Unarmored (Acoustic)

<<PROD: fingerpicked guitar (12th fret 6–8”, bridge 10”), pan L/R 25%>>

<<PROD: soft piano stereo, low-pass @10kHz>>

<<PROD: female “ooh” pad -18dB, wide, long plate reverb>>

I built these walls so no one sees

All the parts I hide in me

<<TRANSITION: chord ring 2 sec>>

<<PROD: lead vocal center, 6–8”, light compression, minimal reverb>>

I learned to smile, keep it light

Never let them see the fight

Kept it buried, locked away

Hoping it would fade with days

<<PROD: no harmony—keep raw>>

But the silence stayed too long

Every word I hid feels wrong

<<TRANSITION: soft piano fill>>

<<PROD: female harmony 10–14”, -12dB, HPF @150Hz, stereo widen>>

If I let you see me now

<<PROD: harmony 3rd above>>

Would you turn or stay somehow

<<PROD: soft “ahh” sustain>>

If I showed you all the truth

All the things I’m going through

I’ve been holding all this weight

Trying not to break

But I’m tired of hiding

Every piece of me

<<TRANSITION: reverb tail 3 sec>>

<<PROD: add subtle room reverb +5%, faint female pad -20dB>>

Maybe I’ve been wrong this time

Thinking strength means staying blind

Every scar I tried to hide

Still a part of me inside

Maybe I don’t need to run

Maybe I don’t need to numb

<<TRANSITION: guitar soften, reduce low end>>

<<PROD: double harmony (2 takes), pan L/R 35%, more reverb>>

If I let you see me now

<<PROD: 3rd + light octave>>

I won’t fade or break somehow

<<PROD: sustained harmony swell>>

I can stand here in the truth

Even shaking, even bruised

I’ve been holding all this weight

But I won’t let it break

I’m done with hiding

Every piece of me

<<TRANSITION: slight tempo slowdown>>

<<PROD: strip guitar lows, piano + vocal only>>

<<PROD: female “ahh” -22dB, very subtle>>

I don’t need to be perfect

I don’t need to pretend

I just need to be honest

With who I am within

<<TRANSITION: brief silence>>

<<PROD: full harmony stack (3 layers), -10dB, wide>>

<<PROD: light tape saturation, stereo expand>>

You can see me as I am

<<PROD: 3rd + octave>>

No more walls, no more plans

<<PROD: long sustain>>

All the pieces I once hid

Are the reasons that I live

I’m still learning how to stay

Even when I’m not okay

But I’m done with hiding

Every piece of me

<<TRANSITION: slow ritardando + chord sustain>>

<<PROD: guitar only, very soft>>

<<PROD: female single harmony center, long reverb 6–8s>>

No more armor…

No disguise…

Just the truth…

In my eyes…

<<PROD: final chord fade completely>>