The Score Magazine April 2015 issue

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 08 Issue 4 - April 2015

thescoremag

@highonscore

www.thescoremagazine.com

India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

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BAND OF THE MONTH

Neel & The Light bulbs

The Kolkata Rockers who may just Rock your world.

star OF THE MONTH

mohammed Irfan on raavan and beyond

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TOP

Music Technology Companies to Watch out for in 2015

fashion segment

the musical t-shirt

SONU KAKKAR

that speaks to the musical heart

cover story

From Jagrans to Mainstream Bollywood

also inside: A step by step guide to helping you land that gig you always wanted!

the edit PAD Director, Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development Pragash VM Head - Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Associate Editor Ananya Ashok Content Coordinator Nidhi Iyer Shreya Bose Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Lead Designer Nipun Garodia Creative Director George Vedamanickam

In one of the most engrossing conversation I had with the founder of Bal-Utsav, Ramesh, I found out that the average number of people who run Marathons in Bangalore was not very high when compared to Mumbai and Delhi. I find this statement dissapointing, especially when you consider the number of people who attend concerts at pubs on Thursdays at MG Road or the number of people who go to the big flea market that Bangalore boasts off.

I for one want to change this. I want more people to participate in cause driven concerts, marathons, and sporting event from cities everywhere and I would like to start from namma Bengaluru.

This year, at the TCS 10k Marathon, Bal Utsav is an active participant. The organization helps migirant construction worker children build an aspirational interest in education. Their program gives them a starting point for their education by kickstarting it.

I would like each and every one of you to participate in, donate for or run in this marathon and support a cause you believe in. And when you do, consider supporting Bal Utsav. It's for a home grown cause by a home grown organization I can personally vouch for.

Ajay Prabhakar Director - Strategy and Planning

 17th May

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brand partners DISCLAIMER: Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustrations without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publication and accordingly no liability is assumed by the publisher thereof. Advertising copy and artworks are the sole responsibility of the advertisers. http://www.motherteresafoundation.org.in The Score Magazine is proud to support the Mother Teresa Foundation and urge our readers to join us in giving back a fraction of what we have been given.

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i nside

Sonu Kakkar 10

Sonu Kakkar talks to Score about her rise to fame and how she keeps it real.

Band of the Month 22

Star of the month 28

Neel and the Lightbulbs on how they came together to create a catchy and edgy sound.

10 Companies leading in Music Tech

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Check out the companies that are breaking grounds in Music technology today.

The Best Music Resume

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A step by step guide to helping you land that gig you always wanted!

Emerging Drummers of Today

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They may be the new kids on the block, but these new set of drummers are making a mark fast and are to be watched.

Stage Fright

Mohammed Irfan : Read more to find out about his career leap and who he's inspired by!

Special Feature 36

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How it manifests and how to cope.

Carnatic Segment

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Ramanavami: A glimpse of the festival and it's music

Sasi the Don and his unraveling of Reggae's potential

SonU Kakkar Sonu Kakkar is that rare combination of insanely talented, beautiful, and an extremely down-to-earth personality.

Though her beginnings were rather humble, she was destined for greatness bagging prizes in music competitions left, right, and center as a young girl. The super famous songstress sat down with Score to talk about her awesome career climb and to give us a sneak peek as to what’s up her sleeve in the coming year.

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Where did it all begin? Tell us a little bit about your musical journey.

I was born in Rishikesh. Rishikesh was a very small town. It's a Dharmic place, no? So you get to see people singing bhajans and all. I started with singing in competitions at the age of four. I had been interested in singing since childhood. So, I used to sing jagrans.

Gradually, it became my profession and I used to go to all kinds of singing shows. Then, I started to travel out of Rishikesh also for my jagrans, chaukis and shows.

When you were four, you were travelling?

No, I was in Rishekesh but gradually as I grew older, people came to know that there is a little child who sings Mata ke Bhajans. These days, it’s not surprising but then, it was a big deal. People were astounded at the fact that such a little kid was actually singing. I used to sing in my childish accent, and people used to call me Baby Sonu. Gradually, I became so famous that people started calling me everywhere - Punjab, Haryana, U.P, as far as that. They'd say, "Baby Sonu's coming to us!” In effect, quite a lot of people had already begun to turn me into a star at that age, which was great.

So, you were initially discovered by Sandeep Chowta, right? Could you tell us that story?

Yes, as I mentioned before, I was in Rishikesh, and it’s a terribly small town. If you want to advance yourself in any field, it’s extremely difficult to do so there. You definitely have to leave the town on account of the fact that there's very little in the way of exposure there.

So, I used to get a lot of offers from Delhi to do jagrans and what not. I figured that since I had to keep travelling so frequently to Delhi, why not just shift there? I even managed to convince my parents to shift there permanently. I finished schooling in Rishikesh and then moved to Delhi when Sandeep Chowtaji noticed my vocals in a competition. Viva Band ki Talash Mein was the contest.

I participated in the contest where he heard me and said, "You have such a unique voice. I would love to use it in my films." At the time, I thought everyone made promises

just for the sake of it without following through.

He, however called me within two to three months, and that's how 'Babuji' happened. That was my first Bollywood song.

Oh, and it was a big hit also. I don't think anyone has forgotten that song till date.

Yea, I'm glad to be a part of the song.

Was it only you who sang that song?

Yea, actually it was a female-oriented song but Sukhwinderji was also there for the male vocals.

What has been your most memorable project till today? And why?

I obviously have a special attachment towards 'Babuji' because it was my first playback song, and it symbolized me getting what I wanted. I sang in a film. That will always be close to my heart. There's also "Heer - The Sufi Soul" which is my solo album.

The music is by my brother Tony Kakkar. We have got four videos out of this album. For one of the songs, I have an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Female Artist. The song is called Mahi Bin. This project has always been very close to my heart because the songs I had sung were so like me. This was me, you know? This is the music that I love the most. This kind of music is my soul. It’s the Sufi kind of genre, which I love the most. This was written and composed by brother too.

Is there anything new that we can look forward to?

Yes, there are a couple of new singles to be released.

But before that, there is a film called "Margarita With A Straw" It’s a beautiful film directed by Shonali Bose who has done a fantastic job. And I've done a song in this film, the music for which is by Mikey McCleary who is amazing. The song is called "Foreign Balamwa". It is yet to be released. This will be the first of all my future projects to be released.

You also sang London Thumukda, right?

Yes, from Queen. Labh Janjua and my sister Neha are also in the song.

This song is very popular down South.

You know, for all these sangeet parties for weddings...this song has to be there.

Absolutely. I'm really glad that people love this song so much. Even in the North, in Punjab. It’s Punjabi, so obviously people there will love it. It’s become like a wedding anthem. I'm glad that Amit Trivedi gave me this song. Infact, we got so many nominations for London Thumukda and won a GIMA award for Best Song.

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You've also done a couple of South Indian songs, right?

Yes, I have spoken in almost every major spoken Indian language.

Southern languages like Telegu, Kannada, Malayalam, of course.

One Tamil song you did from Varalaru, right?

Two actually. One for A.R. Rahman sir, and anther for G.V. Prakash.

Nice. Any more new upcoming Tamil movies you'll be singing in?

Not at the moment. But, you know, I keep singing for different projects, and you never know which song will be released at what point of time. So, I'm not sure if I'll be singing in Tamil again. So yes, I've sung some songs, but I have no clue about release dates and so forth. I've also sung in Bengali, Oriya, Rajasthani, Punjabi.

I mean, I am Punjabi so of course I've sung many songs in the language. Then there's also Haryanvi and Gujarati. I think I really have sung in all the major Indian tongues.

Wow, you're really good. By now, you've also probably grasped quite a few languages also.

Yeah! (laughs)

How was it working with South Indian music directors? Because it’s completely different from Bollywood, right? So, how have you managed with the diction and the language and all of that?

Initially it was very difficult because you have to pronounce the words correctly or their meaning changes. But eventually I got the hang of it. What I do is, I write in Hindi because its easier for me to express the words, pronunciations and meaning in Hindi.

Its the same with English if it gets a little difficult. So, I write the songs first in Hindi, and then I sing them. So, that pronunciation stays exact. Of course, in the studio, the lyricist and music director always look out for mistakes, and let me know when a word needs to be pronounced differently. So, they are always there to help me, and that makes it easy.

If you're asking me about my experience with South Indian music directors, all I have to say is that they are amazing at their job.

I think they work extremely hard and are very disciplined. This isn't just confined to music. I have to say South Indians are really disciplined people, very humble and absolutely wonderful.

If you could pick one music director with whom you would want to work in the future, who would it be?

And why?

