ISSN 0974 – 9128
Vol 08 Issue 6 - June 2015
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India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE
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STAR OF THE MONTH
SARAH-JANE DIAS BAND OF THE MONTH
RAAGA TRIPPIN ON MAKING MUSIC THE ACAPPELLA WAY
ON HER NEW SINGLE, "FORGOT TO BE ME"
TIPS & TRICKS THINGS TO ADD TO YOUR GUITAR PRACTICE ROUTINE
MUSIC EDUCATION BEST MUSIC SCHOOLS IN INDIA FOR WESTERN MUSIC
COVER STORY
ANKIT TIWARI ON HIS RECENT WORLD TOUR AND UPCOMING PROJECTS
ALSO INSIDE : TO LISTEN TO DISSECT OR LISTEN TO ENJOY? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
the edit PAD As Indian Indie music rakes in prominence, with companies like BuzzFeed and Polka cafe taking a slice of the action, we see celebrities like Farhan Akthar actively collaborating and experimenting with Indie bands. A few bands are certainly becoming big brands and this marks a definite positive shift in Industry. Time has also come for Music Media and music e-commerce disruptions. Palm Expo 2015 taught us that the time to disrupt isn’t far away with companies like Harman already leading the way in app based support for proaudio equipment. This is just the start of course, and all indications point towards an upcoming explosion in the market. With affordability comes experimentation, and today, Indians can afford better music equipment, better music training and better experiences. Here is to us hoping for some insane market experimentation in the music industry in 2015.
I NSIDE 08 ANKIT TIWARI Score strikes a conversation with the Sunn Raha Hai Na Tu and Galliyan hitmaker to decode his side of the story.
AJAY PRABHAKAR Director - Strategy and Planning
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22 BAND OF THE MONTH Ragaa Trippin' on making music the acappella way
Director, Strategy and Planning : Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development : Pragash VM Head - Marketing & Operations : Sneha Ramesh Associate Editor : Ananya Ashok Editorial Advisor : Nikila Srinivasan Creative Director : George Vedamanickam Lead Designer : Nipun Garodia The Score Magazine is wholly owned by
12 MUSIC WORKSHOP CASIO conducts Music Workshop with The Maestro – A.R. Rahman
18 INSIDE A MUSICIAN’S HEAD A chat with Euphoria’s Palash Sen on Indian competition in the audio equipment market and music over the ages.
26 CARNATIC SEGMENT
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A list of incredibly cool and useful sites to help you get your Carnatic homework done and just get you back into the groove overall.
30 STAR OF THE MONTH Sarah-Jane Dias : On her new single, "Forgot to be me" and the Upcoming projects
ANKIT TIWARI Intoxicating is the word that defines his heart-tugging voice. Multifaceted musician Ankit Tiwari is now synonymous with love, longing and all things passionate. But even if love may have failed him in real life, he hasn’t forsaken the emotion. Still a romantic at heart and with a positive mindset, the singer-scorerinstrumentalist has risen from the ashes like a Phoenix. Pramita Bose strikes a conversation with the Sunn Raha Hai Na Tu and Galliyan hitmaker to decode his side of the story.
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You seem to be modesty personified as you still call yourself a newcomer and a student of Bollywood….
your voice in every number stem up from your own personal experiences?
Ha-ha! Whatever you say, but frankly speaking, I’m not in a hurry to prove my mettle in all forms of music under the sun. I'm basically a relaxed person by nature and prefer to keep my feet on the ground, lest I fall in absence of wings (laughs)! Jokes apart, I take things as and when they come my way and consider myself a learner on the job. Doesn’t the saying go, 'slow and steady wins the race'?
As a matter of fact, none is alien to a dark chapter in life. Sabhi is pehlu se waqif hai aur iss dard se guzar te hai. (All are familiar with the ups and downs of life and have to pass through this agony). And the harsh fact is, you don’t plan or predict such things in advance. It just happens. Sometimes it brushes past while on other occasions, it shockingly punches you in the face.
Do you fear getting typecast as a tunesmith? For, even if you explore and innovatively experiment with other genres, you are mostly celebrated for your love ballads alone. To be very honest, I’m still at the nascent stage of my career. So I don’t think I’ve reached a certain position where I can really pick and choose my assignments. Moreover, it’s a producer’s call to decide upon which composer to rope in — merited upon his/ her strengths — so that the best goods can be delivered pertaining to the chosen story and a given song-sequence. See, the maker has a business model set in his mind and he would run it with a profiteering motive. So, at the end of the day, his invested money has to be secure.
Your voice has a sloshed, addictive feel to it, which is reflected in all your memorable love gems — be it the passionate Sunn Raha Hai Na Tu, a soulful Galliyan, the romantic Tu Hai Ki Nahin or a very sensual Katra Katra. Is that your natural tonal quality or have you consciously inculcated the style to comply with the market’s dictates which understandably demand hits after hits? Well honestly, there’s no rocket science or fixed formula behind this. It’s an inborn quality, if you allow me to put that way. But I am afraid, I can’t change my vocal texture according to the fluctuating marketdynamics. I may modulate my voice, bring in a range of variations — suiting a particular song-situation — but definitely cannot ever alter my sound from the scratch. For example, Sunn Raha had a different bhao (expression) to offer, so was Galliyan. So the style of singing and emotions discharged in both cases were dissimilar but not my voice, if you notice it carefully.
Love also brings along its own crises — estrangement, angst, misunderstanding, fights and insecurities. Does the audible pain, poignancy and poise dripping from
Now, how you pick up those shredding threads of life and tie up the loose ends only to spring back with a greater force is solely up to you. And yeah, often these encounters get registered in your sub-conscious mind and find a vent through your work.
Do you believe in fate and blame your stars for facing a temporary lean patch or wading through a troubled phase in life? I do believe in destiny but not brooding over the past till eternity. Let bygones be bygones. My funda is to take a leaf out of my book of mistakes and bad times to rectify the same in the next step. Life is about moving on — like a tide on the flow. When it gives you a second chance, just grab it to the fullest. Look you win some and lose some. Even our God of cricket Sachin Tendulkar had to endure some bitterest brickbats in his career when his runmachine was in drought. But that’s part and parcel of the game. Either you perform or perish.
What if success ever eludes you… Well, it’s a very normal thing and quite possible too. You tell me, can you ever chalk out your success-graph? Never! I can only think about my hard-work and projects. For results lie in the omnipotent God’s hands and I have to just await his verdict.
Can you recall your struggling stretch? Well, it was a humble beginning. I had started off entirely as a rank greenhorn struggler from outside and my career in music shaped up bit by bit. Quite like a toddling little boy, I first went to a playschool, then gradually shifted to high school and got promoted further to enrol for college. Initially, I would prepare ready-tracks to back up live-performers on stage. Thus, I got the sense of sound. Then grasped the ropes in jingles from where I got a hang of television and did background scores for the serials. In due course of time, the emotions of music started seeping into my veins and I learnt to understand what film music is all about.
Who is your musical inspiration and why? Definitely my mother (Mrs. Suman Tiwari). She was the first person to introduce me to music. Dekhiye mujhe sangeet viraasat me mili hai. (Music has been my familial legacy). It’s in my blood and genes and ever since I was in my mother’s womb, I have been connected to the musical strains. She is a well-known devotional singer of Kanpur, my native town. And my parents (father Mr. R. K. Tiwari) own a music-troupe called Raju Suman and Party which performs at religious congregations. I remember playing the keyboard at some ceremonial gatherings and would even lend my vocal chords off and on. That’s how I cultivated the sense of beat and rhythm in me. You may say that the seeds of my basic foundation in music were sown at home only.
Do you ever dream of cutting a solo private album? Not an album per se but am already working upon a single. Urge to record a compilation is always there but right now, my schedule is so much jam-packed with film workloads that everything else put
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put on the backburner. However, I am planning to release my single sometime around this year. Preferably, it should hit the stands ahead of the festive season and I’m going to appear in my first music video shot ever.
Earlier, you had expressed your desire to collaborate with the Mozart of Madras A. R. Rahman… Oh yes, if only God willing (smiles). Let me keep my fingers crossed! But now am even greedier. You may add two more international names on the list — Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias.
Tell us something about your recently concluded World Tour — Generation Next of yours. Well, that was a thrilling experience and a very fulfilling one. A series of concerts was jointly organized by our international promoter Farhath Hussain and the leading event management company of Cineyug. Mainly, it was mainly a US tour and I could visit seven places touching down from Dallas, Houston, New Jersey, Washington DC, Boston, Los Angeles to San Francisco. Practically, all my shows were housefull. The amount of appreciation and fan-adulation I got from these places was simply amazing. The brand of Aashiqui 2 has reached the skies it seems. It’s nothing new that mainstream Bollywood music is popular world-wide. But when you witness a dense crowd of mixed populace ranging from Chinese, Africans, Brits, Americans, Indians, Pakistanis to Bangladeshis swinging to your music, then it feels surreal and commendable. The ambience was super cool and tapping the pulse of a live audience is always liberating from a claustrophobic studio. It was really surprising to get an encore of Tu Jo Hai from the Emraan Hashmi flick Mr. X as it was yet to release then. But the song was already a craze over there. My upcoming trip from July 22 till August 10 will see me travelling from Chicago, New York, Toronto, Leicester, London to Holland.
