The Score Magazine July 2021 issue by The Score Magazine

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 14 Issue 06 June 2021

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Music Technology

5 Advantages of Using More Than One DAW

On the cover

SACHIN & JIGAR Getting Candid with the Contemporary Composer Duo

Score Indie Quickie

Kamakshi Khanna Score Magazine

In conversation with Punya Mantri, Shanti People, Osho Jain and more. highonscore.com The

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INDEX

Read about

Find out

Instrument or Vocal- The ultimate debate

Explained: The Names of Indian Music Instruments

The physics of Saraswati Veena

Music Tech

Catharsis through Raagas - a route to wellbeing

Save Your Studio from Power Disasters

6 Recording Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs

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THE TEAM

INDIA’S NATIONAL PAN-GENRE MUSIC MAGAZINE

Director, Business Development Pragash VM Director, Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Director Ajay Prabhakar Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Creative Director George Vedamanickam Creative Designer Surya Kala Naveen Cover story transcript Navya C Content Contributors Aditi Sarawagi Akarsh Shekhar Easwaran Anantram Kanupriya Modi Palak Doshi Shaurya Singh Thapa Souvik Chakraborty

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Mixing immersive music: why make the leap? I began to get intrigued with immersive audio around 5 years ago, when I heard some Imogen Heap Atmos material at the Genelec Experience Centre in London. After I’d done a bit of reading on the subject, I got to understand the object/bed based nature of the mix workflow and this got me even more interested. I could tell that immersive was a format that the public could easily access, and that the binaural foldowns can actually sound really good in their own right, and to me it had the potential to be a new standard rather than just a premium service – so I started talking to the guys at Dolby, to work out how best to make the move into immersive.

Upgrading the room

I have a small 4 metre x 3 metre mix/ production room which was already FULL with my stereo rig! After consulting with Genelec we started to spec a sensible 7.2.4 rig that could handle the bass management and would actually fit in the space. I have great interfaces with a huge I/O count, so sparing the dedicated outs wasn't an issue – and I've managed to keep my Atmos and stereo rigs completely separate. My immersive monitoring set up consists of Genelec 8330s for surrounds, 7360 subs, plus 8320s for elevation. The GLM software

has been vital – it made everything come together and work with zero issues, and the combination of small monitor footprint and significant power is especially valuable to me as I have such limited space.

Immersive workflow

Working in immersive is a really different workflow for the majority of the jobs. A lot of the major label projects involve working from stems and matching the Atmos mix very closely to the stereo master, but in immersive space. This can be a challenge when stems are not created carefully or have been mixed in a top-down workflow, and that part just removed for mastering/ stem creation. Technical difficulties aside, I’d describe stereo mixing as like painting a wall - while immersive mixing is more like painting the wall, the ceiling, all the other walls in the room and the empty space between them! You get huge benefits in dynamics, clarity and spaciousness, but it’s easy to make the mixes feel ‘softer’ than the stereo versions and that's not acceptable for me. I spend a lot of effort keeping impact and energy, especially in the binaural render.

The new standard

The immersive work I’m doing is mainly for major label singles for both new and very-established

artists, as well as some jazz and classical album projects and new UK artists such as Steam Down, Theon Cross and many more. It's really an amazing time to be involved, and we're even discussing producing a new album project so it can take advantage of Atmos right from the early stages of production. This could be really interesting. I also think that Apple Music’s decision to partner with Dolby is game-changing - they are pushing immersive as the new standard, and that is the most important step in creating a new normal. I'm very excited by it and feel very lucky to be working on so much immersive mixing already. My advice for anyone considering getting into immersive is to download the renderer, learn it backwards, start on headphones and make the leap to an in-room monitoring system as soon as you can. It's daunting – but when you're in it, there's nothing like the feeling of being properly surrounded by your mix!

About the author

Emre Ramazanoglu is a Londonbased songwriter, producer, mixer and programmer who describes his sound as “Dysfunctional Pop”. He’s worked with Noel Gallagher, Lily Allen, Steam Down, Theon Cross, David Holmes, Paloma Faith, Carly Rae Jepson and many

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Getting Candid with the Contemporary Composer Duo

SACHIN-JIGAR

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PRAGASH VM / SNEHA RAMESH Creating a unique sound and music brand especially in today’s competitive market is not an easy task at all. With tons of talent around, the unique brand making when it comes to Bollywood and off-beat Indian music needs lot of efforts, brainstorming along with good ear for what clicks and what exactly is happening out in the world of music. The two masterful gentleman Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya have proved their mettle as film music and off beat music composerswho have a different edge altogether. After working as orchestrators for the popular film music composer Pritam Chakraborty, they rose to prominence by being a musical duo that gives a thump as well as striking the heartstrings in the right strokes with their series of successful project. With their close association with impactful filmmakers Raj and DK, Sachin- Jigar made waves with their latest offering even in OTT with a song in Family Man Season 2. Their music is pleasing as well as scintillating at the same time for the listener- taking unusual , but beautiful roads to bliss. Here is a candid conversation with them presented by the Score Magazine: Hello Sachin- Jigar , we are pleased to talk to you! Thanks a lot. The honour is ours!

We love the Family Man Title track. Shreya Ghosal and Mellow D have lent their voices and Jigar and Mellow D worked on the lyrics too. Tell us about this project and how did this happen?

anyone ever asked you both how is it to work with each other? Why this duo and how did this hap-pen?

Jigar: As the song’s lyrics say, we live for many things and there is lot of a purpose in the life. The entire thought behind the song is quite crazy. When Shreya Ghoshal’s voice comes in, it is all magical. The song is a multitude of many aspects. As we were inching towards finishing the song, Sachin came up with the idea that the song cannot end with-out a high. That idea led us to churn out a semi-symphony part that’s like a part contem-porary symphony. We wanted to make a theme with lyrics because we strongly believe that lyric plays an important role in a song and narrating a story.

We even have lot of things in common beyond music such as our love for food, the de-sire to run away from Bombay! Jigar: Absolutely. We feel the same thing for Cinema and that’s what we have been do-ing!

Sachin: When it comes to Raj and DK, it is never a straightforward path. They love their paradoxes and the name “The Family Man” speaks of it all. We always get lot of room to do something perky and funky, because there is such amazing scope. The whole thing in our head was to keep Indian traditions alive through a riff, by making a riff that includes traditional Sitar with HipHop beats. They only gave us a particular line “ Kis Ke Liye Tu Jaan Dega “( Whom would you sacrifice your life for!?). In the first go, it was so different when linked to the lead character of the series- who plays the role of a secret spy.

Sachin: (Laughs) Almost everybody asks us this question! To be very honest, lot of people think SachinJigar are actually one person. We are not even brothers but partners in crime! Duos are something that cannot be pre-planned. It just happens- when things click while sharing work load. I was doing lot of Television shows and was working with Amit Trivedi back in 2001. We compliment each other with natural flow but even then, we never thought of becoming a duo until we started arranging for Rajesh Roshan sir. In one Rajesh Roshan song in Krish, they wanted us to rearrange a song and it gave me great confidence to work as a duo. A strong approval from seniors such as Rajesh Roshan and Rakesh Roshan gave us the confidence.

We are so glad that Raj-DK made us stick to our exploratory side. The rap sounds so beautiful as well. Though they are south Indian at heart, they brought an amalgamation of Indian Music altogether.

Sachin: The whole idea of sustaining as a duo is that- we are not too overly ambitious in terms of composing. We don’t intend to change the world with our music and that’s how we got more ese. I haven’t met Jigar few times throughout the lockdown, yet he used to know what I needed or where a sample in the studio’s computer was located! We did a whole album for Abhishek Kapoor’s next project by reading a script in PDF format! We have such an amazing sync that we can handle each other is the biggest thing.

From what we know, you both started somewhere in 2006 with the background score for a Marathi film. You both have created some incredible numbers. Has

Jigar: We never thought dramatically that the sound of India is going to change. We have started at a point where we thought we should just do good music at the end of the day. We always stood for a change, and waited what would come next- so this has given us ample scope The

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of freedom to unintentionally make an original sound! We are not stumbled on one vibe. Our only idea is not to be repetitive in our music.

to get into the groove instantly and expects the composer to do it. I feel it is being not right to the original artist by doing a remix.

With the advent of COVID, hundreds of musicians lost their jobs and are not a part of active work. What do you think of the current scenario? How do you think that the mu-sic scene or musicians should evolve to adapt to this situation?

Sachin: The scare here is, if the album takes away the whole attention of the entire al-bum, you are discouraging original content. Bollywood loves to saturate by the way- they repeat things so that things get so boring, and start all the way from the beginning to-gether!

Before COVID, I was pushing the entry of computers in my daughter’s life thinking that organically learning music initially will help her later with technology. But in the lock-down, I realised that she should be independent and record her idea and show it up to the world. All you need in the current era is to create a spark within 30 seconds. One doesn’t need to make an album altogether. One cannot depend on a director , or a pro-ducer to make music. I really loved this new transformational stage of music,and hybrid mashup of cultures in this stage. Lot of talents came out in India , thanks to COVID. We came across many artists ranging from Gujarat to North-East who are ready to make a difference through music. Now, it is all about you. Your wealth is YouTube channel! Though I feel sad for lot of musicians losing jobs during the lockdown, I also find it to be a wonderful opportunity to show oneself as a musician on the world’s stage.

What is one thing that is really tough to deal with the other?

Jigar: Dealing with the producer is the most difficult thing to deal with (laughs). Honestly, we did have difficult paths to convince each other and then the filmmaker, but we over-came that barrier as we traveled together working. That time has passed where we had to convince why something is good or not. If Sachin doesn’t find my idea interesting, we immediately move to the next one. There is point of being stuck. We have gone beyond over analysing on why an idea doesn’t work. Sometimes, there is a certain time where an idea completely clicks with Sachin and doesn’t for me. But we still get going because we just want to make good music!

What is your take on the most controversial and debated topic – Making Remixes?

Jigar: We do remixes not out of choice but for the album’s requirement. When we start composing , the remix doesn’t come up. It just comes few days before the release of the album. We were doing it for a while but we understood that we lost credibility from lis-teners. We ere losing quality listeners. So finally, we decided we do remixes just to make it part of the album. Coming to whether remixes should happen or not, I personally feel it is ruining other’s creation. The culture of remixes should come to a halt. It is difficult to make a dance number, when compared to a melodious or a romantic song. When a ro-mantic song doesn’t click, people leave it at there. But with a dance number, the listener wants

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Can you please tell us about your upcoming project Dasvi?

Sachin: Dasvi is an exciting and a film driven by content. I have been a fan of Abhishek Bachchan since long and been quite happy to work with him finally. It has got energy of the first timer- the zeal to make a real good film but also with solid experience. It has whacky soundtrack already which is funny, emotional and almost everything in it! We have four more films lined up and we are super excited to work on our passionate pro-jects as well. Jigar: Apart from Dasvi we have don’t another film for Tips (The name was not audble properly, please add it). Chandigarh Kare Aashiqiui is a full-fledged album featuring Ayushman Khuranna and of course, we are doing lot of Indie music as well.

Your latest album ‘Roohi’ is a massive hit. Tell us about the project.

Sachin: Our relationship with Maddock and with Dinesh has been quite thick and we did lot of vivid stuff with them. We did Stree with them earlier, which had zero scope for mu-sic because it was an out and out horror film. It is quite challenging to make music for such theme. With Dino sir, we can explain our perspective and we push each other signif-icantly. Roohi is an extension of our journey with Maddock. Because this project got stuck between two lockdowns and he had the dare to release the film in the right time, we are blessed to get the right attention in the perfect time. A horror film of this sort needed songs of this sort. Though I don’t like to encourage remixes , Roohi needed that old school vibe and it was agreed upon with me, Jigar and the director as well.

What is your take on the digitisation of music that has taken over the composing scenar-io and recordings? For example, Autotune. Do you think it impacts the overall quality and organic feel of the music? Jigar: It is definitely easier to put a musical thought into action now. Everything is easier. But, it is not at all great. The need or want for a particular sound is leading to killing of joy of the music making process. The learning is getting killed. Now, if you want a dholak sound, you can pitch it according to your need through the internet. You don’t even need to pay and just download the sample- without paying the artist who deserves it. Many young artists who work with us

don’t have an idea on how the dholak player plays the instrument. It is an extremely disturbing scenario. Now, if you have a keyboard, you can play any instrument in any pitch. While it is opening up lot of possibilities, it is killing the musicality and the originality. A lot of things , including the value of music is going off be-cause of this change. Apps like Spotify and Apple Music are giving the listener an idea on how to listen to songs now- based on the hits and an algorithm. It is extremely disturbing from musician’s point of view but encouraging in the listener’s point of view. The new guys who are making music are not knowing much about instruments, and re-cording-and it is ultimately becoming a drag and drop.

What do you guys like doing when you are not recording or composing?