I've always wanted to work with A. R Rahman sir. That happened. I've always wanted to work with Illayaraja sir too, and even that happened. With Rahman sir, I've sung the title song of Akshay Kumar's, Blue. First he called me for a Tamil song which I sang in a film, Godfather. The song is called Thottapuram. For that song he had called me first. And after that he made me sing Blue's title track as well. For Illayaraja sir, I've sung a beautiful song, which hasn't been released yet.

I have no clue when it will be released, but obviously since its Illayaraja sir, you can imagine that it will be magnificent. He's such a brilliant composer. I'm not qualified to really comment on him, but everyone knows that he's amazing. As a person also, his personality is sublime.

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And, among directors that I haven't worked with, it would be a dream for me to work with Vishal Bhardwajji. I truly love his music. His compositions are amazing.

Who are your favourite singers at the moment and who did you listen to when you were growing up?

Who inspired you the most when you were growing up?

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab has been my inspiration since I was a child and still he is always there in my mind. His songs keep playing in my head. He is such a fantastic musician who I consider divine when it comes to music. I've always been the biggest fan of him and he will always be my inspiration, I'm sure.

I'm also really interested in the music of Ghulam Ali Khan sahab; I listen to his songs a lot. I also adore Noor Jahanji. Lataji and Ashaji, both who are goddesses of music. There are actually no adequate words to describe their musical prowess. They're so great.

Any singers from your generation?

I can't really mention a single name because they are all so talented. Shreya, Sunidhi… They're all so good. And I'm sure that my contemporaries are extremely intelligent and careful about their work. Its not like they just finish up and go off. They devote a lot of their time to their craft, which is very good. So, I really like all of them.

Who has been your pillar of support till date and how have they been so?

My family. They've always been there. Nothing would ever have been possible without them because not only did they move from Rishikesh to Delhi for me, but also from Delhi to Mumbai. They took really big steps for me. My family's support has been amazing.

How is life as an artist? To stay grounded, what is the mantra that you live by?

One thing that is always in my mind is that we have to stay attached to the ground because Mom and Dad have cultivated that in our personalities since childhood. You should never be arrogant about your achievements. If you do so, all your talent will fade away and mean nothing. This is what I keep reminding myself. No matter what field you are in, always respect your elders. If you’re getting famous, don't let it go to your head. Be happy, of course. It feels wonderful when your work is appreciated and people praise you, but high-handedness is very bad and should never come into the picture. This is my fundamental mantra and it’s what I would suggest to anyone.

Take things positively, and don't let it twist your mind.

Ananya Ashok

"

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab has been my inspiration since I was a child and still he is always there in my mind. His songs keep playing in my head. He is such a fantastic musician who I consider divine when it comes to music.

I've always been the biggest fan of him and he will always be my inspiration What is your life like? Very hectic or do you have free time?

It’s amazing, actually. It’s always good when your hobby becomes your profession. And you're getting paid to do what you like doing. I don't think life gets better than this. I'm always so thankful to God because he's the one who made me an artist. He selected me for this wonderful life and gave me this talent.

Could you tell us three things about you that people don't know and that we can share with the world?

I'm not sure if anyone knows this about me, but over the years I've realized that if I wouldn't have been a singer, I might have been on the ramp! I love to wear designer clothes and I love to dress up. Second thing is that I have an OCD problem (laughs).

I have lots of issues with hygiene. I get uncomfortable even when I shake hands and think ten times before shaking hands with anyone. I think I wash my hands about a 100 times during the day. This is a big deal for me. I can't just go sit anywhere, go anywhere, can't even eat at a lot of places. This actually makes me a little anxious. With my lifestyle and all the travelling, it’s tough to maintain such strict hygiene. Third, I guess you could say that I play chess? I don’t know. Not too many girls play chess and I'm pretty good at it. I play quite well and I defeat a lot of my opponents!

So, how do you see your career five years or ten years down the line? What do you see yourself doing?

A : I think I'll definitely go higher in rank. I believe in God and my hard work. I'll always give my best and I promise that I'll always advance from wherever I am. From my end, I'll never back off from a struggle. After that, its all up to one’s luck.

Whatever is written in your destiny will happen.

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Learn & play in

Indian Style ctk 860In

The CTK 860IN (Successor of CTK 850IN) is a keyboard that has enough features to awe the most professional of musicians. Casio continues its legacy of excellence with 21 Indian rhythms and 15 Indian tones built in, amidst a plethora of other modulations that allow one to manipulate sound to the most unpredictable avatars. Its no wonder that AR Rahman continues to approve of Casio's craft, and if you're looking to generate the finest of sounds, you would too.

The CTK 860IN (Successor of CTK 850IN) is a keyboard that has enough features to awe the most professional of musicians. Casio continues its legacy of excellence with 21 Indian rhythms and 15 Indian tones built in, amidst a plethora of other modulations that allow one to manipulate sound to the most unpredictable avatars.

Its no wonder that AR Rahman continues to approve of Casio's craft, and if you're looking to generate the finest of sounds, you would too.

This new stylish CTK-860IN – The Indian Keyboard comes in a very attractive all black body with 21 Indian rhythms (namely Ek Taal, Chau Taal, Indian POP-3 & 4, Tanpura, Tabla with Dadra, Kehrawa, Teen Taal, Rupak & Deepchandi) and in total 190 versatile rhythms.

Its 15 Indian tones & stereo sampled grand piano tones with overall

600 high-quality tones makes the keyboard more power packed from learning to performance.

Its On board highlighted Virtual Hall Button - simulates the acoustic effect of a concert hall, and produces reverberations that transmit a feeling of being there while playing any tone.

Its Creativity Enhancing Features can help students to explore their potential by using Sampling feature which can be used to create new sounds and to create your own music. Rhythm Editor – this powerful feature can be used to combine Instrument parts from multiple built-in rhythms and change other parameters to create your own rhythms. Audio In allows you to play and jam with your favorite artists by connecting your MP3 device to it.

Its other powerful features are: Touch Response | Lesson Function | 32 registration Banks | 152 Song bank Tunes | Digital Effects | Piano Organ Button | Chord Book | Recorder | Auto Harmonize & Arrpegiator | Layer/Split |Pitch Bend Wheel | SD Card Slot | Pedals | USB & MIDI makes this keyboard must buy for the Students and Professionals

The association with A R RAHMAN celebration is not over yet, Casio India is happy to announce the new models of Pianos from the house of Celviano & Privia. The new models of Celviano AP-460 / AP-260 are the successors of AP - 450 / AP-250 and Privia PX-860 / PX-760 are the successors of PX-850 / PX-750.

Both the piano series targets the professionals, looking for rich and beautiful reverberation of the grand piano. Much more than mere collections of individual notes, these are born from the interactive resonance of many strings, including strings that are not struck. Optimal deep, heavy reverberation accompanied by dispersed sound that seems to surround the pianist adds further to the joy of playing piano.

The new Celviano AP- 460 / AP-260 & Privia PX-860 / PX-760 provides new features like CONCERT PLAY which consist of high quality audio data recording of 10 live orchestra performances. Pianist can play along with recordings and enjoy the feeling of participating in a magnificent performance.

Installed 10 live orchestra performance along with which pianist can play are as follows: Je Te Veux, Vltava, Canon, Tableaux D’Une Exposition “Promenade”, Piano Concerto No. 20K.466 2nd Mov, Polovetzian Dance (Prince Igor), Sonate K.331 1st Mov, Violin Concerto 1st Mov, Zesus Bleibet Meine Freude, Melody In F. All new PX-860 & AP- 460 includes new powerful features like HALL SIMULATOR: this function simulates the differing acoustic characteristics of world famous concert halls from pure reverberations with outstanding tonal transparency to free- spirited, dazzling reverberations. Hall simulator provide four new setting 1) Dutch Church 2) Berlin Hall 3) Standard Hall 4) French Cathedral

A co u s t i c s w i t h a T e c h n o lo g y E d g e

10

Music Technology Companies to Watch Out for in 2015 Thomas Masse

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SongDrop Some avid listeners have the habit of switching between listening to tracks on SoundCloud, Youtube, Bandcamp, and Vimeo. Songdrop allows users to create playlists with songs from all these services.

It relieves you of the hassle of having multiple windows open and switching between each music service to listen to your favourite music online for free. Songdrop compiles online music in one place for users to browse. An iOS app also extends this feature to your iphone and you can also download an extension to keep track of the music you find on websites and other blogs.

5

Musistic Similar to Smule, Musistic is a brand new disruptive technology that allows creative, musical collaboration with anyone, anywhere regardless of which DAW is being used. Their DAW plugin with sophisticated cloud data backend allows you to transfer uncompressed, high-quality audio.

By never leaving your workstation, this seamless integration eliminates all of the downtime that occurs when collaborating.

7

BandZoogle Bandzoogle is the leading website building platform for musicians. It has all the feature an artist needs to build a pro website, manage their mailing list, and set-up their online store.

