User:(CA)Giacobbe/sandbox11
Recording[edit]
Something happened the moment we began working together, and I'd say that half of the work we are now doing now is together. Our collaboration isn't just about the music any more. We are like family now.
— Vee on collaborating with StarGate.
Originally, Vee met StarGate at Jay-Z's Roc-The-Mic studios in New York City after being introduced to the duo by his manager. While in Paris, he created what would eventually form the foundation of "Firework", and exported several of his rough ideas using AAF before taking them to New York, where they were imported by the duo using ProTools. He showed them his early sketches, before StarGate found one in particular that they liked. Vee had already programmed the beats for the song, so the duo focused on adding strings and a bridge. Once completed, all three created the structure of "Firework" together. Later, Perry came by the studio and developed a liking to the song, so she wrote the lyrics and melody line with assistance from Dean.
Although the strings on "Firework" sound as if they were recorded by actual instruments, a change from the more overtly synthetic sound used on other Vee and StarGate produced songs such as Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" (Loud, 2010), they were entirely done by computers. After hearing the song, Perry's manager contacted the three producers and asked if they wanted to re-record the strings with a live orchestra, but they turned the offer down as they felt they were already complete. After Eriksen cut Perry's vocals, Vee exported the files again using AAF and flew to Paris, where he added live bass using a Stuart Spector, the only live instrumentation used in the song.