The Score Magazine Jan 2016 issue

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 09 Issue 01 - January 2016

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India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

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STAR OF THE MONTH FROM THE SOUTH OF INDIA

SID SRIRAM THE YOUNG ARTIST TALKS ABOUT HOW BERKLEE SCHOOL OF MUSIC PAVED A PATH IN HIS CAREER AND MUCH MORE.

JUBIN NAUTIYAL CHATS ABOUT HIS LINEAGE, MUSICAL EDUCATION, INFLUENCES & LOVE LIFE.

COVER STORY

KAVITHA KRISHNAMURTHY &

DR. L SUBRAMANIAM THE LOVELY DUO TALK TO US ABOUT THEIR LIFE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THEIR EXPERIENCES.

ALSO INSIDE : FOUR OF THE BEST THINGS THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED AND MUCH MORE.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE Only the brain-dead could possibly believe the author of the beep song is not who he claims to be: innocent. Confusing? You ought to be, because this song for no reason is the sensation of the musical Marghazi season and the creator has disowned his incredible art!

Director, Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development Pragash VM Director, Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Lead Designer Nipun Garodia Content Contributors Nilankur Dutta Manisha Bhat Pramita Bose Amogh Rao

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Gone are the days where the lyrics and the music blended well into a mellifluous stream was the norm. The recent TRP monsters are beginning to sound more like a drunken reverie and this virus isn’t a local phenomenon either: here is an excerpt from a blog by William Briggs: In 1946, Perry Como sang: Alone from night to night you’ll find me; Too weak to break the chains that bind me, I need no shackles to remind me; I’m just a prisoner of love!

By 2010, the top song of the year was Tik Tok, sang by somebody called Kesha: I’m talking about errybody getting crunk, crunk Boys trying to touch my junk, junk Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk Such nauseating travesties shouldn’t go unpunished. And maybe it won’t this time around. 2016 is already off too a great start!

PRAGASH VM

Director, Business Development

What better way to start the New Year than by receiving an award as the Best Media Start Up in India for the year that went by.

New Year is a start with new aspirations, hopes and dreams. We at The Score Magazine too believe that this year is going to be a new start.

This year again, we hope to bring the best to you from the world of music and create something new too.

For the uninitiated, The Score Magazine is the only music magazine for Indians by Indians. As you flip through the pages, you will see that the content is partial towards Swadesi music and musicians.

2015 poised us for an amazing and incredible 2016! We have new clients on board with us and would like to thank our long-standing clients who have stood with us through thick and thin.

Happy 2016 to our readers!

SNEHA RAMESH

Director, Marketing & Operations

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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.

I NSIDE

KAVITA KRISHNAMURTHY & L. SUBRAMANIAM

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They talk to us about their musical expeditions, inspirations, family and their journey together.

STAR OF THE MONTH 30

A TRIBUTE TO MADHAV CHARI

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We had an informal chat withJubin Nautiyal about his lineage, musical education, influences, future assignments & love life.

INDIAN ROCK BANDS TO JAZZ UP YOUR PLAYLIST

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Get our list of some bands that will definitely exalt your musical perspectives in this issue.

THE BEST THINGS THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED!

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Some you you might possibly know some of these things. A few of you will know all of them. But “The Four Good-ish Things That Maybe 70% of You did not Know Of” makes for a rather poor title

FROM THE SOUTH OF INDIA SID SRIRAM 40

Madhav Chari, one of India’s leading Jazz musicians, passed away recently.

We’ve got three of his close friend musicians to talk to us about their association with the man himself.

ARJUN KANUNGO

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The talented kid from the block gives us an in-depth interview about his Playback, Carnatic & Independent musical journey and much more.

ANUSHA MANI

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The pretty young lady from the Gulaboo song fame talks to us about her musical background, how she entered the field, her Carnatic music journey and a lot more.

The versatile singer tells us about his musical journey, his experience travelling with Asha Ji, composing for Ad films and on his future projects.

Kavitha Krishnamurthy & Dr. L Subramaniam

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We had an amazing chat with the super duo on their musical expeditions, their journey, inspiration and much more.

