Recording moments

RECORDING MOMENTS

Marion Harper 2nd Batxillerat B 20/12/13 Sabina Beine

v ABSTRACT This project’s main objective is to expose the different steps that I have followed to carry out the digital publishing of an EP, everything from the writing of the songs to the broadcasting of the music. I have gained a large amount of information throughout the process that I find especially significant. Therefore, I consider that this project has been a challenge of learning concepts that have not been explained anywhere before.

L’objectiu principal d’aquest projecte és exposar els diferents passos que he seguit per tal de dur a terme la publicació digital d’un EP, des de la composició de les cançons fins a la difusió de la música. He adquirit una gran quantitat d’informació al llarg del procés que jo trobo essencial, per tant considero que aquest projecte ha estat un repte d’aprendre conceptes que no estan explicats enlloc.

INDEX Theory 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 2. THE RECORDING STUDIO.............................................................................................. 7 3. MAKING AN EP.............................................................................................................. 8 3.1 COMPOSING SONGS ............................................................................................... 9 3.1.1 THE PROCESS OF COMPOSING SONGS.......................................................... 14 3.2 RECORDING........................................................................................................... 18 3.3 MIXING.................................................................................................................. 22 3.4 MASTERING .......................................................................................................... 24 4. THE PAPERWORK........................................................................................................ 25 5. BROADCASTING .......................................................................................................... 28

Practice 6. THE WRITING OF THE SONGS ..................................................................................... 31 6.1 SONG WORKSHOP: “DYLAN COM A EXCUSA”...................................................... 32 7. THE LYRICS .................................................................................................................. 37 8. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 40 9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... 43 10. BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 39

Annexes 1. THE DIARY ................................................................................................................... 48 2. SURVEY ....................................................................................................................... 64

3. INTERVIEW.................................................................................................................. 67 4. LYRICS OF THE SONGS IN THE EP................................................................................ 69 4.1 BROKEN PROMISES............................................................................................... 78 4.2 EMPTY SPACES...................................................................................................... 79 4.3 FOURTH ACE ......................................................................................................... 80 4.4 MARY .................................................................................................................... 81 4.5 WHERE I BELONG.................................................................................................. 82 5. “DYLAN COM A EXCUSA” CERTIFICATE ...................................................................... 83 6. INDEX OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... 84

a INTRODUCTION If there is something I know, is everybody has a dream. Some people want to win the lottery, do a trip all around the world.. others would even want to be famous. We always dream about things that are hard to reach. Mine is very hard to reach too.

Xavi Lluna looked at me and said: ‘I think I might have some good news for you’.

Aleix Iglesias is an ex pupil of Xavi. He plays the guitar in a band called ‘Wantun’ and he is the sound engineer and the producer in Camaleó Records, a recording studio. Aleix had done his research project about recording a videoclip and looking back he realised he hadn’t done what he wanted to do in the way he wanted to do it, so he felt quite disappointed. When Xavi told him what I wanted to do he thought it was a very good idea as well as another chance to be part of a project that could turn out as what he had wanted his to be.

I got an email from Aleix after getting in touch with him and sending him a couple of songs of my own. As my eyes wandered the letters in the email my hands started shivering and something coming from inside me wouldn’t let me breathe properly. Happiness filled my body like the air in a balloon: recording an Extended Play?

After reading the email another 5 times and catching my breath I started thinking about all the things my project could contain: the way the EP was going to be recorded, the writing of the songs, composing the songs.. I even had to explain how a recording studio worked and how to mix the songs afterwards. I hadn’t experienced or studied those things before, which made me feel scared, but in some way I knew that if I worked hard it couldn’t turn out so wrong.

Get your lottery ticket and pack your bags, because everybody has a dream.. and I am about to make mine true.. Would you like to join me?

P THE RECORDING STUDIO “A un estudi res és el que sembla.”

- Aleix Iglesias A recording studio is the place to allow the capture and manipulation of an auditory product. There is a very wide range of recording studios, but there are some essential elements that compose a studio:

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1

5

4

3

g..

Fig.1.

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7

6

Fig.2.

Fig.3.

1) Computer Nowadays nearly all computers can be used for producing music. From a laptop a to a PC, a computer is the central element of a recording studio. The only elements we need are the correct software and someone with a knowledge for using Digital Audio Workstations (further explained on page 15).

2) Microphone

We all know microphones are very important in a studio, but what not everybody knows is there are many types of them and each one has a different function.

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Dynamic microphones: the most common microphones that can be found. They are used to capture live music but also used in recording studios. They are good for controlling the volume in electric guitars, drums and bases.

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Condenser microphones: the microphones that are used in recording studios. They are very sensitive and they capture high quality sound.

Usually used in acoustic guitars, piano and voice.

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Other microphones: some examples would be Ribbon1 and Piezoelectric2 microphones. Ribbon microphones are very similar to dynamic microphones but their sound quality is usually better. Piezoelectric microphones have a different mechanism: they work with pressure. The

1 2

Ribbon: bidirectional microphone invented in 1920.

Piezoelectric: cristal microphone not used for recording.

soundwaves3 make the material in their interior vibrate producing voltage variations.

3) Interface

The interface allows the entrance and exit of high quality audio in and out of the computer in the recording studio. They are usually connected to the PC

by USB cables or FireWire.4 This hardware is also in charge of converting the analogue signal into a digital signal so it can convert into DAW (explained in more detail on page 15).

When it comes to choosing what sort of interface you should buy it is important to think about what you need. If you are going to record different tracks, an interface of two inputs and two outputs is enough. If you are going to record live (explained later on page 13) an interface of at least twelve inputs will be needed.

4) Preamp

The preamp is an especially important component in the process of recording because it is the machine that amplifies the microphone’s signal to its ideal level.

The most interesting fact about preamps is that due to the different components that form them they never sound the same. This provides us with a very wide variety of sound shades.

3 4

Sound waves: longitudonal waves that propagate sound through an elastic medium.

FireWire: way to connect different pieces of equipment.

Another fact that is good to know about preamps is that they can make a common microphone sound fascinatingly well and a good microphone sound poor. That makes us realise just how important they are.

5) Loudspeakers

A musical producer needs high quality loudspeakers that play sounds clearly and what is more important, that play sounds with a lineal frequency.5 This kind of loudspeakers are called studio reference loudspeakers.

The reason why these speakers are used is because if we used the common speakers we would not be able to hear how the mixing is trully coming along due to the fact that they emphasize the high and low frequences.

6) MIDI controller

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers allow us to interpret the sounds of a virtual instrument6 on a keyboard so it can later be sent to DAW for further mixing.

This way we can avoid having to work with the mouse in the studio, which makes the production boring and difficult, mainly because it is repetitive.

There are different types of MIDI controllers with many different tools in them, but they all carry out the same objective: play any kind of sound in the same keyboard.

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Lineal frecuency: measure of how many times per second a variable changes from one state to another state.

6 Virtual instrument: a program that implements functions of an instrument by computer.

7) Headphones

Headphones are an essential element in a recording studio. They are needed to record using metronome,7 to record overdubs (explained on page 13), for listening to the sound engineer and most importantly for hearing yourself while interpreting.

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Metronome: device used to mark time by means of regularly recurring ticks at adjustable intervals.

j MAKING AN EP “I saw Damien Rice in Dublin when I was 13, and that inspired me to want to pursue being a songwriter.. I practised relentlessly and started recording my own Eps. At 16, I moved to London and played any gigs I could, selling CDs from my rucksack to fund recording the next, and it snowballed from there.�

- Ed Sheeran The word EP (Extended Play) has adopted two different meanings as time has gone by. When people talked about an EP for the first time they used the word to refer to a vinyl record that could last up to twenty-five minutes (twelve-anda-half minutes each side), but nowadays an EP refers to a music creation that could be described as something between a single and a full length album which works as a promotional tool.

The process of making an EP basically consists of four steps: composing, recording, mixing and mastering.

But before we start explaining each one of these processes, it is important to mention the previous work that is done before starting to record the EP. Even though it is not a necessary process, from my own experience I can say it makes the whole production a lot easier.

The fact is that there is what is called pre-production before starting with the definite recording. This means an outline of each song is made, arranging what the structure, lyrics, sounds and instruments are going to be like in each song.

This process is truly beneficial for both the producers and the musicians. On the one hand, producers can get an idea of the whole song. On the other hand, the singer can practise for the definite recording of the songs, which is very important.

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COMPOSING SONGS

“I had just signed a contract with Leeds Music in which I gave them the rights to edit my songs, but the truth is there wasn’t much to give. I hadn’t composed much until then.”

- Bob Dylan I started composing about 6 years ago (when I started playing the guitar) because you get to a stage when you realise that even though there are billions of songs in the world, you still have plenty of things to say. I imagine this is true for most musicians and not only me.

There are many reasons why I compose songs, but the main one is because I can’t find more happiness in anything else than composing, the feeling of having said everything you do not feel like telling anybody by writing it in a song makes my thoughts clearer.

This is not new or surprising. From Apollo (the Ancient Greek god of music and medicine) to musicians travelling to hospitals to play for soldiers suffering from emotional and physical traumas, music and song writing have always been a healing method around the world.

It has also been shown that music works on different parts of the brain affecting emotions and social interactions, alleviating illnesses such as depression, anxiety and bipolarity. Gorina Valls, M. (1978)

So what are the steps we have to follow to compose a song?

e THE PROCESS OF COMPOSING SONGS “Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It’s something I don’t feel like I really control.”

- Tracy Chapman To explain the steps that should be followed to compose songs we are going to analise the song I wrote ‘Fourth Ace’ as an example to make the explanation easier to understand.

1 ) Creating a tonic tone.8

Before we start writing a song we must have an idea of how we want our song to sound like. The tone we choose must be the essence of the song and what we build everything else on. Each scale degree has got a name as shown in Fig.4.

