The Score Magazine February 2019 issue!

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 12 Issue 02 February 2019

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India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

QUIRKS & QUERIES

SANJEETA BHATTACHARYA PRO AUDIO

NEW PLUGINS IN TOWN SHOW REVIEW

PRODUCTS LAUNCHED AT CES 2019 ON THE COVER

KARSH KALE ALSO INSIDE: INDIE REVIEWS, Q&A WITH DINKAR PATHAK, ACOOSTA INNOVATIONS AND MORE.

inside

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ON THE COVER

KARSH KALE

WHAT'S NEW AND LOCAL?

INDIE REVIEWS QUIRKS AND QUERIES

SANJEETA BHATTACHARYA

EXPERT'S SPEAK ON

7 OF THE BEST MOVIES MADE ON MUSICIANS, EVER! INTERVIEWING

DINKAR PATHAK, CO-FOUNDER ACOOSTA INNOVATIONS READ ON

INDIAN NUMBERS - INTERNATIONAL BLOCKBUSTERS TECH TALKS

KNOWING YOUR TAPE SATURATION PLUG-IN

THE TEAM Director, Business Development Pragash VM Director, Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Director Ajay Prabhakar Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Creative Director George Vedamanickam Creative Designer Manasi Doshi Content Contributors Shreya Bose Amogh Rao Mukesh Amaran Vyoma Shah Souvik Chakraborty Cover Photo Credit Rafique Sayed

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SHREYA BOSE

KARSH KALE On Music, Everything Else and then Some More 12

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Being representational of Asian Underground experimental music is not exactly a breeze. The only thing that keeps Karsh Kale going (actually, thriving) is his irrevocable love for music. Having studied music in NYU and venturing into professional musicianship in New York City, he realised his path was one of fierce uniqueness. Consequently, he chose to become a musical polyglot, sprinting from tab to turntable on a regular basis.

Steeped in a childhood and adolescence marked by exposure to great music (Led Zep, Yes, The Beatles), Kale knew early on that music was going to be a mainstay in his existence. He is known for prodigious output; on any given year he is ricocheting through solo pieces, collaborating with iconic artists and/or sculpting soundtracks for challenging narratives in film and TV. He speaks about music as an instrument for introspection, which really is the eventual intention of all good art. Kale’s music is layered with surreptitious message, reflecting a quick but profound psyche that likes to plumb the depths of human sentiment. His work is an extensive experience in self-exploration, with some earworm-worthy beats to boot.

With Score, he got down to brass tacks, talking about how his existential understanding of music, both in his life and in the machinations of the world.

Ranging from his influences to the perspective with which he appreciates the arc of his life and career, Karsh Kale essentially speaks of all things that make his work distinctive and till date, utterly irreplaceable.

What kind of music did you grow up with?

I grew up on a healthy dose of pop and rock music. My father introduced me to the Beatles as well as lots of classical music, film music and folk music from India.

As a kid interested in drums I gravitated to artists like Rush, Yes and Led Zeppelin but also loved pop and later Hip Hop music. I was also very much into listening to film soundtracks and background scores. As I got older I began exploring more jazz, fusion and electronic music.

According to you, what makes a piece of music worth listening to?

There are so many reasons we listen to music. Certain styles of music are designed to evoke a particular effect or emotion out of the listener. While seeking out music I tend to gravitate towards music that is disarming. The kind of music that makes me stop what I’m doing and has the power to change how I feel. When I create music I like to bring styles together that are otherwise a bit disparate and combine the emotional qualities to create a new landscape.

In the end music should stir the soul and move the mind and body in whatever direction the listener is compelled to go.

What is the one thing that you will never compromise with when it comes to composition?

As composers we are storytellers. I always try and keep the essence of the story I am trying to tell or the landscape I am trying to paint while creating a piece of music. I don't compromise substance for style. Often times producers are stuck in a genre and can't push too far in any direction. I never let the form or the style of music compromise the emotional content of the story. If that means compromising the form then I’ll do that. For me creating music is also a way for me to travel to new dimensions in my own psyche.

I want people’s journey with my music to be one that goes inward. That, to me, is the most important element of the music I make.

What do you consider your greatest responsibility to the world?

Music has the power to heal, to move people and to change people. In a world so incredibly divided by political and religious views, nationalism and a general regression back to a time when we feared what is different about another culture, I want to blur those lines through music. I want to make people feel like they are part of a larger world, that The

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we all feel the same things and whatever makes us different can be celebrated while realizing that almost everything else about us is the same. I don't wave any national flag of any kind and I don't feel I represent any form of music per se.

I just feel that if I can help someone feel a bit more connected to a larger world, I have perhaps done the job I was meant to.

I used to make lots of music every day and just sit on most of it but nowadays I tend to just spend time on a piano composing and keeping my ideas in my head till I can hear where its going, then I’ll go to the studio. I don't feel the need to keep churning out music; I’d rather wait till the inspiration is strong to take it to completion.

Have you experienced any miracles in your musical life?

What do you expect out of your listeners?

Miracles happen all the time. I wake up often in awe of the things I have been privileged to experience throughout my life. When I look back at all the amazing artists I have had the honor to work with and learn from, I can only see that as a miracle of sorts. I have always been a freelance artist which means much like actors, sometimes you don't have work. I still find it amazing that I have spent the past 20 years exclusively as a professional musician without having to do anything else. This is a very challenging and stressful life to choose, as many musicians will tell you, so for me the miracle is the fact that I’m still doing this after all these years.

I think I am more concerned with what they expect out of me. I want to give them an experience and an opportunity to feel something profound when they listen. Im less inclined to make something because it appeals to the latest trend, I think my fans expect me to deliver something that transcends the last thing that I did.

Tell us about some of the most significant choices you have made.

I have made many choices that when I look back upon, I realize how significant they have been in mapping the trajectory of my career. The decision to study music at NYU and more so, to start my career in New York City was quite key in helping me see a musical landscape that didn't quite exist. Though I am a huge fan of artists like Zakir Hussain, Peter Gabriel, Sting, LTJ Bukem etc.....I didn't want to continue to do what they were doing. I decided to try and carve my own path and go deeper into unexplored spaces in music rather than follow any prescribed method. I have always been willing to morph into what I need to be for a particular project. Sometimes, I need to be more of a piano player and composer and sometimes a drummer or tabla player, sometimes a DJ etc.... I decided in my 20s that I was going to do all of these things simultaneously. I was not sure what the result would be, but as I look back I know that my instinct was correct to remain open and continuously learn new skills as I grow as an artist.

Did you have an "a-ha" moment when you knew you would be making music for the rest of your life? In face, do you think you will be making music for the rest of your life?

I knew since I was a child that music was my calling. I didn't exactly know what that meant and have taken many decades to figure that out but I always knew that music would be a big part of my life, if not my profession. I do get bored doing the same thing for too long so it’s nice to keep changing it up. Sometimes I am playing tabla with my fusion trio, sometimes singing and playing keys with the Collective or spending months in a studio composing a film score or sometimes doing a DJ tour. When I feel exhausted from too much of one thing, it is nice to be able to quickly switch gears. This, I hope gives me the ability to continue making music for the rest of my life in some capacity or another.

What keeps you coming back to the studio?

I don't really enter the studio unless I feel inspired to tell a story.

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Objectively, how do you think music adds value to the world?

Music defines the times we live in and plays so many important roles in allowing us to go through different phases of our lives. Music, for many is their identity or a mirror for their own souls to be realized. From birth till death , music is as essential as food and air for us to survive .

How do you know that you want to collaborate with a certain artist? Do you look for musical similarity, corresponding thematic ideas...?

I hear the way other artists tell their stories through their instrument. If that works as a character in my story, I’ll ask an artist to collaborate. For me , making music is like making a film, different artists play different roles within the larger story.

What has been occupying your time lately?

As of late I’ve been scoring a few projects. I recently finished an eleven episode series called Smoke for EROS which is a drama series about the underground drug cartels of Goa. I also just recently completed the score for Zoya Akhtar's latest film Gullyboy. I will be starting the score a new TV show for Z as my first project of the year. I also recently worked on some Beatles covers with some great artists for an upcoming film project. Apart from scoring work I’ll also be recording a new album in the coming months to be released later in 2019.

How would you like your music to affect your listeners?

My music tends to have varying effects. Some people prefer the harder beat driven stuff where some like the more introspective cinematic stuff. As I said before, I want listeners to have the opportunity to see things differently, in a new light or from a different perspective.

Why do you think you have remained invested in creating music? What does it do for you?

Music is in my veins. I can't go through a day without listening to music and playing something even if its just to sing. Whether it remains my career path is left to chance but I know for sure I will require music to be a part of my life till the end. Music lifts my spirit and allows me to fly out of those dark spaces that our minds can sometimes bring us to. Music is medicine and essential for us as a species to have access too.

RAPID FIRE: KINDEST WORDS A FAN HAS SAID TO YOU. : WHENEVER A FAN DESCRIBES TO ME A MILESTONE IN THEIR LIFE THAT MY MUSIC PLAYED A ROLE IN.

FAVOURITE SUPERHERO AND WHY.SINCE CHILDHOOD , IT HAS BEEN A TIE BETWEEN WOLVERINE AND HULK. A MUSICIAN THAT YOU CALL YOURSELF A FANBOY OF. PETER GABRIEL THE FIRST THING THAT POPS INTO YOUR HEAD IN THE MORNING. : COFFEE WORST QUALITY ABOUT ANYONE, EVER: ENERGY THIEVES ONE THING YOU WISH NO ONE EVER FORGOT : THAT WE ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. SOMETHING THAT RESTORED YOUR FAITH IN HUMANITY (IF YOU EVER LOST IT): MUSIC ALWAYS DOES A BOOK/SHORT STORY THAT YOU COULD NEVER TIRE OF READING : MILES (MILES DAVIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY) The

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Consumer Electronic Show 2019: Music Tech Products launched The world’s biggest technology show saw a great range of products launched earlier in January at Las Vegas.

The entire city was buzzing with amazing technology.

“We have a very simple mission at Consumer Technology Association and that is we focus on innovation. The technology unveiled at CES is improving the lives of all citizens of the world. Global Innovation is a topic I am extremely passionate about and that is what this show is about and I am very pleased to talk about these things in CTA’s new book called Ninja FutureSecrets of success in the new world of Innovation” added the President and CEO Gary Shapiro.