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With companies such as Hungamaa bringing in an annual revenue of over an equivalent of 100 million US Dollars and Spotify making marketing music easier than ever, music technology is at an all time high. The 10 companies listed below have been picked for their innovation and creativity over the past few years in areas ranging from music pattern recognition, career management tools, personalized music playlists, and more.

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Smule

3

This website gives people access to music and comedy anytime, anywhere, through connected devices. With input of a single “seed”, personalized stations launch instantly. The Music Genome Project, a musical taxonomy, powers the personalization of Pandora internet radio by using musicological “DNA” (your preferences from the get go) and constant listener feedback to craft personalized stations from a growing collection of more than one million tracks.

Smule connects the world through music by allowing visitors of the site to listen to music made by millions of users across the globe.

Its music creation apps are amazing as they enable anyone and everyone to create and discover new music.

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Musicovery

Pandora

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Artist Growth This is a groundbreaking mobile platform that puts marketing and artist development directly in the artist’s hands by providing streamlined career management tools to track daily business tasks and coordinate team projects, all in one place.

LANDR

Here is a place that provides the best music recommendations, personalized for each and every user, based on their tastes, mood, context, and past activity.

Those recommendations include dynamic and predictive playlists that are delivered through an API or a B2C experience.

8

WhoSampled

This company is a website and database of information about sample-based music. It allows the user to explore direct connections between music in a range of genres. You can explore ‘the DNA of music’ by seeking direct connections of over 300k songs and 104k artists, ranging from the genres of Hip-Hop, R&B, Rock, Pop, Funk, Jazz, and Classical music. The app for this is available on both IOS and Android.

LANDR is an intelligent online mastering tool that gives musicians a fresh way to professionally master tracks. It creates a professional quality master in seconds, performing all of the nuanced balancing of traditional mastering using the same big data and machine learning that power technology like music recommendation engines and facial recognition.

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Music Kickup

Music Kickup is the new way for musicians to sell music and build their careers.

Music Kickup Distribution is the worlds’s first 100% free distribution platform for all major digital services, including iTunes, Spotify, Deezer and Google Play. In 2014 Music Kickup will launch a number of amazing tools for artists to build successful careers in the 21st century. Founded in 2011, it was backed by a strong seed round and the Finnish government. They currently have operations in Helsinki, New York, Singapore, London and Shanghai.

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Ananya Ashok

A Guide to Creating the Best Music Resume Music, like all fields of entertainment is fierce and merciless. There are just too many out there trying to get a break. Although that is a good thing, as we need more creative minds working towards producing groundbreaking work, getting that one opportunity can be a killer to say the least. And while not all opportunities are meant for you, it does help to know that you gave every opportunity your best shot.

That said, it is essential to have a fantastic resume aside from possessing talent. Here are some tips for creating the ultimate impression on paper. That’s half the job done!

Personal Information on TOP

Awards and Fellowships

This seems straightforward but it’s amazing to some employers how overlooked this aspect is. Be sure to always have your full name, age, home address, number, and email address on the top of the page. It is if anything, convenient for people looking to hire you immediately.

For those of you providing contact details on the bottom of the page, don’t. First thing’s first and contact info is TOP.

If you have received awards or fellowships for your projects and works, you should include it in your resume and give a brief description of the type of award/fellowship. Like press clippings, awards don’t happen to everyone. So if you got one, show it off!

Personal Statement

First off, if you don’t have a webpage you should definitely consider making one. The reason being your paper resume should be crisp, accessible, and easy to go through. If someone is intrigued and curious to know more, they should have a webpage that they can be directed to. On a webpage, you can provide concert photographs, audio clippings, video clippings, detailed biography, upcoming events, and more. Websites assure employers that you are serious and have the material to prove it. Invest time into building a good website if you haven’t and then provide those details in a section of your resume. Another point is to add your Facebook page. Now, this means your Facebook page needs to be professional. It’s totally fine to have pictures of events and other social gatherings but if you have photos or viewpoints that you wouldn’t want your potential employers to see, you might want to clean your page a bit. At the end of the day, you’re in the entertainment field and if you are successful in your endeavors, you will create a fan following, which means lots of Facebook stalking activity on your page. Don’t give your employers or target audience any reason to think you are unprofessional, for any reason.

A personal statement is something that tells the employer about you and your musical journey. Preferably keep this section crisp and to the point without too much elaboration. The main idea here is to showcase what you can do, how long you’ve been doing it, and what your notable achievements to date are. One or two of the highest achievements till date is best. Don’t list every little achievement here. That’s for the next point.

Notable Achievements Extended So, in the previous point I mentioned about including notable achievements in your paragraph. Here is where you make a list of all the events that you’ve partaken in. You can be elaborate here as this part is a lot like work history sections that you would find in say a company application. Provide date of event, type of event, and the venue.

Press Clippings If you’ve been reviewed for a gig or can quote a major figure in the field saying something about you, provide those details here! Potential employers or organizers would love to see that a publication or a celebrity figure has endorsed you as it is reconfirmation to them that you are legit. If you don’t have the habit of collecting material for this section, make it a point to do so in the future. It is always a great idea to have copies of reviews and endorsements.

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Webpage links

Try and keep your resume within a page. You may think that isn’t enough as your potential employer won’t see a stack of achievements to your name in a nice booklet. But in actuality, a one-page resume is appealing in many ways. It is low-maintenance, functional, and above all it’s always a good idea to have people wanting to know more. Make your resume as catchy and impressive as possible and get ready to attract your next gig!

ANNOUNCES

CUBE-10GX GUITAR AMPLIFIER Compact Amp with Customizable Tones via Free App for iOS and Android Roland is proud to announce the CUBE-10GX, the latest addition to the popular lineup of CUBE-GX guitar amplifiers. Compact, affordable, and equipped with built-in effects, the CUBE-10GX is perfect for beginning players or any guitarist looking for a small amp for practice, jamming, and recording. The CUBE-10GX also offers a unique sound customization feature, allowing users to swap out different COSM amp types with the free CUBE KIT app running on their smart phone or tablet.

The CUBE-10GX is equipped with 10 watts of power and a custom-designed 8-inch speaker. Roland’s superior CUBE construction standard provides sound quality and durability that far exceeds other amps in its class, with rigid cabinetry, heavy-duty corner protectors, and more.

CUBE KIT app is available for free download from App Store and Google Play

The CUBE KIT app gives users the ability to customize the CUBE-10GX’s sound in seconds by loading up to three different amp types, which can then be selected from the amp’s panel. CUBE KIT offers 10 different COSM amps to cover any style, from jazz to classic rock to high-gain metal. There are also amp types designed for bass and acoustic-electric guitar. Out of the box, the CUBE-10GX comes ready to play with three amp types from the app: Clean, Crunch, and Lead.

The CUBE-10GX also features Bass, Middle, and Treble controls and three high-quality effects. Chorus, delay, or reverb can be dialed up easily with a single intuitive knob, and the reverb section offers plate and retro spring variations for a wide range of sound.

Via the rear-panel Aux In jack, users can connect a music player or smart phone and jam with their favorite songs.

Plugging into the Rec Out/Phones jack mutes the onboard speaker and provides a direct output with COSM speaker modeling. This is ideal for quiet practice with headphones, and also for using the CUBE-10GX’s high-quality COSM tones for direct recording applications.

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For more information, visit www.roland.co.in

Key points to be kept in mind while buying a Digital Piano Roland Digital Piano RP-401R

Number of keys

Polyphony

88 keys allow a student or pianist to be able to play the almost entire classical repertoire. As playing piano is both visual and mental treat hence it’s important to use 88 keys piano as it gives a more authentic look.

Polyphony is the number of tones which can be produced at a given point of time. It is especially important if one is playing a complex piece.

Heavy gigging musicians do not use the entire 88 keys and have to regularly move from one venue to another it makes more sense to use a piano with 64 keys.

Number of Sounds

Roland Digital Piano F 20, F120, F130R, RP 301, RP 301R, RP 401R have 88 Keys.

Touch sensitivity This simply means that the harder the piano keys are pressed the louder is the sound produced. Playing a piano without the touch sensitivity will kill the dynamics and expression of the student as there would be none!!!

Most Roland pianos have 5 level touch sensitivity and more.

Key Feel and Action Traditional pianos have heavy keys.

Anyone who wants to have the similar feel would want a Piano with Weighted hammer action. It helps the pianist to express himself/herself better.

Roland piano keys uses Progressive Hammer Action designed keys with Escapement feel. This clubbed with Ivory Feel keys gives the user the feel of playing the traditional acoustic piano.

Sound Quality Sound is the basic building block of music hence it is important that the sound quality of the piano is of premium quality.

Roland pianos use SuperNATURAL technology.