Sachin: I love getting good sleep! I can really sleep and use the time for family and I have done a whole lot of it during the lockdown. When your life is with shows and on the road, but being comfortable being in studio is also challenging. The success doesn’t come for free. People might look at fame externally but they don’t invest in the process of go-ing there. We tend to lose out the beauty of simple things in life in this race of success. I am a Gujarati, and during the lockdown, my dad made the paan for me and almost daily this was the routine. I somewhere feel that these sweet things make all the difference. Life has become somewhat easier for me and Jigar now. We were doing so many things- talking to producers , composing, making indie music and many more. I started enjoying activities like photography that I always wanted to do- during the lockdown. Family time is quite important and I hope everyone finds the right balance. Jigar: When I am not doing music, I am learning something or the other. I either learn from YouTube, and I am learning from my 5 yea old son as well! I don’t even remember how I was then. Family time was one first thing. One of the contraries that I have with Sachin is , I hate to sleep and feel it is a waste of time. I make up for his sleep and keep learning! We both have extremely strong opinions about life- not just sleep. And that’s why per-haps we compliment each other beautifully! We love playing PS5 or playing a game on the phone. While working on music , a game goes on all the time. It is something like- when we are not gaming, we are making music (laughs).

What is your favourite video game, if I may ask? Sachin: It is GTA for me!

Do you listen to lot of dance numbers or more of soulful music?

Sachin: I listen to everything that comes my way in the past two years. I got a car with good sound system hoping to go for long road trips in it. But things changed so much that I am not even listening to music in car. The last two years have given me blissful time, and my daughter is listening to wide range of new talents. My dad’s playing me Kishori Amonkar on the other hand! The past few days ago I was listening to Shepherd’s Land from Switzerland- and I loved the fact that everything came to our finger tips with the lockdown.

What was the most challenging composition ever? Which song was it and what was the incident?

Jigar: It was not song but the album Badlapur. We had to make an album that shouldn’t disturb the narrative and the songs should be in the background. Sriram is such a purist and it was a big challenge to get songs that can commercially work and blend with the film. ABCD and Go,Goa and Gone were also challenging but the obvious answer is Badla-pur.

What are the three most important aspects a composer has to incorporate- when it comes to delivering film music? Jigar: The first thing is to be pure to the script. That’s how the music will work for a film. Second is to take the film ahead – its emotion and thought – just with music, not even the lyrics. The third aspect is to balance the songs to the film and also keep it long-lasting even after the film gets released with longer life. The song should take the listener back to the film.

How challenging is it to compose just a single for various films Vs. composing an album altogether? Jigar: We would always prefer composing for an album because it is a journey altogether. The music speaks for the character, and the storyline and displays a graph. When it comes to ABCD, Go,Goa,Gone or Badlapur- we go for a range of the album instead of just a song. It is more fun to compose a whole album than single. Both have their own diffi-culties of course.

What do you both think about Coke Studio?

Sachin: It is indeed an amazing platform for a musician to explore and deliver. Though YouTube has individual channels of displaying good music, Coke Studio gives us more scope to be original and having musicians in access. It is a fantastic experience altogether. I personally think it shouldn’t have an end.

Jigar: I have been playing this game called Demon’s souls and it is lovely. We both love FIFA (who doesn’t?). We also love exchanging music when not composing.

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Rapid Fire

The recent song in your playlist that is on loop.

Sachin: Aahista composed by Niladri kumar, sung by Arijit Singh and Jonita Gandhi. Jigar: Last train - John Mayer Keep the door open - Anderson Park and Bruno Mars

Your favourite international artist/singer/ performer Sachin: Norah Jones , Olivia Rodrigo Jigar: John Mayer

Best compliment you have ever received- and for which song? Sachin: M.M. Kreem sir called me for appreciating Badlapur songs and the background score. He kept on complimenting so much that I started weeping in exhilaration! Jigar: A Father and daughter together complimented us saying that our song Laadki got us back together after 15 years of not speaking with each other. It was such a memorable mo-ment for me.

The best upcoming singer you have heard off late? Sachin: Madhubanti Baagchi has a truly unique voice . Has a great attitude and is immensely tal-ented. Jigar: Madhubanti Bagchi

Is there any playback singer you would want to work with? Sachin: Kishore Kumar! Please bring him back for me. Of course, I would love to work with K.S.Chitra ji. Jigar: K.S.Chitra ji for me as well.

Do you prefer recording songs or performing liveand why? Sachin: Recording is our prime talent and workspace ! Thats where the magic of creation is there ! But somehow the magic of meeting the eye of your fan and singing lip sync with them beats everything else altogether! Jigar: Performing live because it gives instant reaction of fans.

Your favorite lyricist and why? Sachin: I’d have loved to work with Anand Bhakshi but amongst the many talented lyric writer friends ,I personally would love to work with Vayu , Amitabh Bhattacharya and Mayur Puri.

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Jigar: Anand Bhakshi and there is no one reason to define why!

SHAURYA SINGH THAPA

HOW AVIAL'S DEBUT SONG NADA NADA PIONEERED ALTERNATIVE MALAYALI ROCK: SCORE INDIE CLASSICS

ndian alt-rockers Avial have been a mainstay in the country's rock space from the early 2000s. While their 2008 titular debut album along with several film soundtracks make for quintessential listening, the Trivandrum-based outfit achieved their first breakthrough in 2003 with the single Nada Nada. But before getting into this iconic track, one must know more about the very genesis of Avial. Guitarist Rex Vijayan had already gained considerable expertise as an artist, thanks to his stint at the Kochibased prog-rock band Motherjane. It was when Vijayan chanced upon Jigsaw Puzzle alumnus and turntablist Tony John (who also served as a background vocalist) that the seeds of creative collaboration germinated. John made Vijayan hear a snippet of a Malayali composition called Nada Nada. After Vijayan decided to add a slight contemporary and alternate touch to it, Nada Nada went through several drafts until it was officially released as a single under the newlyformed band Avial. Other Jigsaw Puzzle members like lead vocalist Anandraj Benjamin Paul and bassist Naresh Kamath joined the new group in their respective capabilities while Mithun Puthanveetil stepped in as the drummer. Locals from Kerala and Tamil Nadu would know that avial is a popular dish that is usually prepared by mixing several vegetables with coconut, seasoned with curry leaves and coconut oil. Vijayan had once stated that given how the band drew on multiple influences, the name Avial suited them given how avial too was a dish blended with a wide variety of ingredients.

Even though Nada Nada was originally an English composition, the band decided to have a more local approach making the transition to Malayalam. The song turned out to be quite an anthem, bolstered by Anandraj Benjamin Paul's energetic vocals. Nada Nada's distinct 'wah wah guitar' sound is another unforgettable aspect along with the chorus that features a catchy repetetition of the word 'Nada'. The accompanying music video also amassed lakhs of views, generating a considerable fanbase for the band. Since then, Avial had been constantly working on making their sound more nuanced. This explains why their debut studio album took nearly five years to be completed until its 2008 release. Featuring a remix of Nada Nada, Avial, the album, explored several themes. For instance, while Aadu Pambe delves into the culture of tribals and their subsequent exploitation, Aranda is a cynical take on the daily affairs of this tumultuous world. Tracks like Chekele, Karukara, and Arikurukan are heavily derived from folk songs. Storytelling is also key to their writing process. So, while Chekele is about a farmer and his wife whose crops have been destroyed in a flood, Aana Kallan talked about fraudster preachers and religious gurus.

their live performances. Tony John retains his Malayali roots as he even performs the songs wearing traditional gear like a lungi. While their debut was heavily acclaimed, Avial has not released a follow-up album since 2008. Their fanbase still exists due to stage shows but the band suffered a significant setback in 2008 itself when then-lead singer Anandraj Benjamin Paul exited Avial (with John taking up vocal duties). Would the Nada Nada hitmakers ever release a highlyanticipated sophomore effort? Only time can tell us. But till then, one can still experience a blast from the past by listening to Nada Nada, a song that has lived on to be a timeless classic.

Widely regarded as the pioneers of altMalayali Rock, Avial continued their success producing singles for several Mollywood films. Some examples include the aforementioned Aana Kallan for Salt N' Pepper and Chillane for 22 Female Kottayam. Apart from their studio work, the band's stage presence has also set them apart in

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NAVYA C

INSTRUMENT OR VOCAL - THE ULTIMATE DEBATE Art is known for having an individual perception for each viewer/listener. Perhaps, this is the reason why every artist, or a listener have a unique opinion- that is solely confined to them. This individual nature applies to Classical Music greatly. An element of any composition , some listener connects to lyrics, or another listener would be connected to the main melody. However, some even find a deep connection with the arrangements (as in symphony) or the interludes that offer like a beautiful break between Pallavi and charanam of a composition. The ultimate debate about which aspect of music- whether Instrumental or Vocal is good has been going on since years altogether. When it comes to Carnatic Music, the lyrics play a greatest role- as composed by musical trinity such Saint Thyagaraja, Muttuswami Diskhitar and Syama Sastry have given utmost importance to show devotion in the terms of lyrics. Annamacharya, Kshetrayya and Narayana Teertha also have equal importance to melody and lyrics as well. For these legends, lyrics are of prime importance and mostly the emotional link comes through the beautiful words of devotion , and being in unison with the nature. One cannot imagine to listen and get the excellent meaning conveyed by Saint Thyagaraja in kritis like Manasa Yetulorthune (Malayamarutham), Pakkala Nilabadi (Kharharapriya) if an instrumental version of it is played. The same applies with Muttuswami Dikshitar is a complex lyricist with main use of Sanskrit as a language of expression. Syama Sastry has dedicated his entire life towards Goddess Kamakshi, through his fantastic compositions. But as times passed by and with more experiments coming on the bay, some of the

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music learners picked up instruments as a main lead when it comes to expressing the emotion of the lyric through it. This style is particularly called “Gaayaki” in Hindustani Music. With their beautiful prowess, instrumental players have proven their mettle by successfully presenting the lyric in an instrumental form. It all takes to have passion, emotion in the mind and mastery of the instrument- to show the multitudes of the melody. There have been stages where the instrumental versions played by legends like Chitti Babu, U.Srinivas, L.Subrahmaniam and the recent violin duo Ganesh-Kumaresh surpassing the vocal renditions as well. When we witness incidents like these where the instrument becomes the lead- and expresses every aspect of the composition and its emotional graph, we are forced to believe that music is all that matters-whether it is instrumental or vocal. But, the instrumental musicians should put an extra effort of showing up the composition and expressing the lyrical value seamlessly. In one way, the instrumentalists have higher grade of freedom when it comes to express the lyric- by breaking the limit of lyric in a certain fashion and also rediscovered unexplored elements of the composition. As the monsoon drifts by, take a moment and listen to the instrumental classical versions which actually opens higher realms of realization and surrender. Devotion gets a new meaning for the composition when it is performed through an instrument. Listen to the greats such as U.Srinivas, Kadri Gopalnath, Rajhesh Vaidhya and there is biggest musical ocean out there to cherish and relish!

SCORE INDIE QUICKIE

KAMAKSHI KHANNA Let's start with your previous single "Qareeb". It took the internet by storm. Being your first hindi single, what were some of your apprehensions before you put it out? Did you expect this kind of a response? The response to Qareeb has been so overwhelming and fulfilling and I see it as a testament to the fact that reinventing yourself, trying new things and experimenting is always worth exploring and I’m so

grateful that people have been accepting and excited about that. On a normal day I struggle to write and think poetically in Hindi. However, with this particular song, the process of writing didn’t feel any different than how I write in English. It felt spontaneous and natural and stylistically the song is still RnB which is where a huge part of the inspiration for my English music comes from. I feel like this song has been a really interesting amalgamation of my influences to create something that feels very authentic and unique to me. Working with producers, Anhad + Tanner and Guitarist, Pranav Pahwa elevated the song beyond what I would’ve ever envisioned. The

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You also created a fun game around the track on Instagram. Could you elaborate on that for us? Although Qareeb’s lyrics describe the rush of falling in love with a partner, The visual narrative offers a slightly different perspective. The stop motion animation music video for Qareeb by Arsh Grewal narrates the story of a girl who grows and learns to love herself and highlights the message that the most important relationship is the one that you have with yourself. Filled with symbolism, the flower and the red flag are two key elements in the music video. In the beginning, the girl throws a flower in the air and a guy appears. Then she throws a red flag in the air and her clothes change denoting that she is changing herself for the guy. Towards the end, she finally throws all the red flags she has collected, makes a cape out of it, flies out and rejoices in her own company. The game filter was a shower thought inspired by the red flags. The character from the music video skateboards and all you have to do is blink to jump all the red flags to get a score (If only it was that easy, am I right?) Yash Pradhan who worked with us on all the merch designed the game and the response was incredible!

You have evolved and grown as an artist and a songwriter over the years. How did the lockdown/ pandemic situation help you in polishing your art? As challenging as the lockdown has been for all of us, as musicians we were all forced to check in with ourselves, our intentions and the things that bring us joy. From running from rehearsals to airports to stages to being restricted to the four walls of our bedroom has been overwhelming. It’s like everything we knew about being a musician changed overnight for more than a year. However, I am so proud to see the independent music scene boom during this time. It’s been so inspiring to discover so much new and promising talent out there! Personally, I shifted from Mumbai to Delhi when the pandemic first hit, lived in the mountains (Bhowali) with my family for 4 months which is where I released

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Qareeb and am now back here in Delhi living with my parents and brother. One way I’ve stayed motivated and inspired is by making a bedroom my dream room and home studio and a place where I love spending all my time. It’s been so nice creating without any pressure and I realise I am privileged to be able to say that. Instead of running a race and trying to do a hundred things at the same time, I’m suddenly focusing on a handful of tasks that really matter and give me joy and I’m just trying to make the best of that situation. It’s definitely helped me understand my intention and purpose as an artist better than ever before.