Roland Roland GO: PIANO88 - Digital Piano Features • It’s a full-size 88-Note Piano.

• It’s known for its ‘Play anywhere’ and portable features.

• They are compact and can be stored anywhere.

• It has Bluetooth MIDI and Audio that are great for connecting to apps. This makes it a great tools for anyone learning the piano.

Roland GO: PIANO with Alexa built-in

Sonarworks - A software that

Features

• It’s also a better music tool that has a built-in contact tuner. You can twist off the magnet and attach it to a guitar, tune it and when you are done you can put it back.

• Product created to deliver the exact studio sound into any consumer headphones through the mobile app.

• Ultimate music experience as you’ve heard in the studio personalized for the individual.

• There is a mobile app that can be downloaded to calibrate the same sound to headphones, speakers, and car.

Features • Great sounds and functionalities.

Soundbrenner

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• It is a slicker design compared to the predecessor Pulse.

• Gives you smartwatch features and also can tell you the time.

• Providing consistent ecosystem for the sound you love!

• This can use Amazon voice commands used to activate all the internal functions of the piano. You can have it play songs, select sounds and even record your own performance and store it save to the cloud.

Sound Meter making it the most versatile music tool out there.

calibrates sound on different devices to ensure it sounds the same in all.

Samson Technologies Samson Expedition Escape- Rechargeable Speaker System Features • Great for music playback • Bluetooth streaming audio

Soundbrenner Core - The 4-in1 Smart Music Tool, brings you all your essential music tools in a premium wearable.

• Has Bluetooth for both Audio and wireless MIDI.

The

It is difficult to summarise the show experience in an article. One should visit CES to know what our nearest future looks like. Here is a list of new product launches that might be interesting for musicians and audiophiles.

• It is great for creating, collaborating, learning how to play the instrument and have fun through the process.

• They are affordable.

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Executive Vice President Karen Chupka spoke about CES being the largest influential technology event where International business is done. She added that they had 155 countries, regions and territories at the show including 4400 exhibitors.

Features • It’s a Vibrating Metronome, a Magnetic Twist Tuner, and a

• 20 hours of battery life Samson Expedition Express- Rechargeable Portable PA with Bluetooth Features • Bluetooth connectivity and a builtin 3-channel mixer.

• Wired handheld dynamic microphone.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless Earbuds

• Deliver impromptu performances and professional presentations in any environment.

Features

• All-in-one solution for classrooms, conferences, tour groups, parties, as well as a variety of outdoor applications.

• Good for busking on streets.

Samson Expedition XP208w Portable PA Features • It has wheels and a handle • Mixer, guitar input and you can have two wireless mics.

• A waterproof rating with an IP 5 • 3.5 hours of battery life 2.ATH-CKR7TW

• Earbuds have touch panels so all controls like phone calls, voice assistance, and music can be controlled.

Features • Optimized for sports use.

• It gives you a fully immersive audio experience. to carry around.

Earthquake Sound Earthquake Sound MPower 6” and 8” Studio Monitors Features • It is bi-amp

DJ-Quake 2.1 system line-arrays Features

• They are lightweight and have a good battery.

• They are small and scaled down line-arrays suited for bars, parties, and smaller venues.

• Three mics can be added.

• 1200 watts sub-woofer i.e 12” in size.

• They are used for big parties and events.

MiWorld Accessories (MWA) Cannonball CYLO waterproof speakers

Sennheiser

Features

Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

• They can be immersed in water.

Features

• Known for an incredible, deep bass response as low as 30hz.

Features

• It comes with a Smart Control App.

• Unmatched accuracy and detail that you can’t find on another monitor.

• It delivers an unparalleled sonic experience.

1.ATH-SPORT7TW

• 12 hours operational battery life (8 hours on the charger and 4 hours on the earbuds).

Samson Expedition XP310w & XP312w Portable PA

• They are both 300 watts.

True wireless headphones

• It comes with a USB C charger.

• Suited for Karaoke too.

Features

Audio Technica

• It allows up to 5 speakers to be paired together.

•

6-8 hours of battery life.

• They come in two different sizes and five colors.

•

• Portable and easy

6 hours of battery life.

3. ATH-ANC900BT Features • Digital hybrid noise canceling headphones

• This is compatible with the Connect app.

AT-LP60XHP allnew turntable Features • The ATLP60XHP turntable and headphones combination lets you enjoy your 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records with no additional equipment required • The turntable can also be connected to your stereo, powered speakers, computer or other components and used as a standard turntable.

• The detachable RCA output cable (3.5 mm male to dual RCA male) and built-in switchable phono preamp allow the turntable to be connected to components with and without a dedicated phono input.

• Gives an immersive experience.

• Advanced room calibration.

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SHREYA BOSE

INDIE REVIEWS Khwaab feat. Shubha Mudgal (INALAB): Have you wondered

what it would feel like if Shubha Mudgal gave voice to the first riff you ever wrote? The answer lies with Gaurav Balani (of Parikrama) and his new single.

The song flirts with jazz, but is rooted in the redolent vocal conviction of Shubha Mudgal, who also penned the lyrics. Her expansive voice lends life to words that hail the hearts of dreamers who do not abandon their intentions, difficulties and obstacles be damned. Her celebrated tone soars to an almost ominous edge, elevating the dreamer’s instinct as a thing of solemn adulation.

The track gathers a constellation of noteworthy musicians.Drummer Tarun Balani (of electronic outfit Time Machine) and guitarist Aditya Balani spin and scintillate, causing sound to become story, sustenance and revelation. Sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan lays forth a patina of sound design to enchant, as it cocoons Shubha Mudgal’s voice with relentless, irresistible artistry.

INALAB inspires and captivates, compelling one to dwell upon the nature of that ineffable impulse that has uplifted individuals and driven forth passion and madness. If you are the kind that speaks to themselves more often than to others, you might just ask yourself the question the song poses: Where do these dreams beckon me to?

Spaces feat. Vernon Noronha (Arrows):

Birthed by Mumbai-based musician David Britto, Arrows features music in collaboration with a plethora of artists who align with his vision. Spaces is a charming ditty, composed of the half-light, wistful sounds defined as quintessentially “indie”. Britto’s lyrics are deeply personal, as evidenced by their slightly awkward poesy.

I sit and ponder on the past its funny I thought it will last And you promised all that I didn’t look back

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Time came when you walked away and left me in shame Every time I think of you while I sing Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh High school scribbles aside, Britto strings his way to a lullaby of longing. The entire song loops on the idea of drifting away from those you might have loved, and seeking compensation in easily available, inadequate replacements (“neon lights and vacancy signs”). As familiar as the predicament sounds, it creates the possibility of being repeated to boredom.

Spaces does venture into this possibility, as it does feel a bit unremarkable. It is perfectly pleasant, but misses the hook that extends into memorability.

Sour Ink (Shoals): If the debut album of this Delhi-based electronic duo is reflective of their future productivity, Shoals deserves a longterm spot on your playlist.

Brushed, unhurried vocals pervade these ten songs, each intensely melodic and unapologetically experimental. Clearly, Utkarsh Varma and Sidharth Gupta take their time signatures seriously.

No one sonic sensibility stands out, as the duo etch out diverse and disparate narratives with each track.

Just for a little fun, try splicing each song with a film, and you will find yourself scrambling to come up with enough films.

However, the band does not bother with excess. Despite their exuberant soundsculpting, they stay true to a minimal aesthetic that is evident in sandpapered lyrics and carefully curated beat placement. FSC, for example, is devastatingly addictive with a simple principle of alternation - mad beat, whisper-and-wink vocals, mad beat. Bad Habit begins with a clip of dialogue from the Mexploitation film Wrestling Women, an obscure choice revealing the band’s intentional auteurism. They choose the strange and inexplicable to build a world that is never solid or vulnerable enough to be analysed. You are free to use their hypnagogic wordplay to strengthen your story, or start chipping out a whole new one.

Sour Ink combines delight and travesty, uncovers a breathless progression without ever rushing the point.

Personally, I can’t imagine that it would take Shoals too long to start composing soundtracks for short films that are built to terrify, overwhelm and addict. Their sound is built for fervid visual experiences: ones that are unimaginably memorable, just like this album.

Oora Paaru (Funktuation):

The Lord bless the day on which Benny Dayal and his compatriots decided to create Funktuation, but Indian Funk is now a thing and they made it so. Hitherto known for Bollywood covers, the

six man ensemble has finally released their first single, and it is an earworm from the first bar.

Benny Dayal and his boys exhort people to slow down and take advantage of an incredible life, instead of sheepling they way through the rat race. While Tamil funk might seem like an irredeemable oxymoron, Funktuation makes it seem like a soulmate situation. Dial down some James Brown, slap it on just a hint of Hancock and you have fledgeling funk taking over the Indian indie space.

The synths are minimal, serving to support bubbling syncopation of guitar and bass while Benny bup-bupbups out folksy-but-polished Tamil wordplay. Impossibly catchy, the whole song is built on the sonic premise that one must continue to bop that head. And one does.

Have the video at hand, because the swag is great with this one. Disco jackets and retro signs? Check. A light boogie? Check.

Your cursor on that replay icon? Check.

STEVIE (Stevie Mellow):

There is nothing in the world that feels as invasive as a song that slips into the part of your soul where you keep your sadness. Stevie Mellow’s debut EP begins with a song like that. 21 makes you feel in the midst of the a muggy, rainy day in which the drizzle makes it impossible to see anything outside the window. The Frank Ocean/Gregory Isakov touched track triggers an ineffable brand of FOMO, and you long for things that you never thought of.

The sweet heartache of 21 is followed by the delicious bite of sudden love (Hey Becky) in which a single piano gives way to a quick electronic swish and some predictable but well-placed guitar game. The song itself is inordinately romantic, and conjures dreams of fluttering pulse and pleasant nervousness. Burn quivers with sensuous intensity, following a heady R&B sensibility that is impossible not to surrender to. Unlike the passive contemplation of the previous tracks, Burn is a bare-it-all business. Too Close To Touch plays with the barest idea of funk rock, displaying a groove to diversify the EP’s aesthetic.

All Night and FADE accomplish the same thing - generate the soft anguish of deferred desires. True to the intent of good indie music, Mellow crafts stories that are open-ended enough for his listeners to transpose their own experiences.

