Notes

What I've been figuring out

Breakdowns, observations, and half-answers from pulling apart Mandopop records. First person. Specific. Written when something clicks.

reverb

The pre-delay trick that made 90s Mandopop vocals feel endless

5 min read
guitar

Why Mandopop ballad guitars never sound fully clean — and why that's the point

8 min read
compression

How Jay Chou's vocal compression sounds so controlled without sounding squashed

4 min read