A question tinged with doubt was made simple by Ollie's straightforward and matter-of-fact demeanor.
Cliff's gaze also slowly settled on Ronan.
Maxim hesitated and struggled for a moment, his gaze towards Ronan somewhat complex. But in the end, he offered a smile, knowing deep down that this was the best choice. "Ronan, will you take the lead?"
"..." Ronan's first reaction was still to humbly decline. But feeling his teammates' gazes, especially Ollie's warm and encouraging eyes, the words that had reached his lips paused. After circling in his mind for a moment, he nodded and said decisively, "Okay."
Time-wise, they shouldn't delay any further. And so, Ronan took on this important task.
"Phew..." Ronan let out a heavy breath. He could feel the weight on his shoulders, and more importantly, the surging anticipation. Rubbing his hands together, he said to the band members, "Let the show begin!"
Professional band recordings require the singer and the band to record separately. Even the sound pickup for each instrument must be done individually. This means that while the entire band plays together, only one instrument is recorded at a time to ensure there's no background noise.
Of course, this kind of recording can be too polished, lacking the raw energy of a live band performance. That's why many bands choose to record collectively – the entire band plays and is recorded together, truly finding the resonance between instruments and creating the feeling of a live performance.
Both recording methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, and neither is inherently better. Ultimately, it comes down to the band choosing based on their style and circumstances. It's also very common for the same band to choose different recording methods for different albums or even different songs.
But what's certain is that the feeling you get from an album is still completely different from a live show. The resonance throughout the space and the atmosphere of the venue are different, and because of this, the listening experience is also different. If you love music, no matter what singer or band you like, you absolutely must go see a live performance in addition to listening to albums. It's always a unique experience.
Ronan sat down at the soundboard directly in front of the recording booth, looking at the dazzling array of buttons. For a moment, he felt a bit dizzy and overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. But Ronan didn't panic. He took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and started to observe slowly and methodically.
The journey back to the recording studio, from his previous life to this one, had been full of hardships. He shouldn't let excitement and euphoria cloud his judgment. On the contrary, precisely because it was so rare and difficult, he needed to cherish it and invest himself in it even more. He needed to focus on his work.
At first glance, there really were too many buttons, and it was impossible to know where to begin – much more complicated than the intuitiveness of computer software. But if you quieted down and patiently explored, you could quickly get the hang of it, and it was actually easier than computer software.
This was because the functional areas were divided very professionally and clearly. Moreover, the detailed breakdown of specific functions completely blew computer software out of the water, ensuring that the producer could control and create as they wished.
While Ronan was familiarizing himself with the soundboard, the three band members had already entered the recording booth, selecting instruments, adjusting them, and getting used to the space. They had each completed their preparations.
Actually, the melody and chords of "Chasing the Light" are very simple, without too many tricks. They straightforwardly express the purest and most genuine emotions from the heart. But Ronan had put a lot of careful thought into the arrangement.
For example, using classical instruments like the cello and violin to enhance the grandeur of the melody, and using the drums and keyboard as the main melodic instruments to create a sense of power. But he tried to minimize the noise from electronic sounds, ensuring the cleanliness and lightness of the melody itself, and then using layers to showcase texture.
From the perspective of the finished product, these subtle touches are often difficult to capture by ear. Of course, with high-end audio equipment, you can distinguish the layers of the melody through the separation of high and low frequencies. But most ordinary headphones can't differentiate the layers; the ears can only perceive the light and simple melody, and may even only catch the interplay between the keyboard and drums.
However, the complexity of the arrangement is an important step in simplifying the final sound. It's precisely because of these delicate, intricate, and unseen layers that a three-dimensional auditory experience with a sense of "architectural space" can be created, without being overwhelming or noisy.
During the opening performance for Bruno's concert, the band hadn't finished the recording work. They were only playing with their band instruments. To some extent, this made the melody seem simpler and lighter, but it lacked sufficient layering, and the three-dimensional sense of architectural space wasn't fully realized, making it seem a bit thin.
In Ronan's words, it was a "rough, simple version."
Now that they were entering the recording studio for the official recording work, it meant Ronan had the opportunity to create the complete version, truly showcasing the three-dimensional sense of space. He naturally wouldn't miss this chance. But it also meant that the band's melody recording work would be very tedious and complex, definitely not an easy task.
Given the current state of One Day King, time was limited. They had to ensure the best possible recording results within a short period. So, Ronan decided to combine the two recording methods. First, the band members would play together to record the main melody. Then, the classical instruments would be recorded individually, meticulously outlining the details and layers, hoping to create the effect Ronan was aiming for and finally synthesizing a complete song.
So, Ronan calmed down and studied the soundboard, letting himself get back into the working state of the recording studio. The band members, meanwhile, collectively entered the recording booth.
"Ready?"
Ronan pressed the red button on the soundboard and spoke into the microphone, communicating with his teammates in the recording booth.
Entering the recording booth meant entering a truly soundproof space, ensuring that outside noise would absolutely not affect any of the tracks inside. All communication had to be done through microphones and headphones.
Similarly, standing inside the recording booth, the entire space was quiet. The microphone pickup was very sensitive and could accurately record all sounds.
Therefore, during the recording process, the band members had to wear headphones—
You can think of the headphones as having the same effect as in-ear monitors, directly transmitting the sound of the backing track into the ears while isolating surrounding noise. However, the requirements for recording studio headphones are not as strict as for in-ear monitors because there's no interference in the studio. The headphones only need to transmit the backing track, so the soundproofing is relatively simpler.
Sometimes, singers only wear one side of their headphones during recording to ensure they can hear the backing track while also hearing their own singing voice. This is different from the in-ear monitors used on concert and award ceremony performance stages, and it stems from the reasons mentioned above.