You have also sung in regional languages like Tamil, Kannada and Telugu which are literally tough on the tongue. So for you as a musician, language is no barrier... I have studied at a school where Sanskrit was a compulsory subject till class 10. And Sanskrit by default is the mother language of most Indian vernaculars. So I guess if you are conversant in the root language, you can smoothly pick up other provincial lingos. Same applies in my case. Although comprehending the meaning of the word was cumbersome at times, I managed to pull it off with credence.
Given a chance, would you seriously consider acting offers as you do possess a pleasant personality and may look good onscreen as well? No way! Acting is a different ballgame altogether. It’s a distinct art from music-direction. Not many people would remember that my elder brother (Ankur) and I had chipped in as music-composers in Aashiqui 2. But that was a small cameo and we both portrayed a character which is so routinely part of our regular lives. But if someone asks me to serenade a heroine, sing and dance with her, emote in love-scenes and do stunts and action sequences like a seasoned pro, then sorry, that isn’t my cup of tea!
It is almost impossible to find friends in a competitive industry like showbiz, more so in times
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of distress. But you did bump into an angel like eminent filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia in your worst possible hour. What do you have to say? Well in your question lies the answer hidden. And you’ve said it yourself. I completely agree that seldom would you come across real buddies to rally around you with a show of strength and solidarity in the moment of peril and grief. But that’s what Tishubhaiyya did. It requires a lot of heart to come out in the open and support a guy who is put on the wrong side of the law. (Incidentally, in May 2014, Tiwari was detained on charges of alleged harassment, complained by his girlfriend). He is now more like a family to me and I can call him 24X7. These relations you see, are beyond any professional parameters. I have a great personal equation with director Mohit Suri too. Even my close bonding with lyricist Sandeep Nath (of Sunn Raha Hai fame) is at a brotherly level.
You have also signed up a film with him… Yes, Tishuji has given me work when I was mentally in shambles. It is his forthcoming project titled Yaara. He is not only a talented director but a wonderful person as well. The film is a tentative 2015 release.
Can you shed some light on your upcoming musical duties in Airlift and Rocky Handsome? The song in Airlift (an upcoming action-thriller starring Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur) is of interesting genre — a dance number in a nutshell. While Rocky Handsome (featuring John Abraham and Shruti Haasan as lead pair) is a very emotional film and close to my heart. Right now, it is too early to either discuss or declare these songs in detail. But both films are slated for release this year only.
You have already playbacked for actor Ranbir Kapoor in Roy. Which other hero would you want to lip-sync your dulcet numbers? Of course the big three — the shaandaar(magnificent) Khans. Though I have sung the Dil Darbadar track in Aamir Khan’s PK which only emerged in the background but hasn’t directly sung for him. Besides, King Khan SRK and Salmanbhai are on my wish-list.
Had you not been a musician what would you be? I wouldn’t be on this planet only. I think I was born to be a musician and in my head, I can’t think of any other vocation to describe myself.
PRAMITA BOSE
TOP 10 songs by ANKIT TIWARI Tu Hai Ki Nahi (Roy) Sunn Raha Hai (Aashiqui 2) Galliyan (Ek Villain) Mat Ja Re (Tanu Weds Manu Returns) Tu Jo Hain (Mr X) Dil Darbadar (PK) Ishqedarriyaan (Ishqedarriyaan) Alif Se (Mr X) Boond Boond (Roy) Galliyan (Ek Villain)
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CASIO conducts Music Workshop with The Maestro – A.R. Rahman Chennai, April, 2015 – Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd, conducted a one of its kind workshop in the month of April with The Maestro – A.R. Rahman. Casio is one of the most recognized brands across geographies. Its entire product portfolio especially digital keyboards and pianos are exceptional in terms of quality, performance and has a wide range starting from learners, mid segment to professionals that gives the brand an extra edge over its competitors. 30 lucky Casio enthusiasts were selected through a lucky draw and were presented with an opportunity of a life time, to meet A.R. Rahman personally. These Casio lovers were flown in from all parts of the country to Chennai, where the workshop took place. A.R. Rahman shared deep meaningful insights and handy tips for learning music and how to take it further not only as a hobby but also as a serious profession. A.R. Rahman is India’s most respected music director and has contributed tremendously towards the Indian Music Industry and has been responsible for putting India on the international map. Mr. Rahman, himself handed over certificates of participation to each one of the lucky participants of this privileged workshop along with an evergreen memory of their pictures taken with A.R. Rahman, exclusively. The talk given by Mr. Rahman, really helped motivate music students to further deepen their knowledge of the Keyboard and helped create enthusiasm and interest for creating and performing music.
Speaking about his association with Casio, Mr. Rahman stated, “I am proud to be associated with the brand Casio, which has inspired millions of youngsters to embark on their music journey with an affordable Casio Keyboard and today many of them have become professional musicians. By this association with Casio, I appeal to everyone that they should learn music as it helps in the overall development of the personality. ” He added, “Casio has the widest variety of musical instruments at affordable prices and here is a model suitable for everyone.” The workshop also consisted of enthralling performances by Mr. Anil Srinivasan. Mr. Srinivasan, a very well renowned musician from Chennai, gave practical tips which could be incorporated with everyday practice routines for further strengthening the learners’ technique for playing along with enhancing their skills further. Casio had also put its entire Electronic Musical Instruments product range on display for all the participants to experience themselves, up close and personal. The participants could play and experience each of the amazing sounding Musical Keyboards and Pianos which are on every good musician’s wish list. The
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Best Music Schools in India for Western Music Now that the admission season is upon us, most of the undergraduate aspirants are rattling through online forums and websites to find the best ranking colleges in their chosen fields of study. Ă‚ Life after school begins with an impending feeling of confusion and anxiety within most of us today, as choosing the right college for the right area of study requires intense research. Based on rankings of various web portals and newspapers, here is a list of the some of the best music schools in India. SWARNABHOOMI Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music aims to provide a challenging academic program in music that fosters a collaborative exchange of ideas and thoughts in a culturally rich environment exemplifying the notion of a global community. By blending the best of Indian traditional Gurukula based classical music pedagogy and contemporary western college education practice, the college seeks to not only provide a unique and rounded music education but also build character and personality in its students and prepare them for careers in music as performers, arrangers, songwriters, composers, producers, teachers and more.
DELHI SCHOOL OF MUSIC This is one of the very few schools in India to have a tie up with a European Universities like Trinity College of Music, London. Delhi School of Music also offers a very challenging course in Western Classical Music. It caters to between 1300 and 1400 students annually, and provides instruction on musical instruments (piano, guitar, violin, cello, flute and recorder), singing and dance.
TRUE SCHOOL OF MUSIC A multi-genre school, True School of Music trains students up to a professional level in guitar, drums, keyboards, vocals, music production, engineering, disc jockeying and more. There are curriculums pertaining to rock and jazz, which is the main focus of the institution. With regards to course durations, they're looking at anywhere between 9-12 months for a full-time certificate student which can extend up to 2.5 years for those who opt for part-time courses.
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ASIAN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE OF MUSIC ACCM, which is located in Thiruvanandapuram delivers programmes for serious students looking to become music industry professionals. The College is widely regarded as one of India's leading schools of western music. The faculty includes lecturers that have performed and recorded alongside some of the biggest names in music and worked in every area of the industry. They provide a comprehensive study of music from the middle ages and to the classical period. Students may also explore contemporary repertoire for period instruments and develop facility in associated contemporary instrumental techniques.
DOLCE MUSIC INSTITUTE Dolce music institute is a premier western music school in Hyderabad, India. Founded by a skilled musician Alexander in 1999, it caters over 400 students every year and is regarded as one of the best music institutes in Hyderabad with a highly experienced and qualified faculty. The emphasis is not just on individual performance but also on ensemble playing, aural development and musical appreciation. Courses for Western classical instrumental training, Piano, Keyboard, Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Violin, Music Theory, Songwriting and specialized courses like Flamenco, Jazz and Blues Guitar outlines are catered. Classes are generally held on a one to one basis. The students can also give Certification exams for Classical music from The Trinity college of London, The London college of Music and The Associate Board of Royal School of Music.
INSIDE A MUSICIAN’S HEAD A chat with Euphoria’s Palash Sen on having masala chai in Switzerland, Indian competition in the audio equipment market and music over the ages.
