Helsinki sessions

Una de las cosas que me traje de mi última visita a Helsinki es un cd con 5 temas grabados en el estudio de la Kirjasto 10, biblioteca espectacular donde las haya, que, entre otras cosas e instalaciones, tiene un "estudio" donde grabar lo que te dé la gana con la sola condición de que poseas el carnet que te acredite vivir en la ciudad. Maravilloso. Una vez confirmado el hecho, y, tras la reserva pertinente, me dirigí el pasado día 4 de septiembre a dicha biblioteca, y me quedé anonadado. Una mujer perteneciente al personal de la misma me condujo a la habitación, llamemósla del pánico, y la vista era impresionante: una mesa de sonido en vertical con, lo menos, 150 botones, ésta conectada a un 8 pistas, y este conectado a un ordenador con 2 monitores TFT. Además, altavoces, micrófonos, dvd y tele, plato, una caja de ritmos (intuyo que era eso), y algo mas que no recuerdo. Y le rogué a la mujer que me explicara lo básico para poder grabar, como es costumbre, yo solo, sin agobios para tal íntimo momento. Y llamo a otra persona y en resumidas cuentas llegaron a estar 3 empleados en la sala conmigo hablando en finés y yo esperando a ver si se aclaraba cómo se utilizaba eso, y después de 1 hora y media, nada, me comunican que me tengo que ir, que reserve para otro día y que esperan que el problema se solucione.
Reservé entonces para el miércoles 6, justo un día antes de que abandonara el país. Era poco margen, pero no había otra forma. Las canciones creo que las llevaba bien preparadas, estaba bastante seguro de que la grabación iba a ser decente, no tenía ninguna presión. Había una canción que había acabado en el bus media hora antes de entrar aquel lunes, pero no importaba. La letra donde la he escrito esta escaneada aquí, la verdad es que mola el caos de escritura que hice, pocas veces he sido tan caótico escribiendo una canción, pero es que cambié y añadí cosas por doquier. Me gusta mucho esa canción, es muy buena.
El miércoles más de lo mismo, pero afortunadamente, entre que yo me habia leído un poco un manual del Pro-tools (el programa grabador) y que el chaval que vino sabia un poco más y que tuvimos un poco de suerte (todo hay que decirlo), conseguimos que aquello funcionara. Y después, tocando yo un poco más me hice con lo básico. Añadir nueva pista. Lo malo es que me quedaba una hora y media solo. Grabé 1 ó 2 en directo, sólo 1 pista y otras 2 con guitarra y voz separadamente. Quedó decente, estoy bastante contento de cómo se oye para lo malo que era el micrófono y estar yo sólo grabando sin un técnico. Y dieron las 15:00 y me tuve que ir porque otra persona había reservado de nuevo el estudio...y tenía que volver a grabar el cd!!! El día siguiente, afortunadamente tenían espacio de las 12:00 a las 14:00, o sea que echando de nuevo un vistazo a un manual del programa conseguí grabar en un cd. Además, como tenía tiempo grabé una versión acústica de "Ballenas". Querría haber grabado una nueva que tenía hace tiempo que es un hit, pero no recordaba la letra demasiado bien.
Y así abandoné Helsinki, oyendo la "más que demo" en mis cascos y mirando por última vez, quién sabe hasta cuando, las calles y suburbios de la capital finlandesa. Se oye muy bajo, pero está bien. Las "Helsinki Sessions".