The fundamental piano sounds are captured from world class Concert Grands.

SuperNATURAL technology is based on three important principles: Seamless Variation in Tone 88 Key Multi Sampling Natural Decay

All Roland Pianos have 128 Polyphony.

The biggest advantage of a digital piano is that it offers wide range of tones. The user has the advantage of being able to switch from one genre to another. For instance, for Church music, Organ sounds are mostly used and for orchestral music string sounds are highly preferred.

Model No.

Roland Digital Piano RP-301R

No. of Sounds

Roland Digital Piano F-20

35

Roland Digital Piano F-120

30

Roland Digital Piano F130R

316

Roland Digital Piano RP 301

30

Roland Digital Piano RP 301R

54

Roland Digital Piano RP 401R

316

Roland Digital Piano RD 64

12 Roland Digital Piano RP-301

Accompaniment Accompaniment feature helps during personal practice. Most of the digital pianos have metronomes however built in accompaniment is more fun than traditional metronome. In addition the inbuilt accompaniment in digital piano also comes in handy during informal gatherings.

Roland Digital Piano F 130R, RP 301R and RP 401R have accompaniment.

Headphone Jack Almost all digital pianos come with headphone jack option. For students and beginners it’s always better if the piano has two headphone jacks – 1 for the student and another for the teacher.

Roland Digital Piano F-120

Most Roland pianos have 2 headphone jacks.

Roland Digital Piano F-20 www.roland.co.in

Band of the Month

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Neel and the

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Neel and the Lightbulbs make music that remind you of nobody but them. Having arisen out a jamming session, the band is known for an spontaneous, chaos-edged sound that never fails to intrigue or astound. Their new album "Rewind" is evidence of their commitment to creative evolution. These guys do not repeat themselves; they much prefer to breed swathes of harmonious anarchy in sound.

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Shreya Bose Neel and the Lightbulbs emerged out of a jamming session, right? Do tell us how it came about.

We were in the midst of post break up limbo, Roheet and me. Bass, acoustic guitar and voice was all that was left of my old band Five Little Indians. We found Subhodip burning the acoustic guitar at the open mic which I host, and played the scene as a 3 piece for a while. Later it was natural to ask Avinash to join because he was our favourite drummer in the scene.

We recorded a live video of our song 'Lights and Tunnels' and after we edited it we realised we needed a band name to upload it. There was an uncomplicated chemistry between the four of us... it felt right to give the band a name. So while I suggested Neel and the Alcoholics, we settled on Neel and the Lightbulbs. I thank my band mates for their foresight and wisdom.

Now we play with Ronodeep Bose instead of Subhodip because he took a sabbatical. Our sound is little more groovy and electric now. As you can hear in the album.

How distinctive is Neel's voice and musical vision from the rest of the band members?

Or has it always been a collaborative venture?

(It's fun to speak of me in the third person) Well Neel had his songs for a while... and he had travelled many a mile.

His new band mates gave him a vibe that was difficult to describe.

But he chose not put a finger on it cuz the vibe and the songs really fit.

recorder are of paramount importance. So things are captured closest to the moment of inspiration.

As a band with an instantly recognizable sound, do you feel under pressure to be constantly redefining yourself?

Nope. Why? Being recognised by your sound is a great thing. But it's not the end motive. I believe we're all making a picture by putting our stuff out there. That picture should emerge organically. So yeah, we shift vibes with the shifts in our lives as a band‌ not because we have any pressure to show the audience how inventive or clever we are.

Do you think Kolkata affords adequate opportunities for indie bands to be heard and flourish?

No place in India does if the words are in English. We have an audience and we have relevant material as a scene. The mechanism to support it is being built. This interview is part of that mechanism. And ur questions, proof of the evolution in that mechanism.

Talk to us a bit about your latest release 'Rewind'. What does it offer listeners?

It offers 9 songs. One video. And a pretty album cover.

More videos coming up. Btw.. it plays well in a car.

Does the indie scene appear promising to you? What would you say are its flaws in India?

Your sound has been defined with a variety of terms. But how do you define it? Thematically, what does it convey?

Well, yes. Miti Adhikari has moved to Kolkata from London to work the scene here. He was working with the biggest bands in the world in the UK... surely that's evidence of promise.

The life of an urban Indian guy who is searching for his individuality in an overpopulated noisy space.

Flaws are plenty. Limos with swimming pools are not there. It's a hard life.

As for the sound, I choose not to define it in absolute terms. Common syndrome with artists.

But the sound fits into Indian rock, folk rock, singer songwriter, indie rock acoustic rock, rock n roll‌ genres close to each other.

How does the song-writing process work for you? How do you resolve creative conflict, if any?

Creative conflict is resolved through jamming or by dropping the song I've proposed to the band.

The song-writing process is a lifestyle. A lifestyle which has enough room for things to grow naturally without an academic approach. A notepad and a

Is it possible to succeed musically without attaching yourself to Bollywood in India?

That depends on your definition of success.

By my definition, yes. If you can build a life playing this music no matter what else you do, then one can attain more happiness than those who have 10 films to music direct in two months. A clever balance between the earning of money and playing of music has to be arrived at.

Success is happiness‌ whatever rocks your boat.

What would you say to aspiring musicians?

Follow your heart. Have attitude. But don't let the attitude affect your sincerity and your vision.

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The Wonders of Drumming Tarun Balani, Drummer and Artistic Director at Global Music Institute, New Delhi

01. Elvin Jones with Larry Young on Unity 02. Tony Williams with Miles Davis on Nefertiti 03. Art Taylor with John Coltrane on Giant Steps 04. Vernel Fornier with Ahmad Jamal on At the Pershing 05. Jack Dejohnette with Joe Henderson on Power to the People 06. Roy Haynes on We Three 07. Philly Joe on track Blues No.2 with Miles Davis 08. Art Blakey on Free For Fall 09. Max Roach with Clifford Brown on Cherokee 10. Joe Chambers with Joe Henderson on A Shade of Jade These are ten listening examples of some of my favorite drummers along with track names/album name and the artist. It’s these very recordings that have had a profound impact on the development of my drumming and musicianship even today after 15 years of playing the drums. Each time I listen to them, there is something new to hear which inspires me to explore this music just a little bit more. Each of the drummers listed played a significant role in shaping the music for his bandleader or as a leader himself.

When I started out as a drummer, I didn’t even know that there was a genre called “jazz”. Later when I did start listening to a few jazz records, quite frankly I didn’t really like it. It was during my first ever experience at a music school, a brief summer stint at Drummers

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Mohit Kapil

Collective in New York, in 2005, that I first really experienced this form of music. It was also by accident that I was placed into a Jazz elective course instead the Rock and Funk that I had applied for! Later during this trip was also my first ever-jazz concert at The Village Vanguard, where I heard the Roy Haynes quartet. I was absolutely blown away by the intensity of Haynes’ drumming and how he was leading his band so fearlessly. It was the raw energy, seamless improvisation and spontaneity, the acoustic instruments and the environment of the packed club that had me hooked. Peter Retzlaff, my teacher then at the Collective and later on Professor Ralph Peterson Jr. at Berklee College of Music introduced me to this style of playing without any books; we only listened to records and played along to them. Studying ear training and harmony along with other core music classes gave me a better understanding of form, melody, harmonic progressions and composition. It was just like solving a puzzle by analyzing, transcribing, imitating and emulating what the drummer was doing in relation to the composition, melody, harmony and the soloist. It was truly an amazing process to unravel the ever so mysterious questions that most young drummers have, which I certainly did as well, especially when it comes to this style i.e., “What do I play? What do I listen for?” and “Should I follow the accompanying instruments or the soloist?”

I feel it is the over intellectualization of this form and style that makes it overwhelming and appear out of reach. I often find my students and young drummers struggling with and sometimes even avoiding the tradition and history of jazz drumming, and the impact it has had on modern drumming. So much of the modern drum set vocabulary and language is rooted in and derived from this very tradition. The drummers listed above, amongst many more greats, and many more modern drum heroes, you’ll be surprised to find, share the same influences.

Star of the Month

Mohammed

Irfan An Engineer by profession, Mohammed Irfan is a superstar with the voice of an angel.

Discovered by SP Balasubramaniam, he has risen to greater and greater heights over the year.

Score caught up with him to talk about his life and projects thus far.

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Ananya Ashok Tell us a bit about your relationship with your guru Mr. Ramachari? How did he encourage you and your music?

Rama Chary Sir is my first music teacher and one of the biggest reasons for me being a singer today. He identified the talent in me when I was 7 years old. Since then he has been giving me training in his music academy (Little Musicians Academy) and I've learnt most of my music from him. The greatest quality about Sir is that he has never taken any fees from any of his students, despite having more than 500 students now. Apart from music, Sir has also taught me a lot about personality development and discipline. I feel extremely happy when Sir feels proud about my achievements so far.