Tell us a bit about your recent release "Duur". Duur is a song about the struggles of a surface level existence and detachment from the world both inside and out. A long distance collaboration with Mumbai based producer and composer, Kabeer Kathpalia a.k.a OAFF, the song brings diverse perspectives to collide with Urdu poet & singer-songwriter, Sameer Rahat on lyrics and Karun Kannampilly from the indie/ alternative rock band, Koniac Net on Drums. A little backstory, the chorus is as old as 2017 and was shelved somewhere in the vast plethora of voice memos I didn’t know what to do about. I would often find myself humming the melody and feel completely blocked when it came to ideas for the verse. On a rainy day at our house in the hills and with some help from my parents, I finally arrived at a rough song idea. I met Sameer Rahat, a composer, producer and poet at a house concert in Pune. During the road trip back to Bombay, we spoke about our music and connected for hours and he was kind enough to jump on board and write the lyrics of the song with me. I am so grateful to have delved into co-writing my own music for the first time with a genius like him. One day, I sent a raw acoustic guitar and vocal demo to Kabeer and he sent me a produced version that I instantly fell in love with. I have always admired the way he approaches production and composition with tastefulness in his own music and it was a great experience doing this one with him. I also got to work with my bandmate,

Karun Kannampilly who recorded drums from his home studio and added so much life to the song. I also got to work with Arsh Grewal again on the music video which has already hit 100K views on Youtube. It’s inspiring to see how seamlessly Arsh has transitioned from stop motion animation in Qareeb to reel life in Duur. Using Double exposure to talk about duality and distance felt like a perfect metaphor to express the theme of the song in a thoughtful way, both in the artwork and the music video. We got incredibly lucky to be able to shoot this right before the second wave with a small team of 4-5 people. Duur is my search for emotional depth and vulnerability.

Talk to us about your songwriting process. My songwriting process varies from song to song. Qareeb took 30 minutes while Duur on the other hand took years of trial and error, discarding voice memos, taking breaks from the song and finally collaboration. I tend to write the hook of the song first and sometimes to check if it’s worth exploring, I don’t record my ideas to see if I remember them naturally the next day. If the hook of the song is strong enough and I feel attached to it, I decorate and develop the song around that. I like to lean on my instruments as a tool for songwriting and come up with the harmony, riff first and write vocal melodies and lyrical hook over that which later becomes the essence and central message of the song. The more I write, the better and more critical I get about my work work which is a blessing because you’re more aware but also a curse because it takes longer to reach a point of satisfaction.

You did a series called "Green room sessions" during the pandemic time. What was the idea behind it? Did it help you achieve what you wanted to? The Green Room Sessions is a series of homegrown music videos of the most initial baby versions of my songs symbolic of my bedroom being my rehearsal space before I get to go out into the real world and perform all my original music. From a love song

Rapid fire An artist you would love to collaborate with this year

This year and every year, AR Rahman If not music, what would you be doing?

I would be doing a masters in Psychology with the hope to practice at some point! A song you wish you can re-create with a new sound

for one’s bedroom to a song about the jittery feeling you get on a first date , to a song about the bittersweet pain of casual relationships , each episode has a unique theme intrinsically raw and personal to my life. I’m really happy to see the response and people engaging with the music in a way that feels like they’re a part of the process.

works wonders for my voice and an exercise that my Hindustani classical teacher taught me that I’ve been doing religiously for years now.

How do you leverage the digital platforms to reach out to your audiences?

I hope to see a day where women are equally represented and recognised for their talent and hard work and a day where spaces feel safe and gender inclusive. We’re slowly getting there but have a long way to go! I also hope to see more opportunities and avenues open up for independent music in a way that it’s economically viable and the future generations can dream freely to be whoever they want to be.

I try and use all social media surfaces like IGTV, Stories, Reels, Posts, Youtube, etc, stay consistent and find a way to express myself that excites me and feels authentic to me. For me the important thing is to involve my audience in the process, it makes it all more fun and less lonely for me and I want my listeners to feel like they’ve played a part in the creative process.

How do you maintain your vocal health? What's your regime? My magic potion is Kadha-honey, ginger, hot water and spices! It

If there was something about the industry (especially with respect to the Indie scene) that you would like to see change, what would it be and why?

What can we expect from you this year? I have some very exciting collaborations with artists I really admire along with some very special singles that I can’t wait to tell you all about! This year is about experimentation and reinvention.

One song I wish I’d written is Rehna Tu by AR Rahman, I love singing and covering that song in my own way! A song you absolutely regret writing when you think about it now

I don’t think I regret any song that I’ve written, if it’s something I don’t feel, I am very quick in discarding it. A stage you would want to perform at as soon as you are able to

I would love to perform at India Habitat Center’s Amphitheatre this December to relive the beautiful memories of my album and EP Launch!

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ARTIST OF THE MONTH VINEET SINGH HUKMANI Your journey towards ‘serious’ music making started quite recently, please tell us more about it. What made you want to dedicate more time towards creating and releasing your music in 2020? In my imagination this journey of my songs playing on the radio everywhere in the world started out when I was in my teens. Radio was very big in the gulf countries and this gave me a lot of exposure to pop 40 music and the power of radio & charts at a very impressionable age. I was in bands in college and always dreamt of immersing myself in music, but more often than not, life has a different path for you. Being an Engineer & Harvard Business School alumnus, I found myself working & climbing the corporate ladder. This led me to being founder of India’s only international radio network, Radio One in India where I was MD & CEO for over 12 years. Once I exited that role in 2019, I did a few music demos and this connected me to some people in the global music scene who encouraged me to produce music more seriously. 2020 saw me releasing 8 singles that helped me better understand the global radio airplay scenario. Now in 2021 with 5 singles into the year, I feel I am on the right track globally thanks to my agent Martin and the producers/musicians I work with.

Tell us about your latest track "i Pray". as also your July release Turnin’ Back Time… What was the idea behind these two tracks? While usually my songs have an ‘idea’ behind it, i Pray has a ‘feeling’ behind it. To tell you the truth, I wrote the song for myself. To help me feel stronger and optimistic in these really harsh times. As I was writing it, putting it to music I felt the song can really connect with anyone. Praying is not about religion or rituals but it is a simple act of connecting with the large life force around us and using that faith to weaken the fear we feel. The song talks about the need to be grateful and how you naturally pray for the people you care about. I always wanted to do a song for Hip-Hop radio and I felt ‘i Pray’ could become a really cool way to communicate the mystery and innocence of prayer. Listeners of the song have told me that this is a really easy way for them to relate to praying and that helps me feel the song is working. My favourite line in the song is “Optimism is O2 for the soul’ and when you emerge from prayer you are filled with this ‘ I can do this’ feeling which is what we all need right now.

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On Turning Back Time, well, it puts time travel in your control! We have a treasure chest of memories that we can delve into when we need to, especially when the present is lackluster and the future is uncertain. Our memories of travel, romance , adventure can be a great motivator and map for all we desire doing in the future. Turning Back Time is an upbeat and sweet ‘Daft Punk-ish’ sound enhanced with today’s production values and I personally love synth-pop so it was a pleasure to produce this single. The video will help you feel… ‘Wow those were the days and I’m gonna make them come alive again!’

Congratulations on making it to global charts. How does it feel to be recognised for your independent work worldwide? Charts are a measure of how much your songs are playing on tens of thousands of radio stations worldwide. It feels great to be able to touch the hearts of listeners on the other side of the world and feel the growing momentum of the belief of radio programmers worldwide. My charting journey started with my songs in 2020, mostly on the independent music charts like the European Top 100 and the World Indie Music charts. These charts are essentially based on the amount of

radio play a song receives. The more radio plays the song, the more your song climbs the charts. In 2021 my first song ‘Dreamin Out Loud’ topped the European and World Radio charts simultaneously. With my next song ‘Jab The World’ I entered the mainstream charts, The DRT ROCK top 50 where my song peaked at number 8 alongside legendary bands like ACDC, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Papa Roach, Imagine Dragons etc. My previous song So New is still doing well in the DRT pop and rock charts after many weeks and ‘i Pray’ has entered the top 30 of the prestigious mainstream DRT HIP HOP Top 50 alongside greats like Drake, Snoop Dog and Cardi B. The single is number 1 on the world radio charts and the European top 100 independent charts. There is no better feeling knowing that more and more people are listening to my songs on global radio stations and now these radio stations have begun to anticipate my next release. I am grateful for this but it is continuous work and I am trying to be consistent. It has really taught me that radio is critical to music discovery and this helps fuel growth of your music on Digital streaming sites and Youtube. I am not on a label and therefore by definition I am an ‘Independent artist’. I feel any independent artist can make this journey if they understand the commercial rules of the game.

Last but not the least comes the mastering to make sure the song resonates perfectly with the intent it was created. I create a song from start to finish like this every 40-45 days!

Describe your production process of making music. My production process is integral to the song making process I spoke about earlier on. I am an Apple fanboy and can’t do anything without my Mac, be it audio or video. I work between DAWs like Logic pro, Protools and my favourite beat creation tool is Fruity loops. My fav vocal mics are SHURE SM 7 B and AKG 414. I always work with LIVE guitar session musicians and sometimes for Drum underlays. I am such a sucker for sweet sounding synths and so I have a huge library of those. My latest fetish is headphones. I love tracking with Sennheiser closed

headphones and mixing with open back BeyerDynamic headphones. Production technology is the great equalizer today. Anyone with the will to learn can create music as good as any studio in the world. Ofcourse one has to keep an open mind to learn new things everyday.

Upcoming projects Post Turning Back Time which is a July 8th release, I will continue working on a ‘funk rock’ single. I am also getting spanish vocal coaching for a latino pop song aimed at later on, in the year. I will be happy to share more once these songs are closer to completion. Right now, I’m happy to see how people across the world have appreciated and embraced the sentiment of ‘i Pray’ and I hope people will relate to Turning Back Time as well, for the promise of the ‘better times ahead’ it bears.

Talk to us about your songwriting process My song writing process is quite bizarre. I first single out an emotion I want to convey. Then I build a mood for it with a music groove and decide on a very clear genre for it. I know at this stage if the song is going to be a Pop, Rock, Adult Contemporary, HipHop, R&B as it has to clearly fit into a radio genre format. I then write a catchy chorus with words that fit the groove like a glove. I am very choosy about this part and reject many of my own ideas. It takes me a week sometimes to just get this right. Once this is done, I build the rest of the song around this chorus and groove. Next, I add instruments to make the song richer and then of course sound engineering techniques to improve the song’s presentability.

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SHAURYA SINGH THAPA

5 Essential Hip-Hop Artists From The Northeast That You Must Check Out When it comes to the mainstream narratives of Indian hip-hop, metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Delhi are seen as hotspots for rappers. Of course, this is a myth given how many reputed hip-hop artistes have been making their mark all over the country. The northeastern corner of India was once the ultimate destination for Indian rockers and metalheads. But since the past few years, it has also attracted hip-hop aficionados given the talented rappers that are arising out of the region. Here's a glimpse at some of these icons.

Macnivil Khasi Bloodz Formed in 2009, the Shillong collective Khasi Bloodz have been rapping on a variety of themes in Khasi and English. Rappers Donbok Kharkongor (D-Bok), Lamonte Pakyntein (D-Mon), and Ritik Roy Malngiang (Big Ri) have been rapping in a poetic old-school style for a couple of years but as is evident from new tracks like the 2019 single Hit It Right also found them exploring territories like that of chill-hop. In terms of collaborations, they had joined forces with fellow Shillong MC Meba Ofilia on the acclaimed single Done Talking. Additionally, they have also been involved on the Anthem for the North East, a 2016 track highlighting the diversity of the titular region, along with other hip-hop crews like Cryptographik Street Poets and Symphonic Movement.

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J'97

BK Hailing from Tripura, Borkung Hrangkhawl aka BK has been in the game since pretty long and is today considered as one of India’s premier wordsmiths. From When I Am Alone to Roots to The Journey, the English-language rapper uses his medium to address his own tussles along with issues like racial discrimination. Having performed for leading music fests like Ziro Music Festival, and NH-7 (Shillong as well as Pune), he also opened for the American rock band Hoobastank. BK is also an accomplished battle rapper, having battled in regions like the Northeast and Delhi (from where he also completed his graduation).

Meba Ofilia As mentioned earlier, Meba Ofilia once collaborated with Khasi Bloodz’s Big Ri for an ambient heartbreak anthem titled Done Talking. The song was a major hit achieving global acclaim in 2018, and even earning both artists an MTV European Music Award for Best Indian Artist. Hailing from Shillong, she followed the success of her debut single with tracks like Lady Bizz and With Pleasure (another collaboration with Big Ri). More recently, she was seen as a part of the Rani Cypher, a collective track by Raja Kumari featuring the talents of fellow female rappers like Siri, and Dee MC.