One of the things I have brought from my last visit to Helsinki was a cd with 5 songs recorded at the studio that belongs to the Kirjasto 10, amazing library, that has, between other things and facilities, a "studio" where you can record whatever you want, with the only condition of having a library card that proves that you live in the city. Marvellous. Once confirmed the fact, and after the compulsory reservation, I went towards the "Bibliotek" the past september 4th and I was just astonished. A woman who belongs to the personnel led me to the room, let's call it the "panic room", and the view was impressive: a vertical soundboard with at least 150 buttons, connected to an 8-track, and this connected to a PC with 2 TFT screens. Besides, speakers, microphones, a dvd with its tv, rhythm box (I guess it was that) and something more I do not remember. I requested the woman to teach me the basics to record, as the habit is there, alone, without any stress for that intimate moment. And she called another person and, to sum up, 3 employees were in a moment at the same time with me in the room, speaking in finnish and,trying to solve the problem. In my case, just waiting to see if they clarify how to use the machine. And after one hour and a half they just said that I had to leave, that I should reserve for another day and that they expect that the problem will be fixed.
Then I reserved for the 6th , just a day before I had to leave the country. It was no so much leeway, but there was not another way. The songs I was sure that I prepared them quite good and I was quite sure too that the recording will be decent, I had no pressure. There was a song that I finished in the bus just half an hour before getting in the library, but I was not worried. The sheet where I have written it is scanned here, it is cool how chaotic the writing is, not so many times I have been that chaotic while writing a song, but this time I changed and added a lot of new sentences meanwhile. I really like this song, it is very good one, in my opinion.
On wednesday there were more problems, but, fortunately, I had read some about Pro-tools, the software I used, the kid who came knew more about it, and, with a little bit of luck, we managed to make it work properly. Then, tring other things by myself, I managed to get the basics. The worst part is that there was only one and a half hour left. I recorded 1 or 2 live, singing and playing at the same time and the rest in 2 tracks, voice and guitar separately. I am quite haoppy about the results, because the micro was a bad one and I did not have a technician.
And the clock struck 15:00 and another person came to record, and I had to come back to record a cd!! The following day fortunately they had space between 12 and 14 and I got to record on a cd. Furthermore, I had time, so, I recorded an acoustic version of "Ballenas"; I wanted to record an old song I consider a hit, but I did not remember the lyrics.
And I left Helsinki listening to the "more than a demo" in my headphones at the bus and looking through the window for the last time, until who knows when, the streets and suburbs of the finnish capital. It is not so loud, but it is ok. The "Helsinki sessions".

The sound of Silence...and rain

The sky does not have a proper colour...!!



Scroll down to read the english version!!!!!

Hoy he estado en el Parque Nacional Nuuxio, en Espoo, cerca de Helsinki, una vez mas. Que belleza!! Paisajes preciosos y el verdadero sonido de el Silencio. Acogedor y a la vez impresionante. EL sonido de la naturaleza en su estado puro, solo perturbada por los molestos aviones aproximandose a Vantaa lentoasema.
No tengo sufiecientes palabras para describir lo que se siente. Pequeñez, tal vez, sí, seguro, pero es una sentimiento mas profundo que eso, te hace re-encontrarte con lo que un día fuiste en otra vida: parte de esa naturaleza, perteneciendo a ella con todas sus consecuencias, las buenas y las malas. Y que Paz... Uno se siente pequeno y afortunado de que aun existan sitios asi y que se puedan visitar.
Y despues: Lluvia. El sonido de millones de gotas cayendo a la vez. Que manera de llover! Y esto no es muy grato si estas en medio del bosque, como he dicho antes, sin refugio alguno, formando parte del medio al 100%, calado hasta los huesos como animal libre que vive en el parque.
Y al menos, me dio tiempo a dar la vuelta, completamente calado llegue al refugio donde habia comido mi bocadillo tan solo unos momentos antes. He echado de menos unas cerillas o un mechero para encender un fuego en el sitio adecuado y secar mi ropa y mi cuerpo. Al menos no era invierno, y la temperatura era agradable. Y estaba sacudiendo mi ropa sin camiseta.... pero no se seco. Y corri como nunca habia corrido hacia el autobus, a unos 3 km de distancia, parte cuesta arriba, y con solo 20 minutos de margen para cogerlo. Y lo hice, casi sin aliento, medio mareado y sudando a todo mas sudar. Ayer hice mi comienzo de pre temporada para el Rakiss. Casi me muero.
Y en casa, una ducha reparadora, una cerveza, buena musica y algo de picar. Despues un paseo disfrutando de la noche en VIikki, y vuelta a casa. Un dia para recordar.