KAVITA KRISHNAMURTHY How did your love for music come about?

See, normally in South Indian families there’s always love that exists for music. In my case there were two families, the Bhattacharyas and the Krishnamurthys, they were inseparable even before I was born.

So I had the upbringing in two cultures and the South Indians love music, the Bengalis love music, so everybody at home loved music.

My mother used to sing, she got married when she was very young, but she’s got connection with Maduramani Iyer Sir so she learnt from Bindu Iyer, his student. She was crazy about music, and being born and brought up in Delhi it was easier to learn Hindusthani music there. That’s how I started learning music when I was 7 or 8 years old and because I’ve got an aunt and an uncle who’re Bengali, I got to learn Tagore music, songs and as the years passed the love for music also increased.

You started off learning classical music, how did playback singing come into picture?

It was destiny, because I was in Delhi, very far away from the film industry I used to love music and used to participate in certain competitions and win prizes so music was an inherent part of my life but being I never thought I’d make it a profession because being in Delhi I thought being in Indian Foreign Services was the best thing for me, that was actually the ambition. When I came to Bombay the only link I had to the film industry was Hema Malini because she’s also a Delhi girl and her mother and my aunt were very good friends.

She was a big star in the industry and my aunt saw a great talent in me for playback, she brought me to Bombay and I joined St. Xavier’s club which had a wonderful music club, they even started promoting cultural music so I started singing for college day functions and got spotted by Hemanth Kumar, started singing with him on stage. Then I met Manna Dey uncle and I sang with him for 18 years on stage.

So, one thing led to another and when I finished my graduation, I was really in the music scene by then and I when I finished college I realized that I wanted to stay with music and being in Bombay it wasn’t so difficult. One thing led to another and in the late 80s Laxmikant-Pyaarelal wanted me to dub a song for Lataji and for me this was a big learning process. I sang so many songs for them, regularly five songs a week and slowly they started keeping some songs of mine, Karma and Mr. India came after that.

Apart from movie songs you’ve lent your voice to pop, devotional, and fusion songs. Which do you love/enjoy the most and why would that be?

I’ve always enjoyed songs that have had even a little bit of Raaga element in it, I’ve never been a classical musician as a performer but I’ve had a deep love for classical music. I’ve loved it and I think that the best kind of Indian music comes from there. I’ve always enjoyed singing devotional songs, always felt spiritual and happy while singing devotional songs. A lot of item songs have come my way, I enjoy them but I wouldn’t say that I’m crazy about them. Piya Ghar Aaya, Tu Cheez Badi Hai, and before that Chumma Cumma De De, they’ve been my biggest hits but have been contradictory to my basic nature, I’m not a very partying kind, I’m not even a kind that’d dance and somehow by singing Hawa Hawaii which was my first item song, it taught me a lot because then there were a hundred and twenty people in the studio and it made me less inhibited and that helped me come out.

What’s the kind of collaboration you’re planning in the near future?

Actually, I’m a little disheartened that the project with my husband

has taken so long and I rerecorded it. We started this project ten years ago and we rerecorded everything now, my voice at least because I didn’t want such an old voice. In 2016 it is coming out for sure because we’ve finished most of it but it’s been delayed because either I get busy or he’s been so busy and obviously I want him around when I’m releasing it because they’re his compositions. I’m looking forward to that and I’m looking forward to doing some spiritual albums. I know I won’t get the best offers any more in films but I don’t want to keep hoping for that because an artist needs to evolve and survive on their own without having to depend on anything so I don’t want to depend on Bollywood for my existence. I also want to do a very good Ghazal album hopefully in 2016, I’ll at least start my work on it.

Both you and your husband represented India at Madison Square in New York, last year. How was the experience?