When I wrote ‘Fourth Ace’ I decided I was going to use a C major tuning thoughout the song.

SUPERTONIC SUBMEDIANT SUBDOMINANT

TONIC

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DOMINANT MEDIANT LEADING TONE

Tonic Tone: first scale degree of a scale.

Fig.4.

2 ) Choosing a chord progression.

If we write the chords that are in the C major tuning we find that there are certain chords we can apply when working in this tune. Each chord will be named with a roman numeral.

I (C)

II (Dm)

III (Em)

IV (F)

V (G) VI (Am)

VII (Bm5)

Fig.5.

The chord progressions I used along ‘Fourth Ace’ are:

VERSE

C6

Am

Fmaj7

F9

PRECHORUS

Dm7

Am

C

G

CHORUS

C

Dm7

Am

G

Verse: I / VI / IV. Between each verse I used what is called plagal cadence, which is the linker between the subdominant (F) and the tonic (C) chord. It is a method used very often in pop music.

Prechorus: II / VI / I / V. Between the prechorus and the chorus I used what is called authenic cadence, which is the linker between the dominant (G) and the tonic (C) chord. This is the most common cadence we find.

Chorus: I / II / VI / V. Between choruses and between chorus and verse we find an authentic cadence once more.

3 ) Choosing a structure or form.9 The structure I chose is the AABA form, which is the most popular form today. It basically consists in two parts: A (similar verses) and B (breaks the A structure by adding a bridge which is different from the rest of the song). This form is explained in more detail on page 31.

4 ) Choosing a melody.

The melody, also referred as the singable part of the song, is the basic line of the music in a song.

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Form: structure of a musical composition.

Once we have the chords we can “fill in” every time signature with the notes that belong to each chord we used in the song. If we don’t follow this, it won’t fit into the style we are trying to look for.

RECORDING Nowadays we can record using two different methods: analogue recording10 and digital recording.11

Analogue recording is the method used from the 1870s to the 1980s.

We must remember in this period of time we find different ways of capturing analogue sounds:

1) The Phonograph (invented by Thomas Edison in 1877).

2) The Gramophone (invented by Emil Berliner 1887).

3) The Telegraphone (invented by Valdemar Poulsen in 1898).

4) The Magnetophone (invented by Fritz Pfleumer in 1935).

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Fig.6.

The first analogue recordings that were done could only record two tracks on a tape, but as time went by, tapes started having four, eight, sixteen or even twenty-four tracks.

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Analogue recording: recording method that represents data by measuring voltage or pressure.

Digital recording: recording method in which an input audio waveform is directly stored in a device representing the changes in air pressure for audio.

The analogue recording we find nowadays is done with a magnetophone, which is the name of the brand of the first practical tape recorder (or tape machine) in the world.

Analogue recordings are usually used today by records that look for a more distorted and oldfashioned sound. Marcus, H. (2013, April).

This sound is due to its variation in the answer of the frequency. The high notes fade away at some stages of the song giving our ears a pleasant feeling.

But it has some disadvantatges too, some examples are the high cost of the tapes and its maintenance, the audio cannot be edited like in a digital recording, the number of tracks is limited and its system makes unwanted noise unavoidable.

An interesting fact about these disadvantages is that you realise how good musicians had to be in those times to be able to record all their creations and show all their talent. This is what people refer to when they talk about the 70’s spirit: musicians just playing their music in a room.

When musicians started looking for this spirit they decided to do the recording of the instruments all toghether (what is called live). This way the bands would always sound exactly like they did in their recordings.

Until one day Sidney Bechet realised that you could record an instrument on top of something that had already been recorded. This is a process called overdubbing.

A clear example of overdubbing is the album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Bands’ by The Beatles. This album is recorded with tapes of four tracks, which aren’t actually four, but more of them.

This is possible thanks to the ping-pong recording or reduction mixing. I have done a graphical explanation for it to be more understandable.

Original Recording Track 1

Drums

Track 2

Bass

Track 3 Track 4

Overdub 1

Overdub 2 Track 1

Drums + bass + acoustic and electric guitars

Track 2

Drums + bass + acoustic and electric guitars Piano

Track 2

Acoustic Guitar

Piano+mellotr on+hammond

Track 3

Mellotron

Track 3

Voice 1

Electric Guitar

Track 4

Hammond

Track 4

Voice 2

Track 1

Fig.7.

As we can see, in the first tape the bass (drums, bass, acoustic guitar and electric guitar) is recorded. Placing all four tracks we find in the first tape onto the first track of the second tape. This way, there will be three empty tracks that can be filled up with more overdubs.

There is another alternative we can use: Original Recording Track 1

Drums

Track 2

Bass

Track 3

Track 4

Acoustic Guitar Electric Guitar

Overdub 1

Overdub 2

Track 1

Drums + bass + acoustic and electric guitars

Track 2

Piano

Track 3

Mellotron

Track 3

Acoustic Guitar

Track 4

Hammond

Track 4

Electric Guitar

Track 1

Track 2

Drums + ... + piano + mellotron + hammond Bass

Fig.8.

This way there are more empty tracks than before which can be filled up with even more overdubs.

Years later, computers are invented and along with this recording studios and digital recording appear.

To carry out a digital recording a software or DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)12 is needed. There are many different DAWs. The standard type is Pro Tools, but there are others such as Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live and others.

The digital format has many advantages: the number of tracks that can be recorded in a disc is almost infinite, the possibility of editing exists and all the information can be saved in a hard disk that is so small that it fits in a pocket.

Watkinson, J. (1994).

In this type of recording the idea is to capture the sounds in a tape or DAW. It is crucial to know that this process is like following a good recipe. You will have to own the best ingredients, have the best kitchenware and have good taste.

Everything starts with the sound source: the voice, a guitar, the drums, an amplifier, a piano or any other instrument. The sound source will be captured using a microphone. What a microphone basically does is converting the atmospheric pressure variations into electricity.

The signal that microphones produce is rather weak, so a preamplifier is needed to maximize it.

Once the signal is amplified it is sent to the recorder through a digital-toanalogue converter (DAC) that transforms the electric signal that comes out of the microphone. Once the signal is transformed it is sent to the Digital Audio Workstation. Once the instruments are recorded the mixing can start.

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DAW: electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio

MIXING Mixing (also referred as the process of mixdown) consists basically in transforming the 4, 8, 26 or even 150 tracks that have been recorded into one single left and right stereo.

What must be done in the first place is to balance the volume and the panorama. The volume is the level of the signal and the panorama consists of placing it inside the image of the stereo, on the right, the left or in the middle.

Fig.9.

After modifying the volume and panorama we can compress and equalize.

Compressing consists of reducing the dynamic range of the signal. Even though it seems contradictory, the smaller the dynamic range is, the louder and more compact the sound sounds.

Compressing is also used in the master track (the track where all the instruments are). This is because a process called glueing is needed (which consists of, as the name says, joining all the instruments together so the sound is compact).

Equalizing is changing the harmonical content of the signal. Basically cut and boost some frequencies to give it a balance. An example to achieve this is to place high-pitched sounds where they are needed and to fade them when we find them too often.

All these processes can be done thanks to the plugins that compress, equalize, etc.

Apart from the plugins there is also what we call hardwares, which do the same function, but these work in analogue. Its sound is richer, but it has got a disadvantage. Because it is an analogue system we must convert the digital signal of the DAW into analogue, process the music and then convert it into digital again for it to go into DAW again. Here is a more clear explanation:

DAW

Digital to analogue convertor

Analogue to digital convertor

Hardware (equalizer,compressor)

DAW

Once these processes are completed the mixdown is ready. Now the final process can be brought on, the mastering.

MASTERING The objective of the mastering process is to make the result that came out of the recording and mixing sound as good as possible.

To achieve this we carry out the same proceedings as before (compressing and equalizing) but using more specialized devices.

Usually the mastering is not done by the same person that has done the recording and mixing because if it were it would be very easy for that person to ignore subtile faults in the song due to the fact that his or her ears are already used to its sound.

The mastering is the less creative and the most mathematical part of the whole process, but it does not mean it is less important.

On top of that, it is the most important part of it. Good mastering can fix a song and a bad mastering can ruin it.

l THE PAPERWORK “I have so much paperwork I’m afraid my paperwork has paperwork.”

- Gabrielle Zebin

When we think about producing and releasing an EP we don’t think about how important the paperwork we need is, but the truth is it is one of the most relevant part of the process, because without it we would not be able to carry out any of the other previous processes (apart from composing songs).

The document which will be more meaningful in this case is the contract between the record label and the artist. This document shows what are the benefits that the record gives to the artist and what benefits the artist gives to the record company.13 Some examples of what the record label can give to the artist are the recording studio, the promotion and the broadcasting. Other examples of what the artist can give to the recording studio are a certain number of discs, the rights to use his/her songs for their further broadcasting and selling, etc.

Here are the different (and most important) parts that are found in the contract: Susaeta, P. , & Trinidad, P. (2005).

1) Precedent It is where each part of the contract is explained for understanding better all its contents.

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Record company/label: brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings or music videos.

2) Objectives of the record label and the artist contract The main objectives are:

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The material that the artist gives to the record label will be recorded.

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The assignation of the rights to play, broadcast and publically communicate these recordings, in any format, in the period of time set in the contract and without any territorial barrier.

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The personality rights14 can be used for merchandising and promotion.

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The regulation of the webpages of the artist and the record for the promotion can be done by the record company.

All of this in exchange for what the record label gives to the artist.

3) Recordings

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The artist will allow the record label to record songs and videoclips of the him/her. The more successful the recorded material is, the more ways of broadcasting the songs.

4) Copyright

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The artist must give the details and origin of the songs that are going to be recorded to the company.

