen chose “You Who Sat Next To Me”.
Lu Chen studio has already made a deal with QQ Music. Lu Chen’s debut album will be released and sold exclusively on QQ Music Online, just waiting for this set of audio files.
QQ Music is the largest music website in China, with a market share of more than 50%. Originally, it will be very difficult for new artists like Lu Chen, who is also an independent artist, to promote and distribute their works on their websites.
However, because Lu Chen’s live version of his several works he sung in “singing China” has achieved great success in QQ Music, and has been downloaded numerous times, the website has attached great importance to this cooperation between the two parties.
In QQ Music, there was no doubt that there are all kinds of clear and shady rules, and there are covert deals on the homepage list. However, they can’t ignore a new singer-songwriter with great market potential, so they are willing to exchange part of the benefits.
This relatively equal status didn’t come easily, but it was also due to Lu Chen’s strength.
Otherwise, Lu Chen can go to QQ Music’s competitor, such as NetEase Music, popular radio stations and so on. With the quality and popularity of his works, the sales performance will not be too bad.
QQ Music didn’t want to be a cheap competitor, even if the latter’s market share is not as good as its own.
According to Lu Chen’s plan, after QQ Music went on sale, his cooperation with Flying Stone Records will be launched at the same time.
QQ Music + Flying Stone Records basically constitute a perfect album sales channel, referred to as “Double Fei”. (TN: QQ is Feiton and Flying Stone is Feishi in the raw. There are “Fei” in them, thus the “Double Fei”)
However, there is still a very important problem that has not been resolved, so it is definitely necessary to go through the QQ channel first.
“Little Chen!”
The call in his ears made Lu Chen woke up suddenly.
Lu Xi asked curiously, “What’s the matter?”
Lu Chen was just lost in contemplation by the issue of channels a moment ago, but now he has come to his senses and quickly replied, “it’s all right…”
He also said to Wang Changsheng, “Manager Wang, I have made a reservation at Jinghua Hotel. I invite everyone to have dinner together this evening. Now it’s almost time. Let’s go together.”
The conscientious and responsible work attitude of Nirvana Studio made Lu Chen very impressed, and he will definitely continue to cooperate with them in the future, so he was very willing to further improve the relationship between them.
Lu Xi mentioned that if the time is right, they will acquire Nirvana Studio to expand themselves.
However, Lu Chen was unwilling to support his sister’s idea for the time being, because he could see that Wang Changsheng and his family had deep affection to their studio and have spent a lot of painstaking efforts on it.
So, unless the other party raise it on their initiative, he won’t purchase Nirvana Studios.
When Lu Chen’s studio really needs to expand, hiring people to build their own shed was not a problem at all.
He didn’t want to be a shrewd businessman who calculates the gains and losses of everything.
“Great. Thank you, Brother Lu Chen!”
Wang Hui immediately expressed his strong support and said with a smile: “I almost throw up eating fast food box lunch every day. I want to have a big meal. I want to eat roast duck, braised pork ribs, sweet and sour fish… Ah!”
Wang Jing slapped him on the back of his head and glared angrily – can you be more shameful?
Wang Hui looked aggrieved.
Lu Chen smiled.
Wang Hui is a very simple tech-savvy person. He has no complicated thoughts. If he is familiar with someone, he will say whatever he wants to say.
In contrast, his sister Wang Jing pays more attention to details.
Wang Changsheng hurriedly said, “Mr. Lu, let me treat this dinner this evening.”
Nirvana studio earned Lu Chen’s money, but also made Lu Chen treat dinner. That is really too embarrassing!
Lu Chen said with a smile, “Manager Wang, you don’t need to be polite. Everyone worked really hard. It will be my treat!”
At Lu Chen’s insistence, dinner will be his treat.
Everyone left the studio together.
Jinghua Hotel is next to the Blue Sky Creative Park, just a 10-minute walk away.
Lu Chen booked a large box in the restaurant on the second floor of the hotel.
After sitting down, Lu Chen handed the menu to Wang Hui and said with a smile, “If you want something, you can order whatever you like, and you don’t have to be polite with me. This album can be made successfully, you were the first to contribute!”
Wang Hui happily took it over and said, “Brother Lu Chen, I’m very polite to others, but I will not be polite to you. You’re a local tyrant now. You can earn more than a million yuan by participating in a competition. My big sister admires you very much!”
Wang Jing, who sat next to him, blushed and angrily said, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Wang Hui stuck out his tongue and quickly ordered.
After ordering, the dishes were quickly served.
Lu Chen poured himself a glass of beer, raised his glass and said with a smile, “First of all, I would like to propose a toast to you all. Thank you for your efforts and helping me complete an excellent album. Thank you!”
After he finished drinking, Wang Hui and others immediately applauded.
Among those who are present, besides Wang Changsheng, everyone else were young people of about the same age. Everyone likes music and has a lot of common topics between them, so the atmosphere in the banquet quickly became lively.
Halfway through drinking, Lu Chen’s cell phone rang.
Lu Chen took it out and had a look. The incoming call information displayed on the screen made his eyes lit up immediately!
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