Singer SP Balasubramaniam introduced you to AR Rahman, and that lead to you lending vocals in Raavan. What was the experience like?

Every singer aspires to do playback for the maestro A R Rahman.

I've been very fortunate to sing for AR Sir in the beginning of my career. It was because of my guru Rama Chary Sir and his academy (Little Musicians Academy) that I got this chance.

I had performed in the annual day function of LMA where the legendary singer Dr. S.P. Balasubhramanyam was our guest of honor. SPB sir was very impressed with my voice and he promised me that he would recommend me to AR Sir. It was a dream come true for me to sing for AR Sir. He's a great musician and my experience with him was very pleasant. I'm thankful to SPB Sir and AR Sir for giving me 'Behne de' from Raavan. This song will always remain very close to my heart.

What are some pros and cons about playback singing in your opinion?

I don’t think there are any cons in my profession. I'm enjoying the recording sessions that I've been working on these days. Playback singing is a specialized subject in music and I'm trying to get better there. With the support of some amazing composers and the love of my listeners, I intend to work harder and keep doing better work.

Who are your favorite Music Directors today and why? Who would you love to work with?

It’s very difficult to choose one composer. Majority of the composers these days are doing fabulous work. Most of my songs are composed

by Mithoon sir. I love his music and I feel blessed to have sung some wonderful melodies for him like Phir Mohabbat, Banjaara and Baarish. Also I've had a great time working with Himesh Reshammiya sir on Kick, Xpose and OMG. Many love my unplugged version of Muskurane and I thank Jeet dada for it.

Every singer aspires to do playback for the maestro A R Rahman. I've been very fortunate to sing for AR Sir in the beginning of my career.... It was a dream come true for me to sing for AR Sir. He's a great musician and my experience with him was very pleasant.

Do you have any plans to cut a solo album in the near future?

As of now I want to focus completely on my playback-singing career. God has been kind to me that I've got some beautiful songs in the past and I expect the same to continue. Making my own album is certainly not on the cards right now but will consider this as and when I feel is the right time for it.

What are some projects you are currently working on?

My latest release 'Tu Aaina' from the movie Luckhnowi Ishq is gathering a positive response from the listeners. I've got a few songs coming up soon in the films Barkhaa, Uva, Ishq Click etc.

Apart from that I've recorded songs for Himesh ji, Mithoon sir and Jeet dada, which will be releasing later this year.

Breaking into the Bollywood Music field is cutthroat.

What are some life lessons you have learned by being in this fast-moving industry?

True. The competition here is intense and it’s only getting tougher. There are so many things that I've learnt in the past 8 years. I think the most important lesson is one should keep working hard and have patience.

Which artists are your inspiration and why?

Mohammed Rafi sahab has always been my biggest inspiration.

I've heard and read much about him and I adore the kind of personality he was, apart from being an exceptional singer. Also I admire Sonu Nigam a lot who's undoubtedly the best singer in our country. But my personal favorite singer is KK.

Given a chance to work/collaborate with any musician, who would you choose and why?

I would love to work with Vishal Bharadwaj sir some day as I find his music extremely soulful. I also wish to sing for Amit Trivedi and Sachin-Jigar.

If you could pick an alternate profession in case music didn't work out, what would it have been?

I need not think and pick any other profession, as I'm already an Engineer. Before I decided to move to Mumbai and pursue playback singing, I had completed my Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Hyderabad. If things hadn't worked for me here, I would be working in some IT firm and doing a 9-5 job. I thank God for making me a singer and I love it this way. Whether I sing in a studio or perform live before a huge gathering, I just love it.

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The new crop of drummers emerges with promise

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Shreya Bose

Nishant Hagjer has been drumming since the age of 11, and at 21, he's drumming up a storm with one of India's most outrageously brutal bands, Undying Inc. In addition, his youtube videos of drum covers (most notably, of Meshuggah's Bleed) have generated a substantial following. He is the first Indian drummer to endorse Paiste and Mapex. He was also nice enough to answer a few questions for Score, enabling us some insight into how he does what he does.

As a standalone musician, do you feel relevant in the Indian scene?

I guess so! I’m known as a metal drummer for my work with Undying Inc and my YouTube channel. Before hitting the national level, I was probably only known in the North-East. I think I have a decent following in terms of music. I get asked nerdy drumming questions all the time and to see that particular volume increase weekly makes it safe to say that my relevance is noted in the Indian scene. Indian metal scene to be precise.

Were there changes or adjustments to be made to your creative outlook when you joined Undying Inc? Or did you just fit into the picture naturally?

To be honest, I was always waiting to play with a band like UI to showcase the limits I could go to, but, I definitely had to work on my cardio level for the band. I like to hit things really hard for the entire set and to do that with UI was very hard. But hey, I did it :) There were shows coming up and one of the hardest task was remembering the songs, picking them up in the shortest time possible and preparing a tight set. Once that was done, I added my own elements and that was when UI announced me as their new drummer.

How did joining Undying Inc come about?

My brother and the UI members have a mutual friend. She knew about my YouTube channel and showed my videos to the UI boys. They were impressed and wanted to try my take on their songs out. She told my brother about the vacant drummer spot and got me an audition date! Yay!

Tell us a bit about your life before the band.

Life was sad. Very sad. I had just got done with school and had surgeries on my legs. I was bed ridden for 3 months. No drums, no hanging out, no workout. While I initially decided to head out to study music, I knew I wouldn’t get far with this condition.

I had a band named M-Sonic which I enjoyed being a part of and the band had to move on without me due to my inactivity.

I decided I would complete college and if I work hard, I could manage music too. I headed out to Delhi with my marks, got into a good college. Previous interview question happened. BOOM. Undying Inc happened.

Is it difficult balancing your work with Undying Inc and Rectified Spirit?

Your videos on Youtube have gained quite a following. Are you planning to embark on a solo career at any point?

I do have a few ideas. I’ve been working on them for a while but it will only be safe to announce it when it goes official. I plan to do a lot more with my drums but I definitely will not stop my work with either bands to go solo.

How often do you practise?

I used to practice 8 hours a day. I would hit really hard with all my limbs to build muscle and stamina. Things were definitely much easier when I would go on stage then. I regret that. I am currently injured because of this. I’m thinking of sticking to an hour’s practice per day after I recover.

What have been the most rewarding moments of your career till this day?

There has been many such moments. Here are a few: Benny Greb coming up to me and saying “YOU played NICE. I liked YOUR style. YOU were sloppy yesterday but TODAAAYYYY, I liked your playing” after a drum camp at Swarnabhoomi Academy Of Music. Then, my drum session with Gino Banks turned into a full length drum class. I learned so much from him and he was way too generous for my level of playing, haha!

Guess I am very very lucky. Getting a cymbal as a gift by a fan was overwhelming too and to quote some of my fan’s messages (Copy pasted from FaceBook) “Nishant. You are the reason why I am drumming now. You are the reason why so many drummers exist in this city. We all want to be like you. We all want to look like you. Heck I even got my hair cut like you just to look like you.

Don’t worry, your legs will be fine in no time” made me appreciate my work for the first time ever in my life.

What can fans be looking forward to from you?

I will be answering most of their queries until I recover (haha yeah, haven’t had much time to answer most of them). I might post some old videos as well which never made it to my YouTube channel. There will be new Undying Inc songs. Rectified Spirit’s second album will be out in a couple of months. Once I recover, I shall post a lot of videos on my new kit and cymbals. I have more good (THIS IF OFFICIAL) news to share in a couple of months. I guess I’ll be busy in some way or the other. Damn I can’t wait to recover and show you what I’ve been up to! Stay safe all!

Not at all, we’ve never had difficulties. I time my work well with both of them and it has been working out really great. They appreciate each other’s music!

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Music to the Tee Design by ND Tank

Strum

Ananya Ashok

Music Is My Weapon

Deep Sea Blues Design by Artists for Adam A long time member of the Threadless community and printed artist, Adam White was recently diagnosed with early stages of multiple sclerosis and paresthesias. In an effort to help alleviate mounting medical expense, 30 Threadless artists have decided to come together to sell their work which includes this Tee. 100% of net proceeds collected from pieces sold in this shop will be donated directly to Adam to aid his fight against this disease.

Design by V. Calahan

Acoustic Radiograph

Design by Studiofolk

We Put the Class in Classical Design by John Tibbot

Design by Thomas

80’s Playlist

Design by Eduardo San Gil Rodriguez

Musical Alphabet

This design won the NPR Design Challenge and is part of Threadless Causes, community-based design for the power of good. 25% of sales from this tee will go to NPR to help create and distribute awardwinning news, information, and music programming to a network of 975 independent stations.

