sbdcsierra Chapter 307 "Nocturne"
Chapter 307 "Nocturne"
Lu Ran leaned against the headboard and let out a long breath.
He recalled the line he wrote when he released the song: "Dedicated to everyone who walks alone in the darkness."
In retrospect, this sentence was not written incorrectly.
Because everyone who hears this song feels like they are "you".
After breakfast, Shen Yuege drove Lu Ran to Xingyue Studio. Today they were recording their second song—"Nocturne".
Lu Ran kept thinking about one question on the way.
If "The Lone Warrior" is written for ordinary people, the kind of song that can give people strength and resonate with them in the dead of night, then what is "Nocturne"?
It's not an inspirational song, not a healing song, and it's even difficult to define with simple labels.
It has Jay Chou's signature melodic feel and a unique musical quality that others cannot imitate.
It's not the kind of song that makes you cry, nor does it make you feel excited; it's the kind of song that you'll find yourself listening to on repeat after you've finished listening to it.
In Lu Ran's own opinion, if he had to choose the best one out of the ten songs on this album, he would choose "Nocturne".
It's not because this song is the most touching, nor because it's the most powerful, but because it has reached a very high level in terms of musicality.
Melody, arrangement, harmony, rhythm—every aspect is near perfect, like a meticulously crafted work of art.
In his past life, Jay Chou was able to dominate the Chinese music scene for so many years because of these melodies that no one else could write.
"Nocturne" is one of his representative works from his middle period. It has won numerous awards and is regarded as a classic by countless music fans.
The line "When the nocturne starts, go up on stage to receive the award" may have a sarcastic tone, but it also reflects the song's significance.
The car stopped downstairs at Xingyue Studio, and as usual, Shen Yuege took a wheelchair out of the trunk and pushed Lu Ran into the building.
When the receptionist saw them, she immediately stood up to greet them, her expression even more enthusiastic than yesterday.
"Good morning, Mr. Lu and Mr. Shen. Master Wang is already in the recording studio."
"Thank you for your hard work." Shen Yuege nodded and pushed Lu Ran toward the elevator.
Inside the recording studio, Master Wang was adjusting the equipment. Seeing Lu Ran enter, he put down his work and stood up to greet him.
"Mr. Lu, I saw yesterday's data, it's amazing." Master Wang's voice was filled with admiration. "I've been in this industry for over ten years, and I've never seen a song become so popular in just one day."
"I was lucky." Lu Ran smiled.
"It's not luck, it's skill," Master Wang said earnestly. "No one could sing that song with the same feeling. Your voice tells a story; that's talent, something you can't learn."
Lu Ran didn't reply, pushing his wheelchair into the recording studio. He was taking today's recording of "Nocturne" even more seriously than yesterday. Not because the song was more difficult to sing, but because its style was more unique. This type of song is rare in the Chinese music scene—the melody doesn't follow the conventional path, the arrangement is rich yet not chaotic, and the rhythm is strong yet not overpowering. This kind of song isn't difficult to sing, but to capture that feeling is not easy.
Master Wang played the instrumental version of "Nocturne." The arrangement was a complete replica of the previous version—the piano intro had a slightly cool quality, like walking alone on an empty street on a late autumn night. Then came the drums and bass, layering in one after another, the rhythm gradually intensifying, but always maintaining a sense of restraint. When the chorus came, the melody rose abruptly, but not flamboyantly; rather, it was a restrained, story-laden explosion.
Lu Ran listened with his eyes closed, then nodded: "Okay, record it like this."
He pushed his wheelchair into the recording studio, stopped in front of the microphone, adjusted its height, and put on his headphones. Shen Yuege wore monitoring headphones outside, while Master Wang sat at the mixing console, his fingers on the faders, ready to begin.
"Mr. Lu, the accompaniment is ready, we can start anytime," Master Wang's voice came through the earpiece.
Lu Ran took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
The intro begins. Piano notes flow through the headphones, and that familiar opening begins.
Lu Ran didn't rush to speak, but silently counted the beats in his mind, waiting for the right moment before singing the first line.
"A swarm of bloodthirsty ants, attracted by carrion—"
"I gaze at the lonely landscape with a blank expression—"
His voice was more restrained and introspective than when he sang "The Lone Warrior" yesterday.
It's like someone sitting in a corner booth in a bar late at night, holding a glass of whiskey, slowly telling a story about loss and remembrance.
In the control room, Shen Yuege wore headphones, her expression focused. She had heard the demo of this song before, but she hadn't expected Lu Ran to perform it like this.
Master Wang sat in front of the mixing console, his fingers moving lightly across the faders.
He had worked in the industry for over a decade and had heard countless singers record their songs, but he rarely encountered a singer like Lu Ran—who didn't need much guidance or adjustment and whose voice was perfect from the very first note.
The pitch, rhythm, breath control, and emotion were all perfectly executed, as if they had rehearsed countless times.
Moreover, just by listening to the melody, Master Wang knew that this would be another hit song.
When Lu Ran sang the chorus, his voice still maintained that quality, but the emotion was noticeably more intense than in the verses.