J’97 might not be the most mainstream name from Assam but the rapper is definitely giving his best in putting his city on the map of hip-hop. Born and raised in Guwahati, most of his recent releases evoke the Assamese city in his songs. His style is versatile enough to accommodate both razor-sharp flows and laidback crooning. Even though his initial work was in English, he has shifted more towards writing in his mother tongue. Singles like One & Only and Thikona make for essential listening if one is trying to get into Guwahati’s hip-hop scene. While these tracks found him ‘flexing’ about himself in a fast-paced, no-holdsbarred lyrical barfest, another recent release Solo offers a glimpse into Assamese melodic rap.

28-year-old Naga rapper Macnivil offered a lot of promise with his 2019 debut studio EP Ura Uvie (that roughly translates to ‘This Land Is Mine’). A self-financed project, Macnivil’s six-track record was filled with catchy hooks and sociopolitical undertones. As is evident from the titular track, Macnivil addresses the tumultuous affairs of his native state while stressing the need for self-identity for his Naga brethren. The accompanying music video is equally impactful as Macnivil appears wearing handcuffs, signifying the political turmoil in his vicinity. However, by the end, the video takes an empowering tone as he looks at a Naga flag fluttering in the air. As he states in the outro, he dedicates the song and the album to all the Naga martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the dreams and aspirations of their descendants.

EASWARAN ANANTRAM

INDIAN SCIENTIFIC MUSIC: THAATS & INTRODUCTION TO MELAKARTAS In the previous article we delved into the Rules that make a Raga and the classification of Ragas, where we discussed the Parent scale or the Thaats

Raag Miyan Ki Malhar (Created by Miyan Tansen – The Legendary court singer of Emperor Akbar’s Court) Aaroh: S m R P, m P, n D N S’

6. Bhairavi: S r g m P d n: All notes komal, ma is Shuddha: Raag Bilaskhani todi is a derivative 7. Kalyan: S R G M P D N: All notes shuddha except Ma – Tivra: Raag Thaats or Melakartas are the Parent Avaroh: S n P, m P n P, (g), m R S Scales from which Ragas are supposed Yaman is a derivative to be derived from. Thaats or (Capital Letters are Shuddha Swaras, 8. Marwa: S r G M P D N: Re is komal, Melakartas do not have an ascending the small Letters are Komal Swaras, Ma Tivra rest shuddha: Raag and descending as Ragas do, instead except for Ma where small ‘m’ is for Puriya Kalyan is a derivative they just are the set of notes from which Shuddha Madhayam) 9. Poorvi: S r G M P d N: Re, Dha the Ragas are derived. While Thaat is the term that is used for This derivative of the Kafi thaat is a komal, Ma Tivra: Raag Puriya a Parent Scale in Hindustani (North completely “Vakra” Raaga as it can be Dhanashree is a derivative Indian Style of Music), Melakarta is seen that the Aaroh and Avaroh are not 10. Todi: S r g M P d N: Re, Ga, Dha the term that is traditionally used for a in the typical ascending order of notes. Komal, Ma Tivra: Raag Multani is a Parent scale in conventional Carnatic derivative Style (South Indian Style) There are 10 Thaats in Hindustani I will cover details on both the styles Music. Most popular Ragas in further in the Article. Hindustani music are placed in these 10 Melakarta in Carnatic Music: Thaats There are 72 Melakartas in Carnatic Thaat or Mael in Hindustani The Thaats are as follows: music and they are absolutely a Music 1. Bilawal: S R G m P D N: All notes mathematical marvel. are Shuddha. Raag Durga is a To give you an idea, they are so Thaat is defined as a collection of 7 derivative of Bilawal perfectly arranged and that if you know notes with exactly one variant of each the Name of the Melakarta, you may 2. Khamaj: S R G m P D n: All note arranged in an ascending order figure out the notes in it. Shuddha notes except Ni: Raag only, from which a Raga with a specific ascending and descending can be Desh is a Derivative I explain the Melakarta in complete derived. 3. Kafi: S R g m P D n: Ga and Ni are detail in the next Article. Happy komal: Raag Bhimpalas is a typical Reading!! The derived Raga be of one of the 9 Derivative Jaatis as explained in the previous 4. Asavari: S R g m P d n: Ga Dha and article. It need not always be Sampoorna Raga. In fact, the Aaroh Ni komal: Raag Durbari Kanada is and the Avaroh of the Raga can be in a derivative such a matter like it comes back and 5. Bhairav: S r G m P d N: Re and Dha forth even in the ascending. Such Ragas Komal rest Shuddha: Raag Ramkali are called as Vakra Raagas. To give an example: is a derivative

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SHAURYA SINGH THAPA

Sitar It’s highly probable that the sitar originated in medieval India during the 16th and 17th centuries. A mainstay in Hindustani classical music, the instrument’s name originates from the Persian words si (three) and tar (strings). The Persian etymology makes sense given how the language had started seeping in the norther part of the country with the reign of Mughals (especially after Akbar). Swarmandal The swarmandal is a harp-like instrument that is prominently used as an accompaniment to Hindustani vocal music. As for the instrument’s name, it originates from ‘swara’ (note) and mandal (group), indicating the large number of notes it can produce.

Harmonium Harmoniums are increasingly used in Indian Classical and devotional music despite tracing their origin from European pump organs. The portable instrument was modified to meet Indian needs but its name retains the foreign roots. The word derives from the Latin harmonia and its Greek equivalent harmonios both of which translate to ‘harmonious’.

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Veena Depending upon the design, the veena is used in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. The instrument’s name comes from archaic Sanskrit as the veena was mentioned in several works of literature as a generic term for a ‘plucked string musical instrument’. Veena (also mentioned as vana) finds a mention in the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, as well as the Upanishads.

Tabla Tabla’s origins are often debated with some seeing Persia (Iran) as its true birthplace while others argue that India is where it acquired its modern form. Regardless of its place of origin, the percussion instrument’s name is mostly likely derived from the Arabic tabl, a word used to describe a drum.

EXPLAINED: THE NAMES OF INDIAN MUSIC INSTRUMENTS Sarod The sarod traces its roots from the Afghan rubab that originated in Central Asia or Afghanistan. The word similarly originates from Persian with sarod translating to ‘beautiful sound’ or ‘melody’. Today, it has cemented its place in the ambit of Hindustani Classical music.

Shehnai The wind instrument shehnai’s name apparently came from an ancient legend involving a shah (royal) and a nai (barber). Legend has it that a barber played the instrument for a Shah at his royal court. And hence, the amalgamation of these drastically opposite social classes arose to the word shehnai. Ghatam On the surface, the ghatam is just a pot. However, in the right hands, it has emerged as a dominant percussive instrument all over the country. The word originally arose from from the Sanskrit term ghaṭaka (pot) and the related term, kuṇḍa (pitcher). It can also be related to the Tamil word kuḍam (water pot).

Mridangam The earliest versions of the Carnatic drum mridangam were made out of hardened clay. Hence, even the word mridangam is derived from the union of two words, namely mrt (clay) and anga (limb). The instrument is also referred to as the ‘deva vaadyam’ (Divine Instrument) as it has been the instrument of choice for Hindu deities like Ganesha, and Nandi. Jal tarang The Jal tarang comprises of a set of ceramic bowls with specific quantities of water that are then struck with two beaters. The name literally translates to ‘waves in water’ and is also classified as India’s most ancient and prominent ‘wave instrument’. The mechanism behind it is such that the beaters modify the motion of sound using water as a medium.

THE PHYSICS OF SARASWATI VEENA Written by: Dr. Tara Rajendran, MBBS MFA., a physician-musician, and the leading advocate of introducing music into Indian palliative oncology infrastructure.

Saraswati Veena is an indigenous acoustically unique fretted stringed instrument of India that has unquestioned antiquity. Saraswati Veena consists of two resonators, a wooden dome-shaped primary resonator, and a secondary resonator, a fretboard with twenty-four frets connecting these two resonators, seven strings, their respective tuning pegs, and a bridge. Although acoustics of musical instruments have been studied widely in the past, there is a paucity in the number of scientific analyses on Saraswati Veena. The earliest study that explored the physics of Saraswati Veena was in 1921, and in the last decade, there was a small surge in vibro-acoustic analyses. Most Western string instruments researched extensively have sharp bridges, whereas the Saraswati Veena has a curved bridge. The remarkable effect of the bridge on sound radiation and geometric significance was first examined in 1921; one of the earliest

available studies on the Saraswati Veena was by physicist and Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman. Even when the strings are pressed down on the frets while playing, the curvature of the upper surface of the metallic bridge ensures the string always leaving the bridge at a tangent to it. C.V. Raman notes that all string frequencies in Saraswati Veena are excited regardless of the excitation position, which goes against the Young–Helmholtz law. The law states that the vibrations of a string do not contain the natural modes which have a node at the point of excitation. The physicist reports that this is due to the characteristic bridge. Raman's hypothesis of partial harmonics was verified through several mechanical explanations over the years. Today we understand that the nodal points of the different modes for the string vibrations are not stationary due to the finite bridge, and hence, all modes will be excited irrespective of the location of the excitation.

He further adds that the tones show a remarkable, powerful series of overtones which gives them a bright and pleasing quality. The ideal tuning frequency for a given Saraswati Veena appears to be interconnected to the body's resonant frequency. The harmonic scale used in classical Indian music is rooted in the quality of string vibrations. A skilled musician will recognize the notes that are heard on plucking a string, which can be utilized while tuning the instrument, in contrast to western classical string instruments with fixed key values. This technique of identifying notes based on the string vibrations is imperative while constructing a Saraswati Veena. A 2017 experiment reports that the richness of Saraswati Veena's timbre is most perceivable when plucked at the center than being plucked closer to the bridge. The authors also comment that energy distribution among the formants is the scientific basis for the naad of the Veena, which musicians identify.

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In conversation with

Shanti People 1) The soundtrack Durga Mahishasura Mardini has already got a great reception from your audience. What is the idea behind this reboot of the Stotram in Sanskrit? Uma: We have always wanted to make Durga Mahishasura Mardini in the Progressive Trance style (138 bpm) since both the original version (trip-hop) and remix by Droplex (minimal trance) are quite slow. So, at our live shows, we have always wanted to play it a little faster. I love to sing this Mantra over and over again, renewing the music each time. And Alex (Synesthetic), a sound producer from Italy, with whom we have already made such tracks as Krishna and Gurudev, implemented our idea to make Versions in different languages in a perfect way. I love both tracks! They are different in vibration, and you should feel that too!

2) What is your objective behind Durga Mahishasura Mardini Stotram in English? Uma: For a deeper understanding of this stotra, I used English translations from Sanskrit (since Sanskrit is not my native language). I asked my friend Alex Siedova to adapt the meaning of the Mantra in English into a traditional melody since Alex writes and sings songs in English. We both liked the process so much as it deepens the understanding of the meaning of the original text and, in general, it is a creative process. I also wanted to share this experience with our audience, which does not understand Sanskrit. Indeed, even in India, not everyone understands the Sanskrit texts. It is also a very interesting experience to hear the difference in the perception of vibration between Devnagari and English. Indeed, the very vibration of Sanskrit contains special spiritual energy, and the text itself was written by the Great Sadhu Sri Adi Shankaracharya.I am interested in experimenting, whether the English text can influence people's minds, and what the effect would be. And while I was recording it, I gained a very special spiritual experience. It is interesting to share it with our audience and get their feedback as well.

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3) How do you expect that the youth of today will relate to this EP? Uma: Our audience is open-minded, and I think, the younger generation is too. Therefore, I am sure that young people will like our idea. But there will surely be less flattering reviews from more conservative and orthodox people, but that's okay. We believe that in this World there is a place for everything :) And for us as well! Recently, with the growing popularity of Shanti People in India, the number of disapproving reactions has also increased, but this is not more than 2-3%, and this is normal :) Otherwise, we would think that we are doing something wrong :) ... Criticism is not bad! It does not stop us because we do what we believe in and just share a part of our life, We are ordinary people who are trying to become a little better by fighting our inner “dragons”.We sincerely love and respect Vedic knowledge and the large Family of Hindu Gods :)

4) Can you take us through the process of creating these soundtracks? Uma: At first, I study Mantra or Stotra, then I sing it for a while, and only then do we create music, or if it's collaboration, another producer creates the music, or we

SOUVIK CHAKRABORT Y

look for musical solutions together. Collaborations are very interesting! It is always an experiment in interaction with different Energies! I'm not afraid to dive into musical styles that, at first glance, are not in harmony with the Mantras! But do not forget, as a vocal teacher and a person who has been researching music and its influence on humans for about 20 years, I can say for sure that any music is important! Each style has its listeners who get joy and high from listening to their favorite style. And Mantras in their Vibration are Higher than any material identification! The Mantras are pure and capable of penetrating deeper than just the superficial perception of a person conditioned by a particular cultural tradition. Nothing can desecrate a Mantra or impair its vibration!

5) We are going through a major global crisis with the pandemic and the pain associated with it. How has this impacted you as a musician? Uma: In general, this is a very difficult time for the music industry, as well as for many other areas of life! But the most important thing is to maintain the inner Fire and not to let it go out. Of course, the lack of touring has shaken our financial situation a lot. And in general, it is difficult for an artist to feel that he is needed without concerts. But we have a very grateful audience, and by switching to live streams we got a very large audience coverage on socials and this helped and inspired us! We also had a lot of viral videos on FB and Insta, which gained and continue to gain millions of views. It gives joy that most people like what we do! In general, in any activity, the main thing is not to break down and continue!