Design by John Tibbot

Design by Jlroush2

Sound of Silence

NPR: Plugged In

Are you the sort of person who likes ‘punny’ or statement tees? Better yet, are you into musical statement tees? If so, we’ve got The collection for you to feast your eyes on. Below are some of many designs by independent artists featured on the ultimate T-shirt design site, Threadless. The greatest part about these very chic and witty designs is that all T-shirts are under Rs/1600! All designs are available for men and women. You can also get your favorite design as an iphone case and wall art as well!

How to Mentally Train Yourself

Get Rid of Stage Fright Stage fright is one of those feelings that can hit anyone at anytime. It can hit a neophyte and can even give the greatest stalwart of the 21st century an unsettling feeling. The good thing is, it is completely normal and with just the right type of thinking, it is definitely easy to overcome. Here are some pointers to help you be a better you on stage.

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Ananya Ashok

Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse One thing that is paramount when getting ready for a performance is preparation. It seems straightforward, but believe it or not one of the primary causes of stage fright is lack of or ineffective preparation. Sometimes you may know the overall piece, but there might be that one little spot where you’re slightly unsure. During practice, it won’t seem like a big deal and you may even brush it off saying, ‘Ah, that’s all right. It’ll come on stage.’ Sadly, it won’t. Remember the golden rule, “100% at home, 50% on stage”. Do not leave anything to chance and certainly don’t skip out on parts that you’re only semi sure of. It’ll hit you just as you’re about to go on stage and can create a mental torture within you that will stream across your face during the entire performance.

They’re Just People Sometimes, it’s the damned audience. Oh wait, those are the folks that are coming to hear you! When it comes time to show your work to a big group of people, it is a scary ordeal for some. And no matter how many people tell you to ‘pretend everyone in the audience is naked’ you still can’t get over the fact that you’ll be performing in front of a bunch of people. If this scenario applies to you, consider approaching this fear with a sense of pragmatism. People come to listen to good music. If they like you, then great! If they don’t, then they can certainly leave! You have no control over the mindset or taste of your audience. You do, however have control of your art and where you wish to take it. Focus on that. It makes more sense to invest your energy in having fun with what you do, than to worry about who may be watching you.

You are your worst critic and NOBODY else.

Picking up from the previous point, you shouldn’t be concerned with what others may think of you.

If you are a self-aware person, then you will most definitely have an idea of where you stand with relation to your art. You truly are your worst critic and what everyone else thinks is nothing but a mere reflection of his/her own reality.

Focus on you and your instrument.

Another type of stage fright deals with a person focusing on the outside world instead of focusing on themselves and their instrument. When you are alone, you have the best ideas because it’s you and your instrument. You aren’t concerned with any other thoughts. Realistically, it shouldn’t be any different on stage. When you sit on stage, realize that although watchful eyes surround you, at the end of the day it is you and your instrument that is the focus for them. Therefore, should it not be the center of focus for you as well? This point takes experience to understand, but with every performance, strive to focus inward versus outward.

If and When you mess up, forgive yourself.

Immediately.

Another issue with performers with stage fright is what ensues when you slip up on stage. You’re scared, and in that trembling fear, you stumble. Yes, you shouldn’t have. Obviously. But, it’s done!

Move on and instead of beating yourself up mentally and screwing the rest of your routine, make a mental note to stay focused. If that doesn’t make sense, imagine this scenario. You’re walking on the street. You trip over a rock and fall down. Do you just stay down and say to yourself, “Oh no! I stumbled on a rock! I can never walk properly again!” I think not. What you will do is get up, brush yourself off, and be more watchful of the road as you continue walking. Mess-ups on stage need to be approached with the same sense of practicality. And when I say forgive yourself, I don’t mean, go easy on yourself. I mean accept your mistake and make a mental note to NOT make the same mistake again.

It’s your stage and you OWN it.

At the end of the day, remember one thing. You have a WHOLE stage to yourself for a given period of time. You can literally do whatever the hell you want. Instead of feeling the pressure of being on a stage, get excited! You have an entire space to YOURSELF for a good amount of time. You are the star of your show and you call the shots. The End.

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If you know reggae, you know Sasi the Don. Having been named the Reggae Ambassador Asia in 2002, he has done much to unravel the genre's potential and manipulate it to render variations unheard of before. He is driven by his expansive vision of the human condition and its existential conundrums. Though he has more awards than he can count, his intent remains to evolve himself (and other) through musical exposition. Now, he's looking to talk to India through his new album, Hello India. Score caught up with Don on what makes him as distinctive as he is.

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Shreya Bose Could you tell us a bit about your interest in and eventual adaptation of reggae as the genre of choice?

Reggae became my interest in 1990/91 when I was actually 12 years old. I never knew the genre of the music I liked was called Reggae. I was fascinated with the way the music sounds, the vocal interpretation of the many artiste I grew up too as well as the colours (red yellow green) and the symbolic lion that I noticed on many art work of various artiste. I picked up the interest of this genre when I first discovered Dr.Alban and Apache Indian. It was a magical time in the 90s exploring different interest without the interference of technology, but just you and your cassettes and sony Walkman. I was fascinated with the genre for many reasons and as years passed my collection of cassettes increased and when I had money, I invested in CDs. I became a serious Reggae Listener and I started picking up Pattwa and it lead me to writing my own rhymes. Eventually in time I noticed, that was a simple interest it lead me to becoming a Professional DJ and Recording artiste when I was in University pursuing my Degree in Manufacturing Engineering.

When I look back in time, I feel me and Reggae found each other and that we were meant to meet and the genre today has treated me well with so many opportunities.

How did the title of Reggae Ambassador Asia come about?

As I was pursuing my career as a Recording artiste after the success of my first album in 2001, I discovered Reggae Ambassadors Worldwide online. A global Reggae Networking Platform mentored by Ian Lewis of Internationally renowned band Inner Circle. It was a huge platform hosting Reggae musicians, artiste and fans from around the world. During that time I found a section when artiste of any origin could get initiated as ambassadors if there were the only one that represents the genre outside the United States and Jamaica. It caught my interest, that is when I wrote to the Body and I connected with Ian Lewis who very much interested as I came from Asia being the first to connect with the organization at that point of time as most ambassadors came from Africa and Europe.

I had to justify my talent and interest and had to submit my content and had phone interviews with the organization. After several months I remember I was initiated, its no joke as the organization was represented by pioneers and advocates of Reggae Music.

Of all your collaborations, which would you say you are most proud of? Or, which has been the most creatively fulfilling?

Of all my Collaborations the one with Dr.Alban is definitely the one that I am most proud of. This Is because the first cassette that I picked up in my life made every point in my life to where I

got. Dr.Alban’s music influenced me, his songs and lyrics helped me discover the world we live in today. I am definitely who I am because of his songs. So when I had the opportunity to word with him, I realized that it’s a something that I least expected. But when I had the opportunity, I called the song “Music in Me” cause its actual fact. Its cause of Dr.Alban I have the Music In Me today.

An working on the song at his studio in Stockholm, Sweden with some of the best producers and musicians made me feel Fantabulous and the Experience was so fulfilling.

When did you start envisioning Hello India? What made you go on that thematic path?

It all Started when I first met Universal Music India in 2011. They were excited about my music and welcomed me instantly to release some of my existing music with them. When they showed interest, I told them that I have to go back home to Malaysia and play this well. I knew I had to break the ice with India and I had to do it from my heart, and will have to somehow say hello to all the people that I meet in India is this was to happen so why don’t I do a song about Hello… and that is where the birth of Hello India came about. It was a good idea to me as I had the opportunity to break the ice with everyone and anyone who has listened to the song in India.

Before Hello India, have Indian cultural influences ever affected your work?

Of course, there is a strong Indian influence in all my work. I am Indian myself. And being an Indian Reggae artiste, the involvement of Indian Sounds and Classical influence is strongly associated in most of my songs. This is because, I believe that to be original in my work I need to somehow associate my roots in it.

Do you feel optimistic about your reception in India?

Yes I do. I believe the world is unique. They come together for some of the most beautiful reasons and sports and music is definitely the biggest platform in uniting people and bridging differences. I would be in India today if my great grandfather did not leave India.

But would I been a reggae artiste if I was born in India is a whole different matter. But today… I believe being Indian from anywhere in this world- there is always a Universal Home and that’s India, and I have come back home. So I do believe that, by being real and being one of everyone will surely allow others to understand who Sasi The Don is and why is he here.

Could you tell us about some of the imagery and ideas that are recurrent in your music? As in, do you have concepts and ideas that you are especially committed to?

Well most of my ideas come from Music I listen to. The old ones and from the new artiste. I listen to all sorts of music and that makes an explorer in this industry. I am not committed to any ideas or concepts as I am fickle and things change all the time. I just believe in making music that will bring happiness to those who listen to it.