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Personality Rights: these include all the aspects of one’s identity.

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The artist cannot be working on another record.

An important company to mention in this part is SGAE (Societat General d’Autors i Editors), which is the Spanish entity that defends the author’s copyrights.

5) Promotion

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The company establishes general activities for promoting the songs and the artist collaborates in these activities.

6) Exclusiveness

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The record company will logically want its contract to be exclusive.

This means the artist will not be able to contract with another record. This exclusiveness finishes when the contract ends.

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If the artist decides to contract with another record company he/she must not use the material he/she once used for the previous record.

7) Duration of the contract

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The duration can be determined by the time or by the number of albums. The record company will want the duration of the contract to be as long as possible, this way the record guarantees all the benefits that the artist has given.

c

BROADCASTING

‘Well, we like to let down our hair and pep it up at the dances, but we keep it slower when we broadcast. We have to please everybody, and that softer music appeals to the larger amount of people. It’s like eating too much cake. You have to have your steak too.’

- Vaughn Monroe

The broadcasting of the EP will be done through different kinds of media. As we know, nowadays the majority of them work through the internet. Here are the ones the community manager15 of the recording studio (Meri F. Grimal) is going to use for the broadcasting of the EP:

Media Players: -

Spotify

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Itunes

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Soundcloud

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Deezer

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Amazon

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Grooveshark

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Google Play

Social networks:

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Twitter

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Facebook

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Instagram

Community manager: person in charge of building, growing and managing online communities for promoting something.

In my case, to have more material for broadcasting and for using on the cover of the EP, Estel Ciurana (photographer) took pictures of me on the swamp on ‘Boadella’.

h

THE WRITING OF THE SONGS

“All is fair in love and songwriting.”

- Norah Jones

After years I have noticed that no matter where I am, in my room, at school, in the car, at a meeting, even in bed sleeping, a sentence expressing something very important to me comes to my head. In the past I didn’t use to take any notice of it, I just thought: “How come this has come into my head now?” And went back to sleep or stopped daydreaming.

However, in the last few years, every time I get those kinds of ‘flashes’ I must stop doing what I’m doing to write the sentence down, because it means a new song may be coming along.

It was after five years of songwriting I realised I wrote songs to get to a state of comfort with myself. I realised that by writing down what I felt in a certain situtation I could reach the top of my own ‘mountain of feelings’ and then take control of it. Once you control your thoughts and emotions you can control your whole life, and that is what I have been trying to do all this time.

In my opinion, each songwriter has a different reason to write a song but they all want to achieve the same thing: express their feelings.

f SONG WORKSHOP: “DYLAN COM A EXCUSA” “Life is like a song” - Enric Hernáez

“El taller dels músics” is a music school situated in l’Eixample (Barcelona) which was established in 1979. Everything started when a group of qualified foreign musicians that lived in Barcelona got together, started teaching and created the first group of teachers.

It is also the school where I took a course from the 15th to the 19th of July about music writing based on Bob Dylan’s creations.

Fig.10.

Our group was formed by four people: Paco Sirerol, a singer and guitarrist in a band called ‘Tremp’, Joan Bosch, a pianist in a band called ‘Saraband’, Víctor Infiesta, a young guitar player and songwriter and me. It was very interesting to play with them and listen to their creations because in my opinion listening to others is one of the most efficent ways of learning.

The course was given by Enric Hernáez and Núria Martínez-Vernis.

I had not met Enric or Núria before and it was an incredible experience to have them as teachers. Their teaching methods were different to any other I had experienced before and were very entertaining, which made my week in ‘El Taller dels Músics’ go by extremately quickly.

When talent and dedication get together you get people like them: artists with a professional carreer full of inspiring experiences.

Enric Hernàez (Barcelona, 1957) is a songwriter and an interpreter. He has been releasing several albums since 1980 such as ‘Una Foguera de Sant Joan en ple gener’ (1984), ‘La tardor a Pekín’ (1985), ‘7PM’ (1986), ‘¡Oh poetas salvajes!’ (2002) or ‘No t’oblido ni quan l’aspra nit s’obre’ (2008).

In 2010 he publishes ‘360 llunes’, an album recorded live at the ‘Festival Barnasants’ (a

Fig.11.

festival celebrated in different areas in Barcelona) where Hernàez recieves an award for the best concert.

In 2012 Enric goes on tour to South America once more and later translates some of his songs into Italian for his new album ‘Le cose di Amilcare’.

Núria Martínez-Vernis (Barcelona, 1976) is a poet who is working on her third book ‘Deix on dir’ after publishing ‘L’acròbata tampoc en sortirà il·lès’ and ‘Quantes mentides fan una sola veritat’, which both won three awards.

Núria has been performing in bars and theatres for years reading poems and in 2010 she started performing all over Spain with the poet Martí Sales.

She has worked with musicians like Laia Cagigal, Gerard Quinatana, Enric Hernàez and

Fig.12.

others.

As you can imagine, the fact that few people could be more qualified than Núria and Enric is what made them the perfect candidates to teach in the course and to help us reach our objectives.

The course’s objective was to write a song on the five days we were there and then play it for both the teachers and the rest of the people taking the course.

On the first two days Enric helped me with the music. He took the writing of the song ‘Mary’ very personally due to the fact that this song talks about someone who is suffering from dementia and his father had died from alzheimers not long ago, so the positive fact of the misadventure was that it was very easy to comunicate with Enric to explain what I wanted the song to sound like, because he knew exactly what I felt like.

When the music was all put together, Núria helped me revise the lyrics to make sure that they were reflecting what I felt. I must say it was not very difficult because she thought the structure of the song and the words were alright, so she just made me change a few words that she thought were maybe too regular and predictable. I had not heard about Núria before, so I decided to look for some of her works of art. Every single poem I found was fresh and pure and that made me realise even more how lucky I was to work with someone like her.

Mary is the song I wrote with Núria’s and Enric’s help. I had started writing this song before I started the course because I felt I had to let go of all the pain I was going through in that certain moment, and that is probably why it ended up being the saddest song in the EP.

The song is inspired by my grandmother María Elvira (that is what gives it its name) who suffered from vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. I wanted the song to reflect the life that Mary had lived and all the goals she had reached before the disease came into her life and started making her life go backwards instead of forwards.

As you can see on page 72, I divided the song into three parts: childhood (she asks her parents whether she will be as fast as them running, she doesn’t know where life is taking her...) marriage, having children and grandchildren (life starts making more sense for Mary, she has children and then I met her) and being ill (she keeps sleeping, she is confused and life is starting to take the shape of a circle because she depends on somebody else again, like when she was little).

Writing this song has been a very rewarding process and the help I got from Enric and Núria could not have been better. Working on it in the studio was very interesting because the best part about this song is that each part experiences a very different atmosphere because of the lyrics, so the range of instruments and sounds in this song is very wide.

We decided to start the song with a piano melody to create the feeling of innocence that would represent childhood.

In the chorus there is a much more powerful melody due to the incorporation of other instruments such as the drums and guitars.

When Joan first heard this song and asked me what it was about he knew there would have to be a part in the song that was chaotic, and the bridge ended up being that part. There is a mixture of all the different melodies in the song and we can hear slighlty some sentences of the famous speech in The Great Dictator (1940) that gives the bridge the perfect harmony.

When it came to the recording of the voice, Aleix and Joan told me to think about everything I wanted to express while I sang it. That way the song would gain a much more powerful meaning.

n THE LYRICS “Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up�

- Hans Christian Andersen

Lyrics (from the greek work lyrikos) are a set of words that create a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses.

Lyrics can be about many different subjects, but most importantly, they can have different forms, i.e., the parts of a song can be stuctured in several ways.

These forms can only be stuctured using song building blocks. The most significant building blocks are:

-

Introduction: short preliminary passage in the beggining of a song used to introduce a larger musical movement.

-

Verse: main parts of a song that often contain an identical musical sequence but have different lyrics.

-

Refrain: line in the end of each verse. It is usually the same line in terms of lyrics and music.

-

Pre-Chorus/Rise/Climb: section crafted to propel the listener melodically and lyrically into the chorus. All pre-choruses in a song have the same melody.

-

Bridge: departure from the rest of the song which adds a different dimension to it. When using an AABA form (as explained later on) the bridge is situated between the second and third choruses.

-

Middle Eight: section of a song which has a significantly different melody from the rest of the song, usually after the second chorus.

-

Solo/Instrumental break: piece of the song played or sung by a single performer.

-

Collision: section of music where different parts overlap one another for a short period.

-

Coda/Outro: passage of a song that brings a piece in it to an end. The passage can be short and simple or long and complex.

-

Ad Lib: it occurs when there is a part in the song (usually in the coda) when the main lead vocal breaks away from the established melody.

There is an enormous range of form lyrics (lyrics structures), but the most common one is the Thirty-two-Bar Form / AABA Form / Ballad Form.

The AABA Form is often used nowadays, but not as much as it once was. The reason why I decided to explain it in detail is because most of the songs in the EP have been composed following this manner because it is probably the manner I feel more comfortable using.

Before going any further there are some important features explained on page 10 that need to be remembered to understand the following concepts.

The AABA Form consists of two parts:

-

The A section/refrain/verse forms the main melody and is harmonically closed with a cadence on the tonic chord. Each A section has a different set of words although the last one can be repeated.

-

The B section/middle eight is also often referred to as the bridge and sometimes as the release. In it a simple modulation is commonly found and at its end it remains harmonically open, often ending on the unresolved dominant chord of the tonic key and so preparing for the return of the verse.

In terms of the title, there are various places in the song where it can be found.

The most common one is in a line of the chorus. The songs in the EP that follow this pattern are ‘Fourth Ace’ and ‘Empty Spaces’.