Simultaneously, you couldn’t accuse him of being generic because it remains amply clear that the stories he sings are ones he told himself before he set them to sound.

The EP is immensely seductive, drawing it's power from Mellow’s disarming vulnerability. He is the very image of the wide-eyed boy who is delighted to sing his heart out.

Instead of drawing the listener into his world, he generously offers to share in theirs instead. This lends to his work an uncompromising charm - the kind that comes from having decided not to try to be anyone but one’s kindest self.

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QUIRKS & QUERIES

SANJEETA BHATTACHARYA

When and how did you decide to become a musician?

I’ve been into music since as long as I can remember because my parents put me into classical music and dance lessons but I think the decision to pursue it as a career came only after graduating school when I read the acceptance letter for Berklee College Music. I was about to choose this path over dance, photography and studying history and I did!

Tell us about your musical learning through your journey Cliche as it may sound, I believe it is an endless journey; musical learning comes through interactions with your friends, things you do to keep yourself occupied through the day and the reason why you choose to make music, which is a question I haven’t quite found the right answer for yet. Ofcourse I gave my hours of practice, getting the technicalities right , learning different styles etc but now my focus is on movement, breath, enunciation and intention, both while writing and delivering.

Who have you been inspired by?

My teachers, Siddharth Das and Annette Philip, my friends- Kelly and Bhaanu and my brothers, who’s music libraries I used to dig into when I was little.

Which has been your best gig so far and why?

Allow me to list a few because it’s very hard to choose. Magnetic Fields 2016 when the entire dungeon grooved with us, High Spirits, Pune when the venue lived up to its name 100%, The

piano man jazz club, when we added breaks in a song just to yell “did you lie, b*tch?” and the AR Rahman tribute in college when I danced my butt off hahaha.

What according to you is your style of singing?

My style of singing is still evolving. It has inflections of Indian classical as well as the airy texture of RnB. At the moment I am trying to achieve an intimate style which is closer to my speaking voice.

How do you prepare yourself before a gig?

I like to tell myself to "be honest and mean it, don't take yourself too seriously and have a good time". Apart from this, ofcourse, rehearse and work on having a good chemistry with whom I am playing.

Could you tell us three vocal health tips you follow Avoid over the counter meds as much as possible. For sore throat, drink a concoction of Honey, Tulsi, Turmeric, Pepper and hot water.

Know that singing high notes/ doing runs is not equal to singing well. Practice technique before belting so it doesn't sound like yelling.

Get as much rest as possible, don't take sleep for granted and keep yourself hydrated.

Rapid Fire : Best stage you've performed at : Boston Symphony Hall | If not music, what would you have been doing? Travel Photography or Kathak | An artist you would love to collaborate with : Juan Luis Guerra / Magda Giannikou

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For a listening, please contact us at 9884631886 - vivin@promusicals.com & 9884304425 - sudhin@promusicals.com

MUSKAN GOSWAMI

7 of the Best Movies Made on Musicians, Ever!

Music is an inevitable part of our everyday routine. All of us are on a look out for the next good song. In a similar way, most of us instantly feel connected to a movie which is based on the life of a musician. Whether it’s a true story or a fictional one, a sneak peek into the life of a character that is a part of the music industry, seems fascinating. With this thought in our mind, we’ve shortlisted some of the best Bollywood movies which are based on musicians. Have a look:

1. Jhankaar Beats A musical comedy based on the lives of three friends who are found of music. Love, friendship and music have been perfectly portrayed in this movie by Sujoy Ghosh.

Jhankaar Bears was actually a tribute to late music composer R.D. Burman. The movie stars Sanjay Suri, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose and Rinke Khanna in leading roles.

movie was directed by Vijay Bhatt in 1952, and stars Bharat Bhusan and Meena Kumari.

5. Soundtrack This movie revolves around a deaf DJ who becomes a renowned music composer. The career of this composer undergoes many twists and turns.

This film is directed by Neerav Ghosh, starring Rajeev Khandelwal and Soha Ali khan in the lead.

2. Abhimaan The movie is based on the life of a popular singer who insists his wife to enter the show business. This musical drama was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee in 1973. Abhimaan is said to be a master piece especially in terms of its music which was composed by late S.D. Burman.

The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.

3. Rock On!!

Rock On is one of the finest Bollywood movies made on musicians. The film depicts the story of four friends, who reunite after a long period of time. After reuniting, the band creates amazing music together and revives their past memories. The movie was directed by Abhishek Kapoor, starring Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purabh kohli, Prachi Desai and Luke Kenny in leading roles.

6. Morning Raga

directed by Mahesh Dattani.

This musical drama takes us through the life of a Carnatic music singer, Swarnalatha which is played by Shabana Azmi. Swarnalatha along with two youngsters creates a unique kind of music by mixing Carnatic and Western music. This movie was

7. Rockstar The movie is a musical romantic drama, directed

by Imtiaz Ali which became a sensational hit at the box office. The protagonist of the movie, Janardhan Jakhar is a college-goer who wants to earn a name as a singer.

Heartbreak and the journey to success of JJ will keep you glued till the very end. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri.

4. Baju Bawara A classical musical romantic drama based on the life of a young singer who sets out to avenge the death of his father. The movie is set in the time of Emperor Akbar the Great. This black and white The

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SNEHA RAMESH

IN CONVERSATION WITH

DINKAR PATHAK, CO-FOUNDER & CEO, ACOOSTA INNOVATIONS

What was your idea behind the product and what were you trying to achieve?

Could you tell us a little bit more about the unique qualities of the product?

Music has always been an important part of my family get-togethers, most evenings my children used to dance to Justin Bieber. They would eagerly wait for me to come home every day from office to stream their favorite songs from my phone as it was the only device we used to listen to music from our Bluetooth speakers but with constant calls and messages from colleagues, we usually had to stop the dancing and singing sessions so I could attend to calls and answer my texts, one day while we were having a jamming session and I received a call from a friend, I realized that there has to be a better way to listen to music that is easily accessible by all- from my mother to my children.

That is when the idea of Acoosta struck me. My kids always had the complaint that they could not listen to their music without being in front of the TV as did not know how to operate any of streaming apps. It is safe to say that my children are the inspiration behind Acoosta. After which I approached Mr.Neeraj Sethi, an industry veteran and my mentor with this idea. This wasn’t the first time I had presented a new business model to him, but nothing seemed to impress him before Acoosta. He really liked the idea and thought that this new age device had a lot of potential. Neeraj and I then joined forces to create Acoosta Innovations.

Acoosta Uno is a high-fidelity music system with built-in content to provide an immersive listening experience at the touch of a button without any Internet or Bluetooth connection. It is a music machine that has a plethora of options to listen to music and also sing along with popular songs. The device is Powered with Music by Sony DADC, Acoosta Uno comes preloaded with 14,000+ Songs across 200+ Playlists from over 1000+ Artists with 50+ Genres & Moods that are super curated by experts. Consumers can also explore music via Bluetooth, USB, FM and Aux inputs and has fully functional Karaoke functionality.

We are very proud to state that no other music system currently in the market can offer all these features in a single unit and that’s what makes our product unique compared to any other product.

As per our initial research, we realized that we need a device in the market that has the best of music for all ages/moods/genres that could independently play music without any connections. We wanted to provide consumers a quality audio product that offers an immersive listening experience so users with quality music and easy access. Our multi-functional music system is platform agnostic, provides value for money and delivers best in class sound output backed with built in music by the biggest music publisher in the world – SONY DADC.

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How has the response been so far and what do people like the most about it?

The response we have gathered through our research is that our speaker has been great both from the trade and customers. Consumers are really happy with the quality of sound, the built-in music library and are thoroughly enjoying the karaoke functionality. Some call it a modern day portable “jukebox” whereas some are call it the “singing machine”.

We have reached out to more than 1000+ customers personally to gather feedback and got great reviews.

Customers are now sending us their song recordings, party photos, kids dancing videos to show us how they have been using the Acoosta Uno.

In an age where competition is high and so many such products are being launched, how do you think your product stands out?

The whole idea around having the most iconic music across various genres (English + Hind) preloaded on the device and offering a fully functional karaoke system makes our

product stand out amongst other industry competitors.

Our product is unique in the audio category as no other portable speaker in our price range that packs the punch that our speakers deliver, offer inbuilt music and also fully functional karaoke system with a recording feature.

What is your take on the current music consumption by people?

The personal music space has been liberated with the advent of streaming apps, so people are listening to music while in office/transit or gym on their smartphones. People want to listen to music casually but are tied up in their schedules, stress and personal devices.

Background music at homes while cooking, relaxing or playing with kids is non-existent. A lot of consumers set up a nice stereo in living room or home theatre in a bedroom but never seems to be in that room listening to music as another device is always required. Music consumption will continue to rise albeit consumers are not willing to pay for music.

Your message to people who haven't experienced your products yet?

If you an audiophile, music lover, a singer, a casual listener or a tech geek, you need to get an Acoosta Uno home. Acoosta Uno is the best music hub available in the market which lets you listen to music and sing along.

You will love the pre-loaded selections and appreciate the sound quality.

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TRBX series Common Features Body TRBX features a sculpted solid mahogany body, with a massoptimized 3D design for the optimum balance between tone and comfort coupled with perfect weight distribution.

PICKUPS &

BRIDGE & OUTPUT JACK

Bridge A high-mass die-cast bridge efficiently transfers string vibrations to the body for full, rich tone combined with excellent adjustability and road-tested durability. 18mm string spacing on the 5-string model offers outstanding playability for technical slap or finger styles.

Battery Alert LED (TRBX500) Yamaha’s metal plate-mounted standard jack socket offers superior durability and easy maintenance.

Pickups (TRBX500) Yamaha’s H5 dual-coil pickups are defined by a clean, open tone that’s perfectly matched with the flexibility of the active/ passive preamp design. Their quadpolepiece design and alnico magnets give them the power to drive the active circuit and the sensitivity and subtlety to capture every nuance in passive mode.

NECK & HEAD DESIGN

Neck Joint

Neck

Nut

Headstock

TRBX uses a precision fitted bolt-on neck joint for maximum adjustability and clear, punchy tone. Developed through hundreds of hours of play-testing, the refined neck joint shape perfectly balances strength, vibration transfer and upper-fret access.

TRBX’s neck design combines a fast, ultra-comfortable profile with 5-ply maple/mahogany laminated construction for outstanding stability and excellent tone.