"Marvellous landscapes"

I have been today in Nuuxio National Park, in Espoo, nearby Helsinki, another time. What a beauty!!! Marvellous landscapes and the true sound of Silence. Warm and at the same time impressive. The sound of nature in its pure state, only perturbed by the annoying sounds of the planes arriving to Vantaa airport.
I do not have enough words to describe what can be felt there. Small, you feel small, maybe, yes, sure, but it is a deeper feeling than that, it makes you find again what you were one day in another life, part of that nature and belonging to it with all its consecuences, good and bad ones. And what a Peace.... One feels small and fortunate that still places like this exist and that we can visit them.
And then: Rain. The sound of millions of drops falling at the same time. What a way of raining! And this is not very pleasant if you are in the middle of the forest, like I have said before, being part of the nature at a 100%, with no shelter to cover at, and soaked to death, like free animal that lives in the park.
And at least I had time to go back and I walked back the way I had already walked, until the shelter where I had had my lunch just few moments before. I have missed some matches or a lighter to light a bonfire, there was a place designated to do it, in order to dry myself and my clothes. At least it was not winter, and the temperature was pleasant. I was shaking off my t-shirt...but it did not dry.... And then I had to take the bus, and I ran like I had never run before, something like 3 km uphill and with only 20 minutes left to do it. And I did it, out of breath, half dizzy, and sweating to death. Yesterday I did my pre season for Rakiss, I almost die.
And at home, a shower to get my strength back, a beer, good music and something to eat. Then, a walk enjoying the night in Viikki and back home. A day to remember.

Self portraits

What are you thinking about Vik?

Like painters in their days did and still do nowadays, I am some kind of maniac of self portraits, i like them, not the way I am "reproduced" in the pictures, because most of the times I don´t like them, but I do like the feeling of creation, the feeling of leaving behind a part of me that will hopefully last for a long time ...anyway... Enjoy this one, or hate it.... It is a funny one, in my opinion.

Cd´s I have borrowed

I have borrowed all these cd´s from Kirjasto 10 in Helsinki. Wonderful collection of music that they have. All kind of cd´s, al considered as culture. As it should be.

Estos son los cd´s que he alquilado en Kirjasto 10 en Helsinki. Allí tienen una gran coleccion de música. Todo tipo de cd´s, todos considerados como cultura, como debería ser.

The Sea

Maybe it is because I am from a city where the word "Sea " implies a long distance to cover until seeing it, but the truth is that I have never given it the importance that it deserves.
I have always loved the mountains more than the Sea, I still do, because I grew up surronded by mountains, and also because I have never liked so much the facts that "going to the beach" has in Spain. Beach culture during summer. I practiced it during years. Summer by summer, I may say, until I was 16 or 17.
But now, today, in Helsinki, just few metres away from it, I have given it its correct value. That lovely smell, that playful sounds, that sensatin of calmness...
I started to feel better yesterday and today; Today after the course I have found it, at the end of Mariankatu, surrounding Kauppatori, and I have walked towards it. And now I am just there, by its side, enjoying the care it is taking of me. I hope this feeling will last for a long time.

Written in Helsinki, 14 august 2006, 20:20 hrs. approximately.

Rainy day

Today it is raining in Finland. It is funny than just when I am starting to feel better and that painful sadness is getting away through playing the guitar, writing and "The Sea"
(I will post something about this soon), Finland is crying, like crying its sadness out, like I have done, like cleaning its sadness and at the same time mine. Thank you.

First post in Helsinki

Now I am just some metres away from The White Cathedral at Senaatintori, Helsinki. It is like it is taking me under its protection to make me feel better. It seems that the whole city helps me to feel better.
But today is just impossible, I feel so down that nothing can cheer me up. Today I hate life. I hope tomorrow I will love it.
My life is just a rollercoaster, always up, then down, up again, referring to my state of mind. Some days I think that everything is marvellous and that I will find my place soon, that it is a matter of a short time. But that never happens, I never reach that. I need a girl, today I need a girl specifically, I need a job I would work for free in, and a need my place. Some moments I feel so tired, of waiting to those things that never come.
I would be a dead man walking if I wouldn really enjoy some moments, like yesterday at Botta, like friday, taking pictures of the sea side here in Helsinki... I have to say thanks for that.
It is time to move to Esplanadi for a while.

Once in Espa, I have not done much, I have just sat down not even looking at the people just thinking, like I usually do, and trying to understand why things happen in my life. I have fallen asleep even, I am tired today, the night was long. Then I came here and I guess I am going home now. I don know. This is so weird, how I feel. So strange.