#i would Never draw an instrument nowadays

[hsslilly-blog]

looking at my old drawings and wow i sure used to draw guitars a lot. what was up with that

#i would Never draw an instrument nowadays #you could beg me cry on the floor and i would say #No. #but apparently 2021 lais was on good terms with guitars

[anipiece]

The Volturi Kings with a human mate

Here are some thoughts I had on them.

I feel like Caius would want to turn you as soon as possible. Not only because you being human makes you a liability, but also because you would be around vampires a lot. He just doesn't want his mate to get hurt or killed. Aro and Marcus would want to give thier mate some time. But they share Caius's worries, so you would never be left alone.

You're not allowed to leave the castlegrounds. There is always someone around to protect you. Either the kings themselves or one of thier most trusted guards. Guards are positioned in front of your door. No one gets to you unnoticed. But if you're unhappy, getting sad/depressed or feeling like a prisoner, they may take you out sometimes. You are thier mate not a captive, so they don't want you to feel that way. When leaving the castlegrounds you will be accompanied by at least one of the kings (and some guards).

Aro would be curious about your life. What is it like to be a human nowadays? Do you have any exes that need to be taken care of? What are your hobbies? Tell him everything. Of course he knows with a touch, but he wants you to tell him. It feels more intimate that way.

You make Marcus feel whole again. He just wants to spend time with you, it doesn't matter what you do. But he would love to read with you. If you want to, you could start a book club with him. (The others may join, but he would like to keep it between the two of you.)

Caius loves to paint you. If you paint (or draw) he'll let you use his materials. You use other materials than he does? They'll be provided and you can be sure they'll be high quality, only the best for you.

The kings support your hobbies, unless they think it's dangerous. If you have artistic or creative hobbies, like drawing, sewing, knitting, playing an instrument, writing etc. they'll get everthing you need for that. They would want to see/hear the products. If you're inspired by them (or they're your muses) they'd be ecstatic.

You will be turned, if you want to or not. But if you ask them to turn you, they would be over the moon. You would be turned by one of them (probably Aro), but all of them are with you until your transfomation is complete. Nothing will keep them away, trials have to wait, because thier mate is more important than anything else.

#the volturi #marcus volturi #aro volturi #caius volturi #volturi kings #aro x reader #aro volturi x reader #marcus x reader #marcus volturi x reader #caius x reader #caius volturi x reader #twilight #michael sheen

[soulsilversprings]

saw a headcanon ask and now you get one too. favorite blorbo headcanons?

ooh yay thank you!! i'm just gonna do the first 10 i can think of, here we go:

drew stans weezer unironically. he has a reddit account solely for debating whether the blue album or pinkerton is better. i stand by this

in my timeline of events for my fics, zoey's done contests before DP. her first circuit was actually in johto, because she wanted to challenge herself by going somewhere entirely new. that's where she got misdreavus from! daisy oak was her mentor figure, and she also competed alongside marina and became good friends with them both

another zoey hc - i think it would be really funny if her type was extroverted blue-haired coordinators. dawn, obviously but also marina and lisia

ash has synesthesia. and perfect pitch, even though he's never played an instrument. cilan is jealous and outraged at the latter

gary had a poetry/journaling phase when he was around 15 in sinnoh. he was inspired by his grandpa's poetry and proverbs he heard around the region like "when every life meets another, something will be born." so he kept a journal of original poems for a bit, but he abandoned it after a year or so, and nowadays he cringes at his cliches when he looks back. there's probably a few poems unraveling his feelings for ash in there

goh does 80% of his shopping at uniqlo. look at him and tell me he doesn't

chloe pushed herself to be social when she was young, especially because she saw how goh got treated for being antisocial, but as she grows up she comes to realize that she has a lower social battery than she would like. if she has two (2) packed social days in a row she will lose her mind

serena and chloe were obsessed with cimorelli's youtube covers when they were in their early teens. they grow out of it but it comes up as a big "wait, what? you actually know what i'm talking about?" moment when they become friends in their 20s

social media hcs: misty was a myspace girlie, gary knows that twitter is now (regrettably) X but he draws the line at knowing what tiktok is, dawn and may thrived during the vine era but only dawn actively uses tiktok, serena was all about that 2014 instagram christian girl autumn aesthetic, lana streams on twitch, brock was the first of his friends to join facebook and that's where he peaked, iris only created her social media accounts once she became unova champion, zoey's accounts are managed by a PR specialist so that she can just relax and play words with friends, ash plays among us but forgets his actual SM accounts exist, and paul is ride or die with his nokia flip phone

ash is the shortest among shigesatogou, but he can still sling both goh and gary over his shoulder no problem (we stan a short athletic king)

#thank you for the ask!! #i love asks like this. this one made me so happy #ira answers

[giddlygoat]

some of my thoughts on drawing, learning the accordion, and how they apply to each other.

i have been drawing my whole life. the last time i can remember feeling genuinely ashamed of my artistic skills was when i was probably 12. at some point i was able to look at my art and realize it wasn’t anywhere near perfect, and i became okay with that. nowadays, i have no anxiety about posting my art or leaving a piece with flaws, because i like my style and i’m comfortable enough in my skills and the knowledge that there will always be room for improvement to allow myself to simply enjoy what i create.

i have always been fascinated by the accordion. around age 11 i started considering learning to play it. by 13 i saw one at an antique store and seriously considering buying it for a long time, but did not. as the years go on i find that artistic burnout is becoming more of a frequent issue with me, and i often find myself desperately wishing i had a gratifying way of expressing myself other than drawing.

i’m always humming, and doing the mouth trumpet, and clicking and clapping out tunes all day. singing and scatting are some of my favorite pastimes. i can do all this but it’s not the same as playing an instrument. i feel like it can never quite extend past my fingertips; like i’m cranking out all this energy and excitement but it can’t go anywhere. it’s like not being able to get past the sketch when you have a whole painting inside you.

about three months ago, i finally picked up the accordion. i don’t know how to read music. my understanding of the technical side of music is pathetic, although i have a good natural sense for it, and now, a good teacher. i am scared.

i have all the usual beginner issues: my hands don’t know where to go, i’m not used to the weight of the instrument, and it feels alien in a way, just to name a few.

there’s another problem, too. i’m good at drawing.

everywhere i go, i see things i want to paint. i’m taking pictures of the pickled jalapeños and carrots at work because i want to study how they interact with the opaque black plastic container, all little dynamic shapes of green and orange swimming in vinegar. i’m watching a cat stretch and yawn on the concrete and lay down in a sunbeam that looks too heavenly to be real - it gives me an idea for a sketch.

i look at the arms of the man loading hay bales with me, and try to commit to memory how the muscles move under the skin, what foot he puts his weight on, how he wipes his forehead and shifts his weight. it makes me want to draw pages of people doing mundane things, studying how weight and action and stylization works together to create something satisfying and alive. i want to do the beauty of the universe justice.

when i open procreate to draw, i am not thinking of anything. my hands know where to go, i don’t even have to look at the buttons or tools to know what i’m doing, and all these complicated layers interacting with each other and their applied effects and backgrounds etc come like second nature to me now.

the first day i used procreate, i was so overwhelmed, i was afraid to touch anything.

the first day i held an accordion, it was the same.

my problem is that i know how to look at art and examine why techniques work or not, and i don’t quite have those skills when it comes to music. sure, i can slap beautiful harmony onto any song, but heck if i know what notes they are. i couldn’t tell you what key the song is in or what defines a measure.

and i realized that while now i am looking through this frosted glass trying to make out the basic shapes behind it, one day, i will be able to peel back the mystery and truly understand not only how this instrument functions, but how music flows, too. because i see art in everything. i understand the weight of people and objects and how they would interact in a cartoon. the colors of a blooming cactus in my yard become lemony saturated in the early light and pale and dusty in the late evening. i can see the line of action in characters and better understand the composition behind paintings, and why it works.

it’s my hope, that as time spent with my accordion goes on, i will start to see music in everything, too. there’s nothing i want more than to understand it and speak its language as i do with art. i want to someday pick up my accordion and make up a melody as i would sketch out a doodle. this is the kind of stuff i think about all day.

#thoughts #i know i like never make posts like this but i’ve been having these thoughts a lot lately and wanted to be able to look back on them later #accordion

[stardustneeko]

ok i thought it'd just do the quick drawings in that last post to note down this idea so i can move on to do other things (hence the rushed look) but THIS AU KEEPS BOUNCING AROUND THE EMPTY CAVE THAT IS MY BRAIN so here, meet the rest of the band:

The story goes: Yugi, Atem, Yusaku, and Yusei are members of an instrumental band, but one day their manager sits them down and tells them: "Nowadays instrumental music just doesn't sell tickets very well...How about you guys get a vocalist?"

Yugi is enthusiastic, Yusaku and Atem are ambivalent, but Yusei is against it, because "Our music doesn't need an outsider's help to succeed." Nevertheless, they decided to hold an audition.