6) What would your advice be to the young musicians who are experimenting in similar genres like psytrance, EDM, etc. Uma: If you monitor our activity, you will see that we have been singing Mantras in public for over 10 years, in different musical styles, and in the beginning, we toured as an acoustic band. But because of the success of the Shiva Tandava Stotram remix by Blazy & Gottinari, we decided to work in Psy Trance and EDM styles. We like that Our meditation has become dynamic and now I do not sit during concerts, but jump, sometimes I even fly

(just kidding)! But the essence has not changed! I advise any artist in any genre not to dwell only on the creative process, but to strive to become professionals in music production, develop as a manager to promote music, and also be a bit of a director, cameraman, content manager, etc. and then you will be noticed for sure! Do not strive to get everything at once. Do not give up because of failures! Believe in your dream and it will come true!

How are you planning your upcoming concerts or performances, what’s in the pipeline from SP? Uma: In 2021, our India tour failed, but, we do not lose hope of visiting India this fall! We have plans to release new tracks in collaboration with different artists! Do not miss the July 13th release of “Aigiri Nandini” in 2 Languages with Synesthetic We will also release the track, “Om Namo Shivaya!” with the Legendary Mandrogora. You can already listen to it on our streams. We also got back to working with acoustic tracks! This year, our acoustic video with Shiva Tandava Stotram has collected more than 8M views on FB! Many Indian listeners have shared these videos. So we decided to do some singles on Shiva Tandava stotram, Hare Krishna and Maha Mantra in acoustics! We wish the readers of the magazine not to get sick and live not tomorrow, but right now. See you on the air or our Live Shows

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A CUP OF MUSIC, A GALLON OF LIFE

Catharsis through Raagas - a route to wellbeing Written by: Nithya Rajendran, a dual Indian Classical vocalist in Hindustani and Carnatic music with over 3 decades training. She is founder and curator of Music Vruksh, an initiative to spread awareness and appreciation of Inidan Classical music for its aesthetic, spiritual, wellness and transformative potential. A lady at a music concert found herself weeping uncontrollably after hearing Raag Todi (Raagam Subhapanthuvarali in Carnatic). She went up to the musician after the concert, elaborating why she could not control her tears after the moving presentation. The compellingly heart-tugging notes in the Raaga had resonated with her inner emotional state, a state that had been one of pregnant pain and unexplained loneliness. Her tears were those of relief and happiness. As paradoxical as it might sound, this is indeed the essence of emotional and therefore physical wellness. The Webster dictionary defines catharsis as 'the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.' In this lie two important words - release and relief. Music, and especially Indian Classical music, has an immense role to play in these two processes. When we hear music that allows us to emote, we do so through two means identification or transformation. Identification happens when the Raaga we hear resonates with what we are feeling at that moment. Through our

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ability to identify our emotions with something profound and beautiful outside of us, we feel a release. No longer are we alone with our feelings. We have something outside of us which is powerful and compassionate, almost as if there is another person who knows exactly what we are feeling and is saying 'Its ok! I understand'. We feel understood and loved. We no longer feel alone. Transformation happens when we are under the grip of a powerful emotion and are unable to change the way we feel by ourselves. Then, a Raaga which evokes a dramatically opposite emotion, transforms the mood to a completely different state, like a tool from the outside which allows a person to control how he or she feels. So, a person who might have otherwise felt helpless and at the mercy of his emotions, now feels empowered by the music to change his inner state. This is not much different from what we expect of psychological therapy or counseling. We hope that a force, in this case a person, can have access to our emotions and can change how we feel, first by understanding in a nonjudgmental environment, and then by

teaching us to think and feel differently about the same things. Looking at things in this context, it seems like nothing short of a miracle that a mere bunch of sounds arranged in a certain way can have such a profound impact on us and on our wellbeing. Maybe this is because Raagas are more than just a bunch of pleasing sounds. Looking at the way they have evolved over time, from the Vedic period right up to now, we see a very organic process at play. The fact that musical notes have emerged from the sounds of nature, and that the interval between notes that constitute Raagas are also the result of an organic evolutionary process, explains why it is so therapeutic. Raagas need to be accessible to everyone. Each person and being on this planet responds to music. And in India, we are blessed with two beautiful forms of classical music, Hindustani and Carnatic, that are uniquely ours. It is time that this music spreads its wings and brings within its healing fold the countless weary souls that long to be uplifted.

KANUPRIYA MODI

Poetry

The Soul of the Song

Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein, khayal aata hai… Dekha ek khwaab toh yeh silsiley hue… Shokhiyon mein ghola jaaye, phulon ka shabaab…

Wonderful poetries became eternal lyrics for songs that are synonymous with timeless magic. That is what the power of meaningful writing is. It transports you to a different world altogether. Right from the times of Amrita Pritam and Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi to Gulzar and now Amitabh Bhattacharya to Kausar Munir, lyrical poetry has evolved tenfold. Songs become soulful with the touch of poetic magic. Here are some of the very popular poetries-turned into lyrics in Bollywood. Channa Mereya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil The most memorable lines of the lyrics are:

Tere rukh se apna raasta moR ke chala.. Chandan hoon main apni khushboo chhor ke chala.. Mann ki maaya rakh ke tere takiye tale Bairagi bairaagi ka sooti chola oRh ke chala Meaning: I am turning my path from your direction, I am sandal, leaving my fragrance (with you)... Leaving my heart's desires under your pillow, This ascetic wraps the cotton cloth of an ascetic and leaves.. Ikk Kudi from Udta Punjab The following lines from this song steal our hearts for sure… O.. soorat oss di, pariyaan wargi Seerat di o.. mariam lagdi Hasti hai taan phul jhaDde ne Turdi hai taan ghazal hai lagdi Meaning: Her face is like fairies, And it seems she has got a soul as kind as Mariam’s. When she smiles, flowers fall off, And when she walks, she looks like a ghazal. Kho Gaye Hum Kahan from Baar Baar Dekho

This melodious song by Jasleen Royale and Pratik Kuhad is truly mesmerising and we bet you cannot get enough of the following lines: Kaagaz ke parde hain Taale hain darwaazon pe Paani mein Doobe huye Khwaab alfaazon ke Meaning: There are paper curtains, Locks on doors, And dreams of words, Drowned in water These are just a few pearls from the ocean called poetic lyrics. The more you dive into this world, the more you come across pearls that outshine the realms of human imagination. Taking cues from the beautiful words that are magically woven by the poets/lyricists, we find the human experience. That experience is sublime, no wonder music is therapy and words have healing powers. They are mediums to take you to a memory or a dream within a fraction of a second. The next time you hear a meaningless song; remember that’s not what music is all about. There are still some masterpieces that are created once in a blue moon to stun the world. That’s the power of poetry…that’s why poetry makes the soul of the song…that’s why words are said to have healing powers…power to bring a smile, power to make someone cry, power to enlighten and power to unite with the unknown. Poetry is magical. The more you read, or listen to the more chances of you to experience the depth of your purpose and being. Music is a warm repose and poetry is the magic that makes music a spiritual experience. The

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In conversation with

Osho Jain

Talk to us about how you started out as an artist Music was a very major part of my upbringing. My whole childhood was about these beautiful ghazals and Indian Classical music that my parents used to listen to. I opted for music during my school and then the learning never stopped. In high school, I figured that I had something interesting and unique to say and I started writing songs. It has been a crazy journey so far.

A lot of your music speaks about socially relevant topics. How do you pick the topics to talk about? Is there a regime? I was always very sensitive about everything that was happening around me and I couldn't stop myself from writing about it. My upbringing and my city also taught me a lot of these deep-rooted things about our society which later came into my songs naturally.

Tell us a little bit about your songwriting process I don't have a process as such but there is always something going on in my head. A couplet or a melody is always stuck there and I keep trying to resolve it. Also, I really like to write my songs while I am traveling, there is a different feeling about it. Honestly, it is a very natural process for me. How important are lyrics according to you for a song? I think lyrics are a very important part of a song. Especially for me lyrics are one the most important thing in a song. It is very fascinating and beautiful that a simple combination of 10-15 words can make a person feel so many things. It is magic.

Tell us about your most recent release and how it came about amid the pandemic situation I have released a lot of music during the pandemic. Dheere Dheere, Kya Pata, and Mushkil Hai are some of my picks from the lot.

Talk to us about your recent session “Mulaqat”. What was it about? Mulaqat is a very personal and intimate live session. It is an online show where I play my music and interact with people. It is a very organic session. We try to create a safe space for people to join and interact and enjoy my music and poetry. We do it once every two-three months. By far we have done 4-5 sessions and have been joined by almost 600-700 people.

Name 3 artists you would love to collaborate with Lucky Ali, Bruno Major, Laura Marling. Upcoming projects

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It was a secret till now but I'm revealing it here that I am working on my first full-length album and it will be out soon.

PALAK DOSHI

Brewing Up Aural Magic in The North-East,

THE “TRANCE EFFECT” IS TAKING OVER THE NATION.

Indie rock bands are bourgeoning in the North-East and one such band that has captured everyone’s eye (or should we say, ears?) is the Nagaland based “Trance Effect.” This Effect from Dimapur recently received appreciation from business tycoon Anand Mahindra, when he shared the music video of their vivid track “Clowns.” He wrote, “A friend sent me this link. A group called Trance Effect from Nagaland. I wonder if the rest of India—and also the world—understand the musical talent that is brewing & incubating in our North East?” The pop-rock band also won the best EP/album of the year (Editor’s Choice) in the Indian Music Diaries Awards 2021. Formed in late 2017, by the bassist Imnamaong Imchen, it’s comprised of three more members – Luli Yeptho on Vocals, Sosang Lkr on Drums and Tako Chang on Guitar. Waves of roomy rhythm and melodic riff sculpt the organic sound of this Indie Pop Rock band. Their records are filled with soaring vocals, melodic guitar work, stomping grooves and more. The much-acclaimed EP comprising of five tracks ‘Clowns’ opens with the instrumental immersive track “Of Time Machine and Never-Ending Stories” before diving into the

entertaining title track. Mid record songs include the charming “Took Me a While” and energetic “Favourite Mistake.” It closes with the elated “More Love.” Loosely based on the concept of time travel, the first verse in “Clowns” carries a distinct meaning which could be the torchbearer of the EP. In the illustration “New Beginning”, Luli (the band's vocalist) can be seen stepping inside a Time Machine as the destination is set to a carnival, the main venue of the EP cover. Moreover, “Clowns” also talks about an individual trying to fit in with the chaotic and pretentious society, people

feigning happiness, hiding a turmoil inside, confused and lost, lonely even in a crowd, as the chorus goes, “covered in paint, we’re all clowns lost in the crowd”. Thus, highlighting the façade of the happy rose-tinted lives from afar. This is also a recurring theme from their 2018 track – “Stop Pretending”. 'Trance' which is a more melodic offshoot from techno or house is what drives their music even though they don't have a DJ in the band. And that, folks, is how they got their name – “Trance Effect”

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RETURN OF INDI-POP CULTURE The Indian music business has seen a dominance of film soundtracks over the last decade. But the interest in non-film/independent/pop or Indi-Pop music has seen a resurgence in the past few years. A lot of record companies have a large role to play in this. Universal Music India has launched VYRL Originals to promote Indi-pop and is building a strong culture around it. This was further accelerated with film music being put on hold due to the pandemic, and hence the interest in independent music increased manifold. Mass Appeal, launched in 2019 is another venture by Universal to amplify India’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. With musicians, record companies, social media outlets, and the audiences, all raving about Indi-Pop, this time around it is here to stay. Not only are Hindi non-film songs flourishing, there has also been a boost in regional content like Gujarati, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Tamil. Labels are putting in money in independent music after a long gap from the 1990’s. A lot of interest is being seen from labels, artists as well as the audience side. Big names like Saregama, Sony Music, T-Series and Universal Music are giving Indi-pop much needed and much deserved attention. Sony Music is making its presence felt across genres and languages with the launch of ‘Madras Gig’, a series of Tamil pop singles, followed by the ‘Hyderabad Gig’, for Telugu pop releases. Indian music is vast and for the first time after a long time, attention has begun to shift to music from all regions and all genres to reach a global stage, not limiting itself to film soundtracks. Indi-pop is giving voice to new perspectives and opening up myriad avenues Independent music has immense potential and festivals like Sunburn and NH7 Weekender have also contributed to the return of independent music, ensuring it reaches the masses and giving it a global platform and stage at the same time. Venues such as Hard Rock Café are also contributing to bringing the artists closer to the audience. The digital ecosystem has also played a major role in the return of Indi-Pop music. The launch of 4G, low-end smart phones, high speed internet, low-cost data plans, digital payments, and innumerable applications and platforms has led to consumers demanding and accessing content reserved as per their liking. The method of music consumption has changed. Music is now available across various audio and video digital platforms along with various social media platforms and the consumer now has access to licensed content right in the palm of their hands. The increase in demand for Indi-pop music can also be attributed to the penetration of music apps and internet to Tier II and Tier III cities which give more exposure to regional music and also because the quality of content has been greatly improving with more and more artists willing to create independent music, diverting from the pattern of the erstwhile concentration in film music. This can be seen in the meteoric rise of YouTube for which India is the fastest growing

