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The Colburn School
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Recording Studio
message 1:
by
E M M A
(new)
Jan 24, 2014 06:13PM
The Colburn College recording studio. Record your newest piece of music here, and have it be played on the Colburn radio station!
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Liam pulled into the parking lot of the recording studio. He unstrapped his guitar from the back of his bike and sat on the bench to wait for Odessa. He hoped that she found it okay. He tapped his leg in a beat that went along with the song he was hoping to record soon. It was a work in progress but he thought it could be a big hit at the concert.
Odessa pulled into an empty space in the parking lot, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Despite trying to pull it back the wind continuously slapped the strands across her face. It was days like these that she wished her dad would help her put the roof back on. Rolling up the sleeves of her sweater, Des got out of the car, walking over to Liam.
Liam's face lit up at the sight of Odessa. "Hey!" He stood up and set his case on the ground. When she got close enough he pulled her too him in a hug. "Are you ready to hear my fantastic music?" He joked. In all truth he didn't believe he was really that good.
Odessa smiled, her entire body relaxing as his arms went around her. She rolled her eyes as if her answer was obvious. "Always!" she replied. Des was excited to see what he did with his time when he wasn't with her. She had already seen his artwork, now she wanted to hear his music.
Liam released her, taking her hand hand leading her into the studio. He was a little nervous. He didn't know if she would like the type of music he played. By his appearance you'd think he played rock but in reality his true passion was country music. There was something so melodious to it that calmed him.
Odessa followed him in, unaware of his nerves as she lingered a half-step behind him. She had never been in a recording studio before and she tried to take it all in. It seemed like every time she was with Liam she was doing something new. She liked that...
He led her into the control room. "You have to sit in here while I play. It gets better sound." He smiled pulling out a chair for her to sit in. He started turning on all of the equipment. "If you need to talk to me just press this button and speak into the microphone." He gestured to a res button.
Odessa plopped down in the chair, bringing her legs up to sit Indian style. "Got it," Des said, though she wasn't sure if she trusted herself. She got the feeling if she pressed one button, she would want to start pressing all of them and that probably wasn't a good idea. She decided she would just listen to him play.
Liam smiled and walked to the door leading to the live room. "See you on the other side." He said with a wink. Stepping into the room he began setting up his equipment. He moved the stool to the middle of the room along with the microphone. Settling on the stool, he picked up his guitar and started to play.
Dessa just rolled her eyes at him, grinning. She waited patiently as he set up the equipment, trying to untangle some of the knots in her hair with her fingers. When he struck the first few notes, her gaze shot up, eyes narrowed in on Liam. After a few moments, Des closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her.
Liam continued to play the song he had been working on for the past couple of days. It was a slower song than what he normally wrote and he wasn't sure if he would continue down this path. He glanced up and looked through the window seeking out Odessa and sang the rest of the song staring at her.
Odessa smiled when the sound of his deep voice reached her ears. Add that to the list, she thought to herself. If she really did make a list of everything Liam could do, she would probably have a shorter list of things he couldn't do. He was always finding ways to surprise her.
Liam finished singing and pushed the microphone away from him. "What did you think?" He asked motioning for her to speak through the microphone. The song was still a work in progress but if she liked it then he would sing it for the concert.
Des leaned forward looking around for the right button. "And you didn't tell me you could sing because...?" she demanded, raising an eyebrow at him through the glass. She didn't want to answer his question until she answered hers. She thought he really was fantastic, but he didn't seem to think that about himself.
Liam smirked and set down his guitar. "I didn't tell you because I don't sing that well. I did tell you what other people thought though." He stood and crossed his arms waiting for her answer. "You gonna tell me what you thought?"
Odessa screwed her lips to the side. Mimicking his pose, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I thought it was all wonderful," she said, as if settling an argument. He was a talented musician and he might as well get it through his head.