In walks Judai - a near-flunking student at the Academy of Music. His grades are so awful that the only thing keeping him from being expelled would be to win an acclaimed music competition. Thus, he needs a band to work with.

While waiting for the next candidate, Yusei plays a song he's been composing but has been stuck on the last three bars, not knowing how to finish it. Judai hears this and starts humming a perfectly rounded out ending, and to the shocked faces of the band he grins:

"That's how it ends, right? The story of this song."

Immediately Yusei tells everyone:

"We need this kid in the band. He's our vocalist."

And come to find out, even though Judai knows jack shit about music theory (the hell's a tritone?), he has an extraordinary talent to see the colors behind the notes and can read people's soul through their music. (Not to mention, he's a pretty dang good singer). With Judai around, Yusei seems to find an endless amount of inspiration and finally can tell the stories he's been finding hard to tell with his guitar.

There's a song that Yusei wrote a long time ago that's a reflection of his inner world. But he never performs it live, or records it - he just sometimes plays it from memory during downtimes. At first glance, it sounds like a happy, upbeat song, but:

the song actually reflects Yusei's own darkness of the heart: the regrets of the past, the fear of inadequacy, of ending up alone. And out of everyone who has heard the song, Judai was the first person to have ever picked up on that.

On the other hand, Yusei helps Judai learn the more technical side of things, so that he can better communicate his ideas with the band (specifically to Yusei). Through the band's guidance, Judai came to write his first song, and as they gear up for the competition, a new kind of music begins to emerge from the synthesis of all their gifts...

#and yes the fashion is all over the place #trust me its a part of the aesthetic #yugi mutou #atem #judai yuki #jaden yuki #yusei fudo #starshipping #yugioh gx #yugioh 5ds #yugioh #art by neeko #yugioh comic #comic #fanart #yugioh vrains #yusaku fujiki #yugioh fanart #ygo #ygo fanart #yugioh duel monsters #art #musician au

[nadircozy]

What does music mean to you?

"A life without music isn’t a life worth living.” I’m not quite sure who said that (I said it) but that is something I can agree with wholeheartedly. As long as we’ve all been alive, music has been apart of our lives in some capacity. The songs we hear in retail stores that we can’t get out of our heads, throwback tracks that make us reminisce, cleaning the house on Saturday mornings, long drives, gym sessions, and more. Even if you’re not an avid listener in your free time, music is always apart your life serving a purpose. For music lovers, it may be a soundtrack to their lives, an outlet, their passion, etc. Today we’re speaking with musician of many talents Papa Mbahwe, to discuss essentially what music means to him.

Me: What was your introduction to music?

Papa: My introduction to music was after I got cut from my middle school basketball team. I needed something to keep me busy since athletics wasn’t it. I never anticipated it being a huge part of my life.

Me: Is it something that were interested in prior?

Papa: I was definitely always artistic, whether it be writing, drawing or storytelling. Music was always somewhat of a background of my life. I found that music or specifically the saxophone was the vessel of expression that I was the most proficient at

Me: The sax. That seems like an instrument that you have to have a vivid memory of. Do you remember the first time you heard it?

Papa: My dad would play miles Davis’ kind of blue in the car when I was a kid. My conception of the saxophones sound was formed by cannonball adderley and John Coltrane. Of course I’d be hearing smooth jazz sax all over the place, but their sound resonated with me more

Me: Would you say this is what made you fall in love with music?

Papa: What made me fall in love with music was not by hearing its pleasant sounds, but rather its ability to articulate the inarticulable through sound

Me: Sounds like you don’t like to just hear music but feel it. How does that translate to your own music?

Papa: When I was younger I lacked the discipline to play tastefully and listen to what was going on around me, I was filled with circus tricks. Nowadays I learned to put my ego aside and play for musics sake rather than some ulterior motive (unless I’m trynna get a check ya dig)

Me: Would you say the way you play music is parallel to your personality?

Papa: Id say the way I play parallels my mood—which is fluid— or my interpretation of a memory or an aesthetic that im trying to capture

Me: Being as though you have your own playing style, how do you like to create, solo or collaboratively?

Papa: With hip-hop, I adore the process of writing, hunting samples and listening by myself. However with Jazz music, I find it almost impossible to improvise without the help of others— not even from the point of playing in a band. It’s as if the audience is also apart of making the music.

Me: Do you enjoy playing music or writing music more?

Papa: Mmmm that’s difficult, playing allows me to just be in the moment. I don’t have an abstract or artsy way of explaining it like some musicians typically do.

Me: Speaking of being in the moment how does it feel to perform?

Papa: Performing feels great when you’re well prepared. But really it depends on the situation, sometimes you’re playing at a cocktail hour and it feels like a job. But when you’re at a club or festival there’s a feeling of community, self reflection and at times catharsis

Me: You’ve mentioned family, expression, storytelling, emotion up to this point. What does music mean to you?

Papa: Music is a language used to honor heritage, create community, and impose order on our rawest unstructured thoughts and emotions.

Furthermore, an art form such is subjective. Art is subjective as a whole regardless of the type. You can’t put an exact definition on what it means, what it’s suppose to make you feel, if it makes you feel. But, that’s the beauty of it. Getting a inside look of the mind of an artist definitely has had a profound effect on how I think about music. I hope this helped you ponder what music means to you.

#new music #jazz music #hip hop

[watercolor-hearts]

Tagged by @rednyx-sf, thank you so much, I really enjoyed answering these. 😊❤

Name: V or Virág (it means flower)

Sign: Leo

Time: 11:21

Favourite band/artist: I don't really have favorite artists anymore but I do like the songs of these bands: The Amazing Devil, Coldplay, Linkin Park, Imagine Dragons, Our Last Night and Bagossy Brothers Company. I also like a lot of artists because there are a lot of good songs on TikTok and in the radio but I can't really name any exact artists. I don't really care about the artist(s), I more interested in their songs.

Last movie: Sorstalanság/Fateless(ness) (A Hungarian film based on the only Hungarian, Literature Noble prize-winning book, Fateless(ness), which is about the Holocaust through a young boy's eyes. I needed to watch it because of my literature final exam. It was... Really sad and deep.) (I don't know whether Fateless or Fatelessness is the official English title because google shows both but if I translate the Hungarian title literally, it's the second one.)

Last show: Either Young Royals (s2) or Heartstopper (s1), I'm not sure.

When I created this blog: A few years ago so if you deep dive (please don't) you'll find The Witcher post and other stuff I don't even remember anymore.

Other blogs: Only a Hungarian one but I don't like to use it because the Hungarian side of Tumblr is really depressing.

Do I get asks: Usually only prompts/story ideas but I love them so please keep them coming. ❤ (You can send normal asks about anything, too. 😊)

Followers: 106 people, about five of them are the ones I usually see interacting with my posts. 😃 (I joined this fandom with about 10-20 followers so the majority of this 106 are here because of F1.)

Average hours of sleep: When I was in school it was 5-7 but now it's summer so it's 8-10, depends on how late I go to sleep and how tired I am in the morning.

Instruments: I used to play the piano but I didn't like my teacher's personality and teaching method so I stopped. I miss it sometimes, especially when I see Charles or other drivers playing it. (I wanted to learn playing the violin but as I heard it's really difficult and expensive, so it still is only a dream. As well as wanting to learn to play the guitar. Fun fact: I am right handed but if I were to learn to play the guitar I would want to play it with my left hand because for some reason it feels more natural to hold the guitar that way, on my left thigh. Kinda strange, I know. 😃)

What I am wearing: Black knee-length shorts and a burgundy Ric Rodeo t-shirt.

Dream job: I'm lucky enough to study what my dream job is (graphic design) but there was a phase when I wanted to be a clothes designer, but I let the idea go because I only like drawing the clothes but not making them.

Dream trip: I wanna go to a beach because I have never been to one. And I also want to visit Italy because I really like it and I also am interested in art history so I would love to visit museums and statues and everything related to it. Also, I wanna go to the Van Gogh museum in the Netherlands because I follow them on Instagram and I really like their posts.

Favorite song atm: At the moment, it's Tattoo by Loreen but it changes a lot nowadays because of TikTok. 😃

Tagging: @charlosgoggles and @russellius (No pressure to do it if you don't want to. 😊)

#about myself #my useless posts

[monsata]

5 of 1001

Today's album: Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman (1988)

Right here, this is the heart of why i started this project.

An excellent album that I've never heard. I know the one song that everybody knows by Tracy Chapman.

Yeah, the one that's playing in your head right now as you are reading this.

And it would have been such a shame to have never given this album its due, because it speaks to a lot of things that are very near and dear to my heart.

That Things are Not Good. That Things Could Be Better. That Love is not nearly as easy (or as complicated) as it seems in the movies.