Another place where we can find the title of a song (although it is not as common), is the end of the first verse. The title is often replaced by another word in the following two or three verses. An example would be ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles where the word “yesterday” is replaced by “suddenly”. Other songs in the EP that follow this structure are ‘Mary’ and ‘Where I Belong’.

There are some songs in which the title does not appear in the song at all because it has already got the function to give meaning to the whole song. An example is the song in the EP ‘Broken Promises’.

d CONCLUSION ‘I didn’t really even think of recording under my own name for a long time. I though: ‘I’ve got the rest of my life to do that’.’

- Jack White

After this long and satisfying process I have reached a long list of conclusions that will be very beneficial for my future if I am lucky enough to keep working in the fascinating world of music industry.

Even though the EP is going to be released next month and I will have to wait to see people’s reaction to it, I can feel free to say I have achieved all the goals I had marked in the beginning of this project. I have learned things I could not have learned on my own and I have worked with professionals doing what I like most.

When I think about recording and producing now I see that it is not as easy as it seems. These processes are long and need a lot of dedication, concentration and hard work to be able to achieve a positive result.

I have concluded that everybody knows what music is and most people listen to music every day, but they do not give importance to where that music comes from, how it has been made or how long it has taken the record label to release it, which are actually interesting facts.

It is very important to start working with people that know what your style is and wants to keep it. Because if for example you write a song, take it to the studio and the producer isn’t convinced with it, he has got all the power to change your song completely and make it sound like something totally different even though you wrote the song in the first place.

Another fact is to try to make your music popular but what is more important, without losing your personality.

I have learned that when people listen to you for the first time they only give you one chance. If they do not like it they will not give you another chance and will not listen to you again because the world is full of other music they can listen to, so when it comes to singing I learned that it is much more important to express your feelings while you are singing than trying to sound perfect every second of the song. Sometimes imperfections give songs their magic.

I have discovered a world full of new interesting music concepts, from new musicians to recording devices.

In the studio I learned that record labels have got a lot of power to control artists, not only economically, they can make an artist go from zero to hero or make them fall into a black hole.

When it comes to recording I have learned an huge amount of new concepts.

I realised that a simple sound coming from unexpected instruments can make a song change dramatically and sound amazingly well (for example, we used a ‘Pocoyó’ piano that belonged to Joan’s son for recording ‘Where I Belong’ and it changed the song completely).

I have always been a number one fan of starting songs and never finish them or directly throwing them away, but when I took the first song I composed to the studio, we all worked on it and started seeing how it grew into something, I realised how important it is to respect the work you have written.

Getting ideas from other songs is a very interesting fact because these ideas often lead you to a new idea of your own, which will give more personality to your song.

Everything has to be tried in a studio. All new ideas coming from anybody working on the same project have to be respected and put into practice no matter how unusual they sound.

Thanks to the song writing workshop I learned that writing at least one song, idea or sentence a day is very beneficial for making song writing easier.

The results of the survey helped me realise how important it is to be expressive while singing songs. I chose the song ‘Broken Promises’ because its music transmits happiness, but the lyrics and the way I sang the song transmit sadness, so I wanted to experiment with these two factors.

The result is that people knew the song was about something sad without knowing what the lyrics talked about, so that shows us how important it is.

I learned technology is something that affects music negatively and positively.

Its dark side is that nowadays it is more difficult to know what musicians are trully talented and which ones are not by listening to their recordings. This is due to the fact that editing and mixing can be done in good ways and bad ways.

If we use them in a bad way we can make someone sound much better than how they actually sound and if we use them in a good way we can make the song sound much more complete without affecting the artist’s talent.

However, its bright side is very important too. Digital recording has given us the chance to record for longer periods of time, the capacity to create new sounds, an easier recording, a free-unwanted noise experience, the chance of mixing our recordings exactly how wanted, etc.

And last but not least, another matter I feel I have to talk about is the fact that with effort, work, dedication, a chance and help from others you can achieve what ever purpose you want and make any dream come true.

U ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Music is the universal language of mankind.”

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I finished my project and then looked at the information in it, I realised how lucky I am to have people surrounding me every day that help me: nearly all the information I have written here I have learned from someone I live with every day.

My class tutor, Xavi Lluna. For giving me the key to open a box full of experiences I would have never thought could come true.

Sabina Beine, my research project tutor. For cheering me up and helping me all along and giving me new ideas to make this project come true.

Susanna Goy, my English teacher. For listening to my songs and for your infinite altruism.

Aleix Iglesias, the studio’s producer and sound engineer. For teaching me things I will never forget and giving me the chance to do what makes me the happiest person in the world.

Joan Vissi, the studio’s producer. For giving me new ways to experience music, for your personality and for ‘Empty Spaces’.

Meri F. Grimal, the studio’s community manager. For the videos, all the work you have done for me, holding that reflector and giving me your smile every time I see you.

Ricard Borrell, the studio’s producer. For your perfectionism, your hard work and for trusting me.

Estel Ciurana, the record’s photographer. For your incredible pictures, all the clothes you lent me and your amazing personality.

Francesc Borrell, Wantun’s drummer. For spending so much of your time recording the drums in my songs.

Pablo Acosta, my singing teacher. For giving me all your suport and wasting your classes teaching me how to sing my own songs.

Víctor Vilca, my music theory teacher. For explaining the same concepts to me three thousand times until they were clear in my head.

Sergio Dorado, my guitar teacher. For taking us (The Fourth Ace) everywhere to play and for your classes.

Medín Peirón, the music head of the ‘Teatre Clavé’. For giving me the idea and authorisation to find the books in ESMUC. ‘The Fourth Ace’, for showing me how important it is to trust yourself.

My mother, for being patient when I’m unbearable and for taking me to music lessons when it’s too cold for me to go by motorbike.

My father, for answering all the doubts I had on the phone and asking me about the work in the studio every time we talk.

My sister, the best translator in the world. For giving me ideas and helping me translate sentences I found too hard.

Mary and Ababa, for all the inspiration you gave me.

Laia Torres, for your honesty, for coming to Barcelona and walking through that rough area with me twice to get books and the certificate and for giving me the inspiration to write ‘Where I belong’.

Paula Pelliccioni, for listening to every single song I sent you.

Denise Aguilar, for having my songs on your phone and showing them to people.

The people who conducted the survey.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Carranza, B. (1997). Breve Historia de la Música. Buenos Aires: Vallarta, S.A. Cartney-Morley, J. (2012, July). Lana la dulzura del peligrosa Rey. Glamour, pp. 83-90.

Clapton, E. (2005). Clapton: the Autobiography. New York: The Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group, Random House Inc. Dylan, B. (2004). Bob Dylan: Chronicles Vol. I-VI. (M. Izquierdo). Barcelona: Global Rhythm Press, S.L. Hacker, D. (1991). The Bedford Handbook for Writers. New York: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press.

Gorina Valls, M. (1978). Para Entender la Música. Madrid: Alianza Editorial, S.L. Kefauver, P. (2007). Fundamentals of Digital Audio. Middleton: A-R Editions, Inc. Marcus, H. (2013, April). Fairy Tale. InStyle, pp. 133- 143.

Norman, P. (1991). Elton. London: Arrow Books.

Romero, J.M. (2006). Todo lo que hay que saber del negocio musical. (A. Cónsul).

Barcelona: Alba editorial.

Strawn, J. (1985). Digital Audio Engineering: An Anthology. Los Altos: William Kaufmann.

Susaeta, P. , & Trinidad, P. (2005). El Negocio de la Música. Madrid: Iberautor Promociones Culturales.

Watkinson, J. (1988). The Art of Digital Audio. Oxford: Focal Press.

Watkinson, J. (1994). An Introduction to Digital Audio. Oxford: Focal Press.

Williams, P. (2004). Bob Dylan. Performing Artist. Barcelona: Robinbook, S.L.

[Online]. Xtec. [2013, May] <https://sites.google.com/a/xtec.cat/treballs_recerca_selva2/> [Online]. La mirada del Poeta. [2013, May] <http://lamiradadelpoeta.cat/> [Online]. The Free Dictionary. [2013, May] <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/recording+studio > [Online]. Brainy Quotes. [2013, June] <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/songwriting.html> [Online]. Taller de MĂşsics. [2013, June] <http://tallerdemusics.com/ca/escuela-de-musica/formacion-continuada/juliointensivo/cursos-especiales4/taller-de-creacion-de-canciones2> [Online]. Taylor Swift Red Album.[2013, July] <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlTct78ygM> [Online]. Good reads. [2013, July] <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/lyrics> [Online]. Dictionary Reference. [2013, July] <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lyrics?s=t> [Online]. Xtec. [2013, August] <http://www.xtec.cat/centres/b7006733/> [Online]. Ocean Mammal Institute. [2013, August] <http://www.oceanmammalinst.org/songs.html> [Online]. Songstuff: making music. [2013, September] <http://songwriting.songstuff.com/article/aaba-song-form> [Online]. Enderrock. [2013, September] <http://www.enderrock.cat/noticia/6891/anys/amb/enric/hernaez> [Online]. El Diario. [2013, September] <http://www.eldiario.es/autores/nuria_martinez-vernis/> [Online]. Alzheimers. [2013, September] <https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=161> [Online]. Taxi. [2013, September] <http://www.taxi.com/musicbusinessfaq/songwriting/songstructure/prechorusesandb ridges.php>

[Online]. Taxi. [2013, September] <http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/exploring-the-aaba-form-insongwriting.html> [Online]. Taxi. [2013, October] <http://www.wikihow.com/Compose-a-Song> [Online]. About Musicians. [2013, October] <http://musicians.about.com/od/ah/g/Ep-Definition.htm> [Online]. Little Swift Things. [2013, November] <http://akelt10.wordpress.com/category/taylor-swift-2/little-taylor-swift-thingsltst/page/9/> [Online]. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Library. [2013, December] <http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/edison/aa_edison_phonograph_1_e.html> [Online]. History Vine Yard [2013, December] <http://history.vineyard.net/photos/vh4/V41702.HTM> [Online]. Key Flux. [2013, December] <http://www.keyflux.com/tech-history/telegraphone.htm> [Online]. Contratos copyrait. [2013, December] <http://www.copyrait.com/archivo/14.doc> [Online]. Wikipedia. [2013, December] <http://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societat_General_d'Autors_i_Editors> [Online]. Brainy Quotes. [2013, December] <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/recording_2.html> [Online]. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Library. [2013, December] <http://www.audiogama.com/post/13735784039/elementos-basicos-de-un-estudiode-grabacion> [Online]. How stuff works. [2013, December] <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/firewire.htm> [Online]. Dictionary Reference. [2013, December] <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/metronome> [Online]. Dictionary Reference. [2013, December] <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/analog> [Online]. Dictionary Reference. [2013, December] <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital+recording?s=t>

THE DIARY Monday 18th February 2013

Today I woke up and I had dreamt about it: publishing a CD. Just one little dream made me realise this could be my only chance. This wasn’t the first idea I had in the first place, I had thought about working on a project based on something to do with musicotherapy, but when I woke up that morning I realised: publishing a CD was exactly what I wanted to do.