They’re fantastic and you know wherever his is, and with him, I’m used to him getting a standing ovation in whichever part of the world he goes to. He finishes and people stand for him because he’s a great artist. Even I’ve had wonderful experiences and my most memorable one is in Alberto Hall with Manna Dey and this other time when I went with Laxmikant – Pyaarelal at the Kennedy Center. With my husband, one of my most memorable concerts is singing with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, I’d never sung anything with a symphony orchestra. So I performed with The Beijing Symphony Orchestra for the first time and we had the Chinese President and the Indian President both sitting together and I was kind of representing India and that was a great feeling. And then of course, singing for Modiji at the Madison Square.

Tell us about Subramaniam School of Performing Arts that was established in 2007 in Bangalore.

My husband and kids are the main brains behind the school. I support them quietly and I’ve always hoped that music can reach all children, especially the street children because I strongly believe that it will take them away from drugs and violence. It’s been my firm belief for so many years and especially when I heard that in Brazil a composer picked up street children and put together a street orchestra. I’m hoping that it starts here in India, in Bangalore at least, the process has already started but I want more poor schools to take up this teaching curriculum so that it reaches all the poor schools where we have music teacher teaching the children where they get certificates and either they can become performers or teachers.

Do you want to give any advice to upcoming artists?

Well, I don’t want to give a boring lecture but this applies to all professions, that anything you do has to be a passion it cannot just be a source of income. Saying, okay I’ll be on the newspaper and people will recognize me in airports, if this is the motive for learning music then it’s totally wrong. It has to be passion and everybody cannot be on the top of the charts or the ladder but if you’re talented then you have an optimum of your own try to reach that optimum and there will always be your niche followers, there will be somebody who will like your voice and your singing, who will not say that you have to be Lata Mangeshkar all the time. There’s also been Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Suman Kalyanpur, Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan, Alka Yagnik, and so many singers but all of us have had our own following. And also, the path of seeiking knowledge, you can never say “I know,” you cannot be arrogant to say that you know. The last and the most important of all, music is supposed to give you peace, inner peace, and if you’re jealous of your co-artists or if there is any element of jealousy in you, it is so detrimental.

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MANISHA BHAT

L. SUBRAMANIAM Would you say that being born into a musical family aided your choice of career path?

So, basically, my father didn’t want me to play sports because if you hurt your fingers it’s going to be a problem to play the violin, so he was very particular about practicing a lot. When I was very young my father wanted me to learn music as my elder brother, elder sister, they were all taught music, the whole surrounding was music for us.

So that was a different thing, whether he was teaching my family or other people who are coming to my house, my father used to sing and play Veena so the whole atmosphere was music for us and at the end of the day we all used to sit and try to copy father. First I started learning vocal from him and after two years I had diphtheria and some doctors told that I may not have a good voice so he wanted to me to put me into some other instrument because my elder brother was already playing the violin and he thought that I could sing and that would be different in the family. So I started learning Mridangam for a while and then all of sudden when he asked if I wanted to play the violin I said yes because I wanted to be like my father and so I did everything that was necessary and that was not playing around and I had to practice every day in the morning and after school he would be waiting to teach me in the afternoon. So like other friends I couldn’t go and play but I enjoyed doing this.

You’ve composed for ballets, orchestras, Hollywood movie scores, Bollywood movie scores, alike. What kind of thought process goes behind creating pieces with a world of difference between each of them?

The one thing when you write an orchestral piece, you are often in a different state of mind and emotions and there is a reason why you write it. I’ve travelled with George Harrison & Ravi Shankar and a group. In one such instance, Richard Bock, said why don’t you write a piece for an orchestra? I didn’t want to write it as it would take

Bindu & Ambi Subramaniam have their own band by the name SUBRAMANIA

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a long time. Moreover, many of my friends who wrote pieces, their pieces were never performed. He told me that someone was really interested and when I met the conductor he actually told me that they will play whatever I write and that too in a very prestigious auditorium. I took a long time to write the piece. After that Zubin told me to write a piece, that time my mother died so I wrote a piece based on vedic chants and it was a reflection of my emotions. Second time, another person told me to write a piece and that time my father had died and I stopped playing for a while. That time I was told not to stop as my father brought music to this level in our family. I wrote a piece called Beyond that reflected upon Reincarnation as we believe in it.

I wrote for Baba as I wanted to do a piece after he attained Samadhi.

