msmithbooks Chapter 3 Master
Chapter 3 Master
Since the beginning of the new century, copyright protection has become increasingly stringent. The application of blockchain and AI technologies has enabled a creator's copyright application to be reviewed in just 12 hours, and even less if expedited processing is available.
After returning to her dormitory and getting her computer, Xu Jinyan began to focus on "creation": she typed out the lyrics, produced the sheet music, and the lyrics and music were completed. Then she arranged the music, added professional technical notes to one part of the melody, added a few hundred words of creative ideas, and exported it in PDF format.
Next, all you need to do is record a demo, upload it, pay the fee, and the copyright will be registered. If it passes the review, you will receive an email twelve hours later, which is globally recognized.
"Jinyan, where are you going?"
"Go to the school's recording studio and record a demo."
"Oh... um?"
Pang Lei and Kong Chun were still playing games in the dormitory when they saw Xu Jinyan rush in, pick up the computer and start working on it, then leave in a hurry. They couldn't help but ask her a question, and were then told that she was going to record a demo.
If I remember correctly, a demo should be the next step after the lyrics and music; at the very least, there should be music.
It was fixed in such a short time?
Xu Jinyan walked towards the school's recording studio. As one of only two finalists in this year's competition, he was naturally entitled to apply for one.
Moreover, for the one or two students who make it to the semi-finals each year, there is everything they need: arrangement teachers, musicians of all kinds, rehearsal rooms, and even backup dancers. As the school with the strongest music strength among the four major art colleges, the prestige and logistical support are top-notch.
After recording a demo in the studio, uploading it, and paying the fee, all that's left is to wait for the results.
It's worth mentioning that during the process, Xu Jinyan added several new skills to his skill list, all of which he had previously learned:
[Host: Xu Jinyan]
【Feature: Memory Palace】
Positive sentiment score: 43
Negative sentiment score: 688
【Skill:
Singing skills: Specialized (3930/6000);
Piano: Profession (1240/3000);
Erhu: Occupation (890/3000);
Guitar: Beginner (760/1000);
Flute: Beginner (690/1000);
Swimming: Beginner (690/1000);
Cooking Skills: Beginner (660/1000);
Car Driving: Beginner (650/1000);
Basketball: Beginner (430/1000);
Football: Beginner (25/1000)
Besides mastering several musical instruments, he suddenly thought of trying sports skills. He succeeded in swimming and basketball, and he had even played soccer in his previous life, so that counted too, although he was only limited to knowing the rules and being able to play.
The only regret is that the Kegel exercises were not successful.
As I walked out of the recording studio, it was almost 6 o'clock, but the sky over Zhonghai in May was still very bright, and I didn't feel very hungry yet.
Perfect timing, no rush.
I went out to find a skilled person first. When I arrived, it was time to eat, so I asked on WeChat, "Grandpa, have you eaten yet?"
I quickly received a reply: "No".
"I need your help with something, and I'd also like to grab a free meal while I'm at it, hehe. Where are you?"
"In the shop"
"We'll be there in a bit."
Half an hour later, Xu Jinyan got off the bus and came to a shop facing the street. The signboard above had three big characters written in a flamboyant style: "Xu Yunge".
"Xu Yunge" is a shop that sells traditional Chinese musical instruments, including wind, plucked, percussion, and bowed instruments. The main focus is on bowed string instruments; the old man's erhu skills are at least at a high level of expertise.
Upon entering the shop, one is immediately greeted by the elegant sounds of traditional Chinese instruments. A young man is lying on a chair, idly scrolling through his phone. When he catches sight of the person who has entered, he returns to his phone.
Xu Jinyan asked with a grin, "Brother, where's my grandpa?"
Xu Qian tilted his head slightly: "He's upstairs with his lover."
"Cough cough..." Xu Jinyan glanced at him speechlessly and walked upstairs.
The so-called "lover" wasn't because his uncle had any moral issues, but because he cherished his erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument) and meticulously cared for it every day. His aunt would always tell him, "You should go back to your erhu."
Xu Jinyan went upstairs and saw his uncle carefully wiping the skin of the zither with a cotton cloth. His meticulous, slow and gentle movements were full of piety, as if he were treating a rare work of art.
After work, Xu Jinyan grinned and complained, "Sir, my brother just said you were with your lover."
