PS-Chapter 138 Guidance
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The young people of today are truly impressive!
As Lin Zhijie looked at the siblings before him, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his years. Their energy and fresh perspectives reminded him just how quickly the world was changing.
Lu Chen, at just 22 years old, had recently graduated from university, and his major wasn't even music. He had made his debut through a talent show that garnered decent ratings, quickly rising to stardom in the pop music scene.
Remarkably, he had bypassed the typical route most newcomers took; instead of signing with a talent agency, he established his own workshop. Now, he was on the verge of releasing his first album, and the speed of his ascent was nothing short of astonishing!
Lu Xi, Lu Chen's sister, was not only his sibling but also his manager and workshop head, radiating youthful brilliance.
While Lin Zhijie recognized that both Lu Chen and Lu Xi had areas where they still needed to mature, their confidence and self-reliance deeply resonated with him, a seasoned veteran in the industry.
Tan Hong had a knack for promoting newcomers, and Lin Zhijie was no different. He felt compelled to lend them a hand.
The current pop music scene in the country was in desperate need of vibrant and talented rising stars!
Lin Zhijie shook his head and said, "There's no need to thank me; I'm also helping the company secure business. Ultimately, it depends on you. The success of the CD album hinges on quality..."
As he spoke, he suddenly recalled that Lu Chen had no issues in that department!
From the preliminary rounds of "Singing China" to the finals, every song Lu Chen performed was an original composition. "My Old Classmate," "Fly Higher," "Golden Time of Youth," "Dust in the Wind," and the currently trending "Follow the Dream of the Red Heart" were all his creations— each one of his songs was exceptional, and they can even be called classic!
Thinking it through, putting together a complete album should be a breeze for him.
As for the quality of the songs...
What more could be said? As a judge, he had awarded Lu Chen several perfect scores!
Lin Zhijie quickly swallowed his next words and asked, "Where are you planning to produce this album?"
It dawned on him that Lu Chen's album could easily be produced by his own company, with all the necessary promotion and distribution!
With the quality of these songs, Lu Chen's talent, and the robust capabilities of Flying Stone Record, they could create something truly remarkable, perhaps even reviving some of the record industry's former glory.
Lin Zhijie had always been concerned about the decline of the record industry.
The prospect of this opportunity excited him immensely!
How could Lu Chen know what Lin Zhijie was thinking? He answered without hesitation, "Right now, it's being produced at Nirvana Workshop. We've already recorded seven songs, and it should be finished in about a week."
If it weren't for the national tour PK matches of "Singing China," his first album would have been completed by now.
But the time spent was inconsequential, serving as an early promotion.
Lin Zhijie felt a wave of disappointment— how could Lu Chen so carelessly let someone else produce his first album?
Nirvana Workshop? What on earth was that?
He had never heard of it!
Suddenly, he stood up and declared, "Let's go! Take me to that workshop; I want to hear it!"
He made a silent vow: if the production quality at this so-called Nirvana Workshop was subpar, he wouldn't care about appearances— he would take over Lu Chen's project and ensure it was done right.
It wasn't about making money; releasing records these days often meant losing money. Lin Zhijie simply couldn't bear to see such good songs go to waste; it would weigh on his conscience!
In the current domestic landscape, finding an excellent original song was a rarity, let alone an entire album.
Lu Chen and Lu Xi exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why Lin Zhijie was being so animated.
However, they certainly wanted to respect the authority of this music director from Flying Stone Record. Lu Chen quickly said, "Alright, I'll take you there now. Nirvana Workshop is also in the park, so it's very close."
Lin Zhijie waved his hand, eager to go. "Let's move!"
He was impatient to hear Lu Chen's album, even if it was still a work in progress.
Lu Xi settled the bill, and the group left the Café, making their way to Nirvana Workshop.
On the way, Lu Chen called Wang Jing to give her a heads-up.
When they arrived at Nirvana Workshop, the entire team came out to greet them!
Wang Jing, Wang Hui, and Wang Changsheng, along with the other three members of Nirvana Band, made for quite a welcoming committee.
As Lu Chen and the others arrived, Wang Jing stepped forward first, bowing to Lin Zhijie. "Hello, Teacher Lin!"
Lin Zhijie was taken aback, pausing before responding, "Hello, and you are?"
He had mentored many students over his two decades in the industry, but this one was unfamiliar to him.
Wang Jing explained, "Three years ago, you gave a public lecture at Jingyin. I attended twice and learned a lot."