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ADITI SARAWAGI

market in the world. Many of the top charts include non-film music, slots for which could be earlier seen filled with Bollywood. This trend can also be spotted across audio streaming platforms like Gaana, Jio Saavn, Wynk Music, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Hungama Music and even Spotify. Not only labels, but these platforms are also investing in Indi-pop with programs such as ‘Gaana Originals’ and Jio’s ‘Artist Originals’-in house labels for independent artists. As their user base becomes more diverse, these labels are discovering audiences for every kind of music in India. The sheer volume of the population and increase in smartphone users, has made India and hence Indi-pop a highly attractive market for original work. Indi-pop has become a space for musicians to create their own mark with the music they want to create and gather a fan base of their own. There are a number of musicians who are using the power of social media to bring their music to the forefront and are thriving too. Darshan Raval is an extremely popular musician who has used YouTube to gain a huge fan following-all while creating original music. This led to work in the film industry as well but these days, artists don’t need Bollywood to sustain themselves. Singer-songwriter Arjun Kanungo is also seen creating his own brand of music and works on his own terms. It is very crucial to adapt to the changing environment, and the music industry has not lagged behind which can be seen with the shift in focus towards artist-centric music. The last few years have seen the surfacing of talented new artists who are not afraid to experiment and challenge the norms. Dhvani Bhanushali, Guru Randhawa, Armaan Malik, Ananya Birla, Papon, Vishal Mishra, Akull, SukritiPrakriti Kakkar are on top of this game to name a few. These artists along with YoY o Honey Singh, Jubin Nautiyal, and Neha Kakkar have ensured that the top music slots have gone beyond film music once again in India, just like in the nineties. The digital world has given artists the long overdue platform and opportunity to showcase their talent along with artistic freedom and the reach they needed. Composers, lyricists, and singers, all are keen to innovate and carve their own niche in the music industry. Musicians no longer need to rely on the film industry to sustain themselves.

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Roots Revival The Trend of Recreating Folk Music Is Fast Catching on.

musical evolution has taken over the masses: the young Indian welcomes new and different kinds of genres and this has green-lighted a fervent fusion. The future of the urban folk bands is bright as they bring back the classic folk flavour, served on a colourful platter of pop! In the era of remakes and remixes, a well-produced folk rendition hits the right chords with a younger audience who may have never stumbled upon it otherwise. Our country is packed to the rafters with glorious musical traditions and gifted performers. Folk, as a genre, contributes tremendously to the local, cultural music scene. India has been producing an eclectic and wide diversity of folk music since time immemorial, comprised of legends, myths, facts and fiction. Authentic folk music is a sharp contrast to the highly commercialized classical music, the genre entails the concept of identity, cohesion, distinctiveness and belonging. Over the years, Bollywood and indie-pop artists have been churning out their versions borrowed heavily from Folk. The former may have a wider audience, but the latter has a supreme soul.

Rajasthan

Kattey, a traditional Rajasthani folk song, the number was first recreated for Coke Studio India, where the Rajasthani folk singer Bhanwari Devi and rap singer Hard Kaur set the stage on fire. It was composed, arranged, and produced by Ram Sampath. A woman in a ghoonghat with a strong folk voice

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and a rapper who’s made it to the top, despite the odds - if that’s not breaking stereotypes, what is? Featured in the film ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’ as well, this song is about rebellion and freedom. It’s a piece of music that never dips in energy, shifting moods effortlessly, from traditional folk sounds to rock and roll to hip hop, never once missing a beat. The original song is believed to have been around for centuries and has an underlying theme of devotional reverence to it.

Gujarati

The Gujarati verses of ‘Mor Bani Thanghat Kare’ in the DeepikaRanveer starrer Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela has a fascinating origin story. Formerly titled Navi Varsha, it is a 1944 Gujarati folk song translated

by poet Jhaverchand Meghani which was published in his anthology Ravindra-Veena (1944). It was later composed by Hemu Gadhvi. The song is a loosely translated version of "Navavarsha" by Rabindranath Tagore. Meghani had heard the song from Tagore himself in 1920 at his home in Calcutta. He wrote the Gujarati version in 1944 after Tagore’s death. It was translated in Gujarati in the traditional bard tone of Charans.

Kashmiri

The opening lines of the recent wedding staple ‘Dilbaro’ are a part of a Kashmiri wedding song. It's traditionally a song sung during bidaai and translates to a daughter bidding farewell to her father. While this is a more recent cover, dating back to our school days, the unforgettable – ‘Bumbro’ is yet another traditional Kashmiri folk song, originally written for the first-ever Kashmiri opera Bombur ta Yemberzal. By tradition, this is a song sung during the bride’s Mehndi ceremony. While Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Jaspinder Narula’s rendition from the movie ‘Mission Kashmir’ is a classic, the ‘Bhumbro’ version sung by Shirley Setia, Parry G & Aditya Dev from

Electro Folk Series of T-Series MixTape is more free-spirited and closer to its authentic self. Talking about Kashmiri folk songs, one must make a special mention to the Kashmiri song Roshay, included in the web series Made in Heaven. Originally, Roshay is a folk song first written by a celebrated female Kashmiri poet, Habba Khatoon who has been referred to as the Nightingale of Kashmir. The word Roshay means upset and angry, and the poet is describing this particular emotion from a lover’s perspective. Interestingly, it is her, longing for her male lover, an inversion that is bold and ahead of the times it was written in.

Punjabi

‘Jugni’ is a famous Punjabi folk song has been recreated several times, with one of the most famous versions being the Sufi version Chambe Di Booti by Coke Studio. Originally, in folk music, Jugni refers to the singer who acts as an observer and sings about the situations he or she is in. It talks about facing trials and tribulations in her path to love. Nothing could have captured the flux of emotions that happen in the Saif-Deepika 2012 film ‘Cocktail’ better than this brilliant Pakistani Punjabi folk song by Arif Lohar and Harshdeep Kaur.

Chattisgarh

PALAK DOSHI

Who doesn’t know ‘Genda Phool’? This simple but amusing number is a part of the Chhattisgarhi folk song called Dadariya. Dadariya included folk songs that described personal situations, but in a humorous manner - such as with Genda Phool, where a wife talks about her in-laws, as she waits for her husband to return home. Dadaria is one of the many kinds of folk songs from Chhattisgarh where men and women have been known to sing it during leisure while harvesting in paddy fields. This song by Rekha Bhardwaj from Delhi 6 is an adaptation of one of the Dadarias. The unique thing about the folk mix trend is that they’ll never be completely traditional or completely western, they’ll always be an astounding amalgamation of the past and the present. After all, folk music is like a treasured old recipe that should be passed on through generations as each cluster keeps adding its flavour to this sonic blend of inheritance.

Delivering hit songs tuned with fresh and extensive sounds with ambient electronics, Hari & Sukmani met back in 2008, and folk music became the common link for them. Ever since then, they have produced multiple hit reprises of OG Punjabi folk songs such as Baagay, Latthay Di Chaadar, Challa, and Madhaniyan. Their latest track ‘Baagay’ has taken social media by storm. Similarly, when we take Bajre Da Sitta, a classic Punjabi folk ceremonial song, whose popularity dates back to the 1940s, singers Rashmeet Kaur, Ikka and Deep Kalsi’s contemporary rendition of this song has become massively loved in a short span. A blend of folk and old school hip-hop, it is like a breath of fresh air making it the much-needed danceable number of the month, hands-down a kickass way of reintroducing the classic to the younger generation.

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AKARSH SHEKHAR

Five Ways to Stack Your Distortion Pedals

If you’ve used more than one distortion pedal at a time, you’ve officially stacked pedals. It’s that straightforward. Depending on your pedals and settings, your experiments may have met with mixed results, but the basic idea is solid; use one gain pedal to boost or color the sound of another. Stacking overdrive/gain/boost/ distortion/fuzz pedals can accomplish a variety of goals. One option is to set them up to be multiple gain stages. A clean amp with a light-heavy gain pedal stacking is quite common. When dialed-in correctly, these can be four distinct sounds: clean, dirty, heavy, or saturated. Fuzz pedals add a different color palette to your overall sound, but they work the same way as any other drive pedal. For example, if your fuzz pedal sounds better to you at high gain, treat it as a heavier gain pedal. If it sounds better at a lower gain setting, treat it like a lower gain pedal. You can also use stacks of drive pedals to change the overall character of your existing gear. For a different set of sounds, start with a pedal that has the tonal characteristics of a specific amp, ideally one that is different from your amp. Then stack that pedal with another flavor of gain, and you've got

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two distinct amp tones that can be overdriven. Starting off with a clean amp sound will offer more variety and flexibility if you're stacking gain pedals; the differences will be more audible. However, the concept can also work with a dirty amp. Obviously, the less distorted your amp setup is, the more you can influence the sound with the drive pedals.

Tips for Stacking Pedals

Here are 5 tips to understand when starting to stack pedals: • The last pedal in the stack has the most influence on the overall tone. • A clean boost can be used as a gain boost versus an overdrive pedal, or a volume boost if placed afterward. • Some pedals are great for specific jobs. Transparent units are great for adding gain or boost to a sound you don't want to alter, such as a second channel or gain stage. TS-style units boost mids, lower highs and lows, and add some compression and some clean, distortion-free signal to the mix. These are great for making a soloist stand out or for reinforcing a thick rhythmic sound. • It is important to find the optimal gain setting between pedals. Too much gain or level

•

• • • •

•

can cause excessive hiss or hum, weird handling noise, EQ, and compression, and can make your sounds appear smaller. Of course, there are times when sheer cacophony may be exactly what you're looking for. All drive pedals have an inherent EQ curve and sound. Knowing what that curve is will help you know how and where to stack a pedal. To find out what your pedal sounds like, try these steps: Start with the EQ controls set to flat (usually 12:00). Set the gain control to 9:00 or 10:00, lower if the pedal still responds correctly. Match the volume control so that the level is the same when the pedal is on / off. Play a chord with the pedal turned off. Turn on the pedal and play the same chord. Listen to the EQ differences in the two sounds. Are there more or less means? Does the low end change noticeably? Are the maximums the same? Increase the gain incrementally and toggle between on and off. Does the character of the pedal change? Is it a good thing? Use the volume control knob as well. Some pedals sound better turned up or make the amp louder.

Quirks & Queries: Purva Mantri What were the challenges you faced not coming from an Entertainment background?

How did music inspire you to get into it? Did you want to become a music artist since childhood? Ans: I was born and brought up in Ratlam (MP) in a Marwadi family. My initial schooling started in Ratlam and then continued in Indore. My musical journey started with learning from my mother from an early age and then from Ms. Rohini Parnaik, Mr. Harshad Shevgaonkar (Maths and Music teacher), and Mr. Prabhakar Sharma (Music teachers from the New Digambar Public School, Indore). Since childhood, my favorite artist has been Usha Uthup. Being a die-hard fan of hers would be an understatement. I have not met her yet, but I would love to. There is so much that I can learn from her. Apart from Usha Uthup Ji, I have idolised my mother. She is a Hindustani classical singer and I got all my training from her. Her simplicity, the vibrancy in her voice, and her humbleness inspire me the most and she has been one of my biggest inspirations to follow music as my passion, and today I have also made it my profession.

Ans: There are so many challenges. I never even thought about so many of them when I started out but could overcome them because of my perseverance. The mantra of success in this industry just keeps going. Both creating and producing music are very difficult. In India, India is a musical country where every hundred km with change in the state, people, food, etc. the local music also changes. People should have an open mind and should explore new music. The independent scene is here and it will grow. So many artists are producing music on their own Independently. One of the biggest challenges I faced was that I had no connections or any family persons in the music fraternity. But my passion and my parent’s encouragement have been enough to make me pursue my dreams. Have you learned music from a young age? What is your favorite genre and why? Music comes from my maternal family as my great grandfather, grandfather, and then my mother. I used to sing bhajans and folk songs along with my grandfather and mother from a very young age. Later on, I started professional training for singing from my mother and then from my teachers.

folk and I feel Pop suits my style and voice. How did the Indian music Pro league happen for you? Did you have to give an audition? IPML was so unexpected and something I really appreciate. It has been super amazing till now. The excitement level is altogether different here because it is a one-ofa-kind reality show that provides a big platform to all the artists out here, whether big or small. Tell us about your Mother’s Day song ‘Maa Tu Hai Na’? How did you manage to shoot it within your premises? This song is dedicated to my mother. I and my brother Shravan Mantri released a track dedicated to our mom ‘Maa Tu Hai Na’. Hailing from Indore, she never gave up on my dreams to make it big. Challenges and obstacles always found their way into my life, but she took it as stepping stones to success and on this journey, one person who always stood by my side was my mother, Shri Nishchala Mantri. What is there in the pipeline? As soon as I am ready to announce something new I am going to do so. In fact, during the lockdown I am only hoping everyone stays at home and keeps safe.

