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Abstract
Both Good and Bad is a five-song EP that reflects my emotional journey through themes of love, time, and self-discovery. The first three tracks explore different stages of a romantic relationship—uncertainty, connection, and eventual separation—while the final two songs shift toward introspection. “Time River” captures the anxiety of growing older and losing direction, and “Water Salute” offers a symbolic blessing to the future, inspired by the aviation ritual of the same name. Throughout the process, I composed all the music and lyrics, arranged the instrumentations, and recorded the songs using a hybrid of home and studio setups. I also played guitar and programmed rhythm sections, blending elements of R&B, pop, jazz, and country. Collaborating with fellow musicians, I refined each track through iterative feedback and session work. This project allowed me to deepen my understanding of harmonic development, songwriting structure, and production techniques. It represents not just a creative output, but also a personal milestone in my artistic growth.
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Campus
New York City Campus
Specialization
Songwriting and Production
Keywords
songwriting; R&B; jazz harmony; music production; arrangement
Recommended Citation
Bao, Ruihan. “Both Good and Bad.” Master's thesis, Berklee College of Music, 2025. https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/111.