Simply put: this album really blew me away, and here, only 5 days in, I'm so glad i decided to try this insane 3 year long musical odyssey.

Talkin' Bout a Revolution- I really, seriously wish Tracy's revolution had come to pass. What a beautiful sentiment: the uplifting of the downtrodden, everybody getting their fair share. But nowadays, it mostly sounds to me like something that would be used as an ironic backdrop for footage of anti-fascist and anti-police riots from the last decade.

Fast Car- The only Tracy Chapman song that i could name off the top of my head. What more can be said that thang been said dozens of times already? It's such a pretty, sad song about how Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.

Across the Lines- same basic sentiment as Talkin' Bout a Revolution, but not ironic this time. Prescient, in that this album came out a few years before the Rodney King beating would prove her 100% correct.

Behind the Wall- Cops have always been fucking useless parasites.

Baby Can I Hold You- so far the most dated song in instrumentation, this feels VERY late 80s. That said, WAIT, HOLD UP, IS THAT A SITAR!? Nice.

Mountains O'Things- feels very much like "in your eyes"-era Peter Gabriel with all the layered and intricate percussion with synthy "world music"-style woodwinds. "All of those rich guys better watch out once i'm finally one of them!"

Also, in a moment of serendipity, i listened to a podcast about Citizen Kane earlier today (shoutout to The Worst of All Possible Worlds) and i can't help but draw a few parallels to "depressed and unfulfilled poor rich people".

She's Got Her Ticket- wasn't expecting a reggae song today, but it works really well with her voice. That said, there's definitely a recurring theme of "she's gonna get the fuck out of here" throughout the album.

Why?- The other recurring theme on this album: EVERYTHING IS ABSOLUTELY FUCKING TERRIBLE, WHY ISN'T ANYBODY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT *ANYTHING*? WHAT THE FUCK ARE THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE EVEN DOING!? Damn, i wish Tracy's revolution had been more than a whisper.

For My Lover- honestly, feels like an anthem for the battered, and that feeling of "if i leave them, I'll have nobody."

If Not Now...- "now loves the only thing that's free, we must take it where it's found, pretty soon it may be costly" damn, what a line.

For You- a beautiful song about being truly lost in love for someone.

Favorite Track: oh it's still gotta be Fast Car. I can see why it was the single, and i can see why it exploded. Incredibly relatable, soulful, coming from a place of hurt, but damn it were gonna make the best of this hurt because it's all we've got.

Least Favorite Track: She's Got Her Ticket. While it's still a good song, it's really the odd one out of the album. The reggae styling kinda sticks out like a sore thumb here, and there isn't much in this song that doesn't get covered in a better way in other songs on the album.

#1001 albums #dancing to architecture #Tracy Chapman

[survey--s]

610.

How was your day today? It's been pretty good, actually. Productive but relaxing and I managed to catch up on sleep which definitely made a difference.

Are you psyched for summer? Summer is pretty much over and let's face it, the weather has been awful hahah. It's nice to be off work for a bit though.

Do you know anyone that skateboards? Nah, not really. They're not really very popular around here anymore.

Do you like to draw for fun? No.

Play any instruments? I can play piano and a little guitar but that's about it.

Would you say that music completes your day? Nope. I remember being completely obsessed with music when I was a teenager and while I enjoy it nowadays I don't really feel it has the same importance nowadays.

What is your opinion of Rebecca Black? Ha, what a throwback. I kind of felt sorry for her in a way as she wasn't very talented but I bet she made decent money of that song, so hey, good for her lol.

Ever heard of the band ‘Picture Me Broken’? I have not.

Do you have a Formspring? No. I never really liked the idea of it because it always seemed to be used for bullying.

Do you blush a lot when you're nervous? Yeah, I guess so.

Who was the last person to tell you they loved you? Mike.

Whats your opinion on stretched ears? I really don't get the appeal of it - they look awful.

What do you think of life in general? Life is pretty damn good, for the most part.

Are you Drug-Free? Yeah, I've never actually touched an illegal drug in my life.

What monster were you most scared of as a small child? I had a weirdly irrational fear of bears as a kid, lol.

A Day To Remember; Awesome. Do you agree? I like the songs of theirs that I know, but I wouldn't say they were awesome or anything like that.

Can you drive? Yes.

What was the last DVD you bought? The Lord of the Rings extended editions.

Got any weekend plans? We're going to the county show on Monday assuming the weather is good, but otherwise we don't really have any plans.

Don't you just hate it when your friends move to other states? I mean, it sucks when people move states but I mean, that's just part of life really. People move away.

Does your room need cleaning? No. Mike's side definitely needs organising though, I was looking for Simba the other day as he'd run under the bed and his side of the bed is just stuffed full of crap. It's ridiculous.

Do you like to stay up late? No. Mike gets up early for work so if I don't get to bed early enough I just end up feeling absolutely awful through lack of sleep.

#survey #surveys

[astromics240]

Animation in the 1940s

Today I'm going to be talking about the movie with the most impressive visual effects of its time, a movie whose visual effects were recorded on a notebook by the director, and yes, we're talking about the 1940 film FANTASIA.

Directed by James Algar, Wilfred Jackson, Ben Sharpsteen Fantasia was one of the by-then most innovative movies regarding the special effects. Herman Schultheis being the one taking care of all the special effects tried and experimented with many creative techniques to accomplish the effects seen in the movie, starting from transparent snowflakes being spinned by gears and moved by a little railroad tracks to a specially constructed camera rig for one single scene.

Some of the materials used for the special effects were glass, paint, constructed sets made for specific purposes, real objects (not hand drawn), cuts, etc.

Mentioning EVERY single technique that was used in this movie would take a long time to explain, but I'm going to try to break down some of the ones that I liked.

Universe made out of GLASS

In this sequence we can see how the camera moves in while all the stars around move forward the camera, this scene was made using three big easels with little pieces of glass painted with different colors. These easels were aligned and moved at different speeds while the camera was moved forward little by little.

Distorted ghost

In this scene we can see how some ghosts get out from their graves and get distorted on their way up. This scene was filmed by drawing the ghost on a revolving drum and then reflecting that image on a distorting mirror.

"Fantasia is a collection of animated interpretations of great works of Western classical music, ranging from the abstract to depictions of mythology and fantasy, and settings including the prehistoric, supernatural and sacred." So in fantasia we can see a lot of classical music being played and kind of in sinc with the scene or with the moment, and we can also see Mickey Mouse as an "aspiring magician who oversteps his limits".

"When Fantasia first released it was a theatrical roadshow, making stops in 13 cities nationwide. In true theater form, there was an intermission and complete symphony, but there were no players or instruments to be seen. Fantasia's original roadshow release was in Fantasound, an early form of Stereo."

At the time it was really fascinating for people and kept them wondering how the effects were made, since it was something that had never been seen at the time, nowadays those effects can be easily made digitally, but at the time was something unimaginable. When I first saw it I didn't really care about the effects, but now that I've gotten a little more critical, I think that for the time that it was made, it's really amazing and fascinating

Resources

Fantasia (1940) Imdb

A Making of Fantasia

[maxineswritingcenter]

I’m Already Cursed - Geralt x fem!reader

Banner by maysdigitalarts

Based on the song Fairytale by  Alexander Rybak linked here

Geralt hears word of a bounty in Rivia, once arriving, it seems that the creature may be something he has never experienced before.

---------

"Geralt, I believe my legs will fall off at any moment." Jaskier said dramatically, clutching his lute, "Then what would I be but a shuffling forlorn man walking around on his delicate hands?" Jaskier had not stopped complaining for the last five miles. 

From Roach's back, Geralt hummed: "Then perhaps I will never have to hear that bloody song of yours ever again."

The bard stared at him, mouth agape: "W-why-Geralt?" He gawked, "I have brought us so much coin and popularity throughout this gods forsaken continent. You should be thanking-... me."

His voice trailed off as they approached the bar in Rivia. Even from ten yards away, they could hear the music being played and the joyous sounds from inside the town's local bar. If this bounty wasn't paying so well, the Witcher would have never stepped foot back here.

After Roach was safely tied outside, Geralt and Jaskier entered the tavern. Usually, when the White Wolf entered an establishment, all music, games of gwent, and conversation would cease. However, the man in the middle of the bar was captivating all the patrons with the song he sang.

"Nowadays, I cannot find her. But when I do, we'll get a brand new start!" He paused dramatically, then began the tune again: "I'm in love with a fairytale! Even though it hurts... 'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind, I'm already cursed!" After a short solo of the lute, the song ended with applause and cheer.

"It seems there is already entertainment in his pub, Jaskier." Geralt said with a tight lipped smile.

The bard only narrowed his eyes at the man who held the attention of everyone, "Why are we here again?"

Geralt ripped a posting off the board next to the door, "To speak with the bard." Jaskier blinked incredulously but followed behind the Witcher as he made a path through the sea of patrons.