Who would you credit as your musical influences?

Dr.Alban, Apache Indian, Shaggy, Diana King, Damian Marley

Could we have a message for the readers of The Score Magazine?

Anticipate what your Indian brothers and sisters outside India is doing. Cause at the end of the day, we all belong to the same motherland and music bridges differences and unites us.

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The Spirit of

Ramanavami

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Padma Charan

Ramanavami was on March 28th this year. However, that hasn’t stopped cultural organizations across India from celebrating the festival throughout the month of April. The Hindu festival, which celebrates the birth of the god Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya is celebrated by leading sabhas in the form of mass music series.

Musicians from all over take part in this grand festival celerating Lord Rama and sing his praise.

Ramanavami a great opportunity for listeners to hear the various compositions on Lord Rama. Saint Thyagaraja, who has composed thousands of songs on Rama, is especially prominent in concerts during this time. Other composers like Muttuswamy Dikshatar, Swathi Tirunal, and Purandara Dasar have countless memorable compositions of the Lord.

Here’s a brief look at some of the famed compositions of these renowned composers.

Among Saint Thyagaraja’s famous works, some compositions that stand out for listeners are ‘Nagumomu’, ‘Evari Mata’, ‘Rama Bana’, ‘Nidhicala Sukhama’, ‘Pakkala Nilabadi’, ‘Kshinamai’, ‘Raghuvara’, and ‘Eti Janmamu’, to name a few. The majority of Saint Thyagaraja’s compositions focus on the composer pleading for Lord Rama’s attention and it is evident that throughout Thyagaraja’s life he has searched for the feet of Lord Rama.

In Nagumomu, which is in raga Abheri, Thyagaraja is distraught by the fact that he can’t behold the lord’s smiling face and begs for protection and that the separation of him and his lord is unbearable. In other compositions like Nidhi Cala Sukhama, Thaygaraja asks the mind whether wealth is comforting or the service in the holy presence of Lord Sri Rama comforting? He goes on with the comparisons between the taste of curd, fresh butter and milk and the nectarine juice of meditation. He asks if extolling humans bound by egotism comforting or singing songs of the pure minded Lord Rama. His topics typically center on the greatness of Lord Rama, his desire to be with Lord Rama, and his frustration with Lord Rama.

Muttuswamy Dikshatar, a composer known for his incredible Sanskrit compositions approaches all compositions with devotion and intent to pray in the form of music. In his composition ‘Ramacandram Bhavayami’, Dikshatar contemplate on Ramachandra, the foremost in the Raghu clan, describing him as the brother of Lord Indra. He describes him as the lord of Sita and the one who gives worldly pleasures as well as salvation. In a mantra-like format, we learn to revel in the greatness of the lord. Dikshatar compositions are not the easiest to master, as they are wordy much like slokas. However, they are said to be very sacred and powerful and is considered a boon to sing.

Maharaja Swathi Tirunal, the late king of Travencore, Kerala was a natural artist and composed thousands of pieces during his short lifetime.

Among his many compositions, some of his compositions on Lord Rama are epic and presented in abundance by many artists. One such composition, which has been immortalized by the legendary MS Subbalakshmi, is ‘Bhavayami Raghuramam’. This song that is a ragamalika (a piece where each stanza is in a different raga) depicts the entire story of Ramayanam in one song. Each stanza is devoted to a specific time periods (kandams) of the storyline. A favorite of audiences all over, this composition is very often presented in concerts during the Ramanavami festival. It is to be noted that Maharaja Swathi Tirunal has composed one more song depicting the story of Ramayanam called ‘Yojaya padanalinena’ in the Kalyani raga.

Purandara Dasar, another prominent composer of Carnatic Music often being referred as the ‘pita maha’ or father of Carnatic music, addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions. This was apparently a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanakadasa. His compositions, which are mostly in Kannada (some in Sanskrit) are widely sung. Some of his most notable compositions on Lord Rama are ‘Ramamantrava Japiso’, ‘Rama Rama Enniro’ , and many more. In ‘Rama Mantrava’, Purandara Dasar advises the mortal listener to chant the Rama mantra. He specifically advises not to go astray by trusting any odd mantra.

The mantra should be shouted even by the lowliest, uttered when fear is impending as it destroys many sins and gives easy access to the paradise. He explains that the essence of all of the Vedas is this mantra. It is the path to salvation and points to the splendid path for devotion. A popular composition, it extols the greatness of the Lord and brings out the essence and purpose of the festival of Ramanvami.

There are countless compositions on Lord Rama by several other great composers. Every year, the opportunity to explore Lord Rama’s greatness in the form of song is delved into by upcoming and eminent artists. Through the search comes the true essence of celebrating the ‘navami’ of the one described as the god in human form.

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Desi Look (Ek Paheli Leela) Lots of autotune, samples, low-strung drum machines and a handful of beats catchy as hell.

Kanika Kapoor certainly has an unusual (and appealing) vocal inflection, but this song doesn't take much advantage of her potential. It will certainly become ragingly popular in clubs. But its a party song which ismarginally forgettable at this point.

Chhil Gaye Naina (NH10) Now this is a song where Kanika Kapoor shows off her formidability as a vocal practitioner. She maintains the perfect balance of agony and stubborn anger through the very timbre of her tone, and truly does justice to the sublime words penned by Kumaar and the music composed by Sanjeev-Darshan.

Dipanshu Pandit holds his own, matching Kanika note for note, but could have used a little more variation in the melodic pattern assigned to him.

Nonetheless, the result is memorable.

Birthday Bash (Dilliwaali Zaalim Girlfriend) Yo Yo Honey Singh's Midas touch has already caused this song crown the charts. But like most of his stuff, its says absolutely nothing that you need to listen for. Just include it for every playlist intended to get people to dance. The beats serve you well on the floor, but they're a tad sloppy, especially on the chorus.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha (Dum Laga Ke Haisha) Kailash Kher is unsurprisingly stellar, while Jyoti and SultanaNooran are the perfectly counterpart to his stormy percussive rhythmic work. Anu Malik's music direction astounds, remaining perfectly relevant to the tone of the plot and demonstration musical elegance. It expresses the drive and emotional throttle that runs throughout the film, especially in its climactic moments. Malik has discarded overt use of technological assistance, and we hear actual instruments rather than samples, drum machines and synths. This song is worth it.

Tere Bin Nahi Laage (Ek Paheli Leela) Juxtaposing an easy charm and a tempestuous passion, Uzair Jaswalgives voice to a song that lovers will be serenading their better halves with for a long time. Jaswal approximates a comfortable yearning within the variation of tone and melody, keeping the track pleasurable without compromising on the subtle human intensity it obviously builds to communicate. There is a purity to this lover's desire which washes over your sensibilities without a second though.

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Ranjha (Queen) A song like this is reminder of how mainstream music is beginning to edge away from the profundity of vocals and depend on computergenerated antics to construct hitmakers. Rupesh Kumar Ramwields nothing but a single swath of half-stasis sound and begins to slather his voice to envision an incredible musical vision. The song represent human sentiment on its most shorn, emancipatory facet.

Glamorous Ankhiyan (Ek Paheli Leela) What starts off on a promising falters, if only slightly with the overuse of overdone beats and sound samples. Meet Bros Anjjan and Krishna Beura demonstrate admirable vocal quality, but the song meanders a little hesitantly. Topically, its more a filler than actually committed to a theme. It comes off attractively as a festive option, at best.

Dance Basanti (Ungli)

as

Vishal Dadlani's voice will ensure this song's elevated ratings. Sachin-Jigar'scomposition doesn't miss a beat ( literally! ), though it certainly repeats them. Its a pity that Anushka Manchanda'svoice is filtered into non-recognition, but I suppose it makes sense in the context. The track lives up to its name, and provides plenty to dance to. Though replaceable, its still addictive as a good dance number needs to be.

Moh Moh Ke Dhaage (Dum Laga Ke Haisha) This film gains it unique cinema value on the basis of presenting a love that is utterly without fabrication. It is not the love of beautiful people whose lives work out on account of glaring plotholes and whose attachment is taken as matter of fact. In this context, the romantic inclinations of this song gains a significance that is more than the mere rhythm. Monali Thakur and Papon's voices seem irreplaceable, and every word they sing swella with universality. Its about the turbulent construction of an emotional discourse, rather than a mere stating of its existence. This song carries the rare quality of penetrativeidentifiability that is often forgotten in the pursuit of a good beat.

Calcutta Kiss (Detective Byomkesh Bakshi) The much needed injection of indie talent into mainstream music is achieved when Madboy/Mink rework their original “Taste the Kiss� for the film's neo-noir setting with a post-funk slash new age disco trope, baked right in with hushed synth joints. You could dance to this in an 80's New Orleans club where they serve out of old crystal decanters and wait for Mardi Gras. This is the kind of track that makes you curious about the film it could fit into.