"Oh!" Lin Zhijie suddenly understood. "So that's it! I was wondering when I had such a beautiful student!"
Wang Jing couldn't help but laugh.
She was the kind of refreshing girl with short hair and no makeup, possessing a somewhat aloof demeanor. Yet, she was undeniably beautiful; her features— eyes, nose, and mouth— were flawless. If she dressed up and stepped out in a nice outfit, she would surely turn heads.
Lu Chen had visited Nirvana Workshop several times, but he had rarely seen Wang Jing smile.
When she did, it felt like the whole room brightened.
Wang Changsheng respectfully said, "Director Lin, it's an honor to have you visit our workshop."
Lin Zhijie was well-known in the industry and had just served as a judge for "Singing China," so Wang Changsheng recognized him and was genuinely pleased.
Having such a prominent figure visit Nirvana Workshop would certainly add to their credibility in the future!
Lin Zhijie, accustomed to various social situations, responded graciously, "You're too kind. Let's head inside and talk."
He was there to listen to music, not to socialize.
At that moment, Lin Zhijie couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated with Lu Chen.
The workshop appeared small and cramped at first glance, with the reception area and offices looking shabby. How could any quality work emerge from such poor conditions?
However, upon entering the recording room, his impression began to shift.
From a professional standpoint, the layout of this small recording room was quite impressive, and the equipment was decent. It seemed Nirvana Workshop had invested most of its resources here, which explained the less-than-ideal appearance outside.
Such dedication was commendable.
Still, Lin Zhijie had lingering doubts about the album's quality.
After all, apart from Wang Changsheng, the other members of Nirvana Workshop were all young and inexperienced.
Since there was no dedicated listening room, Lin Zhijie took the monitoring headphones and began listening to the high-quality audio that had already been recorded.
Wang Hui handled the technical aspects.
Lin Zhijie listened intently for a full half hour.
Due to his status, everyone remained in the recording room, waiting anxiously.
Lu Chen and Lu Xi were calm, but Wang Changsheng, Wang Hui, and Wang Jing appeared nervous and expectant.
Lin Zhijie was a true expert, and his evaluation would undoubtedly impact Nirvana Workshop's reputation in the industry.
If he deemed the work unsatisfactory, Nirvana Workshop might not close down immediately, but their future would be challenging. A bad reputation would deter potential clients.
Conversely, if he offered praise, it could completely change their fortunes!
As they waited anxiously, Lin Zhijie finally finished listening to all seven recorded tracks.
He removed the monitoring headphones, his expression a mix of emotions.
Regarding the current production quality, Lin Zhijie was not entirely satisfied; he noticed several issues.
For instance, the compositions lacked refinement, the instrumental arrangements needed more depth and detail, and the post-production techniques were somewhat immature, failing to fully convey the songs' moods and emotions...
Yet, it was undeniable that Nirvana Workshop had approached this album with seriousness and dedication. Given their limited resources and the youth of the team, achieving this level of quality was commendable; one couldn't expect perfection.
Lin Zhijie felt conflicted. On one hand, he wanted Lu Chen's first album to be flawless; on the other, he didn't want to discourage these hardworking young people.
Attitude is everything!
Most importantly, this was Lu Chen's choice.
After a moment of thought, Lin Zhijie said, "There are some issues, but overall, it's acceptable."
He pointed out the existing shortcomings directly.
If it had been someone else, they might have sugarcoated their feedback, saying nice things to keep everyone happy, as it wouldn't affect them personally.
But Lin Zhijie was different; he despised that kind of insincere communication.
He believed in speaking frankly!
For Wang Jing, Wang Hui, and the others, this was an invaluable learning opportunity. Normally, even if they paid to invite someone of Lin Zhijie's caliber, they wouldn't have the chance to receive such direct guidance.
So everyone listened intently, taking note of every critical comment.
Only by recognizing their shortcomings could they hope to improve.
Lin Zhijie got carried away, forgetting his initial intentions, and began analyzing several songs in detail.
Lu Xi felt increasingly uneasy as she listened, her confidence waning. She couldn't help but glance at Lu Chen.
'With so many issues in the new album, could it still succeed?'
Lu Chen offered her a reassuring look.
Every album, regardless of the company behind it, has its imperfections.
While Nirvana Workshop might not be strong enough, Wang Jing and Wang Hui's dedication left him with no complaints. Even with some flaws, the overall quality would remain intact.
The 100,000 Yuan production cost was already more than justified!
(End of chapter)