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MEERA C G How has the year been for you? Great! It has been an exciting year and we have done many things for the first time. We composed for a Bollywood film, Aisa Yeh Jahaan last year and it is set for release now. Doing a complete score and getting other singers to record for you is very different. It makes you think from a different perspective. Then I acted in the film after 13 years. We did two songs for Fox where we recorded Khaike Paan Banaras wala and Pinjare wali Muniyawali our way. I could have never imagined doing a Kishore Kumar song, which was one of the songs I performed on as a kid. On a lighter note, we had vadapav at the base of Mount Titlis in Switzerland. To our surprise, there was a dhaba which gave us vadapav and Indian masala chai. We played a huge show in Dubai, Red Bull Sound Clash where Euphoria was competing with Strings. It is one of the biggest shows I have done. We rehearsed each other’s songs as a band and performed to a live audience. In the finale, we walked from our stage to their stage and did the last performance together. I had made a special flag, which was the Indian and the Pakistani flag stitched together, that was waved in the end. The experience was fulfilling. IIT lifted the ban imposed on us after our performance in Mumbai two years back and we played in two IITs this year. And then, now I am the brand ambassador for the Indian audio company Circle Pro Audio.
What does Euphoria have on calendar in the near future? Apart from the film, there is a US Tour we are looking forward to this year. Euphoria will be releasing a new album, coming out in October- November. Also, there is a music reality show that I am going to do soon; I cannot reveal more details now.
Tell us one reason to buy Circle Pro Audio. Because I am endorsing it and Palash Sen uses it!
What are your thoughts on having an Indian brand compete with foreign audio manufacturers? It is brave attempt by Circle Pro Audio. They have their heart in the right place and are brave enough to take the international leaders head-on. It means they are extremely sure of their abilities and they have been able to develop something they know is good. Also, what they are doing is they are bringing technology closer to people who might not be able to afford an international brand. A wireless microphone at Rs. 19,000
on par with international brands is unheard of. And this is just the beginning, in years to come Circle Pro Audio might be the brand that foreigners will look upon as a replacement for international brands. We come to know about the big brands only because their country supported them, similarly the world will come to know about Circle Pro Audio only if we support them.
Being a doctor and member of one of the most celebrated bands in India, how do you find balance in both? I don’t do anything else - I give my entire time to my band and not so much to Medicine, as it is not possible. But one day I know I am just going to be just a doctor. We all know showbiz finishes after a time, entertainment has a shelf life. The older you get, the more respected you get as a doctor. So, when I get wise and grey, I would be a full time doctor!
Your movie Aisa Yeh Jahaan has been spurring discussions‌ The movie will leave a very lasting impression as it talks about people like us. People, who have come to a bigger city to earn money, all of us have humble roots from a smaller place, like I come from Benaras. We come to concrete jungles like Mumbai or Delhi but our heart desires those smaller things only. Happiness cannot be bought by money. Life is about being one with nature, when God created earth he wanted everybody to co-exist. The film talks about the same message. There is too much of bias in our country - sexist, communal, economic biases and we have addressed that. It is a very sensitive film. I don't know if it will be a commercial success but it is already winning awards in the international film circuit. Even when I do my music, I don't think of how much money I will make, but people should respect the music.
How was your experience working on the movie? When we are usually making songs for our band, there is no situation. But in the film we had a script. There are lots of things we have done for the first time like there is Assamese folk song in the film, for which we understood the Assamese instruments, got that in the song and are happy with the result. We have roped in singers for the tracks, which Euphoria has never done before. So, it has been a new experience for the band.
What changes do you see in the music industry now from the time Euphoria first formed? There is very strong film industry which makes music only to promote film and not for music. Also, now music has become more visual than it ever was. People are just dancing to music or watching music they are not listening to it - so lyrics have become unimportant, the music is beat-based. But at the same time, there are lots of independent musicians who have come in. If somebody walks in and starts putting in money in the music industry, things will change for good.
Your message to young musicians? The scene has opened up and there is space for all kinds of music and this is the best time for them to experiment. But, I think the scene will only progress the day musicians can make a living by doing only music without doing any day jobs. Everybody in the band doesn't do anything but Euphoria that is because we have built a brand that people are willing to pay for. So, the emerging bands should put their foot down and demand money for their performances and set a united front.
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A WORLD OF PERCUSSION
ROLAND recently introduced the new Octapad SPD-20X percussion pad with new features and sounds as an upgrade from the still popular SPD-20. Featuring all the original sounds from its predecessor plus a large selection of new sounds for Indian percussion styles, Octapad SPD-20X has eight cushioned rubber pads that provide a great feel and accurate triggering. The travel-friendly OCTAPAD SPD-20X is a ready companion from small groups to large-scale ensembles. Interestingly, the SPD-20X features over 700 total sounds and 99 patches including percussion instruments from around the world, acoustic and electronic drum sounds and many sound effects. The pad also includes 45 Indian percussion sounds newly recorded for the SPD-20X. For all percussion board users, SPD-20X comes as a good news, especially for SPD20 users since the board is just as easy to operate and comes with the addition of a friendly matrix menu on the top panel that makes navigation a breeze and an LCD that shows patch/sound names and other information with buttons are illuminated for visibility in dark playing environments. A versatile, self-contained percussion instrument which is briefcase size for easy travel, the SPD-20X includes a broad selection of world percussion, with eight cushioned rubber pads that provide even and accurate triggering with excellent isolation between pads. They are connect-compatible accompanied by ROLAND pads and pedals to the four trigger inputs to create a mini drum kit or expanded percussion setup. It is also easy to enhance percussion sounds with the six onboard effects. The SPD-20X also includes an SD card slot, a feature not available in the original SPD-20 which allows players to store patches and setups for different gigs, and to share them with other SPD-20X users. Among the effects, reverb and delay are on hand for rich spatial ambience. There’s also a chorus effect for adding width and depth, as well as a flanger for achieving all kinds of tonalities. The SPD-20X also includes compression and EQ and other powerful tools for adding studio-quality punch and polish to your percussion sounds. The OCTAPAD SPD-20X gives you a diverse arsenal of top-quality percussion sounds in one portable instrument. You have sounds for any musical situation at your fingertips, all of which are freely assignable to the pads in any arrangement you like. There’s no need to haul around a large collection of acoustic percussion instruments anymore—the road-tough SPD-20X has everything you need in a convenient, briefcase-size package.
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Tell us about your association with Qyuki. How did it come about? We were doing a studio session with Ranjit Barot when we saw this guy shooting us while we were recording one of Ranjit's songs- like a behind the scenes kind of thing and this guy was really impressed with us and our sound and told us about Qyuki - that they're into digital marketing and maybe we should come in to meet his Boss the very next day. So, we went in the next day and met with Samir Bangara co- owner of Qyuki Digital (co- owned by AR Rahman and Shekhar Kapur) and Sagar Gokhale- Head of Content. As Artistes we were desperately looking and hoping to find a company who believed in our Talent and wanted to support us and that is EXACTLY what Qyuki offered us. A platform that would support us as Artistes not just digitally, but with regards to producing us as well - both Audio and Video. We were in a state of shock and had to pinch ourselves to believe that a company like this ACTUALLY existed! We immediately took up their offer to manage us digitally and the journey so far has been wonderful and tremendous. The collective efforts of Qyuki and us have put RaagaTrippin' on the global map. Fans who write in not only comment on how great our audio sounds but also on how fantastic our videos look. We work together on the initial stages- the creatives for the videos and other aspects pertaining to it like make-up, clothes, accessories, And Qyuki takes over from there with their amazing and hardworking video & production team churning out one amazing video after the next for us.
How did you guys come together? Tell us the story of RaagaTrippin! The 6 of us have been friends long before we got together as RaagaTrippin'. Some of us used to perform in choirs together and over the years started working together doing studio sessions as backing vocalists. Before we got together as RaagaTrippin', some of us had a small old style Acapella setup called Soul Revival [without a beatboxer] and Alan (Beatboxer with RaagaTrippin') had his own Beatbox troupe called BoxyTurvy. About 4 years ago on the 15th August, both groups were performing at a Charity Event which is when Gary (Vocal Bass & Tenor with RaagaTrippin') after hearing BoxyTurvy had an idea of fusing the two groups together where Old Style Acapella meets Beatboxing. It was an interesting
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yet challenging thought and most of us were nervous at the time about pursuing this idea. In a way, you could say the 'IDEA’ of RaagaTrippin' was born that evening. But it wasn't until June 2012 that we came together and emerged as one group under the Vocally Versatile & Creative Umbrella that the world now knows as RaagaTrippin'! Alan received an offer to provide an Acapella arrangement of a Bollywood Track and in turn have a music video produced for it and aired on TV for free. It was a great opportunity & a fabulous platform and he immediately called Thomson (Lead Harmonic & Vocal Percussions with RaagaTrippin') who put forth the idea to Gwen, Keshia, Gary & Suzanne and so we decided to come together for this one project. As we started preparing and rehearsing for this Project, each of us fell in love with the Sound of the group and the way our voices came together, making a Bollywood song sound so amazing with ONLY our VOICES. The idea of getting back to our gospel roots, but being able to present it in a completely modern way was way too cool, challenging and fun to walk away from. So, we decided to pursue RaagaTrippin' further. And today we're so happy we did! *NOTE: Gwen, Keshia & Suzanne also perform Lead, Harmonic & Vocal Percussions with RaagaTrippin'
You've done covers for Megan Trainor, The Lion King, and more. How do you usually go about picking your covers? Is there a classic that you’re itching to cover? Our cover songs are selected on the basis of the trending Billboard lists or most watched online or popular radio hits and generally songs that we as a group really enjoy singing. This helps us narrow down and shortlist the songs we'd like to cover and then have everyone select the top 5 and then make a final list. Suzanne arranges all of our songs. Once the arrangement is done- we start intense rehearsals to perfect every part of every song and then we get into the studio to dub our vocals. We'd love to do a cool Disney Mashup!