So that emotion of meeting him and his spirituality, and creativity.

He predicted a lot of things for me and many things happened. So every orchestral piece has an expression of emotion and what I go through.

I was asked to write a piece for India’s 40th year of Independence where many played. So as a celebration we did a shradanjali journey piece which was a happy one.

When you do for a movie, you enhance and bring in the character. So they are all different.

When it comes to creating music where do you draw your inspiration from?

Many a time, it is about emotions. Other time it is nature. I love water, so I usually go to the sea or back waters in Kerala. Sometimes, I’ve done parasailing, as it’s so silent when you go up there. Usually things stay in my mind and play melodies, and then I start writing.

Most of the time, some inner voice plus some guidance help me do whatever I do.

A Family of Celestial Musicians The Subramaniam Family’s Immortal Friendship with Sri Chinmoy

By Grahak Cunningham and Agraha Levine India’s foremost violinist Dr.L. Subramaniam performed a tribute concert in New York City this past August in honour of spiritual luminary Sri Chinmoy. The Carnatic classical music maestro and East-West fusion genius was joined with his wife, renowned vocalist Kavita Krishnamurti, and their two musical children-prodigies, Ambi and Bindu. The entire family performed with quintessential virtuosity.

As well, the Maestro introduced and accompanied his four-year-old granddaughter, Mahati, as she sang in her first public performance with confidence and charm.

While a young boy, Dr. Subramaniam had the title Violin Chakravarti or “Emperior of the Violin” bestowed upon him. As indianviolin.com expressively writes: “L. Subramaniam, India’s violin icon, ‘the Paganini of Indian Classical music’, ‘the God of Indian Violin’ is the serenity of an Indian musician combined with the magnetism of a western star.”

Dr.L. Subramaniam met Sri Chinmoy on several occasions over more than three decades. Their final meeting was on August 13th, 2006— an event which Kavita Krishnamurti described as “one of the most memorable moments of my life”. Sri Chinmoy had admiringly told Dr.Subramaniam, “You are India’s peerless pride, Himalayan pride, and I offer you my heart of love and gratitude.”

At that time, fifteen year old Ambi was just beginning his career and in New York for his first international performance. Ambi embodies his father’s musical genius, combined with charming humility and confidence.

The August tribute concert was sensational. For many listeners, the duet performances were highlights. The devotional songs of Kavita and Bindu, accompanied by Ambi, sent the audience into heaven.

A highlight was their soul-stirring rendition of two songs composed

by Sri Chinmoy — Turiyer Nandana Ranjana and Bhulite Diyona Prabhu.

The violin duet with Maestro Subramaniam and Ambi was musical brilliance. Father began with a lilting melody accompanied by drums and flute. Then son echoed and elaborated. And so it went, as they ferried the audience on a musical journey of unfathomable beauty.

The musical mastery of the entire family is astounding; plus, they are as humble as they are gifted. Dr. Subramaniam writes: “Music is a vast ocean and no one can claim to know it all. The more you know, the more you realise how little you know. It is an eternal quest.”

Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam is renowned for her exquisite singing voice and was named Best Singer of the Millenium at the Stardust 2000 Awards. Her strong grounding in Indian classical music, along with the soulful timbre of her voice, are beloved by millions.

Their daughter Bindu has followed in Kavita’s golden footsteps. Her voice has been described as haunting and hypnotic, and she has been performing since she was twelve.

Bindu and Ambi’s band, SubraMania, blends classical Indian and Western music with their uniquely modern touches.

After their recent packed concert in New York, L. Subramaniam called it “a great honour to pay tribute to the global peace leader and The

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Master-musician Sri Chinmoy who will continue to live on through his great and powerful work.”

Maestro Subramaniam experienced first-hand Sri Chinmoy’s musical versatility and spiritual depth. The spiritual leader wrote words and music to more than 22,000 compositions and offered over 800 Peace Concerts worldwide. At the end of their meeting in 2006, Dr. Subramaniam and Sri Chinmoy planned to offer a concert together.

Alas, fate had it that Sri Chinmoy passed on just over a year later before that sweet dream could be manifested.