"He doesn't know anything. The pipa is a thousand years old, the zither is ten thousand years old, and the erhu is played for a lifetime."
"The erhu is 30% about the material, 30% about the performance, and 40% about the maintenance. Only when the soundboard has been tamed can it produce a lifelike resonance that transcends the material, and only then can one achieve the state of oneness between the player and the instrument."
Xu Jinyan nodded quickly and said, "Yes, yes, he doesn't know anything. Sir, I've come here today to ask for your help."
"speak."
"...I've made it to the semi-finals of that singing competition, and the organizers require that all entries be original compositions. After I finished arranging the music, I discovered that there's a melody that only you can play. Do you think we should have you, the veteran, accompany your nephew on stage last time?"
He handed the sheet music to the old man and said, "This 30-second interlude is entirely your solo performance. It's the soul of the whole song, so it all depends on you, sir."
The old man took the sheet music and looked down at it. He gestured for a while, frowned, and then picked up his erhu. Just as he was about to try, Xu Jinyan stopped him. "Grandpa, you don't need the erhu. I can play it myself."
Grandpa Xu frowned at him. "If not the erhu, then what will we use?"
Xu Jinyan smiled and uttered three words: "Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle)!"
That's right, it's the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), and the song he's going to sing is "Anhe Bridge," a song that's said to never play in low-level games, and whose interlude makes even the dogs on the street regretful.
The Morin Khuur, a bowed string instrument with Mongolian characteristics, is its irreplaceable core.
When he decided to use this song, he racked his brains but couldn't think of anyone at school who could play this instrument. Luckily, he knew his uncle could. He had learned the erhu from his uncle for a while when he was little, and once he saw his uncle playing the morin khuur. So he rushed over to ask for help.
"Okay, I got it. I'm going to eat now."
Xu Jinyan was very happy. It seemed that his grandfather was really good at it, and quite capable. Although he was a man of few words, he inexplicably felt more confident. So he said, "Okay, grandfather, you just need to familiarize yourself with it in the morning and go to our school for a few full rehearsals in the afternoon. Then, when the competition starts the night after tomorrow, the two of us will be the star of the show, and it will be broadcast live!"
Grandpa Xu laughed and scolded, "Get lost! Come on, let's go eat."
The two went downstairs, and the cousin went out and drove the car over.
Xu Jinyan chuckled as she got into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and said with a smile, "We can just eat something at home, why go out? By the way, where's my aunt?"
Grandpa Xu, who was resting with his eyes closed in the back seat, said slowly, "It's at your grandma's house."
"At my...grandma's house?"
Xu Jinyan suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Oh, I bought the groceries beforehand and went to help. There are seven or eight people; are you expecting Grandma to handle all that alone?"
Seven or eight people?
How did you count them?
Could his parents be here too?
Xu Jinyan turned around and asked, "Sir, this accompaniment needs some musicians. The school told us to find them ourselves, but I haven't sorted it out yet. Should I go back to school first?"
"No, I told your grandma you were coming too, and that's why we can all go. You have to eat, and after you eat, you can do whatever you want."
"...And my parents?"
"Oh, I told them, they should be here by now."
Xu Jinyan glanced at the system interface and, sure enough, had received two messages not long ago:
[Negative emotions from Yan Zhi: +35]
[Negative emotions from Xu Wenqing: +36];
At this moment, Xu Qian, who was in the driver's seat, glanced at him resentfully. They were both his grandsons, but the difference between them was too great.
Xu Jinyan understood the resentment in his eyes and roared, "What do you know?"
The men in the Xu family are mostly in this line of work. His grandfather was an opera singer, his uncle is more passionate about traditional Chinese musical instruments and plays the erhu exceptionally well; and his father, needless to say, is now an associate professor and is also adept at playing the piano and violin.
Xu Jinyan seems to embody the musical talents of three generations. She has been exceptionally gifted since childhood and can easily master any subject.
His cousin, on the other hand, had absolutely no musical talent. Of course, it wasn't that he was denied food when he went there—no grandmother doesn't love her grandson—but he went there too often, practically wanting to live there, just for a good meal.
As it turned out, he was a disappointment. No one in the Xu family was overweight, but he gained weight even from drinking water, which had already affected his health. So, he hadn't gone for two months and had lost a lot of weight. But today, he's finally going to break his diet.