Acapella groups are somewhat of a thing these days. You guys however, stand a class apart. What in your mind differentiates you from the rest?
RaagaTrippin' works very hard on the sounds, phonetics, syllables and dynamics used in every song. That’s our USP. What separates us from the rest is our arrangement, the versatility, tones and textures of our voices and the fact that as friends and as a group we get along very well. The energy is Fantastic! And we're constantly pushing each other to sound better with every song. We're very supportive and we're a super fun bunch! Our energy too is what you hear in every song.
in India. We get our much desired reactions-A SURPRISED & STUNNED AUDIENCE! People all over the world LOVE Bollywood Music. So that, coupled with Acapella RaagaTrippin' Style - It's a sure shot HIT! Kolkata, Jaipur, Bangalore & Hong Kong have been our favourite places thus far.
With the success of Raaga Trippin’, Bollywood has come knocking on your door with fantastic opportunities like working with Grammy-Award winner Deepak Pallikonda. What has been your most memorable project till date?
Well, when we meet for a rehearsal or even if we're just hanging out before or sometimes after a gig, Alan starts beatboxing some cool groove and Gary joins in with a bass line and then we all start adding in our harmonic elements (flute/ guitar/ synth/ string) and maybe one of us will improvise with a melody line above all of it and if it sounds cool we record it on our phones and then start working on it if we believe it's a really cool tune and sometimes it works the other way around where one of us would probably hum a random melody we've just made up and then Alan kicks in with a groove and then bass and harmonies add on and maybe even a hook line.. It's really cool and a whole lotta fun. This is however not reserved only to original music but a lot to covers as well.
Our best memory till date has been our feature on this year’s GIMA 2015. It was a humbling experience for us to have been given a showcase that has illuminated so many Artistes and Talents, and to be featured with India's renowned Music Director -Pritam who trusted us to do a great mashup of his songs and present it as a part of " Celebrating a Decade of Pritam'. Our second most memorable and fun project was hosting the Radio Mirchi Music Awards Red Carpet 2015 event. Radio Mirchi gave us the opportunity to Jam and improvise with Bollywood's top Singers, Music Directors & Lyricists in India today and to transform their most popular songs into a completely new rendition. Their expressions were priceless when they heard our Acapella magic! Some truly memorable times for us.
Any upcoming projects in the pipeline that you can share with your fans? We're currently working on our Original Music and hope to release a single in a few months. Besides that we have a few more cover treats for our fans. We're planning something special ;)
You travel abroad often for shows. How is the audience in comparison to India? What has been your favourite place to visit thus far? The audience abroad is pretty much like the audiences here
What is a typical jam-session like for you guys? Walk us through it.
If each of you had a favourite song, what would it be and why? Each of us have different styles of singing but at the same time we do enjoy a lot of the same kind of music. Being avid listeners and since we're constantly tuned in to what's new, it would be very hard for each of us to choose our ONE favourite song. However, with RaagaTrippin', in order to allow everyone to ENJOY every song, each of us puts forward our lists of songs we'd like to do, we then shortlist the ones we all like and we come up with ways to change the genre and style that is suitable and loved by all. So far, all the songs we've covered are songs that we have collectively selected and narrowed down on, before we arranged and recorded them. RaagaTrippin' has been together almost 3 years now and we understand each other's styles and choice of music and so with time even our way of selecting a song has changed. And, with trending songs releasing every week, we as members of the same group would be able to tell who in the group would enjoy which song, or whose voice would best suit which song, etc. and the choice of song changes every week!
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FUN CARNATIC ANANYA ASHOK
Summer Vacation is over and now it’s back to the grind in school and Music classes. How do you get back into the flow of things you may ask? Well, We’ve compiled a list of incredibly cool and useful sites to help you get your Carnatic homework done and just get you back into the groove overall. Check it out! 1. Carnatic Karaoke So, you’ve practiced that song from that CD, and now you want to sing it, but wish you had the same lovely accompaniment? Use AnalogX Vocal Remover that strips your music files of vocal tracks. It works on the same principles that the hardware removers do - that in most instances vocals are equally mixed in both channels, and can be identified and therefore removed by simply changing the phase on one channel by 180 degrees. In order to use the DirectX Vocal Remover, your application must support DirectX Audio Plugins, and must also support either realtime or nonrealtime processing (such as Paris, Cakewalk, WaveLab, CoolEdit, etc).
2. SlowGold Is your teacher's gamaka just too insanely fast for you to know what he is singing? Want to catch that beautiful violin alapana in slow motion? A software program for Windows called SlowGold does just that. No more faking. This software makes it simple for anyone to play along with (or transcribe) lightning-fast riffs by starting at a modest pace. You will hear nuances of playing technique that you have never heard before. And you will start playing along at a comfortable speed and improve quite noticeably in just a few short sessions. With virtually any recording, you can play along with it at a speed that works for you, at your current skill level, in a way that helps you improve while you have lots of fun playing along with the great ones.
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SUMMER FINDS 3. Parivadini If you’re living abroad and want access to live concerts in India, Parivadini is the site for you. With numerous concerts uploaded each month and a wide range of artists to choose from, the site offers web relays of concerts happening in Chennai year-round. Although the site is still in the process of development in other areas such as blogs, shops, etc. it is a great source for students, music lovers, and aficionados to hear live concerts from the comfort of your own home.
4. Your Family/Music Tree This is a bit on the fun side, but if you're a mridangam student, you might be able to trace your roots back to one of the greats. But how? Check out the Guru-Sishya tree of mridangists, where you can find your teacher (or your teacher's teacher perhaps) and trace their scholarly lineage back several generations.
5. The Universal Digital Library Did you know that at the Universal Digital Library, you can read almost 50 Carnatic and music-related books for free? The titles include ones in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sanskrit, and English, and cover Annamacharya, Tyagaraja, and Dasa kritis among other topics. This is a great tool for those looking to expand their knowledge in music beyond just practical education.
6. Korvais Mridangists can now get their lesson notations online along with a standardized notation system, at Korvai. The project seeks to disseminate information about Layam to music lovers all over the world. Though the focus is on Mridangam, the site would like to encourage all Carnatic musicians to use this resource. The goal of this project is to take the concept of rhythm to the masses and make them appreciate it. For students of Layam, the site has even made their compositions available.
7. Guitar Tabs Again, this is a little more on the fun rather than the serious side, but still music related! If you happen to be looking for the guitar version of mahaa ganapatim or just want to learn the chords of a particular raga on Guitar, then novice Carnatic guitarists and experts can get tabs and notations at Indian Guitar Tabs. The site has a lot of tabs that lead to studying chord placement to songs, ragams and more. A fun and educational time pass! The
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(continued from last issue)
THINGS TO ADD TO YOUR GUITAR PRACTICE ROUTINE Aditya Balani
Practicing is something every musician inevitably has to tackle with, some hardly get to it and some spend hours in the woodshed. A lot of guitarists just noodle on the guitar for hours and feel like they are not making much progress. I personally feel that quality of practice is far more valuable than quantity in terms of hours. So don’t count the hours in your work, count the work in your hours! A good way to ensure productivity is to list out the things you’d like to work on and allot a specific percentage of time to each item. I’d like to share with you some important areas to focus on to better your guitar playing skills. Ear Training/Transcribing A good ear is a valuable asset for any musician. There are simple things that can go a long way in developing your ear. Sing everything you play and play everything you sing. This will help you connect more to what you’re hearing rather than the muscle memory your fingers have developed. Also you will inevitably breathe in between phrases and that will lend a more natural arc to your phrasing and help your lines ‘breathe'. Leaving space between lines is an essential part of good phrasing. Transcribing is the most valuable learning tool in my opinion. Great guitarists have mastered their art by listening to and copying the players who have inspired them. You don’t need to notate it on paper. Play along with your favourite recordings and focus on getting the exact articulation, time feel, expression and phrasing.
play it through the cycle of keys 12 times, once on each key; G, D, A, E so on and so forth. This applies to chords as well and will help you get more familiar with the entire guitar neck.
Concept of Limitation A great way to get of out of your comfort zone is to place limitations while you practice. You can explore ideas like limiting the area of the fretboard or position. Play all twelve keys in that area. Or play a solo on just one or two strings. Play only specific rhythmic ideas or play phrases of a specific length only. This will help you think out of the box and you won’t end up playing the same licks and chord shapes you always do.
Practice Improvisation
Learning Tunes/Songs
This is quite enjoyable to most of us, but be careful of just running scales up and down instead of creating musical phrases.