India’s foremost violinist, L. Subramaniam has amassed over 200 recordings, including historic solo albums and collaborations with Stéphane Grappelli and George Harrison. The great Yehudi Mehuhin, with whom he also collaborated, said, “I find nothing more inspiring than the music-making of my very great colleague Subramaniam.

Each time I listen to him, I am carried away in wonderment.”

Highlights of an Immortal Friendship 1973 : The first meeting between L. Subramaniam, then in his 20’s, and Sri Chinmoy took place at the Indian embassy in London.

March 22nd, 1993, Queens, New York L. Subramaniam was honoured by Sri Chinmoy with the Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart Award. Sri Chinmoy lifted overhead the renowned musician and presented him with a beautiful medallion, stating:

August 13th, 2006, Queens, New York Sri Chinmoy welcomed Maestro Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurthy and 15-year-old Ambi to his meditation garden in Queens. The programme began with Sri Chinmoy performing his peacefilled compositions on the esraj, followed by a large choir singing their teacher’s song for Dr.Subramaniam. Then Sri Chinmoy lifted and honoured the three family members together.

Ambi performed a delightful violin melody, followed by Dr.Subramaniam’s beautiful solo on the violin and Kavita Krishnamurti’s soul-stirring singing, accompanied by her husband.

Before his performance, Maestro Subramaniam told Sri Chinmoy: “I will play a short improvisation dedicated to you for your great work, for what you have done for the world and what you have given us for the rest of the universe and for humankind.”

Dr.Subramaniam offered many inspiring comments throughout the evening: “Blessings come in different forms. This is one of the finest forms, where a Guru blesses you or gives some positive words to you—and in this situation, even uplifts you physically! We are very, very, very blessed.”

Later in the evening, Dr.Subramaniam spoke about Sri Chinmoy’s musical performance:

“The tiny drop, the musician in me, is offering soulfully and gratefully my love, my affection, my appreciation and my admiration for the ocean-vast musician in you. You are India’s peerless pride, Himalayan pride, and I offer you my heart of love and gratitude.”

“Such a very, very striking sound, so peaceful! So peaceful, so peaceful and very, very spiritual.”

Then Sri Chinmoy performed a song which he had composed earlier that day for Dr.Subramaniam, accompanying himself on the harmonium.:

“It is a great pleasure, privilege, blessing to be here, listen to your beautiful musical compositions and get spiritual upliftment. We are truly blessed.”

“… O Indian Soul’s Silence-music-choice, O Indian heart’s purity-musicvoice! …”

The family departed after offering their deepest pranams. Gently, in a sweet coda to a beautiful evening, Sri Chinmoy exclaimed:

Later that evening, while sharing dinner, Sri Chinmoy told Dr. Subramniam:

"A family of celestial musicians, not earthly musicians!"

“You are the divine bird flying in the sky of peace, light and bliss. You are in the galaxy of immortals. I am so happy, so delighted and so proud of you.”

August 27th, 1995, Queens, New York Sri Chinmoy’s 64th Birthday Programme Dr. Subramaniam spoke in a deep resonant voice: “When I first met Sri Chinmoy, I did not realise he was going to compose 13,000 songs, write so many thousands of books and play such a variety of instruments. Sri Chinmoy is Mr. Culture himself.”

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Signing the guest book at a small museum adjacent to the outdoor garden where they had been honoured, Dr. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurti wrote to Sri Chinmoy:

REIMAGINED MOBILE SYNTHESIZER SERIES Yamaha Music recently launched a series of 4 innovative synthesizers.

Called the Reface Series, they are 4 mobile synthesizers and re-imagined interfaces of Yamaha classic keyboards that intuitively control the big sound and come with built in speakers and battery time. Designed for people who can think beyond the presets, this is a haven for keyboard performers, music producers, composers, sound designers and DJ’s.

These mobile synthesizers can produce vintage sound and also gives the user unlimited possibilities of creating their own signature sounds which is a hard to get feature at the price offered by Yamaha.

Reface CS (Control Synthesizer) Analog modelling synth: simple control, complex sound, endless possibilities.