My favorite genres are Pop and folk because I started my singing with The

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AKARSH SHEKHAR

Save Your Studio From Power Disasters Lights going out in the studio during a recording session can end up being an absolutely unmitigated disaster. You can lose out on unsaved recordings and even cause some of your expensive equipment to get damaged. If the power goes out in your studio during a session, it means you have a crisis on your hands. Read on to learn how to avoid costly study power disasters by implementing power conditioners and uninterruptible power supplies. UPS What is a UPS? It is an uninterruptible power supply, a piece of battery-based equipment that will provide power in the event of a power outage. A UPS plugs into a wall outlet and offers sockets that will power your sensitive computer equipment. In the event of a power outage, the UPS makes an immediate transition to battery power, allowing your equipment to remain on even when the main power is out. In other words, a UPS gives you time to save your work and properly shut down devices like your computer. Without a UPS, your computer and other digital devices would instantly shut down, losing any unsaved progress and potentially corrupting your files. When the lights go out, you don't want to think, "Did I save that file?"

What should be connected to your UPS? The general rule of thumb is that if a computer needs time to start up when turned on, it should probably be protected by your UPS. The most obvious example is the computer running your DAW, and don't forget your computer monitor as well, otherwise you won't be able to see your desktop to save your work and shut down properly. Obviously, any drive or recording device must also be protected. You may also decide that it is advantageous to protect network equipment such as routers with your UPS in order to maintain network connectivity (this is especially important in larger multiroom installations). So why not connect all your equipment to one UPS for maximum protection? The main reason is that most of your equipment, such as monitor speakers, mic preamps, analog EQs and compressors, etc., are not threatened by the prospect of a power outage. After all, you won't lose settings in your analog gear rack or guitar amp just because the power goes out. What threatens the rest of your equipment are power problems like power surges, transient voltage spikes, and brownouts. Power Conditioner What is a power conditioner? In short, a power conditioner

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protects your equipment against damaging voltage spikes and other power anomalies. It would be technically accurate to call a power conditioner a kind of surge protector. It is a really important piece of equipment for your recording studio and you shouldn’t miss out on it. A professional power conditioner withstands transient voltage spikes with ease, reliably suppresses errant voltages, and will sacrifice itself if necessary (such as in the event of a catastrophic lightning strike) to protect your equipment. Most power conditioners also employ some form of EMF / RF noise filtering to prevent "dirty" power noise from leaking into your audio system. Some even offer sequenced power cycles to turn your equipment on and off in the correct order. What should be connected to your power conditioner? Everything that is not connected to your UPS, such as your computer and monitor, must be connected to a power conditioner. Things like analog mixers, mic preamps, keyboards, and guitar amps generally won't suffer in the event of a power outage, but are susceptible to day-to-day voltage irregularities and transient spikes. A power conditioner offers protection against these dangerous voltages, while also offering a better way to turn multiple equipments on or off simultaneously.

NAVYA C

The Pada Varnams that are the greatest choice for classical dancers One of the most important aspects of Indian Classical Dance (any form) is abhinaya (enacting the scene). The classical dancers use their body movements, postures, and subtle features like eye movement, facial expressions and following the rhythmic beauty through their performances. When it comes to Carnatic Classical Music, some composers made pada varnams that are suitable for dance performances rather than vocal renditions. Pada Varnams are defined as such form of varna where each note has a lyrical meaning associated with it. The expressivity and histrionic aspects are pretty high when it comes to pada varnams and hance it became the first-hand choice for the classical dancers to perform on stage. Here are some of such fantastic pada varnams which are the greatest choice for Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancers: 1. Chalamela- Naatakuranji Raagam : This fantastic pada varnam is an undisputed choice for both Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancers. The lyrics have excellent scope for abhinaya and the last chittasawaram “ Aa Draupadi ki Valuvasabhalo” is quite emotive and expressive. The beauty of the raag also adds to the blissful dance enaction and takes the audience to a new level altogether. 2. Ye Maguva Bodhinchera- Dhanyasi- Vempati Satyam: Exclusive to Kuchipudi dancers and penned by the legend Vempati Satyam himself, Ye Maguva Bodhinchera is a masterpiece in every respect. Written in Telugu, the composition has masterful scope for displaying a range of histrionics. 3. Aa Sariga- Mohana- Eesam Kuppusamiah: A relatively lesser known pada varnam, in fact a rare magical masterpiece, Aa Sariga was penned in a peculiar scenario. In order to get the job of a musician in the king’s court of Karvetinagaram (A temple town near current day Tirupathi, AP), the composer exclusively made this pada varnam for the court’s classical dancer to enact in the assembly. Set in Adi Taalam but in slower tempo, it has beautiful scope to enact and the muktayi “Viriboni Nenayurika Chelimi Meera” is out of the world! 4. Dani Samajendra- Thodi- Swathi Tirunal : Thodi is a tough raga not just to sing but also for dance performers. This composition written by a true legend Swathi Thirunal that brings out multiple emotions with a unique graph associated with it. Relatively famous than other lesser known pada varnams, it is an undoubtedly a favourite for Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancers. 5. Taruni Ninnu- Kamboji- Fiddle Ponnusami: Kamboji by itself is known for its royal nature and grandeur- the classical dancers make best used of these features along with the poetic lyrics penned by Fiddle Ponnusami. The pada varnam has a true balance between masculine aggression and feminine grace. 6. These pada varnams are just a drop in the ocean of some greatest unknown compositions that are yet to be unearthed. Take a moment to listen, relish and experience the magical state in the purest form of art! The

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In conversation with Ricky Kej 38

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We had an interesting chat with the Grammy Award-winning Indian Music Composer who talks about his latest track “Himalayas” and a little bit about his upcoming album ‘Divine Tides’. Read on to know more.

1. Talk to us about your latest track ‘Himalayas’ Himalayas is a song that is very close to me, it was the first piece of music that we created for Divine Tides. It is a tribute to the mighty Himalayas. Along with Stewart Copeland and me, it features some of my favorite musicians who regularly tour with me for my concerts - Arun Kumar (Vocal Percussion), Varijashree (Flute and Vocals), Sumarani (Sitar) and Manoj George (Violin). The Himalayas contain some of the highest peaks on the planet and the third-largest deposit of ice in the world after the Arctic and Antarctica. These mountain ranges are also considered sacred in many religions and are the source of some of the world's major rivers such as the Ganges. Most importantly, it is said that every human being on this planet depends on the Himalayas for their sustenance.. directly or indirectly. So we felt strongly about creating our own musical interpretation of this mighty range. The entire Divine Tides album is a tribute to the magnificence of our natural world and the resilience of our species. So the Himalayas is a perfect representation of this.

2. We absolutely love the video. How did you manage to do this during the pandemic situation? So glad you liked the video. The video for "Himalayas" was filmed at an elevation of over 12000 feet! In 2019, I was invited by the Indian Army to perform a full length concert at Leh, to 10,000 soldiers. It was the greatest experience of my life, a performance to 10,000 of India's finest, in their uniform, surrounded by mountains.

We had arrived in Leh 5 days in advance to acclimatise to the altitude, and we took that opportunity to film the video. Later on the pandemic hit, so we filmed Stewart in Los Angeles and edited it in. The film was created by my close friend and ace film-maker Sairam Sagiraju. Through this music video, we showcase the pristine beauty and the spiritual aura of The Himalayas.

3. What can we expect from your entire album? The album has 9 songs with 8 music videos. Nature is the greatest artist and there is beauty everywhere you look. Nature is also my muse and my music is very often a celebration of our natural world. All of the songs in ‘Divine Tides’ are a reflection of this. I have always believed that we only protect what we love and that is what I hope to achieve by showcasing the magnificence of our natural world through my music. Despite what we have done to our planet through our unsustainable ways, humans are an incredible species who have survived dire situations such as wars, pandemics, various forms of persecution, extreme natural events and so much more through the centuries. From living in caves to walking on the moon, we have come a long way in such a short span of time. I believe that if we celebrate our differences instead of letting them tear us apart and if we learn to live in harmony with nature, all living beings on our planet will thrive. ‘Divine Tides’ illustrates these musings through its diverse soundscapes and music videos. I am very happy with the way the music videos have turned out. I collaborated with several acclaimed

film-makers from around the world to shoot these videos and I am excited to showcase them. Videos from this album were shot in Leh, Tamil Nadu, The Western Ghats, the North-East of India, Thar Desert and Los Angeles. As you can imagine, it was a challenge to shoot these videos during the pandemic but it was also a blessing in disguise as we could showcase Mother Earth in all of her glory since most of the world’s population were indoors. We will be releasing a new music video every fortnight starting from the 7th of July 2021 up until September 28.

4. Tell us about the process of producing your latest track? Himalayas, as mentioned earlier, was the first piece of music that I came up with on the album, and Stewart took it to a whole new level. After I came up with the melody and structure of the song, we first recorded a string section arranged and conducted by the virtuoso violinist Manoj George. A male choir by Devan Ekambaram was next, and some really cool flute and vocals by Varijashree, and Sitar by Sumarani. We also have some fast-paced Kunakol (vocal percussion) by Arun Kumar. The keyboards and programming went through several iterations through the years, and we finally decided on a fantastic arrangement by Vanil Veigas, my most frequent collaborator and colleague. Stewart Copeland, in addition to cowriting and co-producing the piece, played the Spin Gong (first time I heard of it!), it's a gong that spins as you hit it, creating some great resonance. He also played some toned Tympani's, a cymbal tree and of course, the Drum Set.

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5. How did the collaboration with Stewart happen for this album? I had been working on a follow-up to my Grammy® winning album ‘Winds of Samsara’ and had catalogued some of my favourite melodies. Recordings were delayed because of my relentless touring schedule and when the pandemic hit, it presented an opportunity for me to spend time in my studio and kick-start this project again. I reached out to Stewart Copeland and was thrilled when he said yes to making this album with me. I have always relied on technology for all of my recordings and therefore, I had plenty of experience to make this experience as seamless as possible. Stewart too is high on technology, and has one of the most amazing home studios. Stewart and I recorded our portions individually and it all came together superbly. We are both positive people and despite the pandemic, we are thrilled to have created an album that celebrates life and will create a wave of much needed positivity in our audiences. Working with Steward Copeland was like attending the best masterclass imaginable. Stewart is not just the Founder and Drummer of one of the biggest selling bands in history ‘The Police’, he also regularly composes for Operas, Orchestras and for over 50 Hollywood movies including the Oscar award winning ‘Wall Street’. Despite reaching the pinnacle of success, he is constantly evolving and learning by exploring new sounds, traditional music instruments and rhythms. We constantly threw ideas at each other, adapted sounds and crafted this album together piece by piece.

6. Talk to us about the artists you have collaborated with and what can one expect There are several fabulous musicians on this album such as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra UK (who we recorded at Abbey Road Studios), superstar Indian duo Salim-Sulaiman, Vietnamese American Opera Singer Sangeeta Kaur, Indo-American Flautist and singer Rasika Shekar and several frequent collaborators such as Varijashree Venugopal, Manoj George,

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Siddhartha Belmannu, Charan Raj, etc.

7. What’s your take on the independent scene flourishing in India currently? The independent music scene in India is extremely vibrant and promising. Unfortunately, the movie industry still holds a vice-like grip on the entire music industry and a lot of independent artists who are extremely talented seek validation from Bollywood or just give up. Because of the dominance of Bollywood and other film industries in India, composers and singers are very rarely making music from the heart based on their own philosophies and beliefs. Every reality show out there is continuing the same trend and as long as it remains like that, it will be difficult for Indian Musicians to get international recognition across cultural barriers through independent music. Children must be taught to make music from the heart and budding young musicians should be taught the importance and value of our rich musical heritage which is extremely unique and diverse. Only when Indian musicians start gaining recognition, more will follow and the standard of music education will automatically improve. There are several independent artists in India that I am a huge fan of and record labels in India have to step up and actively seek and promote talent. There is so much more to Indian music than film music and independent/folk/ classical artists in India deserve the spotlight.

8. What can we expect from you apart from this album? I have some really interesting completed projects lined up. One of them is a documentary feature called ‘Who is Baul’ which showcases the mystic lives and music traditions of the Bauls of India. Their philosophies are over a thousand years old and their enlightened lifestyles are threatened by modern demands. We are working on releasing this documentary on film festivals around the world for now and just premiered at the London Film Festival on the 27th of June 2021.

Rapid fire 1. Three pieces of gear you cannot live without My super powerful PC Computer (built by myself) Native Instruments Keyboard Controller My collection of Analogue Synths (really ancient ones!)

2. Artists you would love to collaborate with in your next project Stewart Copeland (Again :-)) AR Rahman Nitin Sawhney

3. Dream venue to perform at once the pandemic relieves us I have performed at most of my dream venues already. Would love to perform at Madison Square Garden though!

AKARSH SHEKHAR

WWYD: REVERB YOUR DELAY OR DELAY YOUR REVERB Reverb and Delay are two of the most popular time based effects used while mixing tracks. Reverbs create a sense of space. Delays create a sense of depth and placement with a more distinct sound.