38mm (4-string) or 43mm (5-string) nut widths give fast, comfortable playability for any style.

Straight-run stringing from nut to machinehead eliminates lateraltension, providing superior tuning stability and reducing overtones.

CONTROLS 3-band active EQ (TRBX500) TRBX500 models feature an audiophilegrade active/passive circuit for fine tonal control and extreme flexibility. The advanced design offers a level-matched output whether in passive or active mode and tone-switching circuitry that seamlessly moves from 3-band active EQ to master passive tone. High-quality gold plated parts are used for key signal chain contacts, providing increased conductivity and reliability.

Pickups (TRBX300)

Controls (TRBX500)

Yamaha’s M3 pickups feature oversized polepieces and ceramic magnets for a clear, powerful tone with incredible definition and depth. The hum-cancelling design ensures your performance is clean and noise-free while the integral thumbrest provides unrivalled playability.

(1) Master Volume (4) Middle (2) Pickup Balancer (5) Treble/Tone (Passive) (3) Bass (6) Active/Passive switch

KARISHMA D'MELLO Conventionally deemed as an “all boys club” with little or no room for women, metal has come a long way since 1979 when Girlschool an all girl band began their collaboration alongside Motorhead and went on to release “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (EP)”. What started off as a largely male dominated fan base, with women spotted back-staging as groupies, heavy metal has earned itself a large following of metal-head women from all across the globe.

Contrary to popular belief women, the heavy metal culture does not discriminate and is all welcoming in its fan base. Women have celebrating and appreciating metal and other extreme genre for a very long time, however, being the kind of genre that pushes for more aggressive sound (a characteristic women are not deemed poster children for) female artists within the genre often struggle to be taken seriously.

On exploring the albeit controversial sub-genre of “glam metal”, you’ll find that, in many ways, heavy metal celebrates femininity. Bands like Twisted Sister, Posion, Motley Crue and Kiss would put on live performances in lace and full heads of make-up. Now perhaps this is a more superficial representation of femininity, but it is femininity, nevertheless.

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Violence in general is a prevalent theme particularly in a lot of death metal or extreme subgenres of metal. While some of this can be categorized as violence against women, it could be argued that a greater percentage speaks of violence in general. In that regard alone, metal does not discriminate. It does not specifically perpetuate an “anti-woman”, misogynistic view, rather it embraces violence as a whole. With the exception of a few questionable band names and lyrics, its aggression isn’t specific towards women.

In the heavy metal documentary “A Headbanger’s Journey”,

created by Canadian anthropologist Sam Dunn, several female artists were interviewed to get their take on their personal experiences as female musicians. While each interview highlighted a varying issue, the underlying premise, in a nutshell was that female artists are treated differently than their male counterparts.

Mercedes and Morgan Lander of Kittie mention that “talent isn’t always enough in the eyes of the masses. You have to be attractive if you’re a woman.” Jackie Chambers and Kim McAuliffe of Girlschool have also been on the receiving end of blatant sexism in relation to being women who perform as heavy metal artists.

Doro Pesch was asked to take on a more feminine image and drop the “leather jacket act” to create a more appealing image for her on-stage image.

If you do zone in on a few countries that seem to be averse to women in metal bands, you’d find that it’s a part of a much larger issue altogether. It isn’t that talented women aren’t taken seriously as a rock or heavy metal band, it’s just that being in any kind of musical group short of a church choir would be severely frowned upon (if not much, much worse) in a lot of societies. If it is a rarity in places like Saudi Arabia, clearly it is for very different reasons.

While that may be so in a few select countries, the situation isn’t that bad on an international scale. Clearly we’ve come a long way since then, with allgirl bands like The Runaways clearly being recognized for their talent alone. With bands like Swedish death metal act Arch Enemy that was formerly fronted by Angela Gossow, Otep led by Otep Shamaya and Halestorm, fronted by Lizzy Hale, all huge names in metal, female metal artists clearly aren’t as much of a novelty as it used to be. It is safe to say that a lot of women (if not all) are definitely being celebrated as musicians, gender be damned!

DRUM HOUSE

VYOMA SHAH

A Drummer’s Paradise

Drummers in India, an incredible opportunity to swiftly enhance your skills has finally come knocking.

Here’s introducing Drum House, a five-day immersive experience dedicated to solely practising and learning the drums in peaceful locations away from the city.

A first of its kind in India, Drum House is an initiative by Karun Kannampilly, an established drummer and music educator in the country.

He currently plays drums for The Koniac Net, percussion for Mukti Funk and collaborates with prominent artists like Raghav Meattle, Kamakshi Khanna and Bhrigu Sahni. Karun was part of the core teaching faculty at The True School of Music for four years and has now decided to pursue his own educational practice.

How Drum House came into existence In 2011, Karun attended a drum camp in California, hosted by one of his idols, Mike Johnston.

The camp gave him a whole new perspective on the instrument and right then, he knew that he had to bring that experience to India.

Drum House began in 2017. While teaching at the True School, Karun wanted to build a dedicated practise program that focused on the key aspects of drumming - time, independence, improvisation and groove - “I asked a few drummer friends if they wanted to collaborate on the concept and we packed our kits, drove to my house in Goa and Drum House 1.0 was born.” Their first public camp for beginners was held in December 2018 in Lavasa and the second one in Karjat at The Brook at Khanna’s farm, with Dhir Mody, an exceptional drummer, educator and long-time friend joining him as his business partner.

What each day entails Day one is setup and orientation.

The next four days have structured sessions, with days four and five also including lessons on recording. The day starts with a healthy breakfast at 9am, followed by two group sessions focused on specific aspects of drumming. After a quick lunch break, there’s another group session centered

around learning well-known and challenging grooves across different styles. The last session of the day is a mix of Q&A and discussions based on a special interest topic picked by the instructor. After all the sessions end, campers spend the evening enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the carefully curated locations at which the camps are hosted.

Who’s eligible and what campers can expect If you can play an elementary groove and can play a song from start to end you’re eligible! Campers get a welcome kit which includes a printed schedule, a syllabus book, camp ID tags, a practise pad and a pair of earplugs.

They have access to high end gear, from leading drum companies like Sonor, Gretch, Mapex, Zildjian, Meinl and Dream. “Our aim is to assemble a drum paradise where campers are free to experiment with different setups and sounds,” said Karun.

What campers have to say Rohan Joshi, one of the campers from the first public Drum House said, “Drum House was the perfect mix of challenging and relaxing.

There were times when that drum kit was my worst enemy, but then after hours of trying to nail down one basic thing, there’d be that breakthrough and that made it worth it. The drum kit was my friend again.”

Pranay Chowdhary, another attendee said, “It was definitely more than I expected it to be, I was very impressed with the structure and professionalism with which Karun conducted it. We have all upgraded our skill level by a few notches for sure. I can’t wait to go back!”

While currently the camps are for beginners and lower intermediate students, Drum house eventually plans to cater to students at all levels.

“We are working on collaborations with prominent international teachers and looking to tie up with brands such as Harman and Bajaao to give our campers the best experience,” said Karun.

If you’re a drummer, you do not want to miss this! Keep a look out for their upcoming camps.

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SOUVIK CHAKRABORT Y

Indian Numbers: International Blockbusters

Thanks to the internet, the music of our country like our cuisine, wardrobe and language has attracted the world like a majestic sunrise! The internet is clocking the Indian content to a level where it takes good content to spread like a fatal virus overnight! Over the past decade, this has almost been the next big revolution in the music industry. But, Indian numbers had made international blockbusters and raced the international charts even when the digital floodgates were not open. Here are a few numbers that made it to the sensation list Jimikki Kammal from the movie Velipadinte Pusthakam rose beyond its ordinary heights when a Twitter user tweeted the viral song from India to Kimmel. To the Twitteratti's surprise Kimmel replied that he "loves" the song and the 'sleeper hit' track from India became a global sensation overnight. Next thing, netizens started posting videos of them dancing and dubsmashing the song on the internet and it was soon a part of the invisible global culturefest which made its presence felt without even being there!

Why This Kolaveri Di gave a tough competition to even Lady Gaga by its phenomenally quirky lyrics and exuberance of Dhanush. The song touched the much coveted and highest views by an Indian song reaching 170 million hits in no time.

The song also got adjudged the top song by CNN for the year.

It ended the year being third on the international charts!

Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalali turned superstar Rajnikanth into a global superstar and especially in japan where he became the dancing maharaja. The Tamil drama fetched millions in yen at the box office and the song did became a rage with the Japanese folks.

Tunak Tunak Tun has grown old like old wines. From Canada, to Germany and Korea to China and Australia this 1998 track and its bhangra beats connected multiple cultures in one thread besides introducing the North Indian cultures in its sheer flamboyance. Recently Jackie Chan twerked and swayed to the beats of Daler in the 17th Shanghai Film Festival!

I Am a Disco Dancer another iconic erstwhile chartbuster has never faded from the international arena. At the time when there was no internet and ease of connectivity. The dance halls at the Russian summer resorts blared the dance number to an

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extent that for most Russians, the popularity of Mithun surpassed even that of Amitabh.

Mundian To Bach Ke became the international smash hit at the top 20 in over 12 countries. Besides selling off 10 million copies of the hip hop bazooka worldwide. The NRI communities lapped on to the song like an anthem in a short span of time. It aced the race of ranking one in Italy, Belgium, and other countries. In Germany, it sold over 100,000 units in two days! It achieved the feat of holding the second spot in Germany for the longest.

Awara Hu is perhaps the most celebrated and penchanting success of Indian music by far. The Raj Kapoor chartbuster became an instant hit at the time when celluloid as a medium was being developed and synapsed with a lot of cross cultural interferences. The Russians even had a dubbed version of the movie being premiered and sold out beyond the gut. The movie like the song hooked on the Russians like a frenzy.

Legend has it that, Raj Kapoor's car was lifted up and carried with raj Kapoor inside by the fans of his films. They carried him all the way from the theater on which the premier was held that night in Moscow. The banquets of Siberia and other cities of Russia used to beam gleefully with this song from the movie.

It is only justice that India as a culture has still been easily blended into other hemispheres of the world without a speck.

NAVYA C

Spiritual Grandiose of

Saint Thyagaraja Indian Classical Music is heavily dependent not just on the external layer of plain devotion towards the supreme power.