The musician noticed the two as he took a large gulp from a mug of ale. He grinned against the froth and gulped down the amber before slamming the mug down on a nearby table.

"Oh wonderful, you're here. I hoped that my post would attract the famed White Wolf." He grinned, "My name is Kaelus, perhaps you've heard of me?"

Geralt blinked slowly at him.

"Uh no, Geralt only need care for one bard, thank you." Jaskier, ever jealous.

Kaelus raised his eyebrows, "Alright. Anyway, if you would follow me to my office I can explain further." Jaskier and Geralt started to move towards the back when the bard put a hand on Jaskier's shoulder. Jask looked at the hand, then Kaelus.

"Sorry, friend, my business is only with the Witcher. You're welcome to have a few drinks though. My treat." He winked.

Jaskier was going to make him regret those words.

-

The bard led Geralt to an office that did not fit the aesthetic of the tavern downstairs. Polished cherry wood chairs and a desk littered with papers. There were instruments hung on the walls. Above the desk where Kaelus stood was an oil painting of the bard; the likeness was subtle.

"Please have a seat." Kaelus motioned to the chair. Geralt glanced down at the seat. It was padded with velvet and had ornate carvings.

"I'd rather stand." Geralt was close to filling his weekly quota of conversation, "Tell me about your monster."

"That's the thing." Kaelus sighed and sat down in his elaborate chair, "She is quite monstrous. She didn't used to be." He paused for a moment, looking somber and pulling a drawing from his drawer: "My ex fiancé, (Y/N)." He stared at the photo longingly before continuing, "She was my violin player in our band. We were to be married last summer, but... She became so overwhelmed at the thought of being a bard's wife. The crowds, the adoring fans, the money. I found her in a field, knife in her heart, and a note saying that in another life we would be together.” He sighed, looking towards the window, the photo long forgotten. 

“But it seems that she has come back from the dead as a mage.” 

Geralt raised his eyebrows, “A mage?” 

“Well, yes. Members of my band have been coming up dead. Each killed in the same way she died. Yet, from what I hear, she still breathes, she eats. She's been working in the brothel.  

Geralt thought about telling this bard that he was crazy, but something deep within told him he needed to fulfill this bounty.

"Where can I find her?"

"There's a small village of farmers in the next town over to the east. About a day’s ride." He pulled a velvet pouch from under the desk and dropped it in front of Geralt, "For a little incentive, I'll tack on an extra thousand crowns if you bring her body back to me to be buried in her family's plot."

Geralt had never heard of a curse that would bring someone back from the dead and give them magic. Not unless this specific mage hid her magic and cast a spell to fake her death. If she were running from him, why would she kill his men? Unless there was something else this bard was hiding.

Geralt left the bard's office and found Jaskier drunkenly singing and dancing on a table that was littered with empty mugs.

"Geralt!" Jask called in glee. The glee was gone abruptly when the Witcher grabbed him by his legs, shouldering his weight as he carried him out of the bar and towards the inn.

-

In town over, the local brothel had become a more popular destination than the tavern itself. And it wasn't because of the girls (not that they hurt to look at) but from their new entertainment: a lone violinist. Her fingers nimble and her songs merry. She played local folk songs that the girls and men alike would sing and dance to their Heart's delight.

After a set, the violinist bowed to the patrons and the girls, "Drink and be merry, my friends! For the gods of love are smiling upon us!" They all cheered. She hopped off the stage and made her way to her table designated for her use. She took a mug in her hand and drank, smiling as the madam approached. 

“(Y/N).” The Madam, an older woman named Remira. She had taken (Y/N) in with no questions asked. 

“There’s someone here to see you. Said he was your brother.” She said simply before walking away to make her rounds to gather coin. She left (Y/N) with more questions than answers. How could her brother have possibly found her? Why would he look when he believed that she was buried six feet under. 

Quickly, she hurried outside into the dark, looking around.

“Andrei?” She called, “Andrei, is it really you?” Her heart felt like it would block her airways at any moment. The idea that someone had come to search for her, someone believed that she wasn’t dead, didn’t believe the lies. 

“Sis!” A hushed call came from the other side of the building, “Over here!” She ran to the other side of the building, ready to embrace her family but the only person she saw was a cloaked figure. 

“Andrei?” She called again. 

“’Fraid not, girly.” The man pulled down his hood, the candles around the building didn’t produce enough light to see his face, but she did see a glitter on his teeth. 

“No... No!” She backed away, but not fast enough for this man who haunted her dreams. He grabbed her by the hair, a knife making its way to her throat. 

“No please!” She begged, tears making her way down her cheeks as she struggled, “I don’t want to die!” 

“You’re already dead.” The man growled, raising the knife to strike when the strike never came. With a tug of her hair and a shout from the man, she was free. She turned and saw the familiar vines and shrill cries of the creature that followed her. Her assailant screamed until his throat was filled with ferns and yellow bulbs. The creature killed the man, wrapping his body in the vines and dragging him into the bushes. 

Ignoring the tatters of her hair that hung around her face, she gathered her skirts in her hands and ran back into the brothel. 

A new series for Birthweek! 

---------

Read part 2 here!

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#geralt of rivia x reader #geralt of rivera #the witcher fic #witcher fic #the witcher x reader #Maxine'sBirthdayWeek

[bananaofswifts]

By Paul Tingen

From sketches to final mixes, engineer Jonathan Low spent 2020 overseeing Taylor Swift’s hit lockdown albums folklore and evermore.

“I think the theme of a lot of my work nowadays, and especially with these two records, is that everything is getting mixed all the time. I always try to get the songs to sound as finalised as they can be. Obviously that’s hard when you’re not sure yet what all the elements will be. Tracks morph all the time, and yet everything is always moving forwards towards completion in some way. Everything should sound fun and inspiring to listen to all the time.”

Speaking is Jonathan Low, and the two records he refers to are, of course, Taylor Swift’s 2020 albums folklore and evermore, both of which reached number one in the UK and the US. Swift’s main producer and co‑writer on the two albums was the National’s Aaron Dessner, also interviewed in this issue. Low is the engineer, mixer and general right‑hand man at Long Pond Studios in upstate New York, where he and Dessner spent most of 2020 working on folklore and evermore, with Swift in Los Angeles for much of the time.

“In the beginning it did not feel real,” recalls Low. “There was this brand‑new collaboration, and it was amazing how quickly Aaron made these instrumental sketches and Taylor wrote lyrics and melodies to them, which she initially sent to us as iPhone voice memos. During our nightly family dinners in lockdown, Aaron would regularly pull up his phone and say, ‘Listen to this!’ and there would be another voice memo from Taylor with this beautiful song that she had written over a sketch of Aaron’s in a matter of hours. The rate at which it was happening was mind‑blowing. There was constant elevation, inspiration and just wanting to continue the momentum.

“We put her voice memos straight into Pro Tools. They had tons of character, because of the weird phone compression and cutting midrange quality you just would not get when you put someone in front of a pristine recording chain. Plus there was all this bleed. It’s interesting how that dictates the attitude of the vocal and of the song. Even though none of the original voice memos ended up on the albums, they often gave us unexpected hints. These voice memos were such on‑a‑whim things, they were really telling. Taylor had certain phrasings and inflections that we often returned to later on. They became our reference points.”

Sketching Sessions

“The instrumental sketches Aaron makes come into being in different ways,” elaborates Low. “Sometimes they are more fleshed‑out ideas, sometimes they are less formed. But normally Aaron will set himself up in the studio, surrounded by instruments and synths, and he’ll construct a track. Once he feels it makes some kind of sense I’ll come in and take a listen and then we together develop what’s there.

“I don’t call his sketches demos, because while many instruments are added and replaced later on, most of the original parts end up in the final version of the song. We try to get the sketches to a place where they are already very engaging as instrumental tracks. Aaron and I are always obsessively listening, because we constantly want to hear things that feel inspiring and musical, not just a bed of music in the background. It takes longer to create, but in this case also gave Taylor more to latch onto, both emotionally and in terms of musical inspiration. Hearing melodies woven in the music triggered new melodies.”

Not long after Dessner and Low sent each sketch to Swift, they would receive her voice memos in return, and they’d load them into the Pro Tools session of the sketch in question. Dessner and Low then continued to develop the songs, in close collaboration with Swift. “Taylor’s voice memos often came with suggestions for how to edit the sketches: maybe throw in a bridge somewhere, shorten a section, change the chords or arrangement somewhere, and so on. Aaron would have similar ideas, and he then developed the arrangements, often with his brother Bryce, adding or replacing instruments. This happened fast, and became very interactive between us and Taylor, even though we were working remotely. When we added instruments, we were reacting to the way my rough mixes felt at the very beginning. Of course, it was also dictated by how Taylor wrote and sang to the tracks.”