‘Do you realise what publishing a CD means?’ I thought to myself. I did, it basically meant I’d have to give my everything on this project for it to work out, even though I didn’t even know if I’d get where I wanted to get working like I’d never done before.

I must admit I’m not surpised by the fact I dreamt what I dreamt, I’ve always wanted to record and publish a CD, but I had never thought about trying to do it so early, I feel like I still have plenty of things to learn and that there are more possibilities for it to go wrong than to go right.. but hey! Isn’t this what it’s all about?

Wednesday 20th February 2013

Today I decided I’m going to ask my tutor Xavi Lluna what he thinks about my new idea. When tutoria finished I quickly ran to his desk and said: ‘What if I tried to publish a CD? Do you think that would be a good idea?’

He thought about it for what seemed to me a lifetime and said: ‘It definately is, Marion!’

I think I hadn’t felt so happy in months.

We carried on talking about it and he reminded me that this project would be quite independent, I had to do most of the work by myself and had to work really hard during the summer, but that was good news for me and for the person helping me, so that wasn’t really a problem.

I think Xavi liked the idea, or at least it looked like it. He gave me plenty of advice for doing things right and told me about a guy called Aleix that had a recording studio and that he was a guitar player in a well known band that could give me a hand.

I was amazed by then, I couldn’t believe the thing I enjoy most doing could be shaped into a project.

I hugged Xavi as hard as I could, thanked him a thousand times for his help and went home with the biggest smile that has been drawn in history.

Friday 8th March 2013

Today is the International Women’s Day. I got asked to play during a small celebration in the theatre where I take my music lessons, so I decided I would play.

The day arrived and I played 5 covers of songs I really like. I played in the cafeteria while people had a drink and I had a great time. I think people were pleased with the songs, so I was able to go home with a big smile on my face.

Now it’s two o’clock in the morning and I can’t sleep, but I don’t mind. Actually, I wish this feeling never ended.

Tuesday 23rd April 2013

It’s Saint George’s Day and my classmates and I are going to do a poetry recital.

From the start I asked Xavi if I could sing in the recital instead of reciting a poem, and after thinking about it, he said that would be OK.

Two months before Xavi prepared songs about women in Catalan that I could sing, but I didn’t really like the idea of singing in Catalan, so I told him I would look for some songs in English that he would probably like. I guess I like singing in English because I know that less people, who I talk to every day, will understand what I’m saying, so if I sing in Catalan I know the bubble that surrounds and protects me will pop.

I have to say, though, I felt really bad when I told him I didn’t want to sing in Catalan, because I knew he’d been thinking about the songs especially for me, but that same afternoon I started looking for some songs that would probably fit in the recital. I found five songs and sent them to him. Xavi chose Small Bump, a very sad song sang by Ed Sheeran, one of my favourite singers and composers. The song is about a friend of Ed that is pregnant and loses her fivemonth-old baby.

I had an amazing time playing in the theatre, and I hope the audience enjoyed it too. My classmates did a wonderful job, I hope I was able to keep up with them.. but if I wasn’t at least I tried.

Monday 29th April 2013

A few days ago I got asked by Gemma Mir (who’s been a friend of mine for years) to play in the 2nd of Batxillerat graduation, and eventhough I wasn’t very keen on the idea of playing in front of people I’d have to see every day, I had to say yes.

The day has arrived and now I’m standing on the edge of the stage wishing I hadn’t said yes. But then it all went more or less OK, I played a song by Jason Mraz and Christina Perri called ‘Distance’, which is basically about how bittersweet it is to keep your distance from someone that you appreciate knowing it is better for that person to leave.

I had a good time playing, but I think it’s going to be a while until I play in school again, it was so embarrassing!

Friday 24th May 2013

Today I played in Arenys de Mar with the rock band I’m in. The band is composed of a guitarrist, Albert Berlana

(first

on

the

left),

a

drummer, Aitor López (second on left) a bassist and Sergi Pérez (first on right). The reason why we played is because we were representing our music school in this “meeting” called

Fig.13.

‘Moments Musicals’, where most schools of the ‘Maresme’ get together and play for eachother.

We got to Arenys at six o’clock in the afternoon, played at eight and got back at ten.

I had a great time playing with them (I always do) because when we’re sharing the stage I feel there’s a connection between us that makes us feel a bit more confident about what we do, and that makes us enjoy the chance of being able to play for other music schools even more.

Friday 31st May 2013

‘La Mirada del Poeta’ is a tribute to a poet celebrated every year in Tordera. The organizer of ‘La Mirada’ is the ‘Teatre Clavé’, the place where I take all my music lessons. This year’s tribute is for Olga Xirinacs, a poet I hadn’t heard about before (which is a pity because now that I’ve read some of her poems I can say she’s really good) and my singing group and me got asked to sing while the Italian theatre group ‘Perché la notte’ recited one of Xirinacs’ best works of art, ‘La única veu’.

It was a pleasure to work with a group like them, because not only are they very talented people, they also worked very hard, so the result was remarkable.

Fig.14.

I also played with the rockband in the park ‘Prudenci Bertrana’ later on and I had to run from one place to another so I wasn’t late and when I got there we had to start straight away without sound checking, which wasn’t very good because I felt very stressed, but after a couple of songs I started feeling more relaxed and I could finally enjoy the music.

Sunday 9th June 2013

The school course is almost finally over and another concert is the best way of celebrating it. Today I’m singing and playing in the ‘Teatre Clavé’.

Minutes before going on stage my band mates asked what I was going to sing.

‘A song I wrote, it’s called Fourth Ace’. Aitor’s eyes opened: ‘The Fourth Ace.. that’s a good name’. I was surprised by that compliment: ‘You think so?’

‘It’s four of us, isn’t it?’

Bingo! We had been thinking about names for the band for a long time, and now I feel very happy one of my songs gave us a name.

I felt very nervous before going on stage, but seconds after I started playing the song I had written I felt more relaxed. There is something about playing your own songs that makes going on stage easier and more difficult. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but imagine for a minute you had to say something you think and feel in front of a big crowd.. It’s easier than saying something you don’t agree with but it’s also scary because you never know how people are going to interpret your words.

I played four more songs with ‘The Fourth Ace’ and I’m pretty sure tonight we played better than ever.

When I went off the stage I felt relieved and happy, the way I always feel after doing what I like most.

Monday 10th June 2013

Today is the day I’ve been waiting for for the whole year: I’ve finished my exams! Today is also the day I’m meeting Aleix, the recording studio producer and ex-student of Xavi so I’m quite nervous.

I woke up very early in the morning to study for the last three exams and although I was very nervous I knew that somehow it would all be over before I noticed.

When it did my friends and I went out for some lunch and when we finished at four o’clock I met Aleix.

I had never seen him before, so I was obviously starting to feel nervous again.

He got there at four o’clock sharp and was quite surprised to see me surrounded by people. I got my bag and we sat down on a table nearby.

We talked a little about the music we listened to and then about the EP. Aleix explained in detail everything that he and the people from the studio were

planning on doing. He also told me about the studio, its location and the people working there: Meri, Ricard and Joan. Then he asked what I thought about it. I said that I had never felt so excited before and that I couldn’t wait to get started. After that I tried to put my feet on the ground again, but that seems impossible to do these days!

Thursday 20th of June 2013 Today I played in the 4th of ESO graduation. Aina Berenguer contacted me to ask if I could play and after thinking about it I said yes. I knew I wanted to do something different from what I had done last the time because I felt that that evening had to be dedicated to them, so I decided I was going to make them sing too.

I chose a popular song (Ho Hey- The Lumineers) so that everyone could sing along with me.

I had a really good time. I asked Juli to come with me because when I get nervous I like being with someone and it all went well. I got on stage and started talking about the future and told them that I hope they had luck and to follow what they enjoy most doing.

When I asked them to come on stage with me I was really surprised to see everyone got up very happily and sang along with me.

I think it was a good idea to do something new because I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be and what’s more important I think the 4th of ESO students had a good time too.

Friday 21st June 2013

Fig.15.

The Fourth Ace played in Tordera today, in the 2nd of Batxillerat graduation. I didn’t even know where the Tordera highschool was and I had to go there without even knowing in what room we were playing in, but at last I found it and found my band mates soundchecking in a garden with trees and flowers. I must say I would have found that very original and creative if it weren’t for the fact it was about to rain.

I soundchecked and we waited for people to come. After half an hour we started playing as people came into the garden. There were more or less the same amount of people that had been in the other graduation the previous day, but because the garden was big it felt as if there were less people, something that made me feel a little bit better.

