Welcome to the HQ!
The Hellkvist HQ (or just HQ) is where I spend most of my time if I’m not on tour. It’s my office, studio and workshop at the same time. A place where I can practice, rehearse, jam, record, mix, livestream, repair stuff, meet people and just chill and hang. I love the thought of it being a meeting place for organ enthusiasts, as well as musicians and those who enjoy the music.
My B3 is almost always set up and ready for recording, usually with my 122 and 147 cabinets connected.
II usually also have a few other Hammonds there, and some other instruments. The newest additions to the collection is a Rhodes and Clavinet.
Studio
I’ve been building the studio for a few years. It’s mostly based on Presonus products, such as Stdsio One for DAW and tudioLive 32 and soundcard. Mostly I record Hammond tracks for various recordings around the world. There has has also been a few records that have been fully produced from here, the latest one being Trinity’s fifth album “Stable Mates”.
Events
Occasionally there are events of different kinds here. Sometimes it’s just a open house for social interaction and hanging out and sometimes it’s a concert, possibly combined with at livestream.
Regardless of which, I love the idea of the HQ being a meeting place for people with a shared interest in music and Hammond organs.
Livestreams
I got this place just before the pandemic hit. Up until then I had split my time doing both programming work while also playing. But I had just released my second album Becoming, and things really seemed to be taking off so the plan was to get my own place and focus more on the music business.
And, that is what happened, only not in the way I had expected. Just days after I moveid in, society was shutting down and gigs were getting canceled. But I was determined not to change couse. And though it took a while, eventually I jumped on the livestreaming train, and it became a crucial part of my operation.
For long periods of time, I was doing the livestreams every Saturday and it forcved me to develop both technical skills and new repertoire. I still greatly benefit from the effort I put in during that time.
I still do livestreams every now and then, although not nearly as often as I used to do. I depends a little on what other projects I have running at the moment.
Workshop
Playing vintage instruments requires regular maintenance and repair, so the HQ is also somewhat of a workshop. I also like to develop new solutions for various situations, especially when it comes to combining old and new instruments and getting them to play together.