Dessner supplied sketches for nine and produced 10 of folklore’s 16 songs, playing many different types of guitars, keyboards and synths as well as percusion and programmed drums. Instruments that were added later include live strings, drums, trombone, accordion, clarinet, harpsichord and more, with his brother Bryce doing many of the orchestrations. Most overdubs by other musicians were done remotely as well. Throughout, Low was keeping an overview of everything that was going on and mixing the material, so it was as presentable and inspiring as possible.

Mixing folklore

Although Dessner has called folklore an “anti‑pop album”, the world’s number‑one pop mixer Serban Ghenea was drafted in to mix seven tracks, while Low did the remainder.

“It was exciting to have Serban involved,” explains Low, “because he did things I’d never do or be able to do. The way the vocal sits always at the forefront, along with the clarity he gets in his mixes, is remarkable. A great example of this is on the song ‘epiphany’. There is so much beautiful space and the vocal feels effortlessly placed. It was really interesting to hear where he took things, because we were so close to the entire process in every way. Hearing a totally new perspective was eye‑opening and refreshing.

“Throughout the entire process we were trying to maintain the original feel. Sometimes this was hard, because that initial rawness would get lost in large arrangements and additional layering. With revisions of folklore in particular we sometimes were losing the emotional weight from earlier more casual mixes. Because I was always mixing, there was also always the danger of over‑mixing.

“We were trying to get the best of each mix version, and sometimes that meant stepping backwards, and grabbing a piano chain from an earlier mix, or going three versions back to before we added orchestration. There were definitely moments of thinking, ‘Is this going to compete sonically? Is this loud enough?’ We knew we loved the way the songs sounded as we were building them, so we stuck with what we knew. There were times where I tried to keep pushing a mix forward but it didn’t improve the song — ‘cardigan’ is an example of a song where we ended up choosing a very early mix.”

Onward & Upward

folklore was finished and released in July 2020. In a normal world everyone might have gone on to do other things, but without the option of touring, they simply continued writing songs, with Low holding the fort. In September, many of the musicians who played on the album gathered at Long Pond for the shooting of a making‑of documentary, folklore: the long pond studio sessions, which is streamed on Disney+.

The temporary presence of Swift at Long Pond changed the working methods somewhat, as she could work with Dessner in the room, and Low was able record her vocals. After Swift left again, sessions continued until December, when evermore was released, with Dessner producing or co‑producing all tracks, apart from ‘gold rush’ which was co‑written and co‑produced by Swift and Antonoff. Low recorded many of Swift’s vocals for evermore, and mixed the entire album. The lead single ‘willow’ became the biggest hit from the album, reaching number one in the US and number three in the UK.

“Before Taylor came to Long Pond,” remembers Low, “she had always recorded her vocals for folklore remotely in Los Angeles or Nashville. When I recorded, I used a modern Telefunken U47, which is our go‑to vocal mic — we record all the National stuff with that — going straight into the Siemens desk, and then into a Lisson Grove AR‑1 tube compressor, and via a Burl A‑D converter into Pro Tools. Taylor creates and lays down her vocal arrangements very quickly, and it sounds like a finished record in very few takes.”

Devils In The Detail

In his mixes, Low wanted listeners to share his own initial response to these vocal performances. “The element that draws me in is always Taylor’s vocals. The first time I received files with her properly recorded but premixed vocals I was just floored. They sounded great, even with minimal EQ and compression. They were not the way I’m used to hearing her voice in her pop songs, with the vocal soaring and sitting at the very front edge of the soundscape. In these raw performances, I heard so much more intimacy and interaction with the music. It was wonderful to hear her voice with tons of detail and nuances in place: her phrasing, her tonality, her pitch, all very deliberate. We wanted to maintain that. It’s more emotional, and it sounds so much more personal to me. Then there was the music...”

The arrangements on evermore are even more ‘chamber pop’ than on folklore, with instruments like glockenspiel, crotales, flute, French horn, celeste and harmonium in evidence. “As listeners of the National may know, Aaron’s and Bryce’s arrangements can be quite dense. They love lush orchestration, all sorts of percusion, synths and other electronic sounds. The challenge was trying to get them to speak, without getting in the way of the vocals. I want a casual listener to be drawn in by the vocal, but sense that something special is happening in the music as well. At the same time, someone who really is digging in can fully immerse themselves and take in all the beauty deeper in the details of the sound and arrangement. Finding the balance between presenting all the musical elements that were happening in the arrangement and this really beautiful, upfront, real‑sounding vocal was the ticket.

“A particular challenge is that a lot of the detail that Aaron gravitates towards happens in the low mids, which is a very warm part of our hearing spectrum that can quickly become too muddy or too woolly. A lot of the tonal and musical information lives in the low mids, and then the vocal sits more in the midrange and high mids. There’s not too much in the higher frequency range, except the top of the guitars, and some elements like a shaker and the higher buzzy parts of the synths. Maintaining clarity and separation in those often complex arrangements was a major challenge.”

#taylor swift #folklore

[fenoderee]

薫 [Guitar] Interview

Let's start with an interview with Kaoru, the main composer of the Band. He has been steering the Band in the direction of what he feels is new and interesting musically, but in what mode has he been working on the music now, and how did he complete the new song "Oboro"?

Nothing is interesting if it's exactly what you think it is at the beginning, but it becomes interesting if you think "it could look like this" and continue drawing.

-Since we're doing this remotely, I'm also curious about where you are now... Is it your home studio?

Kaoru: It's like a studio, a place where I write songs and draw pictures.

-A place where you can concentrate on one work. Have you had a studio for quite some time?

Kaoru: About five years ago. I've been using it since I started writing songs for 'The Insulated World' (released September 2018).

-I'm also curious about the monitor screen behind you, which I assume you're still writing songs on.

Kaoru: No, this is just the data for "Oboro". There's also a guitar in the composition.

-It's a studio that you can use freely 24 hours a day, are you the type of person who sets aside time to write songs?

Kaoru: Basically, I do, but it depends on the moment. When I'm in the mood, I don't need to set a time to write.

-I've heard that you've been writing songs for your next album for quite some time?

Kaoru: Yes. We started writing songs before we had finished "The Insulated World." I don't know if they will end up on the album or not, but I started writing them anyway.

-The style of your previous work was also key in terms of what inspired you to write a song and how you think about it, but what did you see in "The Insulated World“ that made you want to pursue it further?

Kaoru: To put it simply, I wanted to create something more intense. The last album was made with the intention of creating something intense, and the album before that "ARCHE" (released in December 2014), was a straightforward package of what we had created at that time. For the next album, I want to make sure that the songs I've chosen are the only ones I can think of. In that sense, I want to make a very intense album. I don't want it to be an intense album, or a slow album, or anything like that, but I want it to be a whole piece of work.

-Do you write your songs with the whole album in mind, rather than just one song at a time?

Kaoru: Yes, that's true. But when we first started writing the songs, I had a feeling about it, but I hadn't told the band yet.

-What kind of sounds and phrases come to you as a starting point when you are conscious of wanting to make something strong?

Kaoru: The way we create doesn't change much. It doesn't matter what the starting point is. I just start writing and then somewhere along the line I start to betray myself. I'll put in a phrase that sounds different. It's all about making the song more interesting. It's more like if you start off with the right idea, the song won't expand from there. I'm trying to find songs where I can find the unexpected.

-Do you also do some kind of input work to draw your own inspiration?

Kaoru: I do input, but I don't know if it's open or not. When I sit down in my studio and think "Come on, let's do it", I don't really think about anything else.

-Do you feel that starting to draw together has given some kind of feedback to your music?

Kaoru: I thought there would be, but not really (laughs). It's still the same, both in terms of salary and songs. If I tried to create it myself, I'd end up thinking in a very unorthodox way. The more I draw, the more I think the same way as I do when I write songs. It's not interesting if it's exactly what I had in mind from the start, but if I start drawing randomly and when something comes out, I think "it could look like this", and then I go on with it and it becomes interesting.

-So you don't like the fact that you can predict what you are going to do?

Kaoru: Yes. But in the case of a song, you can say "I've tried it, but I think I'll redo it", but with a picture, once you've put in one stroke, you can say "Oh, it's not the same", so the tension is different in that respect.

-Returning to the subject of one song, last year DIR EN GREY released "Ochita Koto no Aru Sora" as a download. When was this song born?

Kaoru: Last spring...well, it's been around for a while. It was a song that we had been working on. We reworked it and made it again.

-Were you in the mode of "I want to make it strong" from that point on?

Kaoru: I think we were in that mode, but I have an image of that song as a single, so it's a bit different. I wanted to put it together as a single, but with an unexpected twist. So it's a mixture of mellow, loud and core.

-But I think you felt you were able to move forward with one new song. Was there anything that came out of that?

Kaoru: It's still like we're trying to get our hands on something that's shrouded in mist. I'm still struggling with it.

-From what point did you start to make "This Single"?

