Questions Happen.              Sometimes Repeatedly.           And I LOVE them.

I just don't love answering the same questions over and over again.
And I know that some people who have questions won't ask them because
the feel dumb for not knowing or are worried that I've been asked it a thousand times.
Solution? FAQs!

(all categories and lists will be added to and adjusted when cause is given)
((If you have something you'd like me to add you can ask anonymously on the Left!))
(((If you want to contact me so I can contact reply directly for any reason, go here.)))



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     Bias Lists

(Questions relating to my biases)
Since you almost never give 10/10s to MVs what ones HAVE gotten perfect scores?

I'll give you a list ^_^ (and another list, because some videos score like a 9.7 because they lack an active story or something, but are still pretty dang awesome). Newest = highest:
(Links take you to Official YT Pages)

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT:

ALMOST PERFECT:


Do you have an Ultimate Bias (Male & Female), if so, who & why do you like them?
     Yes, I definitely have a set of ultimate biases. I absolutely adore Lee DongHae of Super Junior. He's the first idol who's name I learned and he's the one I studied to figure out what Kpop was about. His voice is soft and warm, just like his adorable personality; and his style is hella fab. I don't have words to explain how much I love his SSII Solo Track Beautiful, but in my attempt to find them I ended up writing a 160 thousand of them into a fanfic that was supposed to be a one-shot... (read here). His story in getting into music is inspirational and he's just a sweetheart. <3
       For my female ultimate bias I have to go with Hyuna, from 4 Minute. Similarly to Donghae, she's the first female idol whose name I learned, and she's the first female idol I found whose music wasn't too cutesy for my tastes. Between her work with 4 Minute, her Solo stuff, and what she does with Hyunseung for Trouble Maker... I'm continually reminded of why I love her. Her rap style was very different from most female groups circa 2010 and her style is and always has been fantastically in line with my preferences. The fact that so many people needlessly hate on her makes me want to protect her, and the fact that she's still so awesome and confident and playful despite the hate is inspirational. Hyunah's one of the reasons I wanted to learn to dance, since before I found her I thought girls got very little in the way of real choreo. The way she mixes her playful antics and overall sweetness with the hella strong and sexy side she's always shown no aversion to is wonderful, and I seriously would kill to be as awesome as she is. <3
        In case you're wondering, the runners up are Jang HyunSeung from Beast and Im JinAh (Nana) from After School.


Who are your favorite Rookies?
    I call them my BabyBands and more can be found on them HERE. 

Terminology / Vocab

(technical music & cinematic terms are important!)
BTS: Behind the Scenes. Yes, I am aware that Bangtan Boys is attempting to use this as an initialism. No, I do not care. BTS meant behind the scenes before anyone involved with the creation of Bangtan Boys was born. End of Story.

Earworm: The sort of song that gets stuck in your head, even if you don't want it there, and then just stays there.

EDM: Electronic Dance Music.

Doubletracking: Magic. Not really, but almost. It's incredibly difficult to do, because it means re-recording a given piece or part of music exactly as it was done the first time. The doubled tracks allow the main line to be panned slightly away from Center, creating a sense of space. Freddie Mercury (Queen) was the all-time double-tracking champ, he could record takes over and over in exactly the same way for hours. Today in kpop, there are a few pretty great double-tracking stars, but there's also some bands that use other members to double track, sometimes for harmonic effect, and sometimes just because it sounds cool to have a slightly different vocal quality in the doubled tracks.

Panning: the movement of audio elements left to right, Center means a sound is going equally to both ears in headphones. Good use panning has elements that shift sides, some that stay Center, and come that stay just off center to make a layered feel that gives the impression that the listener is inside the music. Careful and prominent use of panning is an important part of Spatializaion.

Spatialization: the illusion that the listener is inside the music. This is why the lead guitar solo is usually in the right ear, to make it feel like you're actually watching the concert onstage. For EDM it can establish a virtual reality, a literal pocket of sound for you to snuggle into and dance your heart out.

     Other

(stuff I don't usually think about)  
Do you have a standardized way you evaluate kpop releases?
    Sort of. There's a general list of criteria: focusing on use of rhythm, melody, & harmony, the song's form & structure, balance of sounds & of member roles, and other things like that. For MVs I need a story, even the coolest choreography isn't quite as awesome as a well done story, but I really like to see a mix of both. I don't have a standardized rubric or anything, but I do have a fairly regulated grading scale.
For more about it, click HERE.

Do you take Fanfic Requests?
    Yes, I do! Sorta. Sometimes I'm too busy to actually take on requests, but I always appreciate an idea and if I eventually get to write on your submission, I'll credit you and contact you to let you know/read first.

What's a 'BabyBand'?
    I use this term in two ways: if I just throw  out the words 'baby bands' without capitalizing them, then I just mean Rookies in general. If I capitalize it like that, if I call them MY Baby Band, then I mean my personal rookie pick of the year. For more of an explanation, and for a list of my BabyBands click HERE.

You say headphones are important, what kind do you recommend?
    Headphones are the most important accessory for any audiophile! (Honestly, I think that it should be that way for everyone.) My favorite pair are a set of Over-ear Closed -back Sennheiser 380 Pros. They were a bit pricey, but good Headphones don't have to be bulky or expensive. My other favorites (the ones I use all-day-every-day) are these cheap blue wrap-around earphones by Sony. You can pick some up at Walmart for ~15-20 bucks. Between the two extremes at about $40 are the LabTec ELITE-820 On-Ear headphones, pretty dang high in quality, not recommended for extended hours of use (on-ear headphones start to hurt after the first 4 fours or so), but highly recommended if you forget to take breaks while working (like me), these will ensure you do.