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Indie reviews Postcards (Akash Vincent) There's always a secret pleasure taken in the discovery of music that carries the musician's intentions as the point of its existence. I'm not sure what Akash Vincent intended, but his music throbs with a mixture of frailty and refinement that invokes appreciation of an enlightened, vulnerable man looking to confess by proxy. Taking Over is breathless and tries to cram in too much beauty, losing some in the process. Vincent's voice is slightly off-key and all over the place, but the guitar and sax betrays none of the same amateurism. Seasons focuses on keeping to a claptrap beat, licked over the edges by shy-but-sure strings. His voice gains a surer foot here, and suddenly acquires an unusual lilt that immediately establishes the album's most identifiable trait. Entangled works on a heady whirl of guitar and bass that moves like an eager lover's first caress – exciting and restrained at the same time. He builds it up just the right amount before crashing into the tantalizing abstractions framed by layered strips of fingerpicked acoustic clicks.

She comes off as a far-off-gaze kind of song ; the kind that you imagine singing to yourself rather than an audience. The heartbeat-matched drums ensure a carefully orchestrated ascent while Vincent sings with an abandon that I can't be sure is constructed purposely. Admittance of failure is brushed off rather quickly in favour of admittance of love – the music is beautiful but not penetrating and will take a while to replicate the auguries of an astute soul.

Refreshing absence of synths, honest, confessional songwriting.

Vincent's voice tends to meander off into unfocused loops.

Recommended: Seasons, She

Future Flashbacks (Colaba Point) A pall of disenchantment pervades this 10-track affair, most of which is sown into unfocused stretches of plump ambient tugs. Himalayan Sky cushions you a number of liquid soundscapes while Paper Hands unfolds itself, layer by vocal layer, like an inadvertent revelation. Sad But Not Blue could holds steady to an aesthetic of minimal variation that swims and spread around the lyrics like a choral bleed. Sublime validates its title, crashing a conglomeration of rushing beats with the xylophone's wistful clinks. This guy ( feat. Doug Counter) features a wayward slush of sound samples held tight by a few intoxicating string tones and loaded synths. Silently builds up on fuzzy guitars and regular drumbeat which could fit into some sedate version of an avant-garde stoner flick. Spell chimes in with a couple of enviable guitar solos and generally admirable stringwork amid choppy tracking in synths. Ripples unleashes rhythmic proliferation with a series of glassy sounds and a brilliant percussive progression that tosses a delicious smorgasbord of eclectic melody. Noise City personifies a measure of musical abandon and Reminiscence uses pressed harmonica sounds to enact an introspective sense of reconciliation with existential certainties of variation. The song uses untethered, sprightly sounds to build a ditzy tempo that listeners might be confused by.

Impressive composition that makes for pleasurable hearing.

Involves a degree of complexity that might put off the less astute listener.

Recommended: Paper Hands, Ripples, Spell, Noise City.

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I Am Alone (Soul Inclination) The instrumental structure is quite amiable, splicing aggression with relentless smears of instantly engaging rhythm. The guitar work is more than competent and sombre in the way it forges the song's central dynamic. Drums and bass do not totter an inch out-of-place, solidifying the genre-specific blast beats into a cohesive unit. The lyrics, however, are a bit on the tawdry side ( Somebody rescue me/ I need to live again ). Puneet's voice trips into melodic flaws but quickly recovers. Conclusively, it's not a bad song, and certainly warrants more expansive reception.

Tight composition, a treat for puritan rock connoisseurs.

Riffs you've heard before.

Exit Strategy (Sandunes) Sanaya Ardeshir lathers this song with crunched, slimmed down bass flickers, while inserting pared down firecrackeresque clicks with a rich drone that would make Bass Communion proud.

The sound balloons up to be spliced with helium-hazed voices and a spacey synth progression.

Sandunes creates a tonal collective that could induce the effects of hallucinogens on particularly receptive sensibilities, and for the rest of us, it has an isolating effect ; trapping you into a breezy bubble of blips and swishes that conceal their own intensity. The music video testifies to Nikunj Patel's visionary tastes, and feature animation done right. Smooth colours, soft lines and a touching story of love wishes coming true. By the end of the song, one experiences a very specific sense of artistic completion amid all the abstract teases that Sandunes likes to use as part of her palate Untiring novelty.

Nothing.

Komorebi (Tarana Marwah) Japanese anime often stylizes an enduring loneliness, broken through by others, but never truly lost. Instead, it adds to a character's natural complexity. When Marwah takes inspirational cues from anime and Japanese musical, she doesn't miss out on the same. Miyazaki's Dream glows with a conceptual warmth that includes precise jabs of sound plopping like rain on sheets of quiet but firm refrains. Flight is just as precise in its melodic placement, but the warmth is replaced by a more seductive lilt. Cracked rhythms entwine around each other in metered, easily breathing spools and scattered, punchy beats. Rain is nostalgia, awe and restful contemplation wrapped into the most visually stimulating three minutes on the EP. Marwah uses fewer sounds to return you to a space in which you are comforted by your own company. Kyoto Breeze could embellish a Tsubasa Chronicle episode; what with Marwah's piercingly practised vocals and a steely tones that wallow off into crinkled beats that match the catchy with the uncommon Graphically positioned sounds that stokes the imagination.

Too short.

Recommended: Kyoto Breeze, Miyazaki's Dream.

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Legendary Grammynominated guitarist Doc Powell loves his QSC KW122 monitoring rig!

Grammy-nominated and legendary guitarist Doc Powell has built a legacy as a musical chameleon. His signature guitar sound has contributed to over 140 recordings of some of the premier recording stars in Pop, R & B, Jazz and Gospel music, a critically acclaimed gospel project and 10 top-charting contemporary jazz solo projects with guest appearance by such greats as Luther Vandross, Earth Wind & Fire lead vocalist Philip Bailey, Howard Hewett, Dave Koz, Sheila E, George Duke, Boney James, Patrice Rushen, Kirk Whalum, Bob James, Billy Preston, Gerald Albright, Jeffrey Osborne and Marcus Miller to name a few. And for the past seven years, Doc has been the featured guitarist for the BET Awards and the record-breaking Celebration of Gospel show as well as the The Mo’Nique Show on BET. There’s no doubt that people love Doc’s signature guitar sound – why wouldn’t they? It’s big and vivid with all the right tones and variations to take you through a beautiful journey of bliss. But what’s even better is that Doc himself loves his guitar sound – even more so these days, thanks to his awesome and multi-faceted QSC monitoring rig.

The Grammy-nominated and legendary guitarist is a proud member of QSC’s K for Musicians family, using two QSC KW122 active loudspeakers on stage as his main guitar amplifier rig.

Doc recently updated his main stage rig to include the QSC KW122 powered loudspeaker to get the massive and true sound that he’s always desired. Says Doc “My QSC rig pretty much is the best monitoring rig I’ve ever used. The KW122’s have had a massive impact on my sound – it’s bigger, more present, with every detail like the effects etc. standing out brilliantly. And since it’s an XLR out from the sound system, I know for a fact that there’s nothing that can degrade the sound – whatever I play through the guitar going through the effects comes through to the monitoring rig. So the sound I hear is what it truly is. That’s what we musicians dream about – reproducing that true sound live! And I experience this every single time, even while I’m on stage with a band with drums and horns and the full thing! Plus, moving around with these babies is as easy as it is to use them!”

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People who know Doc’s works also know that he’s a wizard at playing the acoustic guitar as well – Nylon and Steel. So when asked about how his QSC KW122 rig supports his enchanting acoustic performances, Doc says “A big problem that almost anyone who plays acoustic guitar is getting that big sound – once you plug it into any normal system, you kinda feel like you’ve turned down, like you don’t have enough presence compared to the rest of the band, especially when the drummer and bass player kick in.

So when you try and turn up the volume, you tend to have massive feedback problems. I can proudly say that I have never faced such a problem with my QSC rig!”

Doc shares that he’s gotten so used to his QSC KW rig that he’s almost spoilt! In the words of the man himself “I’m like a kid in the candy store! It’s amazing really. There’s no doubt - using the KW122s brings my sound to the next level. I can’t wait until my next gig!” And to wrap it up, Doc shares his word of advice with the rental guys at large, saying “All you backline companies out there, you know what to order – QSC’s House of K, KW122’s especially!

When I come to town, that’s what’s gonna be on my rider!”

The entire range of the K Family of loudspeakers are readily available within the Indian market through Pro Visual Audio Pvt. Ltd (the official distribution partners of QSC Audio products in India) and its various channels across the country, backed by superlative prompt after-sales service and support.