Reverb Your Delay Because delay can become part of the sound (think of the delay washing U2's The Edge uses so often), there are times when it makes sense to put a little extra reverb on a delayed signal to push it back a bit further in the mix. My basic mixing philosophy starts with a small room that I spend almost everything in the mix through. While the tempo and style will determine the size of this room, it is typically between 300 ms and 500 ms of reverb time. I even play kick and bass a bit through this little reverb. It just helps put everything in the same space and makes the tracks feel more connected. You could choose to use this small room to affect the frequency content of the delay signal. I can always use the tonal controls on the delay to bring out some of the top and bottom of the signal, but I may want that energy to help light up the longest reverb if I choose to also route this delay signal to my second reverb. You can achieve this effect by putting two plug-ins inline in your DAW, as almost all of them process audio sequentially by default. The downside to this is that it's wasteful from a processing point of view to dedicate a reverb to one track, and you're applying reverb to the entire signal, not just the delay portion of the sound. While this is a subtle distinction, it can make a difference if you apply it across multiple tracks. Mud stacks up very quickly in a mix. Setting a send pair on your delay return on your mixer allows you to apply reverb only to the processed output of your delays. This can bring the center sound of your voice or guitar to the front of the mix, while everything else falls behind, giving you a sense of depth.

Delay Your Reverb Almost all reverb plug-ins made have a control called pre-delay. The idea behind this control is exactly what it sounds like, although the words "pre" and "delay" together are an oxymoron. If something is "pre", it comes before, and if it is "late", it comes later. Pre-delay, in reference to reverb, means a delay that is used before the reverb starts. In the early days of recording, this was accomplished by sending the reverb to a tape machine as a delay and then sending the output of that to the echo chamber or plate. The purpose was to move the start of the reverb away from the original start of the audio that triggered it. The sound at the beginning of the processed audio is complex and quite non-linear. Most reverbs are referred to as “early reflections” and this is the last part of the reverb sound where individual echoes are still discernible. Because this part of the reverb is so distinctive, having it kick in at the same time as the signal you're processing can be very distracting and eliminate clarity fairly quickly. The pre-delay pushes these reflections back enough that they don't interfere with the signal you're trying to enhance with a bit of reverb. UA's Dream Verb (which comes with all Universal Audio interfaces) does a great job of graphing the way the pre-delay interacts with early reflections and diffuse reverb washout, which are separate portions of the sound of a reverberation. The

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Studio TOUR

Audioneers

Tell us about space The space which we call “Audioneers Lab” is a production and composition focused setup. We mostly compose/ produce/engineer original music. The lab is conducted by Celjo John who is a music producer. Paras Khanna of Hourglass Studio helps us with the engineering part. The Lab is equipped with a few synthesisers, a couple of microphones, some guitars and tons of good vibes!

2. Take us through the process of setting it up The lab was set up in parts due to several constraints. Started in 2012 with a laptop and a pair of bookshelf speakers it finally took shape after 6 years as the Audioneers Lab operating with industry level standards. It grew with time and here it is featuring in The Score Magazine, India's Na-tional Pan-Genre Music Magazine.

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3. What are some of the studio essentials you would recommend? Mobile Charging cables of all sorts! Thats what most of us seek for. Primarily it would be a good power conditioner to keep the gears safe from voltage surges and unwanted noises. Invest on it when you start upgrading to expensive equipments otherwise surge protectors are also a good option for the people who are just beginning. Also a Headphone mixer amplifier if you are recording in the same room. Last but not the least, A Coffee Machine!

4. What equipment do you use? 27” iMac extended to a 32” display. Pair of Yamaha HS8 Monitors. Zoom TAC2 thunderbolt A/D Interface. Synthesisers & MIDI controllers like Behringer Crave,

8. What’s your next buy for the studio? A Neumann U87 Microphone, an ASM Hydrasynth synthesiser, a pair of Gene-lac Monitors. The list is endless!

9. Tips to aspiring owners of studios Make the artist feel like home! Help the artist grow. Don't be a salesman, be a friend first.

Yamaha RS7000, Native Instruments S49 Mk2, Roli Rise 25. Fender CD60, Fender Strat, Dean BBOLT Dime, EXL Bass are in the guitar rack. Rode NT1A, NT1, Lewitt LCT440 are a few among the mics which can be patched to an ART Pro Channel 2 Pre-Amp and Compressor. All of these gears powered by an ART Pro SP 4X4 Power Conditioner.

5. Pieces of gear you cannot live without Audio Technica M60x headphones, they are perfect for long mixing sessions. The 12.9” iPad which I use as a remote mixer. Who doesn’t want an additional touch display!

6. Describe your typical work day in the studio. We mostly start after 12PM. A typical session lasts around 2-3 hours in which we give an easy approach to the song involving a jam & a production session. At times we just discuss the industry trends for the whole session. Its like a breathing space, you don’t come here to make bangers! You live music which eventually turns into bangers! The studio operates on “per project” module than a time based set up. This way the artist can focus on the notes than on the clock.

7. Take us through some of your most significant releases from your studio and why it is special. The most significant would be TOKE featuring TANS3N and URBAN POET. We got a lot of appreciation for the work plus someone made a reaction video of the song as well! Modd de Yaara, a punjabi track would be the second most significant work from the lab as it got released under Zee Music and has crossed a couple of million views, our first song on a big shot label!! The

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PHASE VS CHORUS VS FLANGE

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? FLANGE

PHASE

CHORUS

Launching of flanging This can be incredibly dramatic, as evidenced by the lead riffs of hard rock classics like Van Halen's “Unchained” and Heart's “Barracuda”. Before the arrival of the pedals we all know and love, flanging was created in those good analog recording studios using this process:

As mentioned above, phases and flanger are often confused due to how similar they can sometimes sound, especially when the frequency of a phase pedal is adjusted rather slowly. The hiss/swirl it creates makes the sound of the guitar seem to move away from you and then back.

How does a chorus pedal work? This will be yet another instance of déjà vu due to the similarity between the way the chorus is created and flanging. There are differences, of course, but they are definitely quite related, not only in the way they are formed, but sometimes sonically as well. In fact, one of the artists considered synonymous with chorus is Andy Summers of the multiplatinum British pop band The Police. However, in reality, by Andy's own admission, his early "chorus" sounds, which many consider classic, were actually created via a modified ElectroHarmonix Electric Mistress Flanger / Filter Matrix pedal. The guitar signal is split in two: one of the signals is left alone, while the other signal is left alone. subject to a short, cyclical modulated delay sound familiar? When these signals are combined, the desired chorus sound is created. What happens is this: when the delay time of a signal increases, the opposite happens and its pitch falls relatively. You can hear such a change in pitch by turning the delay time control of a delay pedal back and forth while playing, as long as the pedal is "on", of course! That said, the delay time increases and decreases that occur in a chorus pedal are very small and also cycle with perfect consistency.

1. Record a song or part of a song, on two separate recorders. 2. Rewind and place the tapes at the exact same starting point, and press play on both machines at the same time. 3. Modify the speed of one of the machines by pressing a finger against the outer flange from the spool of tape to slow it down a hair. This action puts the two machines out of sync due to the slight random delay created by finger pressure on the flange of one machine compared to the other "intact" machine.

Some great examples of the set-up are Led Zeppelin's “The Rover,” Queen's “Keep Yourself Alive,” and of course Van Halen's epic “Eruption”. The reason phasing and flanging are often confused is understandable because they occur in a similar but different way, if that's not a classic example of an oxymoron in action! The similarity: just like a flanger, a phase pedal splits the original signal in two, leaves one alone, but messes with the other, then mixes the two back together, and voila - the desired effect is created. The Difference: While both flange and phase pedals have a sweep function (another similarity), the way these two sweeps are created is completely different. 1. The signal is divided into two identical paths. 2. One of the pairs is left as is, while the other passes through a series of modulated full-pass filters, changing its phase around certain frequencies. 3. The two signals, filtered and unfiltered, are remixed, creating a series of notches that are swept up and down the frequency range by an LFO. 4. 4. The speed of this sweep is determined by, wait, the speed knob or pedal speed.

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AKARSH SHEKHAR

THREE ADVANTAGES OF USING MORE THAN ONE DAW 1. You can learn how to work on multiple DAWs with a little effort You don’t need to be a studio wizard in order to learn how to use multiple DAWs. Also remember that you already know how to use a DAW, it's not like you have to learn "cut and paste" one more time. Just like if you know music, it's a lot easier to become a multi-instrumentalist, even if you're better at a particular instrument. Additionally, many DAWs have customizable keyboard shortcuts. If you want to go deep into a program, you'd better learn the native shortcuts of the program. However, for the common functions you use every day, it is generally possible to have a common set of keyboard shortcuts for different DAWs. Note that this feature can be really useful when evaluating trial versions, because it is easier to quickly get comfortable to see if you like the program. Even if your DAW does not provide keyboard shortcut "presets", you can usually create and save your own.

2. Transferring projects from one DAW to another isn’t that difficult FL Studio and Propellerhead Reason have a strong MIDI orientation and make it easy to create MIDI-based compositions quickly and efficiently. You can develop parts in those DAWs and then export the MIDI data as a standard MIDI file or render the MIDI tracks as audio files, which you can then import into a DAW that you find more suitable for mixing. Or suppose you use Windows and for composing you prefer Ableton Live to create loop-based projects in your Session View, or PreSonus Studio One due to its unique features like Harmonic Editing and Scratchpads, but you prefer mixing in Pro Tools, because Your Slate LaRAVEN control surface is not (yet) compatible with Studio One or Ableton Live on Windows. When it's time to mix your song,

export the audio files as individual tracks or tracks, import them into Pro Tools, and then you can mix them in your preferred mixing environment. The time you gain working in a familiar environment will almost certainly make up for the time it takes to transfer files between DAWs. And if your DAWs support AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) or OMF (Open Media Framework) transfer protocols, you can even transfer reasonably complete projects with just a few mouse clicks. However, keep in mind that, like MIDI, not all AAF and OMF compatible applications implement the same set of functions. As an analogy, even if a MIDI keyboard controller doesn't support the relatively rare polyphonic aftertouch feature, it is still considered a MIDI keyboard controller. As a result, it is often best to make project transfers relatively early in the composition process.

3. OMF and AAF aren’t terrible AAF is more predictable and capable than OMF, and it is true that the process is not necessarily easy to put into operation. That is why you can always resort to exporting and importing audio files. However, once you figure out which AAF (or OMF) preferences to use, the process itself is simple. For example, you can create a loop-based song in Studio One using their Impact XT instrument, but might want to process the guitar tracks with Digital Performer amp simulators and other guitar processors. The transfer process won’t work until you check the Studio One "Legacy" box for AAF exports to accommodate older versions of the protocol. After you apply the guitar effects, you can export the DP project as AAF. When reopening it in Studio One, the only "downside" is that you need to confirm that the exported files were actually the ones you wanted to import.

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SIX RECORDING MISTAKES TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS Not communicating Having good communication with your engineer/producer and fellow musicians about what you want is the key to, well, getting what you want. If something bothers you about the guitar solo or vocals and you never bring it up in the studio, you just have to blame yourself when you get embarrassed every time you hear it. So keep your brain fully involved in the study and don't hesitate to speak up if you think something is wrong. This is doubled if you are a self-producer. Being out of tune This should go without saying. Before setting a track, tune your instrument. But even before entering the studio, make sure your instrument is in tune with itself. Proper intonation and tuning for all instruments will give you the best chance for a powerful track. Mixing too loud We'll just say it: monitor at 85 dB or less. If you turn up the volume, your sound recordings could turn out bad (they could even cause permanent hearing damage over time). But seriously, it all sounds really loud. Mix at reasonable levels and you'll have to work to get a great-sounding recording. The Fletcher-Munson curves dictate that low and high

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levels decrease in our auditory perception at lower monitoring volumes. Monitor too high and you'll end up with a mid-range recording/ mixing. On the contrary, when you monitor at lower levels, you will have adequate low and high frequency content. Rehearsing Rehearsing is an important part of being prepared. A tight rhythm section, incredible vocals, and great solos don't just happen. You have to work to get it. So get the band together on a regular basis and rehearse the songs you will record. And of course, record the rehearsals. Everyone can listen and correct the course before going to the studio. That lick that leads to section B doesn't quite work. The rhythm track is solid, but it would be great if the guitar solo were in sync harmonically with the bass and keyboards on the switch. Rehearsals give your band a chance to fix the arrangement, improve their skills, and prepare for the follow-up session. Not making a demo Sure, Steve Vai and his select group of world-class musicians could meet up and improvise a masterpiece of a track. But for the rest of us, having a proper demo is imperative. If you

have booked a studio, time is money. And even if you're tracking at home yourself, having a blueprint to record the song is incredibly useful. You may not follow your demo to the letter, but at least you and your band will start to work. A blank DAW timeline is both agonizing and a huge waste of time. Having a full demo where you could test ideas without pressure is even more vital when you're recording in a commercial studio and time is running out. Not being prepared or being on time Whether you are a professional musician, or just want to be, you need to act like one. That means taking care of business and arriving on time, or early, for professional commitments. Do the pros keep their bandmates and engineers waiting for them in the studio? No. And before you're there, get organized. A good place to start is by bringing a demo of the song you are cutting. As discussed before, make sure you have a demo. Once the sessions are underway, don't get distracted. Take breaks, but keep them defined. Make sure the breaks don’t become longer than the recording sessions themselves. Time is money in life, even more so when it comes to recording music.

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