It goes beyond the bhakti yoga and gets into spirituality, by showing that God is eventually within us and the inquisitive nature of soul search is always present. Composers like Annamayya who predominantly wrote keertanams in praise of Lord Venkateshwara also embraced this order of “tatvam” which simply questions the journey of a soul. The fleeting aspect of a thought, desire, and running behind materialistic things is greatly questioned in such compositions. One of the most brilliant examples of Annamayya’s tatva keerthanam is Naanati Bratuku Naatakamu - which says that the entire life is just a drama with characters in it! Muttuswami Dikshitar prayed Goddess Lalitha in the majestic kriti Hiranmayeem Lakshmeem when he was coaxed by his wife to earn materialistic possessions than just plain worship.

Speaks about the illusory nature of life and how the imaginary aspects of life drive us in an unnecessary drama of it. Saint Thyagaraja also made sure that a meditative power of keeping heart and mind in control is necessary – apart from blind worship towards God. Some of the kritis which convey the same are: 1. Manasa Yetulorthune - Malayamarutham 2. Chakkani Raja Margamu - Kharaharapriya 3. Gnanamosagaraada - Poorvi Kalyani 4. Swara Raaga Sudha Rasa - Shankarabharanam 5. Sugunamule Cheppukonti - Chakravakam 6. Nidhi Chaala Sukhama - Kalyani 7. Manasuloni Marmamunu - Hindolam 8. Durmaargacharaadhamula - Ranjani 9. Dwaitamu Sukhama Advaitamu Sukhama - Reetigowla 10. Tatvameruga Taramaa - Garudadhwani All these aforementioned kritis speak elaborately about the fleeting nature of life and suggest not to develop too many attachments on low level aspects of it. In fact, some of them also mention about the sublime surrender towards the supreme being to get enough strength to maintain the spiritual balance. Every school of meditation around the world aims at silencing the confused state of mind and what better way is there than Saint Thyagaraja’s compositions to realize this fact!

But there is perhaps no other composer like Saint Thyagaraja who explored tatvam along with praise of Lord Rama in simple Telugu with easily understandable terms. It is not the complexity that is more challenging, but simplifying a subject like Spirituality is. He holds the entire credit for bringing spirituality to a common listener with some amazing compositions. Usually, Thyagaraja is associated with his eternal bhakti towards Lord Rama, which cannot be obviously questioned. On the eve of Saint Thyagaraja Aaradhana Season, we take a dig at his compositions which have an additional layer of spiritual science.

If we take the example of popular pancharatna kriti Dudukugala Nanne Dora, the charanams are full of self-analysis and how mankind is stuck in the race for money and power.

For example, Maanavathanu durlabha manuchu nemchi paramaananda monda leka mada mathsara kaama lobha mohula kuDaasudai - mosa bothi gaaka

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SHASHWAT KARKARE

INTERESTING DRUMMING CHANNELS ON YOUTUBE: 2) rDavidr: 1) Drumeo: An acronym for Drum Education Online, Drumeo started in 2012 and has slowly become the channel to watch for everything drumming. Not only do they teach drumming, the channel also invited guest artists such as Gavin Harrison, Mark Guiliana, Luke Holland etc to perform clinics and talk about the art- their styles, inspirations, techniques.

All available online, for free. But Drumeo’s attention to detail is what has made the channel stand out over the years. Lessons are recorded and uploaded on YouTube.

Sheet music for the same lessons are available for download in PDF format in the description of each video. Hence, the students watching are given easy access to the lesson in all formats and can choose as per convenience. Most such educational channels henceforth followed the same model.

With time, they also branched out into selling their own products including drum books, DVD’s, practice pads etc. Thus it became a full package where you were learning through teachers of Drumeo, with Drumeo gear. A one-stop solution to learn the drums.

Certain drum products are also reviewed here.

Is the name of the drumming channel of YouTuber David Raouf. Known on YouTube for his domestic wood workshop, he branched out and made a channel on drumming way back in 2006. The channel outlines drum hacks and tips that are very simple and can be used by anyone.

But the reason this channel stands out is the DIY (Do It Yourself) component. In his workshop, David teaches various ways of customizing and making your own accessories and drums using simple, store-bought materials. He creates snares, customizes cymbals and proves or disproves various popular theories on drumming. His videos always use a practical approach, using cheap and easily accessible raw materials. This gives everyone a fair chance to anyone to test and try what he does. Off late, he has also been collaborating with other YouTubers like Stephen Taylor, to make videos together- thus expanding his fan base.

He is also popular among fans as most of his videos are usually based on fan suggestions, or a variation thereof.

Now the same team also conducts classes on recording in a studio called Recordeo. They also teach guitar and piano. Hence we can see that just online, the YouTube channel can really call themselves a school of music.

3) Vic Firth: The only product based channel on this list, Vic Firth have made a big splash on the online community. The YouTube channel is perhaps the best known among the drumstick companies because of the variety of videos uploaded. The most common one being the ‘Product Spotlight’ series, where different products are talked about and demonstrated. Another interesting type is the ‘Artist Spotlight’ series, which highlights popular endorsees of Vic Firth. The likes of Jojo Mayer, Thomas Lang, Questlove, Mark Guiliana etc have performed solo pieces using Vic Firth drumsticks.

But by far, the most interesting concept is the newly introduced VF Jams series. This series is conducted in an intimate studio space with a small audience. It focuses on one drummer at a time, performing with an ensemble of percussionists, guitarists and a brass section. The piece is composed by the legendary Robert “Sput” Searight and has some of the best drummers performing; the likes of Benny Greb, Mark Gratzka, Mark Guiliana, to name a few have appeared on this series. Through these interesting videos and concepts, Vic Firth is leading the way in becoming one of the most popular and well known brand of drumsticks.

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ARITRO GHOSH

MUSIC PSYCHEDELIA Psychedelic music is a very common favorite nowadays, a very disproportionate fascination towards understanding the inner depths of human life and the reality behind it. This is so, as psychedelia, to a great extent is an answer to your quite a few different things. These include intimacy and depths of one’s infatuation towards someone, as well as solace towards oneself. Psychedelic music is the genre that stimulates the mind and causes your thoughts to emulate effectively. Therefore, one can count it to have a classification towards the lines of conventional and unconventional. Classic Rock music is one such addition to the unconventional type, one could say.

Although, the likes of Beatles, Doors, and David Bowie also go into this deep mixture, it’s the tone created by those like Queen and Prince that pluck out the aura from inside your bones. If you don’t believe me, you should try listening to Bohemian Rhapsody under a beautiful, starry night. “Hotel California” similarly, is one such song that if you try listening to over a drink, it’ll put you in a very unreal zone for the rest of that night.

It will leave you watching a different movie while you’re awake. The dazzling dementia you’re left with is overcome by letting go and feeling the tunes weld with your conscience. You psychologically feel your conscious and subconscious becoming one as you the guitar swings and Prince goes “Purple Rain!”. They all have different effects. Harder rock treats your mind like a vessel that needs filling and internalization, while softer rock from likes of Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even Elvis makes the soul whole by creating balance. It tries to give you the trip your superego looking for.

different vibe as compared to rock and in some cases even slow country.

This is as conventional always beats unconventional any day, if they’re having a music-off. EDM being the new craze, opens doors for DJs all round to experiment and invent new zones for psychedelic music. If one particular word had to be used to describe how EDM contributes in this field, it is “random”, as it opens up your brain, maximizes your thought process to the point, you’ll find utter randomness.

We are all familiar with trance music, or electro-music, which is the new and improved high music. One of our favorites from the “mix” is the Manali trance. Trance music, creates a very

Jimi Hendrix once said “Excuse me while I kiss the sky”. Psychedelic music and it’s poetry makes your neurons fly that high.

The visual representation along with the tune also play a very important part in this as well. Psychedelic songs have been known create the effect that it does using mighty visuals both static as well as dynamic. Some of the dynamic trance music which have animated visuals completely have us in their grasps. The combination of EDM with artistic and passionloaded, 2-D animation takes the mysticism to the inner depths of your brain. You’ll see stars fighting, or mysterious creatures inside you playing. Many types of stories are told through the music that’s used here, even hip-hop. Hip-hop dance music makes the neurons go flying, if you’re a dance fanatic.

Many do not fathom how much the music of the high makes musicians and dancers alike create newer and better music. It is essentially the music that inspires more music. It also does a lot for dance, through likes of Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane.

Slow music, unlike fast music emanates a separate mind over matter scenario as you see yourself walking paths with someone in Neverland, or planting seeds that grow into healthy crops. It could be anything that surreal. Just listen to Bob Dylan!

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AMOGH RAO

Drum Warmups for Better Expression Some of my favourite educational moments in drumming have been playing simple, straightforward exercises alongside the many teachers I’ve been lucky to have.

I first fell in love with the idea of these exercises because of their sheer versatility and applicability around the instrument, beyond just a traditional warmup. When gearing up for a practice session, it’s important to also warmup your mind alongside your hands and feet. Just practicing bars and bars of rudiments has the opposite effect, making you switch off parts of your brain and go on auto-pilot to the extent that when you’re ready to actually play, your creativity has vanished. Keeping this in mind, here are two of my go-to exercises. Feel free to twist them around and re-apply them in the infinitely different ways they were made to be played.

Inverted Doubles Far and above my favourite exercise, since its applicability has literally changed the way I approach phrases, expression and improvisation on the drums. The exercise is simply 4 bars of righthand lead single strokes, 4 bars of right-hand lead double strokes, another 4 bars of right-hand lead singles and then 4 bars of righthand lead inverted doubles. This makes the last note of the 4 bars fall on the right, switching the whole exercise to left-hand lead.

You then play 4 bars of left-hand lead singles, doubles, singles again and finally 4 bars of left-hand lead inverted doubles. Don’t forget to keep an eight note on your foot!

Here’s the sticking –

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RLRLRLRL x4

LRLRLRLR x4

RRLLRRLL x4

LLRRLLRR x4

RLRLRLRL x4

LRLRLRLR x4

RLLRRLLR x4

LRRLLRRL x4

The beauty of this seemingly simple exercise is the comfort you develop with inversions, which invariably allows you to fill in gaps in your grooves in unimaginable ways. You’re no longer playing simple ghost-notes and drags to buff up your eightnote grooves. These inversions create brand new textures across any and every groove once brought up to tempo and smoothened out.