Sometimes you feel bored while practicing because you might be playing the same tunes, songs or licks over and over. A great way to find inspiration is learning a new song. Maybe pick something that is technically more challenging to you, or perhaps a tune that has chords which you aren’t very familiar with. Also try to expand your repertoire stylistically. If you are strictly a blues guitarists, try learning some funk, jazz and rock tunes and it will surely help your blues playing. Working with different styles not only is a great learning tool it will also help you get more gigs!
During my initial years of learning the instrument I would make a backing track for a key/scale I was unfamiliar with and then play that on loop for about 40 minutes to an hour. First run the scale up and down to get more familiar with the pattern and then improvise lines. Soon enough your will run out of familiar licks and will be forced to create your own. This is a great way to create your individual voice on the instrument. Work with tunes with relatively easier harmony and gradually move on to more challenging harmonic progressions, always making sure you are sounding musical.
Playing in All keys
I hope these ideas are helpful in your musical development. Even though I wrote this as a guitar specific article, most of the ideas discussed can be applied to other instruments as well.
Most guitar players are unfamiliar with with keys like Gb, Db, Ab, F# etc. Keys like A, E, B and D are more resonant on the guitar and that’s why a lot of music written on the guitar will utilise these keys. Having said that, being familiar with all 12 keys can only be beneficial to you, especially if you’re playing with horn players who like to play in flat keys. There’s a simple way around this, just practice everything in the Circle of fifths. Let’s say you’ve learned a new scale shape or line for G mixolydian. Rather than playing the same shape up and down 10 times
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There is no substitute for playing with real musicians, go out and play with as many people as possible and applying what you’ve practiced to real world musical situations. Work with short term and long term goals. Remember how hard that bar chord was initially? Now you don’t even think about it! Have patience and with consistent effort you will reach your goals. So good luck and have fun in the woodshed!
STAR OF THE MONTH
SARAH-JANE DIAS Actor, model, VJ, yoga instructor and now a singer! Her first song which she herself has co-written, "Forgot to be Me" premiered on MTV Indies in February. Sarah also conceptualised and directed the black-and-white video that is set in a coffee shop. Here, Sarah discusses about her music and the upcoming projects
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From Femina Miss India Title to feature films and now your new single, "Forgot to be me", how has the ride been for you so far? It's been a ride of a lifetime already! Smooth and rough terrain but massive rewards at each check point. I feel blessed. I have all the love and support a girl could ask for from my family and my friends. I'd like to continue to achieve all my goals slowly and steadily.
Tell us about your musical journey. When did you start singing and what probed you to make this single? I've been singing all my life. My Mom loves to sing. We always had music playing in my house. Most of any creative person's creations come out of experiences and one such experience, of heartbreak, probed me to make Forgot to be me.
"Forgot to be me" is essentially about heartbreak. Are you speaking from personal experience? What do you want your listeners to take back from the song? Yes, as I mentioned, it is from personal experience and this song was like catharsis. I want the listeners to pay attention to the lyrics and try to understand that they are not alone in the world of lonely hearts. Also, there's a great urge in many people to make many sacrifices in order to make relationships work. I am a great believer in self-sacrifice and while it takes strength to do so, it is my belief that it takes greater strength not to lose oneself in said sacrifices. Forgot to be me is about this, about me failing myself long before my heart was broken.
What are your upcoming projects? Can you tell us a little about what's next in the pipeline? While the release dates and shooting dates for the projects I'm about to mention have not been finalized, what I can tell you is that each one of them is a dream project. I'm afraid I will have to wait for a go-ahead from the producers to reveal more. In the mean while, what I can tell you is that...Zubaan is produced by Sikhya and directed by Mozes Singh, Angry Indian Goddess is directed by the international, independent film director, Pan Nalin and I have signed Reeema Kagti and Excel Entertainment's next film.
Who are your favourite artists to listen to typically? Who are you listening to right now? I have a wide variety of favourites. There's even Carnatic and Indian classical in there. Alicia Keys, Ella Fitzgerald, Pentagram, Arrows Down, Vishal Shekhar, Your Chin, Flight Facilities, Sam Smith, Rihanna, Beyonce, Tu Pac, Angie Stone, James Brown, Bjork, Seal, Marvin Gaye...shall I continue?
If you had a favourite language, what would it be and why? In the future, would you like to explore the idea of singing in different languages? I am actually strongly contemplating taking Spanish lessons. I like studying so there's no real reason for wanting to learn it. I would love to however, sing in many different languages and I'm already in the process of recording a few Hindi tracks.
Tell us about the part Vishal Dadlani and Sid Cuotto played in getting you to release this single? Vishal Dadlani, Sid Couto, Randolph Correa, Mikey Mc Cleary, Nerm are all dear friends and musicians who have encouraged me every step of the way. I will eternally be grateful to them for the support and reassurance in my singing skills.
Is there a specific subject/theme that you are interested in exploring with regards to your music? For example talking about aspects of love, life, and philosophical outlooks. My father loves Country and Western music and while it isn't something I listen to anymore, what I loved most about it was that the songs always told stories and would lyrically evoke beautiful feelings of joy, sadness, love, marriage etc. I want my music to do the same.
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SHASHI SUMAN From ‘Mora Piya Mose Bolat Nahi’ in Rajneeti to composing music for Mary Kom, Shashi has worked hard to establish a footing in this cut-throat industry. Singer turned music composer Shashi Suman started his musical journey as a finalist on a reality show. Here, he talks about his journey from the reality show stage to Bollywood's recording studios.
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Before coming to Mumbai, did you imagine yourself in the role of music director rather than that of singer? Frankly speaking, No. I have always dreamt to be a singer & for that I learnt classical music for 7 years & I have gone through rigorous practice to become a professional singer. But deep inside I was also fond of composing ghazals so sub-consciously I was a composer in the making. My Guru Ustad Gulshan Bharti was my inspiration and today whatever I know about music the entire credit goes to him.
What would you say is the most valuable lesson to take away from your reality show experiences? According to me, one must not take reality shows that seriously. It's just another game show and one’s life should not depend on it. I am also against kid’s reality shows. Children should not be exposed to the glamour world at such an early stage.
Are you still having difficulties with work in Mumbai? Or has the association with Bhansali ji paved the path to better work now? It will never be easy to keep up to the industry expectations. One has to work day in & day out to be noticed. And with so many talents around I have to be very careful of what I present to my directors. I am one of the luckiest to work with a legend like Bhansali ji. I have learnt a lot working with him & it is definitely helping me in my work.
What do you think would really draw you to a film or a musical project? What kind of music are you looking to compose? As a composer I should know every genre and I should be capable of composing any form of music. My personal favourite is Ghazals & love songs and sometimes if I am in a very good mood I would love to compose party or dance numbers.
We're seeing an increasing number of new faces in Bollywood. Do you feel under pressure from the competition? No doubt there's a lot of competition but I am confident about my style of composing. In fact I like competition, they keep me in check!
Which singers and directors are you most keen to compose for? The scenario is different now. Earlier every composer wanted to make their mark by working with the big names, but today there are so many new talents, be it singer or director who have their own unique style of working. For e.g. my first film was with Director Omang
Kumar, who himself made his debut in Mary Kom as a director & the film has gained lot of appreciation, it crossed 100 crores & won the National Award too. So, yeah, I would love to work with sensible directors who understand talent & music.
Do you feel addicted to the control afforded to a music director yet? It's not an addiction yet. But yes, the sense of responsibility will make you addicted to become a better musician.
Now that you're a composer, have any new musical influences added to your artistic impulses? New, not really but I am a huge fan & highly influenced by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & A. R. Rahman. I have learnt a lot from their music & if I’m able to create music even a bit like them it will be an achievement for me.
You've trained in classical music for six years. Do you think it is possible to make it in music, or even make good music, without classical training? Composing is a completely different high & no one can teach you to create music. It's a quality that should come naturally. But one can definitely improve it by practicing. Also any form of musical training can surely help in creating music.
Tell us a bit about your days in Lucknow. What is the musical atmosphere like in your hometown? Lucknow is not my home town, I was born & brought up in Bihar. I came to Lucknow to learn classical music. As Lucknow is known for its musical culture. I studied music from Bhathkhandey University for 2 years & then I started learning from the Lucknow gharanas famous classical singer Ustad Gulshan Bhartiji. I had my ups & down in Lucknow as I was new to the town all by myself. Thank god that I learnt tabla from my father at home & that's what helped me in Lucknow to make some money by teaching kids.
What were your first days in Mumbai like? My Mumbai journey started with the reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' 2008 so the excitement was pretty high! But the reality hit when I was eliminated. Yes it was tough to keep up to Mumbai's fast growing life & I had to start all over again! But 'Dil Ye Ziddi Hai' so giving up was not a choice at all. I am very grateful to my mentors of 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa', Shankar Mahadevan & Adesh Shrivastav who guided me a lot and gave me a lot of confidence to be what I am today. It is very important to be around positive people in tough times and they were the ones. I'm also very grateful to Sandeep Singh who was the CEO of Bhansali Production who introduced me to Bhansali ji after watching my performance in Indian Idol 5.