Kaoru: Unusually for me, I started with a chord progression. I thought it would make a beautiful song. But as a song it was just a chord progression and I didn't have a definitive image yet. So I gave the members a listen to the song and said "Let's try it".

-Did you write the chord progressions while playing the guitar?

Kaoru: No, the keyboard. I thought it would be easier to understand the development of the song if I added the guitar when I played it for the members, so I did, but I hadn't added it before.

-A single keyboard is an instrument that makes it easy to visually see how the notes are stacked. Do you find it easier to move on to something unexpected if you use such an instrument?

Kaoru: When I'm creating phrases on the keyboard, I'm only imagining how the song will go. It's not that I'm trying to make the sound pile up purely because it's on the keyboard, but simply because it's easier to see than playing the guitar. This was especially true for "Oboro" and nowadays I always review the notes once on the keyboard. I also created "The World of Mercy" (released in September 2019) on the keyboard at first. When I added guitars to it, the song changed drastically.

-"Oboro" is finished in an arrangement that incorporates strings, but is the rough phrase of strings in your head from the beginning?

Kaoru: I didn't include it in the demo stage. In fact, I was thinking of not including it. But when I created the guitar solo and was thinking about what to do before it, I came up with the idea of strings. I put them in, and it worked out well, so I decided to put strings in the second half as well.

-So the guitar solo led to the string arrangement.

Kaoru: To put it coolly, yes (laughs). For a while we were trying to get rid of the guitar solo, but recently we've been trying to add the flavor of the guitar solo to the songs. I was struggling with this until about halfway through, when I really thought the guitar solo was necessary. Even now, there are times when I don't think it's necessary. But this is the same idea I had when I started adding guitar solos again. I grew up with that kind of music, and I was always impressed by the cool guitar solos of my favorite artists. I don't think solos are really necessary in this day and age, but as long as it's not too dull, it's okay. That's why I think about the phrases I use in my solos, but it's not like I have any deep feelings about them.

-When you were thinking about the phrases and melody for the guitar solo, did you have a song in mind yet?

Kaoru: I had a tentative song in mind, but I hadn't finished the verses yet.

-Oh, really? It's a solo with a melody and tone that fits the color of the poem very well.

Kaoru: So maybe it was my mouth that called up this poem (laughs).

-I'll say it, brother!

Kaoru: That's a lie, a lie (laughs). When I was thinking about the guitar solo, I felt like I was drawing a picture. I was trying to figure out what kind of sound I wanted the chords to make while creating a certain atmosphere. It's like I'm trying to figure out what emotion I want to put into it. The general idea was to keep the first phrase as it was, but change the nuances in the details.

It's limited, so you can't do something like a power collision, but it will surely be a live that is nothing but DIR EN GREY's live.

-You're a real romantic when you can get away with this kind of melody and arrangement.

Kaoru: Yeah, that's right (laughs).

-Another thing I noticed was how few guitar tracks there were. Is this a result of your desire for a change in the construction of the sound?

Kaoru: I think a lot of people feel that this song is easy to understand, but we just didn't make it easy to hear everything. If you listen to it carefully, it's actually not an easy song to understand at all...let's just say that (laughs). If you listen to it thinking that you can hear everything that is in it, you will never hear it. In fact, there are many "sounds" that are far away. I put them in such a way that you can't hear them. So I'm trying to make you feel it. I think the guitars in this song are meant to be felt. I don't want you to listen to it, but to feel it. That's why it doesn't come out with a bang, but there's something there. The number of tracks is smaller than in the days of "Dum Spiro Spero" (Continued in August 2011), but I thought it would be more interesting to let the listener hear that there are actually various sounds at key points. In that sense, I want the album to be dense.

-Did you come up with such a clever method while struggling with the music in your secret studio?

Kaoru: I'm basically twisted (laughs). But when I think something is not interesting, I naturally come up with something like that. When the album finally comes out, I think it's OK as long as everything is interesting and fits together. It's not like I haven't done this before, but this time I took the plunge.

-In this case, I think you have to be very careful about sound awards and mix balance. What kind of instructions did you give during the recording process?

Kaoru: I didn't make any detailed instructions. I just recorded it normally, reamped it in the studio, and at the last minute asked the engineer, "This is how I want it". The rest was left to the mix engineer. However, I had already talked with the members at the pre-production stage. I wanted the whole thing to sound like a warble, and the guitars were relatively up front. When it came time to mix it, I tried to make it more of a feeling than a sound.

-Neil Avalon was the mix engineer, was it easy to convey the subtle nuances?

Kaoru: Neil seemed to understand. Even so, it was difficult to convey even the most recognizable nuances, and I had many exchanges.

-You said you were going to have him play the guitar, but could you give us some pointers on "this part is actually the guitar"?

Kaoru: To make it easy to understand, in the A melody, there's a kind of arpeggio that goes back and forth. It's like a single note phrase.

-Is it an echo-like effect with a lot of depth?

Kaoru: Yes, yes. That's the one that's actually getting straightened out little by little (laughs). But you can't tell unless you listen carefully. The first shot is a bit choppy, so you can understand it, but the second half is very year-round and you may not understand it. It's interesting to understand.

-As I unraveled Oboro, using what you taught me as a hint, I felt like I was getting deeper and deeper into it.

Kaoru: Yes, I think it will be fun, so please listen carefully. Well, I'll try not to make you sit down (laughs).

-I'm a passenger, though, lol.

Kaoru: It's just something I came up with. But it wouldn't be interesting to have a song where everything is played, or where all the voices are heard, or where all the sounds of the five players must be heard because it's a band. If that's the case, then the guitar doesn't have to be played loudly.

-Did completing this song make what you wanted to do for the album clearer?

Kaoru: It's just that now that "Oboro" is done, I don't think there will be any more songs like this one (laughs). But we originally wrote this song as a ballad, and the album's ballad will be released as a single first. "Oboro" exists in my mind only as a single song, so I think I need a song with a different selection.

-Are you starting to give shape to it?

Kaoru: No, it takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of time for me and my team members to get to know each other. It's hard to find something that says, "Oh, you don't have to think that hard". So I try not to think about it (laughs).

-That's just like Dr. Den who is in album production mode (laughs). I always send the best car with the best machine to the landing place.

Kaoru: It's true. I can't decide, or rather I don't want to decide. I want to use the possibilities to the fullest as they grow. The members say to me, "Shouldn't you decide what kind of album you want to make?“ I usually answer, "No, I'd like to keep it a little more vague“. This always lasts until the second half of the album production (laughs).

-Since last year you haven't been able to perform live as much as you'd like, does that put you in a better frame of mind to concentrate on writing songs?

Kaoru: We haven't toured for a year now, we used to tour twice a year. Now I think there were hints in the casual conversations I had with the members in the dressing rooms before the gigs. I would get an idea for a song from a casual conversation, like "this song might fit this way". So I think it would be better if I had a chance to talk to the band members.

-Conversations with the members are different during the writing period and in the dressing room. In the dressing room, they might express their honest opinions, so it's easier to understand what they are thinking about.

Kaoru: Yes, that's true. It's hard to see because we don't have that now.

-Is your biggest input from your members?

Kaoru: I want to make decisions myself, but there are many things I can't decide. If the members say "it's good", I think "oh, it's good". I don't know if it's the right answer on my own.

-At the audience concert in May, I was asked to start by talking with the 5 members in the dressing room.

Kaoru: I don't think we have time for that (laughs). It's been a long time since I've been to a live concert.

-When the magazine goes on sale, the live performance will be in a few days. It's been a long time since you've done a live power exchange with the audience, how are you feeling now?

Kaoru: I sent my ideas for the setlist to the members just the other day, but no one responded, so I don't know if they think it's okay or if they'll think about it after rehearsal (laughs). I'm not sure how that will feel. But I'm not worried at all. I'm sure it will be nothing but a DIR EN GREY concert. Also, in a situation like this, everyone has their own opinion, and it doesn't mean that those who come to see the show are right. It will be the first one, or the beginning, or if it is the first step to get something, it will be the second step, so I would like to think about it after we try it.

Text/ YUKINOBU HASEGAWA, HIROKI KATAGIRI [GiGS/Equipment]

Photo/ REISHI EGUMA [C-LOVe CREATORS]

Translations by me.

#Dir en grey 薫 #Translation #Fan Translation #GiGS #Magazine #interview translation #Kaoru #薫 #Oboro #Dir en grey Oboro #Dir en grey #Dir en grey Kaoru

[sunset-curve-fantom]

Hi ! Could I posible a Luke Patterson request? In which the reader starts hanging with Reggie a lot and Luke gets jealous ? And they realize he has a thing for you or something like that 😭

JEALOUSLY- LUKE AND READER

A/N: I HOPE YOU ENJOY- I PUT ALITTLE TWIST ON IT!