Accent-Ghost Permutations Arguably the most crucial component to learning dynamics is getting a strong control over your wrists and fingers as they play through different volumes and attacks. Fortunately to begin with, there are just two main kinds of strokes needed to master – the accent and the ghost-note.

And since there are just two, the total possible permutations and combinations only add up to 6.

However, they require significant wrist control and technique as you play them at higher tempos in order to maintain fluidity. So here’s an exercise that covers it.

Capital letters denote accents and regular ones denote ghost notes.

RrRr

rRrR

RRrr

rrRR

rRRr

RrrR

The same structure can be applied to the left hand, and to get even more creative, you can replace each letter with a single stroke roll (RL), or a double stroke or any other simple/compound rudiment. As long as you follow the framework of accent-ghost note, this system becomes another conceptual skeleton that can be applied in ridiculously enjoyable ways across the pad and kit.

TITUS PINTO

Th

As you’re reading this, hundreds of songs are making their way to streaming platforms across the world. Barring the commercial music (read marketing collaterals rather than a representation of an artist’s sensibilities), most music ends up seeing nothing more than doubledigit plays. If you glance at your playlist history, almost all the music you hear on a daily basis is something you have heard before.

Is it the familiarity that gives us a fleeting sense of comfort? Or does music really have the power to erase boundaries and pull you right in? It’s a little bit of both a lot more than that.

Now that we know what it is called, here’s why we do it. You’re sub-consciously going back to your song over and over because of the tiny amounts of dopamine your brain releases. When we like particular music, it appeals to the brain. Give the brain what it likes and it releases happy chemicals - the same dopamine that’s released when you bite into your favourite burger or get your cheeks

The mood of songs is also a big factor that affects the number of times you loop it. A 2014 study published in the BPS research digest states that bittersweet songs received the highest number of replays - on an average 790 times as compared to 515 for calm songs and 175 for happy songs.

The music we listen to says a lot about how our minds are wired and what kind of people we are. It’s this need to consume and be consumed that keeps music alive. This behaviour invariable expands our music vocabulary and taste. While we’ll stick to our go-to jams, this need to simply listen makes us embark on quests to find that next earworm. This eventually exposes us to different forms of music - different in terms of genre, place of origin and time period. This may just be the fact why some forms of music have sustained over time and not become obsolete. Also, the more you hear, the more you listen. For example, repeated plays are bound to reveal multiple layers, layers the artist didn’t want to make apparent on the first listen. Listen to Since I’ve Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin. Once you hear Bonham’s squeaky bass drum pedal, you can’t unhear it - an addition to the music that was intentionally placed but not with the sole purpose of being the highlight.

and over

Music is one of those rare art forms where you can consume the same piece over and over without losing interest. Think of restarting your favourite movie as soon as the ending credits hit and the whole premise seems highly unappealing. Not music, though. The songs you grew up to are songs you look forward to on days you’re feeling particularly nostalgic. Playlists get segregated as those meant specifically to welcome the weekend and those meant to nurse the hangover that invariably follows. There’s work music, there’s gym music. Scour the internet and there’s also ‘study music’. What binds all of them are the songs that we look forward to revisiting. This syndrome of maniacally hitting play over and over is what the internet calls ‘extreme re-listening’ and TBH we’re all guilty of doing this at some point or the other.

clapped. Just like the music, your brain happens to really like dopamine and hence can’t stop repeating things that give it its fix.

er ck ov tra me sa

t s o t p ’ listen n a c u o ing y y h to w th s i e is

As is with most things that catch our attention, we run a very real risk of wearing a song out by playing it multiple times. The sad bit the song will devolve from your jam to just another song. The good bit - there’s always a song out there waiting to replace your demoted song.

So…what are you listening to?

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In conversation with

Anil Srinivasan 36

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on Casio’s music property The Pianist and more

Briefly tell us about your association with Casio and the journey so far.

musician, as i think it is a responsibility to the next generation.

The first ever keyboard i ever played was a Casio VL Tone..Casio has also been part of some of my most exotic platforms and journeys. I would say it has been integral to my life.

How important do you think music education is in India?

What are some of your favorite products of Casio and why?

I love the Privia and also the AP 450 and 650 for the purity of tone and near piano clarity. I would say this is far superior to any other digital piano in the market today.

Casio's property The Pianist is a great platform for pianists across India. What's your take on this opportunity?

Working with children is a big part of my life. Encouraging the next generation of musicians, specifcally pianists - is very much a part of my agenda. The Pianist is unique in its conception and will be a big boost to young pianists across the country. The plethora of opportunities that do exist are mainly for singing talent. It is high time we encouraged budding pianists.

In short, tell us what is this competition about and what makes it unique?

This competition seeks out young pianists. The piano has a number of takers in India. We have adapted it to Indian music in addition to jazz and Western classical music.

It is not wrong to say that the piano has a strong Indian tradition now. This competition specifically seeks to identify that.

Moreover it is going to all parts of the country as opposed to being Mumbai centric. There is piano talent all over the country and it is unfair that we do not recognize that.

The TN edition goes to 8 cities across Tamil Nadu. This has never been attempted. Furthermore it is encouraging talent across technical groups - beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of piano playing.

Why do you think one must participate in this competition and what do the winners get?

I think participating in this will start a revolution for piano playing. We need to assert the importance of the instrument as well as its versatility.

Winners will get a piano, a chance to tour with me and a TV appearance - in short, launch of a professional career for advanced levels of piano playing. I am doing this as a senior

It was always an integral part of living and learning, especially in the South. The past three decades have seen a decline..i believe that people need to understand musicin-education differently from music education. The former looks at music as a holistic intelligence facilitator while the latter looks at performance. The former is essential to ALL children. I set up Rhapsody to address that as a service to schools. We work with 216000 kids today!

How do you intend spreading the Piano culture in the country as a well-established and recognized musician?

Since I do work with over 200 primary and secondary schools already, I intend to spread awareness and interest in the topic. I am deeply ensconced in the education space including among the economically disadvantaged.

Initiatives such as The Pianist should be undertaken more and more.

How do you think a musician must leverage the Digital space and how have you done so?

There is no escaping it. Digital is the space to be in for learning, collaboration and sharing. I have worked on learning videos for Casio exclusively for FB and instagram and these have worked superbly. I have two channels on YouTube (Anil Srinivasan and Anil Talkies). I am also still a learner on this space and will be doing more teaching in the time to come.

Tell us about your upcoming music albums I have Carnatic collaborations with Sikkil Gurucharan and Jayanthi Kumaresh coming out in addition to Hindustani work with Rakesh Chaurasia.

Live In Colombo, my initial foray into a more contemporary sound will also be online by June..

Your message to our readers Enjoy music in all forms..music is life

When & in which cities will the auditions for the Pianist be held in?

Event

Dates

City

Prelims

19th & 20th Jan, 2019

Chennai

27th Jan, 2019 (Sunday)

Tirunelveli

02nd Feb, 2019 (Saturday)

Trichy

03rd Feb, 2019 (Sunday)

Madurai

16th Feb, 2019 (Saturday)

Coimbatore

17th Feb, 2019 (Sunday)

Salem

24th Feb, 2019 (Sunday)

Chennai

Finale

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KAUSTHUB RAVI & SIVANESH NATARAJAN

New plug-Ins in town: Catch ‘Em All Waves factory Trackspacer 2.5 PLUG-IN SOMETIMES THE SIMPLEST IDEAS ARE THE BEST This one is a fresh iteration of an old friend that I use. This simple but effective plugin has won quite a few awards and its the closest thing to “auto-mixing” that we have right now.

Anyone who has had masking issues with certain elements in a mix, for example, a guitar part and vocals, has tried a variety of methods by now. From mid-side EQ, compressing certain frequencies with a multiband compressor, to straight up carving the frequency out if the guitar. There was a technique that I personally liked to do, where I’d send a side chain signal out of saying a vocal track. Now I would add a multiband comp on the track that I want to be ducked and select the overlapping frequency. Now the multi band comp, with the side chain input from the vocal only ducks the offending frequency in the guitars.

This is pretty much what Trackspacer does. But it does it with much more ease and it does it well! While I used a multi band comp, Trackspacer uses an internal 32 band EQ that listens to side chain signal from one track and applies a reversed EQ to the source that its on. The UI is super simple. It has a big knob in the middle to dial in the amount of reduction that's being applied to the source along with high cut and low cut filters. there's a small button that opens up an advanced menu with pan, Mid-side and attack/release controls.

While this plugin seems like an absolute must have and must do on every mix, I would advise some caution. Sometimes masking can be musical and while the instant gratification of achieving easy separation in a mix is great, in a lot of cases it leads to a sterile and uninteresting mix. The big “mix knob” as

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I like to call it is quite important and the less you can use, in my experience, the better results you ultimately get. The high pass and low pass filters basically let you choose the range that the plugin ducks and it can be used for quite narrow bands. I quite prefer narrower, as I find it to be the least invasive. You can really get a kick and bass to easily separate while still leaving out the subs either one etc. Lots of possibilities when compared to straightforward side chain compression.

All in all, its a great tool to have and it does make mixing quicker and easier. Go easy on it and it can make a huge difference to a mix.

Leapwing Audio CenterOne Stereo Processor Plug-in LIFE-SAVER! Keeping in context with our previous reviews, let's look at another next-gen plugin that’s not trying to emulate some hardware counterpart but rather looking to do something entirely new. This is a plugin that manipulates the phantom center of a stereo track while keeping the audio panorama intact.

Leapwing is a company known for its high end, ultratransparent plugins. And this one is no exception. Its ability to manipulate stereo information in a mix is insane. There are plugins that seem to do this. For example, Centre by Waves is a popular tool. But this plugin takes it to a new level.

First off, its got a really nice looking high DPI interface that is extremely simple and easy to use. While it may seem like a typical Mid Side processor, the Belgian company claims to use sophisticated panning and spatial manipulation algorithms licensed from two French other DSP companies.

Let's get into what this thing actually does. To put it super simple, you can pop out or push in the phantom center.

While this may be the most used function for most, it is also important to say that it can be used for so much more.

You can have the plugin split the stereo signal into the left, (phantom) center and right signals. This allows you to process differently in a DAW and opens up a whole range of possibilities (The setup and routing for this feature does change for every DAW) While one may think a traditional M/S processor does the same thing, this is quite different.