After having worked with Priyanka Chopra, do you think making the transition from actor to singer is a challenge? Priyanka is a very talented personality. Music is in her blood as she belongs to a musical family. As everyone know before Mary Kom, Priyanka was already known internationally as a singer for her song 'In My City'. So for her, I don’t think the transition was a challenge. It came to her very naturally.
Any upcoming projects that we can look forward to? Yes. Many :) I have composed for a comedy & a romantic film. You will surely see some good music coming in soon.
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SUMMER FESTIVE CHIC ANANYA ASHOK
PRINTS ON PRINTS In recent years, prints have made a successful transition from granny’s sofa fabric to the epitome of high fashion. Now, the trend has gone one step further, with many celebs, socialites, and fashionistas spotted with matching printed tops and bottoms. Prints on prints give off a slightly vintage, retro vibe that definitely isn’t for everyone. However, when paired with the right accessories, you can make an outfit look fab! Check out this number from Snapdeal. Prints on prints is not the easiest look to pull off, but if you can, I say rock it.
BLACK AND WHITE Talk about classic. Whether your look is mod, punk, or simple chic, there’s nothing more timeless than basic black and white. Every few years or so, the look regains momentum in the world of fashion, and summer 2013 is definitely one of these times. Stripes and polka dots are a great way to share your love of monochromatic tones, or try a printed floral pattern, like this affordable black and white, cotton straight kurti from Biba.
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BRIGHT COLORS Bright colors are always in fashion, but lately, some very bold neon hues have started to feel a bit over-the-top. Instead, go for bold, bright colors that are slightly more understated. A white top with colorful long skirt, like this one from FabIndia is just the thing for staying cool and comfortable while dancing the day (and night) away.
Summer is here and some of us are still trying to piece together that perfect outfit to go festival hopping. Well, the good news is that there’s something for everyone. Here are 5 trends to watch out for this summer.
FLORALS Florals are a consistently savvy sartorial choice for spring, but this season, they’re bolder than ever. Stand out from the likeminded fashion crowds at music festivals this summer in a colorful, twirl-worthy skirt. Go big or go home by sporting a romantic floral print that recalls the 1950’s like this one from Jabong.
BOHO Obviously, Boho style is a no-brainer when it comes to music festivals. You can’t throw a rock at a festival campground without hitting some girl who’s wearing either a flowy dress, some sort of fringe, or a daisy crown in her hair (although I wouldn’t recommend throwing rocks at your fellow fest-heads). If Boho is what floats your festival boat, go Mughal or Hindu themed. A Nirvana inspired kurta like this one from Garden Vareli fits the bill nicely. It also serves as the perfect canvas for your favorite accessories.
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From Tabla to Dubstep Bollywood is indeed the most risky field of examination. No other film industry has ever been so receptive of ideas, as far as musical diversity is concerned. Keeping the Silent era aside, the journey from radio to Youtube has spanned across 84 years in which record sales were broken and genres moulded anew, belching out parallel smash hits. So, I asked myself what if a jukebox consists of not only cult hits, but path-breakers and pathbuilders of Bollywood music till date. “O Duniya ke Rakhwaale”, a song based on Raaga Darbari, has a benumbing effect. Naushad, with his heart-wrenching composition, had established an immortal bond with debutante Mohammed Rafi by this song, way back in 1952 in the film “Baiju Bawra”. With a historical background of a revengeful Baiju, frustrated because of his lover’s committing suicide, the melancholy reverberates in Rafi’s voice. The composition stands true to Baiju’s musical inclination as Veena complements the melody. The climax gives Rafi the scope to exercise his range, and as he sizzles on the third note above an octave with the word Rakhwaale, striking Tansen (enacted by Surendra) the moved listener can’t stop his emotion from overflowing. With legendary Hindustani Classical vocalist, Ustad Aamir Khan dueling Rafi, this film proved to be the success story of Md. Rafi and earned Naushad his only Filmfare Best Music Director award, thereby setting a benchmark for portrayal of Hindustani Classical Music in Hindi cinema. Never has love been rendered so fearlessly and honestly, as is relished from the pioneer of romantic Bollywood songs, “Pyar Hua Iqraar Hua Hai”, the chartbuster from “Shree 420” in 1955. It was hard to expect an entire audio-visual delight, given the technological limitations of videographers those days, but it seems like the introductory riff by the string section did realize the hesitation of Nargis, trying to let go of the undeniably adorable Raj Kapoor. Shankar- Jaikishan put the mandolin tune right on time with the unfolding drama. This is one song that has its background music mainly on violin, interspersed by a playful flute melody
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and a luscious harmony between Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar. Earlier, romantic songs were very one-sided, with the lady expressing her dedication, rather than her love for her man, for instance the song “ Saiyaan Dil Me Aana Re” picturing Vyajayantimala. The Raj Kapoor- Nargis hit paved way for Bollywood to grow bolder on love and its “freedom of expression” in the 1960 super hit Mughal-eAzam track “Pyar kiya to darna kya”. Tom-toms rolled and a jaunty Mehmood started doing the one-leg twist, holding the microphone with elan and singing “Aao twist Karein”. Bollywood took a huge leap with R. D Burman’s penchant for Western songs, a style widely criticized by contemporary composers and star actors, who had a say in the music of their films, like Dev Anand. This 1965 hit from “Bhoot Bangla” had Manna Dey drifting well apart from his classical tonality and playing mischief with the lines “Nach uthi hai zindgaani, o meri jaan”. Claps kept the rhythm upbeat, accompanied by electric guitar and the remarkable saxophone solo got every Chubby Checker fan twisting their legs off on the floor. Rock-and-roll dawned on Indian film industry and the dancing style was thoroughly adopted and modified by Shammi Kapoor in following years. Talking of item numbers, the ones who gave India the ideal cabaret symbol, on-screen and off-screen are Helen and Asha
SHUBHAM DASGUPTA Bhonsle, respectively, in the “Caravan” classic, “Piya Tu Ab to Aaja” in 1971. Breath was used as a rhythmic filler between verse portions that stunned music composers. As if Asha’s sultry voice was not enough, R. D. Burman’s thick, gravelly, frenzying “Monica, oh my darling” changed the definition of music overnight. Silence makes room for sound to conquer, which was clear from the low crooning of “Piya tu . . .” taken over by powerful drums. R. D. Burman’s mannerism from this song returned in songs like “Mehbooba Mehbooba” from the film, “Sholay”. The fact that it remains an ageless masterpiece, is proven by Pritam’s take on the R. D. Burman smash hit, on the track “Parda” from the film, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai in 2010. Synthesizers, discotheques and Bappi Lahiri were the uncontested rulers of the 1980s. A lanky Bengali fellow named Mithun Chakraborty made girls mad with his pelvis-thrusting performance in the song, “I am a Disco Dancer”, from the film “Disco Dancer” in 1982. Every time the song ended, Mithun fans made the video tapes rewind just to get the feel of the groovy bassline, a rolling Djembe collaboration and, not to forget, the wowing footwork. Bappi Lahiri brought disco to India and the first of the sophisticated digital sound effects were heard in the song. Playback singer Vijay Benedict garnered international fame due to this song. Mithun became a known name in erstwhile Soviet Union and China awarded the soundtrack. Lyrics became hugely objective, with poetic elements degrading to simple man-woman affair from the mid-80s and the early 90s. Judging from the raunchy compositions that were neither futuristic, nor having a whit of the lustre of the Golden era of music, it was a dream to expect returns from a film that launched debutante actors, actresses, playback singers, film directors and even music composers. But “Aashiqui” deserved the miraculous success. Nadeem- Shravan’s “Saanson ki zarurat hai jaise” sung by Kumar Sanu in the 1990 film revolutionised the music scene that was dimming behind the calibre of Kishore Kumar and Md. Rafi of the bygone era. The Kumar Sanu- Anuradha Padwal duo became an instant hit. Sanu still lives on the history of Aashiqui becoming the bestselling album of all time in India with about 15 million copies sold. Naushad had once praised the composer duo as he said, “They are popular because their tunes are good.” Indeed, NadeemShravan brought back the melody of the 60s and combined it with the candid approach of the 90s to create a new style.
