webnovelfull Chapter 20 : I Messed Up. Why!
Chapter 20 : I Messed Up. Why!
Chapter 20: I Messed Up. Why!“Incredible. A pro really is different.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
“What is?”
“I was worried you might not like it.”
“Oh come on, that’s not going to happen.”
Feeling good, I took off my headset.
The very last step in album production.
Mastering and mixing were complete.
They seemed similar, but they were slightly different.
Thanks to Hyung, I had memorized most of the album production process.
Once this stage was over, the work on the music was essentially done. Truly done.
“Both the mixing and mastering seem to have turned out well.”
“You can tell the difference?”
“Mm... they’re technically different domains.”
“Wow. You’ve mastered engineering too?”
“I do similar stuff at the club. Playing tracks raw sometimes makes them hard to hear.”
In a way, club DJing was a form of mixing and mastering too.
Adjusting frequency bands in real time to alter the sound was similar to EQ adjustments in mixing, and optimizing audio for the playback environment resembled mastering.
Even if the equipment and skill levels differed, weren’t they essentially the same?
Whatever. It’s all music in the end—debating over the details only gives you a headache.
“Wow, how’s my album…? Is it good?”
Why would she even ask?
Lyrics, composition, arrangement—all perfect. Vocals—perfect.
Thanks to ToMe Entertainment’s detailed post-production, the somewhat rough sound had been completely polished.
If I had sanded it down with coarse sandpaper... here, it felt like it had been finely finished with the softest touch.
Anyway, the conclusion was:
“It’s moving.”
It was great.
Even though there had been quite a few steps in making the album.
Thanks to everyone’s help, we’d made it through safely.
All the worries about looking like a newbie, being dismissed, or being scolded for not knowing things... felt pointless.
“Can I listen again?”
“As many times as you want.”hat sounds best. It adds flair. Helps avoid duplicates too.”
“Oh?”
“Nice, right? Stage name: Kara Delik Cole?”
“No, I’d rather not have it related to Blackhole.”
I wanted my composer stage name to be completely different. I’d use DJ Blackhole only at Club Sierra.
I wanted to keep them separate.
The person who mixes someone else’s track.
The person who composes a track after watching someone.
Clearly two different roles.
What would be good...
I decided to think about it more and let them know later.
“By the way, you haven’t been in touch with PD Nam since then, right?”
“Why?”
I asked first why she was bringing that up.
Producer Nam Seonghyeon.
I owed him a lot, and there was much to learn from him.
When I said we should grab a meal, he readily agreed.
I thought something like pork belly would be fine.
But after hearing the final post-production today, pork didn’t seem enough anymore.
“I saw PD Nam again.”
“Why?”
“He got into a huge fight with the art team over the album.”
“Huh?”
“The art team wanted to go for a cute concept with a twist. But PD Nam convinced their team leader. He said, ‘We put in so much effort to nail the mood of the song—how can the art team ruin it? Do composer opinions mean nothing to you?’ He really said that.”
“Ah…”
That stubborn guy even fought on my behalf?
This is... something I should be touched by, right?
“PD Nam can be really surprising sometimes. When the art team was calling me a newbie, he told them to go find another composer who could write like this. Then he’d accept their plan… I was terrified.”
“Producer Nam Seonghyeon is amazing.”
“Right? I’d never seen that side of him before.”
I changed my mind.
Entertaining Producer Nam Seonghyeon.
Pork is upgraded to beef.
“Everyone here is just… really cool.”
“That’s all thanks to you, Writer Seo. Sorry for taking up so much of your time today. I’ll contact you again with updates. Shall we head down?”
I carefully packed the rough cover design into my planner.
I’d probably stare at it a hundred times when I got home.
“Seo Taeyoooooooon!”
Ah, geez.
What time is it?
I’d fallen asleep on the couch.
As I gathered the earbuds still in my ears, I spoke.
“What. Didn’t you go to work today?”
“It’s Saturday.”
“Didn’t you say your company works Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri-Mon-Mon?”
“Later in the afternoon. More importantly, you… sit up for a second.”
I was sleepy as hell—why was he acting like this first thing in the morning?
I looked up at Hyung with one eye half open.
He was holding a mop, so he must have been cleaning.
Well, I guess I’d be annoyed too if I were cleaning and my little brother was passed out on the couch.
“Okay, I’ll help too. Did you vacuum? What about the dust? Let me wash my face and brush my teeth first. Just a second.”
As I staggered toward the bathroom...
“No, no. Come here.”
Hyung suddenly yanked me by the scruff of my neck.
He’s not usually this rough—what’s with the strength? It’s superhuman.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Stop talking and come here.”
I glanced at him, hearing the serious tone.
This...
Was exactly the expression he had when I read the love letter he wrote in high school to his girlfriend—in front of our parents.
...Yeah. That was terrifying.
“I don’t know what I did, but I’m sorry for all of it. Please forgive your inadequate little brother with your boundless mercy… Huh? Wait, why are you snooping through my room?”
I shouted without realizing it.
Even for brothers, some lines shouldn’t be crossed, right?
Wandering into my room like it’s his own...
...Is what I wanted to say.
But then.
“Forget snooping, what is this?”
Hyung—Hyung...
“Isn’t this Han Yujin’s face?”
He was holding Han Yujin’s album jacket.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Then why does it say Seo Taeyoon on the back?”
...This is the problem with my Hyung.
He has unnecessarily sharp observation skills.
“Not going to explain?”
As he pressed me, I wondered what to say.
Then I decided to own it.
So I just said it outright.
“Your little brother messed up. Why!”