It's so much smoother and transparent. The Center Prominence control behaves like a focus control for typical mixes, sending vocals, soloists and the like forward or back

in the soundstage without affecting the bigger picture.

This plugin while it may not see too much use in a mix scenario, it is a life saver for repair work and extremely useful in mastering. One can apply reverb to the sides, and EQ the center only, or use the band-pass filter to selectively remove center-panned vocals without taking out center-panned bass at the same time.

Pros • Unique processing algorithms for extracting LCR data from a stereo audio stream.

• Ability to emphasize or pull back the center (vocals, bass, kick) in a stereo mix without affecting overall stereo panorama.

• Five audio channel outputs for excellent flexibility splitting out the stereo and LCR audio streams.

• Very high-quality results Cons • The CPU usage is on the high side compared to most of your plug-ins, but it does things you can’t do otherwise!

• 64 bit only if you are stuck at 32 bits!

• Pretty expensive

This plugin is one of those. It offers a slightly new take on good old fashion saturation and distortion.

Softube Harmonics Analog Saturation Processor Plug-in START A FIRE The world of audio plugins has gotten increasingly huge and at this point, they all pretty much do the same things with a few minor differences. Most plugins these days sound clean and do what you expect them to do. Why review and think about new plugins then?

It's not about chasing a sound but rather looking for plugins that offer minor workflow tweaks that help you think differently when you find yourself in a rut with certain mixes.

First off, it comes with five different modes. Solid state, Transformer, Tube, Modern, and Master. Each mode adds very different kinds of colour to your mixes. This allows you to think of different possible colours for your sources and also makes the plugin quite versatile. The plugin also offers something unique- a dynamic control. In most cases adding saturation will even out dynamics in a source and that is the intended outcome in most cases as well. But this plugin responds to the dynamics of the source material and adds a new dimension to boring old saturation. The thing with saturation is, while it adds grit and excitement to your tracks, it can sometimes kill transients leading to a flatter sound. But this plugin analyses the audio and preserves the dynamics even with the heavy distortion applied. It comes with a knob that changes the way the dynamic feature works, making it more or less dynamically responsive. It's almost like a compressor/expander that does saturation. There are high and low cut filters for some fine control along with a very useful mix knob.

In conclusion, this plugin adds a nice fresh take on saturation and while the price may be a little steep, it makes up for it by being extremely versatile.

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KNOWING your TAPE SATURATION plug-in Today, we are all only using DAW, to record, mix and master.

Since the digital revolution took place in the early 90’s, we all are now into full-fledged computer based recording. Before the digital recordings, the audio was recorded on a tape based format to store the content. Today, the current generation has not even heard of tape based recording. Many people think it has hiss noise but they don’t realize that the tape has these core important sound and terms of the Bias /Wow / Flutter and Flux. Let me explain them in short below. Before jumping into these terms, we also know what is their tape size and recording capacity.

can handle before distortion. Vintage tapes have a thicker lowend sound while the modern tapes have a punchier sound which means more extended headroom and less noise/saturation.

Generally these can be controlled in today’s tape saturation plugins in our DAW!

In earlier times, the studios used a multichannel tape machine for recording and a two track tape machine for mastering their final stereo track. The tape is also referred to as “OPEN REEL” format which is commonly used in the audio industry.

Typically, fewer tracks will require maintaining fidelity so a two-track machine will be for that and for multi-track recording they would use a 4-tracks, 8-tracks, 16-tracks or 24-tracks. The bigger tape machine companies were Studer, Tascam and Otari to name a few.

3. 900 – To have a punchier sound

Now coming to the Tape speed, it overall affects the sound. All the tape machines use the head bump and little boost in the LOW frequency. It all depends on the Tape speed which is measured in inches per second or IPS. Faster Tape speed offers great high quality recording or good fidelity and slower tape speed reduces the High frequency and boost low and mid frequency in your recordings.

Here are some tips of tape type and how to set it.

1. 250 – Greater noise floor and the high frequency is rolled off and big low frequency boost 2. 456 – To get good Low frequency boost 4. GP9 - To have least distortion and a flat frequency response The great part of the tape saturation plug-ins is the luxury they offer to tweak their settings in our DAW in digital domain to get the best result. Here are the few tech terms of the TAPES • Bias – To prevent artefacts. Over biasing adds extra 3db to 4db of ultrasonic signal were some engineers prefer • Flux – A control which dictates when the signal will distort.

Higher the flux rate is you can have source hit the signal before distortion.

• Wow – It’s the fluctuations in the frequency below 4Hz caused by the moment in the tape machines • Flutter – The fluctuations in the frequency above 4Hz caused by the moment the tape machines

The standard Tape speeds are

Tape Emulation plugins

• 7.5 ips – considered more low fidelity, more Low frequency and mid but less High Frequency

• Waves – J37 is based on the 4-track Multichannel Tape machine

• 15 ips - considered more midrange boost around 100 Hz to 110Hz, good for heavy rock music!

• 30 ips - considered to the best, more boost in the low midrange around 200 Hz Another important thing to consider is the Type of TAPES. Each tape has its own characteristic of frequency response, compression and distortion. This is defined by the Input they

• Slate Digital – Virtual Tape machine – based on the Studer A827 2 inches 16-track Tape machine • UAD – Is based on the Studer A800 Multichannel Tape machine and also Ampex ATR 102 Mastering Tape machines • Softtube – Is based on Studer, ATR and EMI Tape machines Hope these tape saturation terms and tips help you produce great analogue sounding tone in your mix and master. Happy Mixing and Mastering!

Author: Baba.L.Prasad. He is the owner and chief Sound/Mix and Mastering Engineer at Digi Sound Studio. He also teaches Sound Engineering and Music Production courses. For more details, visit www.digisoundacademy.com

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ROLAND UNVEILS AX-EDGE KEYTAR Step Into the Spotlight with a Unique Mobile Performance Synth Featuring Pro Sounds, Customizable Looks, and More

Roland unveils the AX-Edge Keytar, a performance synthesizer designed to be played in a standing position with a shoulder strap. Building on decades of refinement and input from artists around the world, the AX-Edge features 49 full-sized keys and a professional sound set crafted specifically for keytarists. It also offers a sleek, modern design with the unique ability to interchange Edge Blades and customize the instrument’s look. Compact and battery operated, the AX-Edge is a powerful mobile instrument that enables performing keyboardists to take center stage and put their music in the spotlight.

The AX-Edge delivers a striking presence that makes any live player stand out. Models are available in black or white finishes, and the black model features an all-black keyboard for a dark, sophisticated appearance. Each AXEdge model comes with an extra Edge Blade in the box (a silver Edge Blade for the black model and a gold Edge Blade for the white), allowing the player to create a fresh look that complements their personal performance style.

Inside the AX-Edge is a carefully curated sound set driven

by Roland’s latest sound technologies. Optimized for stage performance, the sounds are designed to cut through even in loud bands. Dedicated buttons provide instant access to edgy leads, fat basses, and all types of sounds perfect for the performing keytarist, whether it’s taking solos or sharing the limelight with bandmates.

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Users can customize sounds by wirelessly connecting to the AX-Edge editor app with Bluetooth MIDI. Splits and layers take full advantage of the expansive, full-sized keyboard, and there’s wealth of stunning effects that provide polished, studio-quality tone in any venue. And thanks to the Tone Remain function, players can switch sounds seamlessly without notes or effect tails being cut off prematurely.

With its highly intuitive neck controls, the AX-Edge offers maximum expression for taking performances to new levels. There’s a modulation bar and pressure-sensitive pitch ribbon, easy-to-reach portamento, hold, octave, and program change buttons, and an array of assignable controls that can be tailored to any performance style.

Gigging keyboard players need to cover lots of different sounds and parts, and often have to function as the backbone of the entire act. The AX-Edge is filled with thoughtful stage features, including an innovative dual display system, arpeggiator, and onboard song player for handling backing duties. There’s even a built-in vocoder, which can be layered with internal sounds to create unique backing vocals or funky, retro lead parts.

When powered with rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, the AXEdge provides up to four full hours of mobile playing time.

The instrument can also be powered via an AC adaptor.

To learn more about the AX-Edge Keytar, visit Roland.com.

SENNHEISER G4-835 WIRELESS SYSTEM: Engineered with Best of Audio Technology & Intuitively Simple Operating Controls The fourth-generation evolution wireless series makes professional wireless technology even more simple, flexible and reliable. Sennheiser’s evolution Wireless G4 series is a system that grows with you. The fourth generation of Sennheiser's most popular series worldwide leaves nothing to be desired in terms of flexibility, ease of use and reliability. Whether you are on tour, at an outdoor shoot, in the conference room or in the auditorium – the G4 can do it all. Sennheiser proudly brings to you EW 100 G4-835-S, from the house of fourth generation series of Evolution 100. A perfect designed all-in-one wireless system that grows on you whether you are a musician, filmmaker, convention speaker or presenter, its meant for everyone. No matter where your stage is or of what scale it is, the G4 series have been designed in a way to ensure you don’t have to restrict your passion. G4 is the easiest professional system to use at its price point. The intuitive display at the heart of the system, the true diversity receiver, provides for quick and easy operation. The Wireless Systems Manager software and the Control Cockpit makes it incredibly easy to control multichannel systems and ensure the perfect workflow.

The 100 series have become the first choice for both sound designers and occasional users because of its simple operating concept and phenomenal sound quality. The product being one of the flagship offerings of Sennheiser’s G4 100 series, has been engineered for professional live sound. A rugged all-in-one wireless system offers state-of-the-art live sound with its half-rack receiver in a full-metal housing with intuitive LCD display for full control. The system offers easy and flexible wireless synchronization between transmitter and receiver via infrared and the new linking functionality allows fast frequency allocation for up to 12 receivers. With the transmission Range of up to 100 meters / 300 feet and up to 20 compatible channels along with 42 MHz bandwidth with 1680 selectable frequencies, it is fully tunable in a stable UHF range offering a high RF output power (up to 30 mW). Redefining flexibility for the new age users the G4-835 set consists of 1 SKM 100 G4 handheld with mute switch, 1 MMD 835-1 capsule (supercardioid, condensor), 1 EM 100 G4 rackmount receiver, 1 GA3 rack kit and 1 RJ10 linking.