Asha Bhonsle, in her interactions with the audience on many occasions, had shared her experience of working with a young guy with long hair playing a keyboard, beside a drummer. Judging from the minimalist arrangement for a studio accommodating a legend like Bhonsle, the singer was demoralized, but a young A. R. Rahman told her, “ Amma, sing!” Asha sang, somehow, and the moment she listened to the mastered version of “Rangeela Re”, she was dumbstruck, wondering what this “computer kid” can do with music. A.R. Rahman’s first Hindi film, “Rangeela” in 1995 won him widespread acceptance. “Rangeela Re” catches attention as Asha hums on till the sound of a lightning striking (used as a beat), compels listeners to sit up and take notice. The song even has a rap sequence by child artist Aditya Narayan, featuring in the film alongside Urmila Matondkar. Rahman introduced the quintessential touch of digital audio workstations. The history thus created, has crossed international borders and now, in an exclusive interview to NDTV, The Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.am has mentioned Rahman’s influence on his work, adding that Asha Bhonsle is his “hero”. The millennium came and the Roshan family presented the greatest actor-cum-dancer of Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan, through the film “Kaho Na Pyar Hai”, and particularly through the song, “Ek Pal Ka Jeena”. A singer with a husky voice was never considered appropriate for playback singing until music composer Rajesh Roshan decided to tap into Lucky Ali’s talent. Before Hrithik starts doing his wavy moves, the drum-kicks lead to an addictive, bohemian environment similar in feeling to that of the famous “Dum Maro Dum” featuring Zeenat Aman. Dance pop was rejuvenated through this song. Although Lucky distanced himself from similar offers, the legacy of “Ek Pal Ka Jeena” continued with Hrithik stealing hearts through his dance, both in India and abroad. What is so special about the song “ Sajna aa bhi jaa” from the film “Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II”? An off-beat film that bombed at the box office in 2003 had Indi-pop singer-cum-composer Shibani Kashyap, crooning the song in an unusually edgy tone that moved over notes in a smooth, glassy fashion. Yes, this is how listeners went on explaining the beauty of the song, until they came across autotune, a technology that pitch-perfects the singer’s voice, giving a mechanical effect where the notes change suddenly. The semiclassical song, coupled with distortion guitar gave a rebellious mood to new-age romantic songs. Shibani’s composition appeals as well as haunts the regretful lover. Thanks to her, countless composers have repeatedly used this technology later, and that too successfully, for instance the “Ek main aur ekk tu” title track, composed by Amit Trivedi in 2012. That Amit Trivedi has been experimenting with sounds, was evident from his composition in Dev D. But one had to look for dubstep in Skrillex, Flux Pavillion, Datsik and the likes for that unearthly wobbling sound as Bollywood could still not brave the attempt. “Ishaqzaade” broke the myth in 2012 with the song “Aafaton ke Parindey”. Suraj Jagnan, with his grunge-rock avatar, commands control of the song, while Divya Kumar ornamentalises the lyrics with classical harkats. This is a song on which one can easily imagine a robotic dancer, swaying his neck to the full orbit. Trivedi is definitely one of the proponents who exhaust all combinations with technology to give a greater impact to one particular song, keeping melody forever existent, in a time where technology is unfortunately encroaching into melody, lyrics and rhythm, thereby diluting the whole experience of making and listening to music into a grave misnomer. Time flies but legacies remain, and as I get through with my Bollywood jukebox, I wonder what differences with respect to voice, instruments and technology await us in the coming years!
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In the HEART of the MIX with
KJ & AT
Whether it’s Audio Technica’s amazing line of high performance microphones or their impeccable range of high performance headphones, users across the globe rave nothing but praise for AT’s astute sense of technology, quality and durability. Several music professionals across India too, religiously rely on AT products to faithfully reproduce and enjoy their signature sounds. And a stand-out member of this inevitably large list of AT ‘followers’ in India is the globally recognized national award winning veteran sound engineer and record label owner KJ Singh, whose body of work includes teaming up with a galaxy of music superstars of the likes of AR Rahman, Lata Mangeshkar and many more (apart from having been a part of several Bollywood films, music albums and pretty much the rest of the works!).
You’re an award winning engineer who’s known to be in touch with the latest in pro audio technology from leading brands across the world. Please tell us a bit about your association with Audio Technica (AT) products, and what exactly about AT products do you like the most. Do you have any AT products as a part of your personal tech inventory?
AT caught up with KJ to find out more about these projects and the awesome experience he (and the artists!) had in the studio with the range of high performance AT products at their service.
Please tell us a bit about the latest projects where you’ve used an assortment of AT products. What were these projects all about? Who were the participating artists? And how long did the individual projects span?
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As an engineer I am always interested in new technology and tools that help me enhance the sounds that I am recording or mixing. And if you approach your work the way I do, then AT’s high standard of quality and performance will pretty much get you hooked on to it once you experience them in action. Over the years, I found myself constantly coming across AT microphones in recording studios around the world. On several occasions, I got to use their ever popular AT4050 series vocal mics and fell in love with their overall sound. I also got to experience the power and precision of the AE2500 as I used them in the live circuit for kick drums on quite a few gigs. So in and out of the studio, AT was around pretty much everywhere I went. But my tryst with AT actually began in London over a decade ago with their headphones. I had auditioned a pair of ATH-M30 and really liked them over other brands of headphones. So I bought a pair from StudioSpares, and on my next visit to the place, I picked up some ear pads for the ATHM30 and consequently even picked up an ATH-M40 since I loved the quality and feel of the headphones. But when Pro Visual Audio – the official distributors of Audio Technica in India, sent me the silver 50th Anniversary addition ATH M50, I was over the moon. And then these guys literally sent me to heaven with a white ATH-M50X – that’s my personal baby and NO ONE gets to touch that! In my personal inventory, I have an ATH-M40, an ATH-M50 (50th anniversary limited edition) and an ATH-M50X (white). And just recently, a friend form London gifted me an ATH-M50x (blue/brown) since he knew I liked good headphones! Now I am desperately trying to get my hands on a red ATHM headphone!!
We recorded the new album for the popular Mumbai based progressive/alternate rock band ‘SPUD IN THE BOX’. The 12 songs of the album were recorded in India’s leading studio facility - Yash Raj
Studios over the span of three weeks. We also recorded three songs for singer/songwriter PRATYUL JOSHI at Yashraj Studios, which took a total of four days. And we also recorded the vocals, trumpet and acoustic guitar for composer Anirbann Chakravorty for the Bollywood feature film NH10 at Studio Nyasa and Studio Songbird, which again was spread over four days. Sandeep Braganza from Pro Visual Audio was kind enough to loan me an assortment of AT microphones for these projects, and I must say that everyone who’s worked on these projects - artists and engineers alike - were blown away with the quality and performance of the AT gear that they used.
Please enlist the AT gear that you’ve used in the aforementioned projects. To briefly sum it up, we used the AT5045, AT4060, AT 5040 mics on vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitar cabinets, and trumpets, along with the AE2500 dual capsule mic on the kick-drum. We also used a combination of ATH-M50 and ATH-M50x headphones for the dubs.
As the chief engineer on these projects, please talk to us about your experience of using AT products and the kind of impact it had on the work. Did you have any favourite product(s) in particular from the entire lot of AT products you’ve used during the course of the project? What according to you are the key USPs of the product(s) that had you ‘hooked’ on to them? Without a doubt, my favourites were the ATH-M50X headphones and the AT5040 microphone. The ATHM headphones, being a true price vs features winner, are natural true sounding headphones that not only reveal a lot of details but also go really easy on the ears, as they translate amazingly well from the material heard on speakers to headphones and back. From our projects’ point of view, this ensured that the artists and engineers were on the same page in terms of what they were listening to, which translated into fewer takes and more efficient work. The AT5040 on the other hand is a solid microphone that’s high on performance and value. From an engineer’s point of view, the mic is absolutely amazing for its high gain and clarity. The AT5040 does not sound brittle or harsh, and is really good at handling upper registers of any vocalist or the notes of the loud trumpet. Since it is a high gain mic, we could have the singers placed at least a foot or so away from the mic, which meant that we got a very even tone. There was hardly any need to hard compress the voices, with virtually no need at all to high pass. Plus, considering the distance that the singers were at
(with respect to the microphone), there was hardly any proximity effect. These little things makes life for the engineer so easy!
How much did the artists enjoy using AT products during the course of the respective projects, and what kind of positive impact did the AT product have on their work? The artists were very comfortable with the ATHM headphones as it played back the music way we heard it on speakers in the control room. The fidelity and wide frequency response that the artists received from the ATHM headphones made them perform better. And since the headphones are closed back, there was hardly any bleed into the recording mics, which makes the engineer’s job so much easier. The vocalists absolutely loved the texture of the AT5040. It turned out to be our favourite mic over other major brand mics that the studio had. Not only does the AT5040 look and feel amazing, it also comes with a great mic holder clamp which further adds solid stability to its amazing tonal quality. The moment it is patched in, one gets to hear the solid performer that the AT5040 truly is. The AT5040 handled the male and female vocals with absolute ease as it faithfully reproduced every nuance perfectly - from loud baritone to sheer whispers without adding any unwanted artefact or colour. Plus, another factor that singers were surprised with was the high gain and clarity of the AT5040 - it took them some time to get used to the fact that no one was asking them to come closer and sing ‘into’ the mic as opposed to me telling them to step back! I think using the AT5040 was such an amazing experience, I won’t be surprised if it gets super difficult for them to go back to using other microphones now!