Liam nodded as if that's what he had expected. Everybody thought he was talented. That wasn't why he played though. Even if he sucked he would still keep playing because it was something he loved. "I think that's the song I'm going to play at the concert once I fix it." He said.
Des grinned. She wasn't entirely sure what needed fixing, but he was the musician, he would know what was best. "I look forward to hearing you play again," she told him sincerely. She wondered how it would sound a few weeks from now, in a different venue.
Liam smiled and began packing up his things. After a moment he stopped. "Did you want to hear something else?" He realized he had only played one song for her. He didn't want her to think it was a waste of time to come her for only one song.
"Um, yeah," she told him. She had the rest of the day to spend with him. Of course that would only happen if he had the rest of the day with her. Odessa sometimes wished they didn't have so many conflicts so they could spend more time together, but she knew she was just being selfish.
Liam began unpacking his guitar again and resumed his position on the stool. He brought the mic closer and played the first song he had ever wrote on his own. Before Lexi died all he did was play covers for songs. After her accident though, he had so much pain and anger inside of him that he finally ventured out into the world of composing.
Dessa pulled her legs up in front of her and rested her chin on her knees. This time she just watched him and the way his fingers moved over the strings. It never ceased to amaze her that people could play instruments like this. For the life of her, she had never been able to grasp the whole idea, no matter how many times her mother tried to teach her some simple songs on the piano, nothing ever stuck.
Liam let the music flow through him like he had the first time he played. He felt freer now to play this song. Like the grief wasn't weighing him down anymore now that he had Dessa. It's like she took the pain and grief away from him and finally allowed him to live. That's how paying for her made him feel.
Des watched him and even if she couldn't hear him playing, it was worth the performance. Liam's head was bend slightly, the hint of a crease between his eyebrows. He seemed so passionate about everything he did. She wondered if she could ever feel that way about something in her life.
Liam finished the song and felt a weight he didn't know was there lift off his shoulders. Glancing up he saw that Odessa was watching him intently. He gave her a small smile, picking up the water bottle he had sitting next to his stool. "A little different than the first one." He said guzzling his water. Singing always made his throat dry.
Odessa reached over and pressed the button. "You're really good. You know that, right?" she said through the microphone. She hoped a lot of people ended up coming to the concert. He was definitely something worth seeing.
Liam rolled his eyes but didn't comment. sliding off the stool he began packing up his guitar. He would have to come back another day when the teacher was here so he could record it for the scouts to take a CD after the concert. He walked back into the control room and sat in a chair across from Odessa. "Do you sing?" He asked.
Des couldn't help but snort at the question, not even embarrassed by the unattractive noise. "That's a big no. Music in general isn't exactly my forte. I mean, I don't even sound good in the shower, and pretty much everything sounds good in the shower!" she told him, wrapping her arms around her legs.
Liam shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. "I'm sure you don't sound that bad. No one can sound that bad." He stood and pulled her up from her chair and pulled her towards the live room. "I want to hear you."
Odessa shook her head right back at him, eyes wide. "No. That's a really bad idea. Trust me, Liam, you don't want to hear me sing," she told him, protesting profusely. She could never follow him up after his little performance.
Liam pulled her towards the door. "I think it's a fantastic idea and I truly want to hear you sing." He said. Pushing her through, he shut the door behind her and went back to the control board. Pressing the red button he spoke into the microphone. "I won't let you leave until you sing."
Des stood in front of the window arms crossed. "You're a jerk, you know that?" she told him. She hated singing for people, even if it was just Liam. Her friends always teased her when she slipped up in the car, singing along with the radio.
Liam grinned unfazed. "Come on! I sang for you now you have to sing for me. I won't believe that you aren't good at singing unless you sing for me." He wouldn't let her get away with not trying at least.