G4 series simplifies everyone’s lives. The professional sound engineers and avid users love its flexibility and versatility and casual users adore how easy it is to setup, making it extremely user-friendly. Every product in the G4 series is loved by users across category as it helps them to focus on one key objective of connecting with audience, without having to worry about anything else. The ew 100 is has become the most popular series of G4 systems. The 100 series comprises Vocal Sets that include the acclaimed capsules of the evolution e 835, e 845, e 865, e 935, and e 945 microphones. Also available are an Instrument Set, a Headmic Set and two Lavaliere Sets with either the ME 2-II (omni) or ME 4 (cardioid). All transmitters and the receiver are also available separately.

Compared to Sennheiser’s previous G3, the 100 series is upgraded and more evolved with its new multi-channel capabilities. The enhanced Easy Set-up function allows Up to 12 wireless systems which can be daisy-chained for simultaneous programming. The daisy-chain cable comes included, as do rack-mount ears for professional use. The orange LCD display of G3 has been replaced with a highcontrast black and white LCD display. Also new are a sync LED and an Escape button for more convenient and quicker operation. The 100-series handheld features a new lightweight aluminium housing, and a programmable mute switch for singers or speakers seeking full control of their audio signal.

Also new is a 100 series Combo Set that includes a rack-mount receiver, a handheld transmitter with e 835 capsule, and a bodypack transmitter with ME 2-II clip-on.

So everyone who is looking for a wireless system at a valueconscious price, it for an upgrade to EW 100 G4-835 without giving any second thought. It is perfectly designed to deliver an unprecedented experience, one that evolves with you at every step.

Whether you are on a live stage or in your favourite venue or at a major festival, in houses of worship or in the theatre; the

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Bose Professional MSA12X Resonates an Impeccable Sound Experience At MIT Loni-Kalbhor’s Colossal Dome

The Maharashtra Academy of Engineering Education and Research's Maharashtra Institute of Technology, popularly known as MAEER'S MIT college, is home to one of the largest domes in the world. The structure, as affirmed by Dr Vishwanath Karad, Founder of MAEER'S MIT College Pune, is one of the largest domes in the world, and is also home to a subliminal audio experience thanks to the world’s leading brand in innovative professional audio technology – Bose Professional.

Mr. Kulkarni – IT Head at MIT Loni-Kalbhor, and the man in charge of the project in terms of its technological infrastructure including the acoustics and sound reinforcement, shares “MIT is a place where history and legacy meets science and cutting-edge technology; and this is a virtue that we are both proud of and abide by very strictly.

This fact is amply demonstrated through the establishment of the massive dome structure at our Loni-Kalbhor campus.

Thus, by default, it was imperative that we acquired only the best state-of-the-art pro audio system for the dome. There were several key considerations that factored in the selection for the appropriate sound system – from aesthetics to superior sound quality and unmatched distribution and coverage. After checking almost every available option in the market, we found the Bose system to meet all our requirements. We met with the team that finally commissioned the sound system here, and they proposed a precise design sketched through their Modeler Presentation system. We must commend the fact that they went the extra mile in providing a live demonstration of the entire proposed solution which certified the modelled results; and that is when we were completely convinced about the positives of the system, and of the system being an absolute value for money investment.”

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The Panaray MSA12X loudspeaker system is controlled and managed through a Bose ControlSpace® ESP1280C processor, which highlights the system’s Dante digital audio network interfacing capability and ensures smooth and easy control of the entire system.

The dome was inaugurated on 2nd October 2018 by the honorable Vice-President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu, in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. And according to Mr Kulkarni – the entire program unfolded smoothly, much to the delight of everyone in attendance, with special commendation towards the subliminal sound experience thanks to Bose, where the primary FOH system comprising the Bose Panaray MSA12X loudspeakers delivered a flawless performance, along with the revolutionary Bose L1 System deployed as fills along the flanks of the dome during the function.

Mr Vibhor Khanna – Country Manager – SAARC, Bose Professional expressed his thoughts about the brand’s association with the project as he asserted, “The MIT is an iconic institution in our country’s education legacy, and the MIT Loni-Kalbhor campus is now a symbol of excellence for the world, as it is now home to an architectural marvel. The dome depicts the advancements in design and technology that we as a country have achieved; and it is a matter of such great honour and pride that the management at MIT Loni-Kalbhor decided to partner with Bose Professional for an unmatched sound experience. We would like to thank and commend the entire management at MIT Loni-Kalbhor for investing their faith in our brand; and a special vote of thanks to the entire audio commissioning team for a job well done in commissioning a truly state-of-the-art audio architecture at the dome. We are proud to deliver the kind of world-class audio solution that an iconic and exemplary structure like the MIT Loni-Kalbhor dome truly deserves.”

13th edition

YOUR RECORD WE REWARD

13 YEARS OF CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN SOUND RECORDING & MUSIC PRODUCTION

Showcase your best

NOMINATE NOW

www.iraa.in/registration.aspx

IRAA AWARDS 2019 CATEGORIES Audio Engineering

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Education Awards

NOMINATIONS CLOSE 30 TH APRIL 2019

Be Part of the Celebration

AWARD CEREMONY ON 1 ST JUNE, 2019 BEC, MUMBAI

For more information, Contact:

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MUKESH AMARAN

ALBUM ARTicle:

LAINE BUTLER Laine Butler is the album artist of the month. The visual artist and Music Producer from Vancouver , BC, Canada is the brains behind the I M U R album THIRTY33’s cover art. We spent some time getting into the life of this multi talented artist.

1. Hello, a little bit about yourself and your background in arts and music?

I’m a visual artist and Music producer from Vancouver, BC, Canada. I started playing guitar at the age of seven then fell in love with electronic music in my later teenage years. I started crudely recording local highschool bands in my parents basement. I also played in a few bands and I’ve produced under a few pseudonyms throughout the years and performed throughout Canada.

In high school I took a graphic design class, I really didn’t care for it then. I started making a comic book from photos messed in photoshop with my brother. That’s when it kinda clicked that I loved making visual art.

2. At this point in your career, what role did music have to play in you getting to where you are, both as a musician and a visual artist.

It’s been a pretty interesting path. If it wasn’t for my musical involvement with Chapel Sound and the Vancouver artist community then I for sure wouldn’t have a career in Visual Art. It has definitely opened doors with many local artists and collectives. Chapel Sound used to run a monthly night called Subshop, which was a beat critique and then a showcase of Vancouver's Bass and electronic music talent. It was very much a D.I.Y playground for us and that's where I turned on the projector and went down the visual art rabbit hole.

3. Tell us about your collaboration with IMUR (THIRTY33) from conception, the process of creation and the finished piece.

I M U R reached out to me, and another artist, Eli Muro to work with them on the conceptualization for the art for their project. We had a brief and went through a bunch of idea's, then one day I was messing around with Cinema4D, using

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gradients and making abstract geometry. I showed it to them one day while they were doing a photo shoot, and they seemed keen. 6 months later they reached back out and asked to use it for album art, and Amine, using his ultra photoshop abilities created the beautiful layout along with Eli's Logo for the band. It was pretty amazing seeing a collaboration come together like that!

4. Audio Visual sets are gaining a lot more popularity amongst fans of today. In a gig, do visuals play a supporting role with music as the primary or do they have an equal role to play in the overall experience?

I really enjoy this question. In set's I work on, I try to make sure the visuals play more of a supporting role, but in that sense, like it's another band member. Visuals should harmonize with the music, certain musical frequencies tend to relate really well with various colours. This coupled with the visual contents rhythm and tempo really helps support the band or act.

5. Tell us more about Chapel Sound Music and Art Collective.

Chapel Sound is a music and Art Collective out of Vancouver.

It consists of a ton of local talent. It pretty much started in Sean Oh and Eli Muro's living room then expanded with the powerhouse that is Nancy Lee and various other crew members. www.chapelsound.org has a great write up that goes into a bit more of the history of the group. The collective put's on shows and events and helps out the local creative community with events. Some pretty large names seem to have gone through there. I consider it more of an institution, helping each other, lending each other's talents and vision to help one another to build some pretty amazing things.

Gig Calendar FEBRUARY 2019 MUMBAI Feb 1

Make Like a Tree

The Quarter, Mumbai

Feb 1

Kitty Su Mumbai x sLick! present Oona Dahl

Kitty Su, Mumbai

Feb 2

Salvation Star Presents Mumbai Post Pride Party

Kitty Su, Mumbai

Feb 6

SK Official Performing LIVE

Flyp Café, Mumbai

Feb 6

Electric Boogaloo feat. Trikk (Innervisions)

Kitty Su, Mumbai

Feb 25

Tribute to the Divas by Top Storey

The Quarter, Mumbai

BENGALURU Feb 1

DJ Paypal (Teklife), Oceantied & Yung.Raj

Fandom, Bangalore

Feb 9

Guitar Prasanna

Fandom, Bangalore

Feb 19

Peepal Tree - Thursday Live!

Hard Rock Café, Bangalore

Feb 21

Entropy Live at Fandom

Fandom, Bangalore

DELHI Feb 1

Parvati Krishnan ft. Harshit, Reuben & Rythem

The Pianoman Jazz Club, New Delhi

Feb 2

MHC Throwdown: TroyBoi V!BEZ Tour: Delhi

Kitty Su, New Delhi

Feb 4

Jelena Ciric

The Pianoman Jazz Club, New Delhi

Feb 9

Sabor do Brasil

The Pianoman Jazz Club, New Delhi

Feb 15

The Obvious Cats - Thursday Live!

Hard Rock Café, New Delhi

GURUGRAM Feb 2

Knight Shades

Saints N Sinners, Gurugram

Feb 10

Simple Truth

Saints N Sinners, Gurugram

PUNE Feb 12

Machayenge with Emiway Bantai

Hard Rock Café, Pune

Feb 16th & 17th

VH1 Supersonic

Laxmi Lawns, Pune

NASHIK Feb 2nd & 3rd

Sulafest at Sula Vineyards

Nashik

If it isn’t here, it isn’t happening! Write to us at contactus@highonscore.com to get your event featured!

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highonscore

Loud and Clear The S360 combines main monitor performance with compact size, delivering a true reference even at high sound pressure levels. And with our GLM software, the S360 will intelligently adapt to your acoustic environment.

So if you need to really feel the energy in your music – or are working with large scale immersive film production – it is no longer a choice between power and precision.

Find out more at www.genelec.com/S360

Distribution by Sound Team T: +91 22 2881 4041 E: info@soundteam.in www.soundteam.in