It was interesting to play somewhere like that because everything was different, the music sounded different and even the whole atmosphere felt different.

I had an amazing time with the band and I felt very comfortable, I hope I can play in more gardens from now on!

Tuesday 2nd July 2013

I visited the studio today! It was amazing.

I met Aleix in ‘Plaça dels Bous’ and we went to ‘Mas Mora’ (the place where the studio is).

When I went in I didn’t know what to say, it was so big and full of instruments and microphones everywhere I didn’t know where to look first.

In there I met Joan Vissi and Ricard Borrell (both producers) and Meri F. Grimal, the community manager of the recording studio.

We talked about the ideas they had and about how everything in the studio worked: the number of songs in the EP, the contract, the time it would take us to release the EP, etc. Meri also told me she had seen me in her sister’s graduation, which was very funny.

I am incredibly happy. I met nice new people and I can’t wait to start working with them.

Tuesday 9th July 2013

I fell off my motorbike today. I was on my way to the studio when the back tyre slipped with the sand in the path towards my house and I fell down.

Even though I could have hurt myself a lot more it was quite a shock. When I fell I felt the sand rubbing against my skin and that hurt. Once I stood up I looked at myself panicking because I was bleeding and I didn’t know where the blood was coming from, until I realised it was coming from my foot and my arm. I breathed slowly for some seconds and phoned my mum. She picked me up and took me home. She cleaned my arm and foot with soap and water: I think I hadn’t felt so much pain in years. After that we realised I had to go to the doctor.

When I got there I had trouble breathing because I was still in shock and I hate going to the doctor. The nurse was extremately kind to me and gave me a pill before healing my cuts so I didn’t feel so nervous. When she came back she told me I had to have stitches on my arm, but that didn’t work for me. I hate needles, there’s nothing I’m more afraid of. After talking to her for a while about my problem and swearing I didn’t mind having a scar she put some strips to hold the skin together and let me go home.

I’m in a lot of pain right now, I’ve got bruises everywhere! But what hurts the most is I couldn’t go to the studio today!

Thursday 11th July 2013

Today The Fourth Ace played in l’Altre Clavé, which is an activity that the ‘Teatre Clavé’

organises

for

some

students to play during Summer on the ‘Plaça Miquel Martí i Pol’, which is the square in front of the theatre.

I am staying in Barcelona with my sister these days so I had to take the train to Tordera.

We played two more songs today: ‘Lick it up’ by Kiss and ‘Highway to Hell’ by AC/DC. I also played my song ‘Fourth Ace’ in between the other songs.

Figs.16&17.

It was nice seeing my band mates and my teacher Sergio again. I had lots of fun, that night the activity that was programmed was called ‘Micro Obert’ and it basically consisted of trying to make people go on stage and saying, doing or singing what ever they wanted to.

We played in between people’s acts, which was different because we are used to playing all the songs one after the other, but it was a positive experience because you could relax between acts and have fun while we waited on stage.

I had such a good time I almost forgot I’m full of cuts and bruises!

Monday 15th July 2013

I started my music course on how to write songs today, it was amazing. I woke up and walked along Aragó Avenue and got to Sant Antoni (the place where ‘El Taller dels Músics’ is) at eight o’clock. I walked into the school and asked where I had to go. I got into a room and saw five people sitting down that looked at me with smiley faces.

The teachers introduced theirselves, their names were Enric and Núria. They explained how the course was going to work, what we were going to do and they told us to play a song.

Joan (a forty-year-old piano player in a band) played a song he had composed on the piano and sounded amazing.

Víctor (a fourteen-year-old singer and guitarrist) played a song he had composed too and surpised me with the lyrics in his songs, they talked about how badly organised the world is in a very natural way, he was really good.

Paco (a twenty-year-old guitarrist in a band) played a song he and his band composed together. I don’t usually listen to Catalan music, but this song was different, I enjoyed it lots.

I played my song ‘Fourth Ace’ because I knew the chords by heart. Enric and Núria told me they liked how it sounded and that they couldn’t wait to start working with all of us.

I am glad I decided to take this course, I couldn’t feel more happy.

Friday 19th July 2013

I finished my course today, and played ‘Mary’ (the song I composed this week) to all the people in the course. I am very satisfied with the result and with the help I got from my teachers Enric and Núria, I think they’re the best people to

be teaching there. Apart from gaining a lot of knowledge I also learned that lyrics in a song can mean the world and be as powerful as anything in the world.

The ‘Altre Clavé’ is going on again today, but I’m singing with my singing class mates. Our teacher was ill so she couldn’t make it, but another teacher was going to come. When Medín (another music teacher) came he told us the other teached hadn’t been able to come either but he brought a friend of his that played the piano.

We were all very happy with the teacher that came to play the piano for us. We sang two famous songs, Fever and Hallelujah.

I was very pleased with the fact that we would sing again together because I missed it.

When we finished I talked with the music teacher that had come and showed me a picture in her phone of a little girl: ‘Don’t you think my niece is really cute?

It’s her birthday today and I couldn’t go because I had to come and play’.

I couldn’t believe it. I knew that girl! She was my little cousin’s best friend. ‘I know that little girl! Her name is Sofía, isn’t it?’. She couldn’t believe it.

The thing is that my uncles and cousins live in Barcelona and Sabina (the music teacher) does too, and they knew eachother from Sabina’s sister. It was really funny to find someone from Barcelona in a concert in Tordera.

I got home at two o’clock in the morning and now I’m very tired, I just want to go to bed and sleep until four in the afternoon!

Thurday 30th July 2013

I have recorded for the first time today. It is so difficult! I put the headphones on and started singing, but it was difficult to concentrate

because I felt very nervous, so I kept getting confused.

Fig.18.

I was so nervous that I sounded awful! They said it wasn’t so bad but I know it was. I would have never imagined that recording could be so stressful, your head keeps reminding you that what ever you sing is going to stay like that, so I felt I was in a lot of pressure.

As I started singing more and more I started getting more relaxed and to feel the music and I think I did a little bit better than before. I hope this takes what other things in life take: time and dedication.

Thursday 10th August 2013

Today I played in a festival by ‘La Peixera’, which is a group of people that organise shows in Tordera.

I played for ‘Camerino General’ which are the girls I used to do ballet with at ‘Teatre Clavé’. They danced while I sang and played the guitar.

We played in the ‘Prudenci Bertrana’ park again and I got my first payment for singing: 20€.

I had never tried this before and it was a positive experience, people were very kind and I felt comfortable.

Friday 6th September 2013

I met Estel today. Estel is a friend of Meri’s who is a photographer and is going to take pictures of me for the broadcasting and the cover of the EP. Meri and I picked her up in Llagostera, where she gave me some clothes to try on (which were all georgeous) and from her house in Llagostera we went to the swamp of ‘Boadella’.

I had never been there and it’s beautiful. Which ever way you look at seems unreal.

I had lots of fun posing for the pictures because Estel and Meri made me feel very comfortable and once I got used to it everything seemed to get easier and easier.

All the pictures that Estel took had a lot of personality and were different, which is something I love.

Fig.19.

Thursday 12th September 2013 Today we are recording acoustic videos in the studio.

The two covers I am going to sing are ‘Small Bump’ by Ed Sheeran and ‘Video Games’ by Lana del Rey. We decided to set up a corner where we would record the videos. We placed a sofa with some christmas lights on it and more lights in front of the sofa, a gramophone (that belonged to Joan), some books in a corner and Puki, Joan’s pug.

We were in the studio from four until nine and we spent most of the time setting up rather than recording so the image on the camera would be clear.

In the end it was worth it: the image was clear and everything worked out OK. Recording these versions was also a challenge, I felt really nervous and I couldn’t look or sound nervous.

Fig.20.

Fig.21.

Tuesday 8th October 2013

Today Aleix told me he had listened to the song ‘Where I Belong’ in my Soundcloud account and that he and Ricard liked it.

‘Where I Belong’ is a song I wrote for a friend of mine called Laia on her birthday. It’s about how someone that you have lived with for years can end up being the place where you belong, because that’s just how I feel when I’m with her.

When they told me they liked it I was really surprised, I wrote this song in a week, it is a simple song.

‘How about if we add it onto the EP?’ I couldn’t believe it, a song for one of my best friends was going to be in my EP! I must tell Laia when I see her, she’ll be astonished!

Tuesday 12th December 2013

Ricard has come back from Costa Rica and he stayed in the studio with us this afternoon (usually he can’t because he’s working) to help me express my feelings when singing.

We are going to record the the voice in all the songs again because the previous ones sounded too sad.

I’m really looking forward to work on the songs again so I can finally record without sounding nervous. I’ve recorded many times now and I think I should keep investigating ways to calm down and imagine I’m playing in my room on my own.

I’m going to Lanzarote on Saturday to spend some days with my dad, so after this Thursday I won’t go to the studio until the 7th or 9th of January.

I’m very glad I’ll be on holiday, but I can’t wait to go to the studio again and try to record the songs again!

SURVEY

This survey has been done on thirty people with ages between seventeen and twenty-six both male and female from the area of La Selva, Maresme and Barcelona (Catalonia). The people being surveyed didn't have any kind of specialisation on the composing subject and did not know about the origin of the song they heard. This survey was done on people of four different kinds: people with music knowledge, people with English knowledge, people with no music knowledge and people with no English or little English knowledge. This is an important fact bearing in mind that the songs are written in English and that this can have an effect on what people think the song Broken Promises means.

1. 多How does this song make you feel?

happy

melancholic

sad

hopeful

0%13% 3%

A) Happy

B) Melancholic

C) Hopeful

D) Sad

2. 多How do you think the composer felt

83%

happy

melancholic

sad

when she was writing this song?

