Yesterday we recorded the basic tracks for two new songs, and for the first time I did that with my band. We recorded drums, bass and guitar in a studio in Málaga, and for me the way we did it was a new experience.

Until now, all my songs have been recorded track by track. We started with a digitally programmed drum kit and then added layer after layer: rhythm guitars, bass guitar, lead guitar, vocals, whatever the song needed. Yesterday we did it differently: the three members of my band played together live in the studio.

This method allows for more improvisation and a more natural sound. When musicians play together, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. A certain magic is created by the interaction of human beings.

The disadvantage of recording live in the studio is that every mistake means that everyone has to start over. Fortunately, Gulliermo (guitar), Pulpo (bass) and Agustín (drums) are professional musicians who hardly ever make mistakes. They play together every day at the marina of Málaga, so they are a very tight band.

It also means that you need a large studio with lots of equipment so that everyone can hear everyone else through headphones, but the instruments can still be recorded separately on different tracks.

We recorded at studio La RitmoTK, which is well-equipped for such a production. Its owner Carlos Cortés Bustamante also plays percussion on many of my songs. He advised against plugging the guitar and bass into amps, as their sounds would have been picked up by the microphones used to record the drums.

Instead, they were connected directly to the mixing desk so that we can edit and mix them individually later. I was also wearing headphones and sang my vocals, but only as a guide for the other musicians. We will record it properly later. So I had to stay in another room where my voice wouldn’t interfere with the microphones of the drums, but I could see the others through a window.

We had already met twice for rehearsals, so my band members knew the songs well. We also worked together on the structure and arrangement. The only things we recorded as overdubs were Gulliermo’s guitar solo and lead guitar licks, as well as a second rhythm guitar that I played.

It was a lot of fun to record this way, and I’m really excited about the results! One song is almost done, just missing my lead vocals and maybe some percussion. For the second song, I’ll be adding several overdubs with Victoria in Mexico.

The whole session was filmed by Artemio Golovko, who is not only a good guitarist, as you can hear on my Flamenco song Artificial Minds, but also a skilled cameraman. We will probably use the material he shot for the music video of one song.