Odessa groaned, sitting herself down on the floor. "Yeah, well you sang of your own free will," she grumbled, propping her elbows up on her knees and resting her head on her knuckles. After about a minute, she realized he really wasn't going to let her leave unless she sang for him. With a begrudging sigh, she began to sing quietly, "Well, I didn't tell anyone, but a bird flew by, saw what I'd done. He set up a nest outside, and he sang about what I'd become..." As she picked at her shoelaces, "Bird Song" by Florence and the Machine seeped out of her. It was the one song she knew that she had sang enough times that it might sound half ways decent.
Odessa was singing so softly that Liam had to strain to hear her. She wasn't anywhere near as bad as she said she was. Once she was finished he pressed the red button and spoke through the microphone. "You aren't bad Odessa." He said truthfully.
Odessa sighed, knowing he was probably just saying that to be nice. "Does that mean you'll let me go now?" she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes. She couldn't believe she had really just done that. She wouldn't sing for her own parents if it was their dying wish.
Liam sighed like it was a huge burden to let her out. "I guess." He said a smirk coming over his face. He got up and opened the door that led to the live room. "But I'm serious. You have a nice voice. Would you do a duet with me if I asked you to?" A duet would add a lot to his music.
Odessa got out of the room like it was about to catch fire. "Whoa, down boy," she said, holding up a hand as if to get him to back away. "One thing at a time, here. You only got me to sing period by holding me against my will. You might wanna try to get back in my good graces before you try getting me to sing again, okay?" she told him, trying to keep her lips from curling up at the corners.
Liam backed up and laughed at the quickness that Odessa came out of the room. "You act like that's a torture chamber." He teased. His shoulders slumped. "You won't sing with me?" He jutted out his bottom lip hoping to agree with out him having to full on beg. "I only did it so I could see your talent. Lets call it a friendly experiment." He said with a smirk.
Odessa rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. "A 'friendly experiment'? Wow, I've never heard that before," she said looking up at him with a mock glare. "So what does that make me? Your lab rat?"
Liam grabbed Odessa and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh come on you know I didn't mean it like that." He said brushing his thumb across her cheek. "My performance would be so much better if you did it with me! People would come to the real concert wanting more and I need that."
Odessa groaned, burying her face in his shoulder. If she didn't hide from those big blue eyes, she was a goner. It was too bad they had already gotten to her, though. "I'll think about it," she mumbled into his shirt. Sometimes she wished she could say no to him... then she decided she didn't care. She liked making him happy.
Liam rested his chin on the top of her head. "That's all I ask for." He said a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. If she agreed then it would change everything. "Hey how about we get out of here and go do something? Anything you want." He suggested. He was done with recording and painting for the day. It was time to focus on Odessa.
"Hmm, anything I want, you say?" she said thoughtfully. Des would have suggested the beach, which seemed to be their most frequent haunt, but this time of day it would still be crowded with people. She really just wanted to go for a walk. "The park?" she suggested.
Liam shrugged. "Sounds good to me." He said smiling. He turned off all the equipment and then picked up his guitar. "Okay I'm ready." He said taking her hand and pulling her out of the studio. "Whose car are we taking?" He asked glancing between his bike and her car.
"I think it's time we save you some gas," Odessa decided. He had been taking them pretty much everywhere on the bike. She also wasn't sure how much room there was for two people and a guitar case. "You can put the guitar in the trunk if you want," she added.
Liam shrugged. "It doesn't bother me to drive everywhere." He said, walking around to her trunk. He stuffed his case in and then went to the passenger side and slid in. "You have a nice car." He commented. He maneuvered himself so he was comfortable. It had been awhile since he was in a car.
Des dug out her keys from her pocket before getting in. "Thanks. I hate driving it, though. If a single thing goes wrong with this car, it takes a small fortune to fix it. I'm pretty sure it's worth more than me by now," she explained, starting the car. It certainly was older than her.
Liam nodded his head in understanding. "That's why I have a bike." He said running his hand along the cars smooth interior. "It's cheap and easy to fix." He settled back and closed his eyes. It was different having someone else drive him around.