7%7%

A) Happy

B) Melancholic

27% 60%

C) Hopeful

D) Sad

hopeful

3. 多Who do you think the song is dedicated a long lost love a family member

to?

A long lost love

B) A current love

a current love a friend

3% 0% 13%

C) A family member D) A friend

83%

1 day more than a week

4. 多How much time do you think it took the

2-4 days more than a month

3%

composer to write this song?

30% 60% 7%

A) 1 day

B) 2-4 days

C) More than a week

D) More than a month

5. 多How much time do you think it took the composer to record this song in the recording studio?

1 day more than a week

A) 1 day

2-4 days more than a month

B) 2-4 days 0%

C) More than a week

33%

D) More than a month 67%

6. Explain what story you think this song tells or what story it is based on: This question has not been reflected on the graphic due to the great variety of answers, but some of the answers were very interesting. Here are two examples (all answers were originally in Spanish and have been translated to English for the purpose of the research): -

I think it is about a boyfriend she had with whom she didn't end up well and it wasn't her fault, but his or the situation's fault.

-

It could be about a teacher that didn't treat the composer well and now she is taking revenge by writing this song.

INTERVIEW Aleix Iglesias and Joan Vissi are the producers in Luup Records who I’ve been working with for nearly six months now and today I’m going to steal some of their time to ask them a few questions.

Fig.22.

Marion: Hello, good afternoon! It’s a pleasure to be here with you once again.

Some people may think the main objective of a recording studio is to release CDs or EPs, but after having experienced this, mine’s not.

What’s yours?

Aleix: I guess it depends on the studio and on the position you’re in. If you’re the sound engineer, the main objective will be to make everything sound clear, but if you’re the producer you will want to reproduce the sound of the main idea you’ve got in your head. Basically, the thing is to get a sound you think is different and cool, it doesn’t really have to be perfect, the most important thing is that it has personality.

Joan: Exactly. I think the main objective is to get to be known by a certain sound, creating your own personality so that people can follow you for how you sound.

A: Yeah. For example we (the band he’s in, Wantun) decided to go to ‘Blind Records’ mainly because Ricard loves ‘Sidonie’ and ‘Love of Lesbian’. But I must say it also depends on who you’re dealing with, there are some people

that think the same, but there are also other people that wouldn’t come here only because I haven’t got an amazing analogue console.

J: I agree. But anyway, I think the most important thing is that music is something artistic, and as any other artist, you look for your own personality and have your own universe of sounds. A recording studio is a place where people go to make what they have in their head come true, so if after recording people choose to follow you that means that you have done a good job in the studio.

A: Or it can be the other way round, as I said before, musicians can choose their recording studio because of how the people that have worked there sound.

So you’ll know you won’t sound exactly like them, but it will sound similar to it.

I’m not sure we’ve answered your question correctly

M: Of course you have. When did you realise that you were interested in working in a studio?

J: Well.. when you realise you like music. When you’re working on something at home you notice that in a studio there are almost all the necessary possibilities or all the necessary tools for being able to build your idea and get as near as possible to it. That’s what I think anyway. It’s nice to be able to do that, isn’t it?

A: I realised the first time I went to a real recording studio, that was when I did the internship (‘Estada de l’Empresa’) in Batxillerat.

M: Oh really? That’s amazing!

A: Yeah! At that age I wanted to study IT and my dad knew someone who had a concert company, he made videos of all sorts. Actually, he only had a mixing table, two speakers and a keyboard. He made music for films, he was like some kind of recicled pianist. I remember I once went to Mas Solà while I was doing my internship to set up some speakers for a wedding, I had braided hair at that time, I’ll never forget! (He laughs but he’s talking seriously). And a guy came, I remember he worked in Saint Georges School, he was an Icelandic teacher that could only speak English and Catalan. The fact is that he made music with a mixing table and two microphones (those typical ‘Neumann’ ones from 1987 that in those days were worth a fortune). And as you can imagine when I saw that I just couldn’t believe it. It was the first time I saw how ‘Pro Tools’ worked and I was just very impressed, I loved the idea.

I even think that after that, one of my ideas was to record CDs on my own using my computer and one of those connectors that go from jack to minijack! (laughs). But after trying I realised I couldn’t. A friend of mine sent me a program called Cubase and it was really complicated to use, but when I got used to it I realised it was very good. I’m talking about 2001-2002.

After using Cubase I went onto using Reason, which was totally different. It only worked with MIDI and you could only create electronic music with it.

When I was studying computer engineering at university the only thing I did was make electronic music instead of studying. I actually had big arguments with a girlfriend I had had because she always used to say I had to stop making electronic music and start studying and I said no. And then, once I saw how everything worked, I studied to be a sound engineer. I wanted to go to a very expensive school in Barcelona, but my father said I had to study ‘Producció d’Audiovisuals, Ràdio i Espectacles’ to get an official title, which I’m very grateful for because now I realise the other school I wanted to go to is a fraud.

And here I am. For me it’s the best job in the world, it’s just awesome. To work as this and to live well doing this... I’d sign anywhere.

M: Ok. So...What is it you like most about this job?

J: I’m discovering all of this now, I’m new at this... but what I like most is... basically everything.

A: I was going to say the exact same thing!

J: Everything. From screwing in a microphone to being able to record a song that I’ve got in my head. At the moment I must say it’s everything.

A: What I like most is the global process.

J: Yeah, exactly.

A: Seeing that you’ve got a song that’s an idea and then it evolves to a CD. You struggle quite a lot while you’re doing it because there are things that are quite tough.. Well, not really tough, but for example editing the drums is quite a thing, but you must do it. I have to say though, I even have fun zooming in the screen like a geek, when I have to edit the drums. I mean, for example, sometimes when I’m at home instead of playing Play Station I do music with ‘Live’ and I do it because I like it, I have fun exploring new sounds and new ways of working with them. It’s my passion, that’s why everything’s fun.

M: What is the stage that you enjoy most in the process of making an EP?

A: The mixing. Which is where I suffer the most too. I mean when you record

you have recorded everything separately, but in the mixing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to fit everything into place. In that moment youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the most powerful person in the studio: you can make the most trashy song ever or you can take it to different directions. In my opinion this is truly cool. The reason why you suffer so much is because you never actually finish mixing a song, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always find mistakes in it, but personally I think this is the funniest part of it.

J: I think, or I feel that maybe the pre-production is the part I enjoy most. Like when we all go out there and start playing.

M: And what do you like the least?

A: The least? Editing the songs. Sometimes it's a very hard process when someone hasn't played really well and you have to fix it and make it sound good. It is frustrating because It is a part of the job that you shouldn't have to be doing. Some people can't follow the tempo and the rhythm and having to fix these type of things annoys me.

J: I agree with Aleix in the sense of not liking the part of dealing with correcting mistakes that other people make. Sometimes you meet really nice people and it is easy to work with them but some others you are in a position where the communication between you and the musician isn't good and that is the worst part.

A: Sometimes telling someone that what they are doing is not good (you have to say this in the nicest way possible) is hard. There are people who accept what you are telling them but there are others who have a very bad time accepting that they can do better, they don't take what you tell them as a way to improve but as something you are criticising.

M: Which is the most important factor that makes working with someone in a studio easy?

A: Being able to say things to them without compromising the relationship you have. When you can say: this is not right, please repeat it. Those kinds of things end up taking you to excellency.

J: I think both of you have to understand that you are trying to make the best out of it, so if you are chosen to do it, there should be some sort of trust...

A: Yes, trust.

J: Trust to be able to change things and make things different to make them better and in the end you can see what happens. But during the process there is a constant fighting to make things work. It should be easy, but we have to know that the people who come here come with their own personality and there has to be a mutual effort and fight and everyone has to accept this.

A: This also depends on the job you are doing... For example, when we worked with some people I was having lots of fun and with others I wasn't and it depended a lot on what type of process I was in charge of.

Many times what happens is that the roles of each person are not clear, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard. The first time we recorded I suffered it. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s normal, you are doing what you are asked to and you have to follow the instructions you are given.

And of course if we are here being producers and you meet someone who doesn't follow what you tell them it makes it impossible. And referring to your question... What was it?

M: Which is the most important factor that makes working with someone in a recording studio easy?

A: Well, I think it is that: being a nice person and a good musician makes it fantastic! Like you...

M: Oh...

A: No, no, it's true. When something is wrong and we tell you to do it again...

Some people would tell you to leave them alone! These things happen. Some bands have problems between each other because they say the singer was singing too loud and they spend an hour fighting only because of that. This always happens, at school, at work... The person who always needs to have their way. You find this person recording music as well but their stupidity multiplies by a thousand. And there is a sort of embarrassment, how can I say this? Like when you look at yourself in the mirror and realise you are going bald... When you realise you are not as good as you thought you were, this is hard to accept. That is how it normally goes, you think you will record 30 guitars in a day and you only record one. Then you think: how can I be so stupid and incapable? You have to have a bit of self esteem to do this. There are people who get really sad when they record. Well this happened to you, Joan...

J: It happens to me, it happens...

A: When we were recording I thought: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oh my god, poor Joan, don't bring him here anymore because you will kill him...â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But you get to stop worrying when you record, but of course you always think what you are doing is forever and that is a lot of pressure.

J: It's a big thing... That is going to be there forever recorded and it is the importance you really give to it that affects you.

A: Well you must've noticed that...

M: (Laughs)

J: when I have to play live I really suffer, I get a tummy ache... Just for a stupid concert! But when you get you used to it it is like a drug...

A: I have lived moments with Wantun that I will remember when I'm dying and I see the memories of my life. I laughed so much one day! We were recording guitars for the song ‘Túnel’ and the guitars were extremately distorted. And we said, well we could double the bass in the beginning of the song... And Ricard was sitting on this chair, he was really obsessed with this song (I think it was his favourite) and he said: god! Are you sure? You’re going to destroy the bass... And from the beginning he didn't like it, and that’s something that you shouldn’t do in a recording studio. When someone has an idea it has to be tried, because you don't know whether it is going to be fantastic and if it’s not, then, no problem! But at least it has to be tried, it’s free!