For as long as you can remember, Luke Patterson was your best friend. There was many of times where you guys had slumber parties, or long nights of partying that ended in fits of laughter. Luke had always been your number one, the one you always turned to with your problems. But that all changed when Julie Molina rolled into your lives.

Being the stage manager for Sunset Curve, you and Luke shared a unique bond even further than the title of best friends. You knew what he needed in certain songs, that he needed exactly four extra guitar picks on his microphone stand, even that he wore a lucky tie around his left arm for each performance.

Julie didn’t know any of that- but she did know that she liked Luke’s attention and the music he was writing. Your music journal was beginning to collect dust. As the song writing sessions turned from your and Luke’s time to write into his and Julie’s.

You were slowly being pushed to the sidelines and so was your music. You were losing your best friend to her. Instead of keeping to yourself, you turned to the one person who listened most… Reggie Peters.

“God Reg- is he blind? He’s losing his best friend and he doesn’t even realize it. Luke is so focused on that… that… ugh her. I thought our music meant something… I thought I meant something.” you said, pacing in Julie’s kitchen as she worked on yet another song with Luke.

You roughly raked your hand through your tangled hair as your pacing continued, the sole of your shoes making contact with the hardwood. You were sure your walking pattern would be worn into the floor permanently.

“Okay- you need to stop pacing… you are making me dizzy darling.” Reggie said, rubbing his eyes as he watched you spin towards him.

A small chuckle escaped as he sat down at the island, waiting for you to talk more.

“I just… we have been best friends since we were 7, and now I am a shadow in his past. She took the forefront of his attention and now- God Reg, what do I do?” you said, leaning against the island.

Your mind was swarming with questions, but you had no real answers as to why Luke could forget you so easily. The amount of stress caused by this situation had sent your anxiety into high gear, your manicured nails had turned into nubs and scars littered your arms due to excessive scratching and picking. Your small, perfect world was beginning to crash in on all sides… all because you were losing your best friend, you were losing Luke.

You tucked your hair behind your ear as you looked up at Reggie, he was just staring right back at you. A clear look of concentration crossing his normally confused features.

Confusion crossed your own features as you asked, “What? Is there something on my face?”

You gently brushed both of your cheeks as he gently chuckled at you, the one thing about Reggie was he made you feel better no matter how much Luke was getting under your skin.

“No, you dork… I was trying to picture how Luke can blow you off. Clearly you are the better choice here.” He said, making a vibrant blush cross your features.

“Flattery will get you nowhere Mr. Peters…” you joked, as laughter fell from your lips, only making Reggie join in with you.

Laughter boomed through the kitchen which only drew in Luke and Julie’s attention. They came in the back door, with confusion written all over their own faces.

“What the hell is going on here?” Luke’s voice boomed, as you wiped the laughter induced tears from your eyes. The laughter continued to spill from your lips as you tried catching your breath.

You opened your mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Reggie, “We were waiting for you two… clearly you needed to have a little love song fest. So, are you ready for rehearsal now?”

A snicker fell from your lips as you watched the shocked face of both Luke and Julie… Reggie may be a bit slow, but he wasn’t dumb. He knew that Julie and Luke’s new closeness was bothering you, so why not say something?

You bumped hips with Reggie as you started heading to the backdoor, “So are we rehearsing or not?”

Reggie couldn’t help but smile as he headed out behind you, leaving Julie and Luke even more confused than before.

You plopped down on the couch, a small shiver coming over your body. The change in the weather was as apparent as Julie’s crush on Luke. Reggie was the only one who noticed, as usual. He handed you his leather jacket, before picking up his bass and making sure everything was in tune.

Alex was neatly seated behind his drum set as Julie and Luke slowly stalked back into the garage. Luke briefly caught my gaze before you averted your eyes, focusing on the magazines on the coffee table. You couldn’t help but chew on the inside of your cheek as you were drawn into your thoughts.

How could two best friends, go from attached at the hip to being like total strangers with an extra dose of awkwardness somewhere in between.

A soft melody began to fill the space, and it was immediately clear what song it was. It was the one song that you wrote for Luke on your own and spilled every ounce of love into.

The words softly fell from his lips as he strung his guitar slowly, Julie had a careful eye on him.

Love me as I am

I'll hold your music here inside my hands

We say we're friends, we play pretend

You're more to me, we're everything

Our voices rise and soar so high

We come to life when we're

In perfect harmony

Whoa-oa-oa, whoa-oa-oa

Your gaze couldn’t help but fall onto him as he finished the final lyrics of the song. He shot you a quick glance before switching over to his electric guitar. A swift blush swept over your features as your looked down at your beat-up converse.

Gently pushing yourself off the couch, you made your way over to Reggie. Just trying to not focus on Julie and Luke as they ran through some new lyrics.

“Hey babes” you said, the words just swiftly rolling off your tongue, drawing Luke’s attention to you. He watched as your hand went from your side onto Reggie’s shoulder, he watched as laugher fell from your lips. All he could think about was there was a time where the two of you were thick as thieves, and now you were more interested in Reggie than him.

“Yes- Hello Jealously” Reggie said, causing laughter to spill from you. You gently shoved his shoulder, before following his gaze. Tossing your hair over your shoulder, you saw Luke’s intense gaze on you and Reggie. It was like he was emitting jealously as well- but what could he be jealous of?

“He’s been watching you this whole time” Reggie said, drawing your attention from Luke. You just scoffed at him.

“Yeah okay. He doesn’t have time to watch me when he’s with her.” You said, rolling your eyes at him. Your reaction only made Reggie break out in laughter.

“Oh shush… come here. I wanna show you something” He said, taking off his bass before looping it over you.

“You know I can’t play an instrument to save my life… right?” you said, your hands becoming clammy with nerves.

He guided your hands to the proper placement on the bass, making sure you had a decent idea of what he was going to tell you.

“Just play these notes... okay?”  He said, showing you just a quick scale.

Taking a deep breath, you played the same scale with only minor difficulty. A smile erupted across your face as you pulled the bass off you. You couldn’t help but jump into Reggie’s arms, laughter echoing from the both of you.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” You said repeatedly before placing a swift kiss to his cheek.

“Okay- what the hell is going on?” Luke bellowed from across the room, the displeasure was extremely clear in his voice. You couldn’t help the smirk that crossed your face as he walked closer to you and Reggie.

“I’m sorry? Why does my life have anything to do with you? You made your decision a long time ago” You spat back at him, standing your ground next to Reggie.

He scoffed back at you, “I’ve been busy for 5 minutes and you moved on… I think you are the one who made up your mind so clearly.”

“I’m not the only one who made up their mind, Luke. You are so blind; you don’t even see that you chose Julie over me. I have been your best friend since we were 7 and now… now I am nothing to you. So, you don’t get to bash me for how I fix what you broke.” You said harshly, tears beginning to fill your eyes.

He was speechless, Luke looked at you the same way he did when you met all those years ago. You had fallen off your bike in front of the Patterson’s house and he came out to help. He looked at you with such sadness because of how badly you hurt yourself. But this time you did nothing, he was the one who hurt you.

“I didn’t choose her… you are the one wearing his clothes and being all into him nowadays. You never once wanted to learn about my instrument or music. You turned your back on me too, no matter how much you don’t see that.” He said, sadness evident in his voice.

You opened your mouth to respond, but Reggie quickly cut you off. “You may not see it Luke. But you hurt her. She did the one thing she could, turn to the other people in this band who love her. You turned you back on your best friend, for some girl you met a week ago. Have you lost your mind? She was the best thing in your world, and you shattered her.”

Tears quickly fell down your cheeks as you wrapped your arms around yourself. You just wanted to protect yourself from getting hurt again. You loved Luke, but was love worth this?

“Why would I try to shatter the one person I love… the only person I see a life with?” He blurted before quickly clamping his hand over his mouth. Your eyes couldn’t help but widen as his omission.

You looked around the room, trying to make sure this was reality. That the boy you so longed for, loved you just as much as you loved him.

“I-uh Y/N… that is not…” Luke began to stutter as he walked towards you. You watched as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, just waiting for you to respond in some way.

A smile broke out across your face as you made your way to him. The fear disappeared from his face as he lifted you in the air. He just held you tightly against him, almost terrified you would disappear if he let go of you.

“I love you too Luke…” you quietly whispered in his ear as he placed you back on your feet. A small blush crossed his features as he looked from your eyes to your lips.

You couldn’t help but smile as you pressed your lips to his, your hands intertwined in his hair as he gently gripped your waist.

You pulled away from the kiss with this content look upon your face, you opened your mouth to say something to Luke. But you were cut off quickly,

“So, can we get back to rehearsal?” Alex said, twirling his drumstick while the two of you looked like deer in headlights.

You nodded sheepishly as let go of Luke, making a quick round to Reg.

“It seems like you got your man.” He said, sending a quick wink at you causing laughter to echo from you.