So based on the fact that you’ve had a super positive experience of using AT products during these projects, when do you plan to kick start your next project? And what AT products do you plan to put to use for that one? Well, I am always working on new projects - be it audio for a feature film or a documentary (I am co-directing one right now!) or producing bands/artists and mixing for them or live mix engineering duties. So the scope of using AT products across these applications is always huge. That being said, I’d certainly love to continue using the present gear in the studio as I believe it enhances the fidelity of my work and imparts a certain characteristic quality to my recordings. That apart, I am now super keen to come across specific projects that will allow me to try out their entire drum kit mic set and some of the older classics like the AT 4050. I’m so sure it’ll blow me away further!
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TO LISTEN TO DISSECT OR LISTEN TO ENJOY?
Painters paint, sculptors sculpt, filmmakers make films, but everyone makes music. Not only that, but everyone’s got an opinion on music. Music is the most abundantly produced and consumed art form and as a result, consumers are often exposed to a very diluted product. This is especially true in the context of American Pop music, where there is a consistently large number of artists who distribute content in the pursuit of attention, fame, and money. These motivations, however, generally yield music of poor quality, which true musicians are often critical of.
THAT IS THE QUESTION.
More than any other art form, people take on music as a hobby at a young age. When I was growing up in America, everyone wanted to play the guitar. If it wasn’t guitar, it was bass guitar or drums; almost all of my friends played one of these quintessential rock and roll instruments. Today, young people in America want to be D.J.s as the current pop trend is leaning towards electronic music. Whether an aspiring artists started with a guitar or a turntable, there is generally one thing in common: artists are eager to produce musical content to share with the world in the hopes of gaining attention, fame, and money. This is becoming increasingly so for electronic music artists, as one only needs software and a computer to produce music of professional sound quality. The problem is that most of these individuals are not actual musicians, and therefore are not that good. Mind you the motivation never was to be good, it was to garner fame and attention, and make money.
ANANYA ASHOK
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This is unlike most other art forms, as most non-musical artists are not incentivized with the same vanity as music, thus yielding content with truly artistic inspiration. For example, sculptors are few and far between compared to musicians, and it can generally be assumed that they are not chasing fame. It is no coincidence that these sculptors are usually seen as artist of high quality with presumed expertise. This is not the case with musical artists. In America, musical artists are presumed to be living in their parents basement, chasing fame with their acoustic guitar unwilling to work hard and get a “real job”. In reality, with few exceptions, aspiring musical artists often share similar fates. They are doomed to a life of original content dissemination via Facebook and Soundcloud, reassuring themselves that their big break is just one discovery away. These musicians seek artistic validation through notoriety, as opposed to a true artist who seeks validation through the emotions elicited by their art. These goals are not one in the same, though they sometimes can be achieved simultaneously. These aspiring artists often never achieve notoriety or true artistry because they have foregone the hard work, study, and practice needed to master a craft. Often, when an aspiring artist does not succeed at first, their first action is to reexamine aspects of their content that have little to do with music, such as marketability, public relations, and internet presence. Rarely do they ever say to themselves “I just need to study music more”. The ultimate result is further dilution of the quality of American pop musical content as a whole, which true musicians are critical of. Though music is an art form that is abundantly practiced in America, it has become highly individualistic. Singer/songwriters write and produce their songs, which they market in order to make
them money. If this is successful, they can sell tickets for fans to watch them play their songs. Bands spend most of their rehearsal time perfecting static songs and dance moves that are to remain the same between all performances. Clearly the emphasis is on showmanship more than musicality. Improvisation, collaboration, and audience participation are taboo, and strongly discouraged. Again, musicality is far down the list of priorities for these artists, and it often shows in the artistic quality of their content. American music is the most diluted form of American art because many individuals pursue the hobby in hopes of acquiring attention, fame, and money, often resulting in inferior art. To put it colloquially, the bar has been set infinitesimally low. Real musicians are often seen as being overly cynical or critical of American music for this reason. There are 2 notes to be made of this. For musicians, ones cynicism is normal, and the result of the exploitation of the art form one has dedicated their life to. However, do not overlook true talent and artistry, because it does exist here and there, even in American pop music. For aspiring artists, or those who have been struggling in their artistic goals, one will never be disappointed if they remember the true beauty of experiencing music. Do not seek validation through wealth and notoriety, because usually those things will not be achieved, resulting in a sense of failure. Seek validation through reaching anybody at all through music, even if it’s just your friends and family, or small audiences at open mics. Acquire self worth through the therapy you can provide yourself and others because you embrace music as a form of healing. Furthermore, be content in providing a means by which people can communicate in a form superior than normal interactions. This is the true artistry of music, and it is rarely accompanied by attention, fame, and money.
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HARMAN ROCKS THE FLOOR AT THE PALM EXPO 2015 The Palm expo 2015 showcased an array of amazing things, among which were the electronic audio and media equipment like mixers, portable PA systems, a guitar pedal, loudspeaker management processors and the latest in LED lighting solutions from HARMAN’s renowned brands, including AKG, AMX, BSS Audio, Crown, dbx, JBL, Lexicon, Soundcraft and Martin lighting.
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MEERA C G HARMAN India welcomed two talented artists- Siddharth Mahadevan and Stephen Devassy as the newest brand ambassadors for its Lexicon and AKG audio brands, respectively. Prashant Govindan, the Director of HARMAN India said he was honoured to have the country’s top musicians vouch for them after having excellent experiences with HARMAN’s products and welcomed them to the fold. Siddharth Mahadevan, the son of son of the famous singer and composer, Shankar Mahadevan garnered fame for his playback singing for the hugely popular Zinda soundtrack from the movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Siddharth said it was a privilege to endorse Lexicon being a huge fan of HARMAN’s technology. Stephen, on the other hand is one among the three Keyboard artists from India to be featured as the Yamaha International artists. He is a pianist and music producer, who holds the record for being the highest Asian scorer in piano exams from Trinity College of Music. A new mobile app by HARMAN was also launched for its professional customers in India giving its customers access to HARMAN’s 24/7 support and service helpdesk to report any breakdowns or damages in the company’s Professional product line-up and get a response within three hours. Taking a big step forward and bringing best-in-class service experience to customers in India, this launch complements HARMAN’s existing service network in the country. The app can be used to register a service request; track a complaint’s progress; upload pictures of a damaged product; locate the nearest service center; and give instant feedback to the company – all with the convenience and ease of clicking a button. The free app, which was launched at PALM Expo on the28th of May, can be downloaded from the Google Play store and will work on all Android devices and plans to extend to iOS and Windows devices in the next 20 days. With artists like Sivamani, Ranjit Barot, Niladri Kumar and Sunitha Sarathy accompanied by Siddharth Mahadevan and Stephan Devassy performing live, the HARMAN Live Arena was undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions at the PALM Expo this year.
THE NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED AT THE EXPO MIXERS Soundcraft Ui Series: Remote-controlled digital mixers bring the freedom to mix anywhere. Soundcraft Signature Series: Compact analog mixers are packed with Ghost mic preamps for extraordinary headroom, dynamic range and clarity.
PORTABLE PA LOUDSPEAKERS JBL SRX 800 Series: With the introduction of the SRX800 line of
powered portable PA loudspeakers, JBL has set the standard for what a fully professional powered PA system should be.
JBL EON Series: The new launches in the EON Series are a true step
Martin MAC Quantum Profile: The Martin Professional MAC Quantum Profile is a fully featured LED profile that sets new standards for combined performance, weight and size. Martin MH1 Profile Plus: The Martin Professional RUSH MH 1 Profile Plus super bright LED profile moving head is even brighter than its predecessor RUSH MH 1 Profile, with 50 percent more output. Rush PAR 2 CT: The RUSH PAR 2 CT Zoom is a single-lens LED
PAR Can with fully pre-mixed white color temperatures for a range of applications in the installation and entertainment markets.
Rush Gobo Projector: The RUSH Gobo Projector 1 is ideal for applications that require a compact fixture for easy LED gobo projection. Ideal for clubs, bars, restaurants and shopping malls.
forward in technology developed specifically to deliver the best sound possible, regardless of its application. EON completely rethinks how truly good an affordable, self-contained portable PA system can be.
Martin M6 Console: The M6 is a state-of-the-art lighting console that functions as a highly advanced visual control surface. The M6 has been designed for today’s demanding multimedia shows and tomorrow’s challenges.
LOUDSPEAKER MANAGEMENT PROCESSORS
DigiTech TRIO Guitar Pedals: DigiTech TRIO Band Creator effects
dbx DriveRack VENU360: The DriveRack VENU360 brings together
everything you love about dbx processors and puts them into one powerful loudspeaker management tool.
LIGHTING Martin MAC Aura XB: The MAC Aura XB takes the awardwinning and most compact LED wash light in the market to the next level, incorporating many new features first introduced on the MAC Quantum Wash.
pedal lets you jam out with bass and drums anytime, anywhere. The TRIO listens to the way you play and automatically generates bass and drum parts that match your song. You only need to plug your guitar into TRIO, press the footswitch to teach TRIO your chords and rhythm, then press the footswitch again to start playing with your own personal band! It is the perfect tool for songwriters and practicing musicians to get that complete band feel.
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