The next day
School SEKAI
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Saki
Alright, let's get this “Thinking About Staging Stuff to Make Our Shows Better And More Fun” meeting started!
Honami
Anyway, the first question we'll be dealing with is our concept... In other words, “What do we want the audience to feel while we're on stage?”
Ichika
We do want to get them excited. That way they'll be looking forward to Ms. Naruse's performance even more.
Saki
In that case... Blue Moments is a more fun and up-tempo song, so why don't we make it the second song we play instead?
Shiho
We need to get their attention with our first song, so we should start with our most recognizable—
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Rin
Do you think they're talking about that big show they're doing soon? We should go help them!
Miku
It sounds like they're having a very serious discussion. We probably shouldn't interfere.
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Shiho
The intro's gonna need to have a bigger impact than normal. We could add reverb, while you go hard on the drums.
Honami
I agree. We can try experimenting later. Does anything else immediately come to mind?
Saki
Hmm... It'd be great to have the crowd sing along with us or do call-and-response like Ms. Naruse said she does with her band...
Ichika
By coming up with a new arrangement? Improvising? Or by adding sections where we can show off our technical skills...?
Shiho
But nothing we do will matter unless we can do it at the level of quality that Free Cluster's fans are expecting to hear.
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Honami
Now we just need to hammer out the details by actually putting our ideas to the test.
Honami
We've been at it for quite a while already...
Taking a moment to breathe may help us come up with some good ideas.
Taking a moment to breathe may help us come up with some good ideas.
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Luka
It sounded like you were all having a very serious discussion, so we didn't want to interrupt.
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Honami
We should have been using every aspect of the whole show to guide our audience's feelings the way we want...
Honami
But those other factors, like the concept of the show, effects, crowd interaction... We haven't thought about those much at all.
Shiho
First, we need to figure out how we want them to feel. Then, we have to find a way to make that happen.
Miku
You all want very much to move the hearts of as many people as possible with Leo/need's music, yes?
Miku
And with that wish as your driving force, you've already touched the lives of so many.
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Miku
You've helped some reconnect with their loved ones, and move forward towards a bright future...
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Miku
You've felt the sadness others were feeling, and encouraged them by showing real empathy.
Miku
Even now, you're all trying to improve so that you can put on performances which are truly compelling to your listeners...
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Shiho
So, we'll want to set the stage for Ms. Naruse and the others by pumping the audience up and getting them ready to see more.
Saki
Then, to get them really excited, let's try to make it sound like we're moving forward into the future...!
Saki
We usually start out kinda slow when we play it, so why don't we give it a bit more pep with brighter riffs and a springier sound?
Next Chapter: The Next Evolution