“Hey! Quit winking at my girl” Luke said, before winking at you again. He could not be hotter than with that guitar pick between his teeth as he focused on the song ahead.

You both knew deep down; this was only the beginning of a new chapter in your story. Luke Patterson was the last man you ever wanted to love, and now that all seemed more than possible.

TAGLIST:

@imsydneywalker @dancethroughthethunder @ghostofreggie @thee-ava-mariee @notasofti @julies-molina @calamitykaty @kcd15 @crybabyddl @all-in-fangirl @gia-kerks @morganayennefertyrell @merceret @lovesanimals

#julie #julie molina #luke and julie #julie and the phantoms #julie x luke #alex #Alex Mercer #alex x reader #alex and willie #alex julie and the phantoms #Reggie #reggie x reader #reggie julie and the phantoms #reggie jatp #julie and the fat ones #julie and the himbos #luke #luke patterson #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson imagines

[stpauligirl]

For @woodswit who is on the mend, just sharing some inane details about life in my silly little corner of planet earth. May it entertain you.

rules:

tag some people you want to get to know better

bold what is true

- appearance:

I am 5'7" or taller

I wear glasses  (since I was 5 years old. I have a stronger prescription than anyone I have ever met. Even people at the optometrist’s office have never seen numbers that high.)

I have at least one tattoo

I have at least one piercing

I have blonde hair

I have brown eyes

I have short hair

My abs are at least somewhat defined

I have or have had braces  (I just finished a 2.5 years stint with Invisalign and really pleased with the result!)

- personality:

I love meeting new people  (I wouldn’t always answer this in the affirmative, but I am absolutely starved for company nowadays)

People tell me that I’m funny

Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me

I enjoy physical challenges

I enjoy mental challenges  (I picked up the NYT puzzle mania issue on Sunday and managed to solve the entire Super Mega crossword in a few hours)

I’m playfully rude with people I know well

I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it

There is something I would change about my personality (oh god yes I wish I had the knack for befriending strangers)

- ability:

I can sing well  (no, but I love to anyway)

I can play an instrument 

I can do over 30 push-ups without stopping  (I used to go to the gym regularly and work out with a personal trainer. My push-ups record was 42. Since covid, however, my arms have gotten weak again)

I’m a fast runner

I can draw well

I have a good memory

I’m good at doing math in my head

I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute

I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling

I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch

I know how to throw a proper punch 

(looks like I don’t have many abilities!)

- hobbies:

I enjoy playing sports

I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else (never)

I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else (I was in band when I was in school)

I have learned a new song in the past week

I work out at least once a week

I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months (No runs for me and my crunchy knees anymore, I only use the elliptical now)

I have drawn something in the past month

I enjoy writing

I do or have done martial arts

- experiences:

I have had my first kiss

I have had alcohol

I have scored the winning goal in a sports game answered the winning question in quiz bowl/trivia

I have watched an entire season of a tv show in one sitting (No, I don’t binge watch things. I will sometimes watch 2 episodes in a row. 3 in a row means I’m addicted.)

I have been at an overnight event

I have been in a taxi

I have been in the hospital or er in the past year (I have been very fortunate in my life to almost never suffer injuries or illness)

I have beaten a video game in one day (Yes, but I haven’t played video games since the 1990s. You wanna watch someone beat the original Legend of Zelda on NES in one go? I’m your girl.)

I have visited another country

I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts

- relationships:

I have a crush on a celebrity

I have a crush on someone I know

I have been in at least 3 relationships

I have never been in a relationship

I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them

I get crushes easily

I have had a crush on someone for over a year

I have been in a relationship for at least a year  (Fifteen years!)

I have had feelings for a friend

- my life:

I have at least one person I consider a best friend (yes, but we have lived far, far apart for many years)

I live close to my school work (As the crow flies, yes. But my commute is a bus + subway combo and takes longer than I would like)

My parents are still together

I have at least one sibling

I live in the United States

There is snow right now where I live

I have hung out with a friend in the past month  (I hosted a holiday hangout last Saturday. We did holiday baking and made mocktails)

I have a smartphone

I have at least 15 cds  (I don’t even own a device that can play CDs anymore. Except my car. But I miss my old CD collection.)

I share my room with someone

- random shit:

I have breakdanced

I know a person named Jamie  (Yes and we watch F1 racing together)

I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce

I have dyed my hair

I’m listening to one song on repeat right now

I have punched someone in the past week

I know someone who has gone to jail

I have broken a bone

I have eaten a waffle  (waffle iron was a pandemic purchase. no regrets)

I know what I want to do with my life

I speak at least 2 languages (my German is pretty shaky at this point....)

I have made a new friend in the past year (no, I’m so lonely)

- bonus round

I have a library card

I have a drivers license

I know how to drive a manual transmission

I have a cat

I have a dog

I have good penmanship

I have eaten a Big Mac

I eat out at least once a week

I talk to my parents regularly

Tagging : anyone who is right-handed or left-handed

#it me

[falryllghts]

hi bestie u said t-

u said to ask u somethi-

anyways could i ask for (and u can choose from any of these idc) yoimiya, xiao and diluc (shut up shut up shut up) with a really artistic s/o?? and i mean this in all types of ways; they love to write poems/works, sing/play instruments, draw/paint any scenery of people they come across, and won’t even hesitate to dance/perform to their hearts content ;;

sobs ok thank u sm i will take my leave now i love you mia <3

characters included: yoimiya, diluc, xiao

gender neutral reader, fluff, reader is not traveler

a/n: sorry this took me so long </3 I hope you like it juni!! I did this all for you

yoimiya

she loves to talk to you about your different forms of art and will often ask to see them too if you're comfortable with it

yoimiya also finds inspiration in your own works of art and will make fireworks for you on special occasions !!

yoimiya has always complimented your art for as long as you could remember. though until now, you've never painted anything for her. so since it was her birthday, you figured now was a good time. she didn't celebrate much throughout the day since she insisted that making fireworks for others was better but as the sun set, she let you celebrate with her. she listened to you sing happy birthday and was shocked when you brought out your gift. the canvas you handed to her was a well painted scene of fireworks exploding in the air which had been inspired by the times she took you with her to watch them. it let you see a different side to yoimiya so you made sure you wouldn't forget it.

"this is so cool! I've never seen someone paint fireworks so well before; are you sure I can keep this?"

you let out a small laugh, nodding. "of course, I made it for you after all."

she looked down at the canvas with a grin before wrapping her arms around you, careful to make sure the painting didn't get crushed by the hug. at least it was safe to say that yoimiya enjoyed her birthday gift.

diluc

he loves when you sing. even if you're just humming, he finds it relaxing and always enjoys it.

diluc owns a piano so it's always nice when he takes a break from work to find you playing something !! he'll also occasionally sit next to you and play alongside you.

it was well known throughout mondstadt that diluc was a man who kept his life private. he wasn't one to talk about his personal life but the only exception to this seemed to be you. your artwork would be displayed through both the winery and the tavern. when asked about the art, he'd always answer simply but even so he always spoke of you highly. it had originally started with you trying to give him a painting of yours but he refused to accept it without paying you first. since then, he's been commissioning you to make pieces for wherever he has space.

although diluc is able to play a few instruments, he's never been much of an artist so he finds it so cool that you can create something like that. even if he's getting teased by his apparent weakness for you and your artwork by kaeya, he doesn't let it bother him too much. you meant so much to diluc and that felt rare nowadays, so having something made by you that he was able to have near him had alot of value. in moments of stress being able to look over to a painting you made and remember that someone cared for him, reciprocated feelings for him, it helped him keep going.

xiao

he's more intrigued by your music and writing than your paintings but he's not opposed to the idea of guarding you as you paint a landscape. it just takes some convincing.

it's not that he doesn't like your art but he's on the move alot so he doesn't really have a place to put it :[

although xiao is unable to take your art with him, he reluctantly told you that he'd wear a charm or a pin that you make for him. while thinking up an idea of something to give him, you had thought about making him a bracelet. it would be relatively out of the way and shouldn't create too much of an issue for him. that part was the easy part. the more difficult part wasn't thinking of an idea or making the bracelet itself, it was giving it to xiao.

he returned to the inn late that night, finding you waiting for him on the balcony with your hands behind your back. "welcome back, xiao! i finally got around to making a gift that you could actually take with you, I hope it fits." you showed him the bracelet, watching his face twist into a look of confusion. "I know it's not a charm or a pin but I thought a bracelet would be easier to wear. and look, i have a matching one! you don't have to wear it if you don't want to though."

he stayed silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "i never said I wouldn't wear it." he took the bracelet and put it on, much to your relief. though he didn't admit it outright, it did seem like he enjoyed your matching bracelets.

#dont ask why diluc's doesnt have dialogue #genshin impact x reader #yoimiya x reader #diluc x reader #xiao x reader #genshin impact scenarios