"I'll play Chopin's Nocturne for you, in memory of my dead love—"
"A sound like the night wind, heartbreakingly beautiful—"
My hands tap lightly on the keyboard, and my longing for you is expressed with utmost care—
"The place where you are buried is called the Underworld—"
The melody of this chorus is the most essential part of the entire song.
The melody is unique but not strange, the rhythm is strong but not abrupt, and the harmony is rich but not complicated.
When Lu Ran sang, she made a point of pronouncing each word clearly so that the audience could hear the lyrics clearly instead of being led astray by the melody.
In this respect, Lu Ran's interpretation of the song is even better than Jay Chou's in his previous life.
Shen Yuege listened from outside, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
This song is completely different from "The Lone Warrior".
"The Lone Warrior" is extroverted, powerful, and empowering; "Nocturne" is introverted, restrained, and requires quiet contemplation to appreciate.
If "The Lone Warrior" is a fire that can light the way forward in the darkness, then "Nocturne" is a lamp that shines quietly in the deep night, not dazzling, but warm enough.
After the first take, Lu Ran came out of the recording studio and asked Master Wang to play the track he had just recorded. The three of them listened quietly without saying a word.
Finally, Master Wang spoke first: "Mr. Lu, this take is already very good. But I think the emotion in the chorus could be a little stronger; it's a bit too restrained right now."
Lu Ran nodded: "I think so too. We can let the second chorus flow a little more, but not too much. The song's essence is restraint; letting it flow too much will ruin its flavor."
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean," said Master Wang. "Then I'll adjust the parameters again, and you can record it again."
Lu Ran pushed his wheelchair back to the recording studio and put his headphones back on.
The second time, he added a little more power to the chorus, making the emotion in his voice fuller, but still maintaining the overall restraint. After recording, it was much better than the first time, but Lu Ran was still not satisfied.
"Let's do it one more time. I want to try a different approach to that trill in the third chorus."
Without saying a word, Master Wang started recording again.
The third time, the fourth time, the fifth time.
Each iteration involved adjustments to the details.
The articulation of a word, the breath of a musical phrase, the intensity of a note—Lu Ran is like a meticulous craftsman, unwilling to overlook any detail.
Master Wang was working hard in front of the mixing console, sweating profusely, but he never uttered a single complaint.
He likes people who are meticulous; the more meticulous they are, the better their work will be.
By the sixth time, Lu Ran was finally satisfied.
"Let's go with this version."
Master Wang pulled up the recorded audio track and played it from beginning to end.
In the monitor speakers, Lu Ran's voice has a very unique texture. It's not the kind of singing that's technically impressive, but rather a simple and genuine voice that tells a story.
Every word was sung clearly, and every musical phrase was handled with great delicacy. Listening to the whole song felt like someone was slowly telling a story about loss and longing in the dead of night.
After listening, Shen Yuege said, "This song is completely different from 'The Lone Warrior'."
Lu Ran nodded: "They are indeed different. 'The Lone Warrior' is written for everyone; it's the kind of song that can get people's blood pumping. 'Nocturne' is written for oneself; it's a song that needs to be listened to slowly and calmly."
"Two styles, but both are very good," Shen Yuege said earnestly. "'The Lone Warrior' made me want to stand up and do something, while 'Nocturne' made me want to sit quietly for a while. Both are very moving."
Master Wang chimed in from the side, "Mr. Lu, if every song on your album is this good, you'll probably sweep all the music awards this year."
Lu Ran said modestly, "It's still early; we've only recorded two songs. Let's talk about it after we finish recording the remaining eight songs."
The post-production took most of the day.
Master Wang sat in front of the mixing console, adjusting the sound of each track to its optimal state.
The volume of the vocals, the depth of the reverb, the EQ curve—every parameter was repeatedly adjusted.
Lu Ran sat beside him, listening with his eyes closed, occasionally offering one or two suggestions for revision.
Sometimes he would say, "Add a little more reverb to this section," and sometimes he would say, "Push the vocals in the chorus forward a bit." Master Wang always did as he was told without a word.
By evening, the final version of the Nocturne was finally decided.
Master Wang exported the finished product, saved it to a USB drive, and handed it to Lu Ran. Lu Ran took the USB drive, held it in his hand, and felt a different sensation than yesterday.
Yesterday, after recording "The Lone Warrior," he felt mostly excited and thrilled. Today, after recording "Nocturne," he felt more satisfied and at peace.
Back at the villa, Lu Ran didn't rush to publish the news. He ate dinner first, took a shower, and then leisurely sat down at the computer in his study.
Shen Yuege brought in a cup of hot tea, placed it on the table, and sat down next to him.
"Is it being sent out tonight?" she asked.
"Release it." Lu Ran turned on his computer. "Strike while the iron is hot. The popularity of 'The Lone Warrior' is still there. Releasing a new song now will attract even more attention."
Aren't you afraid the two songs will compete for popularity?
"I'm not afraid." Lu Ran smiled. "Good things aren't afraid of being taken away. Besides, these two songs have different styles and different audiences. 'The Lone Warrior' has a broader audience, while 'Nocturne' has a more niche audience. They won't compete with each other; instead, they'll complement each other."
He logged into his TUTU account and uploaded the audio file of "Nocturne". Then he typed a line in the title bar:
[New song "Nocturne". A song that's a little different, dedicated to everyone who listens to music alone late at night.]
...