Four individuals were planning at full throttle, as if in a colorless world of memories. In the room, there were 230 years combined, and everyone there had a single goal—to witness the next artist fight with all their might. Human forces, often unseen and misunderstood, converged when two or more individuals worked toward a common end. They set aside wealth, economic value, fame, power, and all that goes unnoticed by people, focusing on dreams, nostalgia, love, heaven, and earth conspiring toward a common goal.
"No one's answering, damn fools. How can they be ignoring me?" said Jerry, in a catatonic state, as if he had been transgressed in the worst possible way.
"I've already called Arif Mardin," said Peter Wolf, playing with the studio phone cord, while the others used their cell phones.
"Bahhh, that idiot only answers the phone when his wife calls," said Jerry.
"Call Herb Abramson," suggested Peter.
"Yeah, sounds good," Jerry said, dialing Herb Abramson's number, the founder of Atlantic Records. The phone emitted a strong beeping sound, and they waited for the five beeps, but it continued ringing.
"No one's picking up," Jerry said after letting the phone ring for a while.
"Let's wait a bit. Spencer and the kids should be arriving soon, and we haven't settled the matter yet," said Peter.
"Let's continue with the recording. Although Billy's take is fantastic, it has quite a few errors that can be avoided. However, for the practical purposes of this demo, it's better to wait sometime, if possible, to correct them in the coming days," said Jason Fox.
"Agreed. Let's record another take, with a more subdued tone and better vocal techniques. We'll teach the kid when he arrives," said Peter Wolf, a renowned artist from previous years, many years ago. He is here under Jerry's guidance and his last efforts as an artist and part of the music, which has been relegated to composing and producing.
The glorious musician in black glasses and leather clothing has transitioned to casual jeans and a cowboy hat.
"They've returned," said Chomsky, in his deep voice.
"Yes, teachers, I'm feeling better now. After singing at full volume, my throat isn't accustomed to such physical demands," said Billy, massaging his chest. He had drunk a liter of water and gargled a bit, but the vibration from his singing had worn out his vocal cords, and he was recommended to rest for 1 to 1.5 hours.
"Well, you have to work again. This time, try not to strain the vowels and take shallower breaths, without long notes. Just sing the song with a sweet voice. The lyrics are a plus, but the song is too demanding for your ability. Maybe if you practice opening your range, we could record it differently. To improve your range, get used to singing those notes with progressive practices. And well, it doesn't hurt to say that you need to improve your breathing," said Chomsky.
Performing a precise, quick, and clear evaluation of why Billy ended up exhausted and the song wasn't cohesive, he lacked scenic singing capacity.
"Yes, teacher, I'll do the best I can to improve, but don't worry, I already have a plan in mind that has helped me progress. I just need to wait; time is my great enemy," said Billy. Spencer made adjustments and noted down the changes with a pen, marking all the present adjustments.
"Come on, let's do another take. Connor, get ready, make it a bit more subdued, with slightly longer tempos both at the beginning and the end," said Spencer, observing the changes and making sounds with his mouth to mark Connor's drum beats. Both left the room discussing tempos and deliveries, and Billy watched his teacher's back, lost in his rhythm, keeping his goal of recording the demo in sight.
"The second song needs some touch-ups," Billy asked.
"Not much. We're not rap and hip-hop experts, and the demo will be sent as is. The added values we're hoping for are the piano notes you jotted down along with the two high-pitched sounds. Peter Wolf has already taken care of putting it together, and he'll show you the designs later. However, our main concern is shaping your song 'Like a Stone.' You have several ideas, and the song is a monster, especially when you sing it, but it needs more to be successful—a guitar, a drum, and a decent rhythm that fits your singing," said Chomsky.
Showing him the recorded audio and some adjustments he had made, which paused the song and reshaped the rhythm, the issue was different from what he heard in his mind. Due to his persistence, he shook his head and complied.
"I'll do my best," said Billy, entering the studio.
"I see he didn't like it," said Peter Wolf to Chomsky.
"No one likes it, but it's what needs to be done for the song to be good. It's the price you pay for producing a song. Besides, he has the spirit, that indomitable spirit of singers who want to reject things without caring about the consequences," said Chomsky to Peter Wolf, who was checking the song adjustments. Jerry, with his tortoiseshell cane, rested his cheek in his palm, leaning forward in a better listening position.
Billy's rich voice began to resonate, this time softer, like a good ballad from the '70s, much more narrated and less aggressive compared to the initial song. While this one had more power in the accompaniments, the voice was smooth and precise. Due to the increased value caused by Billy's inspiration, his number of followers rose from 2 to 6. Four people, specifically four elderly individuals in that room, listened to Billy's musical prowess and decided to follow his musical career, even more, to accompany him. This inspiration was bestowed as if he were a superstar. Billy sang a song with his soul, and that was blessed with an increase in category level.
The level scale for now is 1. Amateur, 2. Novice, 3. Student, 4. Prodigy, 5. Semi-professional. There is a higher level, but it's not evident, and it's not well-known, but it's approximated to be beyond professional.
"It's very good, Jerry," said Jason Fox, an outsider but a music teacher for eight years, and a part-time private music tutor for nine years. Although distant from fame and a track record in music, he has always been underneath, following the artists in his heart.
"I'm coming out of retirement; I haven't felt this way in a long time," said Jerry, reviewing and redialing the number for Atlantic Records. The new producer-agent for Billy is still uncertain.
"Billy, take a five-minute break; we'll do another take. This time, try to keep a slightly faster pace without rushing. You're improving," said Chomsky, who, in a way, was renaming the song "Like a Stone." It would still be good, but this time, its rhythm would align more with blues than rock.
The guitar would be adjusted to a more melodic style, with fewer aggressive strums.
....