If you listen carefully (to the song ‘Túnel’) the guitar and bass are playing the same at the same time.

Anyway, I was where Joan is sitting right now, playing my distorted guitar, it was eight or nine in the evening and we were here with more people and I was recording. Ricard kept saying that what we were doing was awful with a really serious face. I bet he was thinking: ‘these guys are ruining my song’.

We started playing the guitars... In a way that didn't make any sense. I was laughing so much while I was recording on that sofa! Everyone was laughing

and saying let's try it again. But Ricard was really serious, driving back home he didn't even talk to me... And I was had so much fun! They made a bet about having or not having the guitar in the song and then let people choose if they liked it or not. I had so much fun with that! I don’t really know if people notice when they listen to something that you’ve had such a good time recording, but I had such a good time!

And then on the other hand you can also relate a CD with something bad, that happend too with the EP we last recorded with Wantun, I can't listen to it, because it was when my grandmother died and I was really sad...

J: I like my job because it involves many feelings and you can play around with this. Maybe one of the things that sometimes surprises me or annoys me, I don't exactly know what feeling it is, about musicians is that being a musician should be something else, not just like a job... It actually is like a job but involving people’s feelings, you can act a bit as well. This is something really cool about it!

A: Our idea here is to work with a style like ‘Blind Records’ or ‘Ultramarine’. We record a certain type of music, because if a jazz group came along... Well of course I would enjoy working with it, but after a week I would be tired of it, because it's not the style I enjoy the most. If a group of people came here and asked me to record a hip hop CD I would do it... I don't know how but I would enjoy it anyway! But with pop music it’s different, it not the technical part but the feelings it gives you. It's more appearance than science.

J: There’s thousands of recording studios. Our intention is to have specific customers and for them to trust us.

A: We don't want to be "Warner" or "Columbia", we don't have enough money

for that... If we start growing, we will be very good. But for now we just want to get involved with the artists and create something. Because of this we defend the songs like they were ours. This is the concept, let's see what happens...

LYRICS OF THE SONGS IN THE EP “Because you’re the reason why I fill my empty spaces.”

- Marion Harper

•

BROKEN PROMISES

•

EMPTY SPACES

•

FOURTH ACE

•

MARY

•

WHERE I BELONG

Fig.23.

• BROKEN PROMISES It was a warm March, everything seemed to be alright.

You made me laugh, made me cry, made me touch the stars.

Thought we could make it somewhere but I can see it tonight, You never seemed to care from the very first start.

I won’t look back I swear I’ll be strong, I know I’m right where I belong And life is hard but you won’t be alone, alone.

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where your eyes gotta be open And every day I realise that what we had was wrong.

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where promises get broken And every day I realise I should have let it go, I should have let you go.

It was a warm March, I was lost and then fell for your eyes.

I never looked back on all of your mistakes.

You never thought about anything running through my mind, I guess you liked playing dumb closing your eyes.

I won’t look back I swear I’ll be strong, I know I’m right where I belong And life is hard but you gotta stand tall, you gotta stand tall.

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where your eyes gotta be open And every day I realise that what we had was wrong.

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where promises get broken And every day I realise I should have let it go, I should have let you go.

Now I look back, why am I lying in your arms?

This summer breeze feels warm and cold.

If I hold you all night until you go home, Will you disappear or take me where I belong?

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where your eyes gotta be open And every day I realise that what we had was wrong.

It’s OK, don’t bother, you taught me how to live in a world where promises get broken And every day I realise I should have let it go, I should have let you go.

• EMPTY SPACES Hold me close baby, I’ll keep you safe as long as you’re mine Don’t be afraid baby ‘Cause you won’t get lost In the lonely night ‘Cause the sun will rise.

Fill you up, calm you down, lift you up to the sky ‘Cause I know that you’re the light That guides me to those places.

Fill me up, calm me down, lift me up to the sky ‘Cause you’re the reason why I fill my empty spaces One day maybe You’ll find your way and make mistakes When things get rough Count on me, I’ll try To make time go by So your thoughts just fly Fill you up, calm you down, lift you up to the sky ‘Cause I know that you’re the light That guides me to those places.

Fill me up, calm me down, lift me up to the sky ‘Cause you’re the reason why I fill my empty spaces

• FOURTH ACE I said: “Your heart was never torn, I know you lost your control but His eyes are dusk and yours are dawn”.

I lost your soul in the tide, I miss your laugh I miss your smile And I’ll be gone in a while.

I want you / back Everytime I see your face I think and wonder: “where’s that place Where birds flew to reach the space and you softly kissed my face?”

Everytime I see your face I seem to think you’ve lost your trace Where you reached all your stakes and you played with your fourth ace.

My mistakes will never fall in a deep and long black hole ‘Cause that’s where all of yours belong.

My words keep writing songs and you use them as a toy But do you know where they come from?

I want you / back Everytime I see your face I think and wonder: “where’s that place Where birds flew to reach the space and you softly kissed my face?”

Everytime I see your face I know that I have lost your trace Where you reached all your staked and you played with your fourth ace.

I said: “Your heart was never torn, I know you lost your control but Your eyes are dusk and mine are dawn”.

Everytime I see your face I think and wonder: “where’s that place Where birds flew to reach the space and you softly kissed my face?”

Everytime I see your face I know that I have lost your trace Where you reached all your staked and you played with your fourth ace.

And you softly kissed my face, and you played with your fourth ace, And your eyes would shine that way.

• MARY ‘When will I run as fast as you?’ Asked Mary looking at the stars She walks on a wire between fear an hope ‘Cause she doesn’t know what she’s looking for.

“I’ll be eternal” she said when days turned long Looked out the window and time had flown When rain falls and the lights go off Your thoughts of loneliness will get lost.

Years go by and life makes sense And that’s when I met you Brighter than the sun, gentle as the sky Your eyes tell the truth.

“I’ll be eternal” she said when days turned long Looked out the window and time had flown When rain falls and the lights go off Your thoughts of loneliness will get lost.

Mary keeps sleeping, but where are her dreams heading to?

Your head goes round in circles, but I know your hope won’t fade away Remember how fast you run and the fear you broke?

Mary, that’s all you were looking for.

“I’ll be eternal” she said when days turned long Looked out the window and time had flown When rain falls and the lights go off Your thoughts of loneliness will get lost.

• WHERE I BELONG I knew I’d get there, but where do I belong?

I didn’t know what I was looking for.

But then I met you, we were six years old You kept my heart where I wanted it most.

Hold on to me, we’re gonna make it through I’m gonna see where you fall so I can catch you.

You get lost ‘cause I’ll find you And say: “Hey! Take me away” Hold on to me, we gotta make this true And I’ll be there, I’ll take care of you.

If you get lost I’ll go and find you And say: “Hey! Don’t go away” I knew you’d be there, ‘cause that’s where I belong I didn’t know I’d get there on my own.

Remember climbing those roof tops?

We watched the sun ‘till it had gone.

Hold on to me, we’re gonna make it through I’m gonna see where you fall so I can catch you.

You won’t get lost ‘cause I’ll guide you And say: “Hey! Take me away” Hold on to me, we gotta make this true And I’ll be there, I’ll take care of you.

If you get lost I’ll go and find you And say: “Hey! Don’t go away” Take me with you, I’m gonna climb the moon From where you’ll fall so I can catch you.

You won’t get lost ‘cause I’ll guide you And say: “ Hey! Don’t leave my way”

“DYLAN COM A EXCUSA” CERTIFICATE

INDEX OF FIGURES Fig. 1. General view of the mixing board in Luup Records. Image taken by myself.

Fig. 2. Myself recording Mary in Luup Records. Photograph taken by Meri F. Grimal.

Fig. 3. Ricard playing the keyboard. Photograph taken by Meri F. Grimal.

Fig. 4. Scale degrees in a C major scale.

Fig. 5. Chords in the C major scale.

Fig.6. Left to right: Thomas Edison and his phonograph, the Gramphone Company logo, a telegraphone and a magnetophone.

Fig.7. Ping-pong recording/reduction mixing explanation.

Fig.8. Another alternative of ping-pong recording/reduction mixing.

Fig.9. Volume level on the different tracks in ProTools. Screen captured by Aleix Iglesias.

Fig.10. Promotional poster by ‘El Taller dels Músics’.

Fig.11. Enric Hernàez. Picture from enderrock.com Fig.12. Núria Martínez-Vernis. Picture from eldiario.com Fig.13. The Fourth Ace playing in Arenys de Mar. Photograph taken by Serio Dorado.

Fig.14. ‘Perché la notte’ reciting ‘L’única veu’ at Teatre Clavé. <http://lamiradadelpoeta.cat/ja-tenim-les-fotografies/> Fig.15. Myself playing in the 4th of ESO graduation. <http://www.xtec.cat/centres/b7006733/curs1213/4teso/index.htm>

Fig. 16 & 17. The Fourth Ace playing in ‘L’Altre Clavé’.

<https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.620393297978943.107374 1834.158319080853036&type=3> Fig.18. Myself recording ‘Mary’. Photograph taken by Meri F. Grimal.

Fig.19. Myself at the Boadella swamp. Photograph taken and edited by Estel Ciurana.

Fig.20. Aleix and I recording the acoustic video ‘Small Bump’. Photograph taken by Meri F. Grimal.

Fig.21. Aleix and I recording the acoustic video ‘Video Games’. Photograph taken by Meri F. Grimal.

Fig.22. Joan Vissi and Aleix Iglesias mixing at Luup Records. Photograph taken by me.

Fig.23. Song notepad. Photograph taken by me.