The 8-note polyphonic Virtual Analog reface CS’ five unique oscillator modules create an incredible variety of sounds from analog to digital. CS allows you to play around and control the sound produced ranging from pads, leads, effects and more.

Reface DX FM synth From nostalgia to trendsetter with modern control.

Reface DX goes retro 80s to cutting edge modern at the flick of a switch. Multitouch controls let you edit multiple FM synthesis parameters with your fingertips. A new feature of this engine is continuously variable feedback on every operator allowing for a wide-range of sound creation

Reface CP (Combo Piano) Electric piano: retro control, classic sound and incredible response.

Reface CP features iconic 70s stage keyboards and vintage effects in a retrostyled package with great sound, playability and polyphony. It features tines and reed based electric pianos, and clavinet which is apt for musicians who uses electric piano for jazz, blues, pop, soul and funk.

Reface YC (Yamaha Combo) Combo organ: a ton of vintage sound and control that weighs less than 2kg!

Reface YC has the unique expression of drawbars, rotary speaker, percussion and effects for a complete organ experience, best suited for rock bands and traditional churches. YC has 5 famous organ models and you can add character with two retro organ effects: Distortion and Reverb.

“Reface Capture” a free app on iTunes, helps you store and load unlimited sound data using your iPhone or iPad as a preset library ideal for live performance.

Soundmondo – Create your sound, inspire and be inspired, Yamaha’s online patch sharing platform is a section on Yamaha’s Synth website that uses Google Chrome’s new Web MIDI feature. With this you can plug in your Reface Synthesizer to a computer via USB and the site will recognize it. You can then use the browser interface to create your own

presets and load it to the Reface Capture app.

Yamaha with Mr. Manoj Jons David (Synth Guru) is conducting a series of workshop on synthesis to get you acquainted with the reface series.

Contact your nearest Yamaha outlet or at in.yamaha.com for more details.

Also check out the new Yamaha Reface video by renowed Yamaha artist Mr. Stephen Devassy on youtube or Yamaha Music India FB page

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“

He has done 80 workshops in India but never charged.

His main aim was to create awareness in India. He never lived for financial gains for music. He was more concerned about making sure people would gain.

Madhav Chari, one of India’s leading Jazz musicians, passed away recently. We’ve got three of his close friend musicians to talk to us about their association with the man himself.

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SNEHA RAMESH not to befriend you. His analysis of most arguments was clinical, reflective of a very careful mind. Parsing his facts, weighing the pros and cons, and making a conclusion only after he was absolutely sure.

I am still not sure how he came to approve of me. I somehow feel that it was a privilege I earned, and something I will be proud of for a long time to come. Aside from our arguments about musicality, our ideas on what did and did not constitute good music making.

He was obsessive about his ideals, and remained I think the finest jazz musician I personally knew. And yet, he was troubled. An affliction I know most "pure art" musicians suffer in a context that is peppered with market realities and the need to be better at marketing oneself than what one's talent warrants.

I miss Madhav terribly. In the quiet moments after listening to one of his brilliant CDs, when I would make a chance remark about a particular track, and would be rewarded with a lecture on the composer whose work I referenced, and the particular harmonic progression that I liked.

Napier Peter Naveen Kumar I was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. I shifted to Chennai in 2010, because of a question asked to me by Madhav Chari and he asked me if I want to be a part of a band if he puts together one.

He said he would call me when he puts together a band in the future and took my number. Another performance, he saw me and then the Madhav Chari trio was born. He put together a concert in Museum Theatre, a first of a kind Jazz concert in 2010.

I also miss his ability to affix structure to a world that was largely chaotic. I greatly wish that he would sometimes be as objective about himself, and did not have to agonize over how imperfect the world was. And continues to be.

In my mind, he will be one of the most inspirational musicians I have had the gift of knowing.

People often thought he was rude and arrogant, but that’s not true. Our last concert was in 2015 and first concert in 2010. If he was a rude person, am sure we would not have stuck on with him for 5 years, it is indeed a long time.

He has done 80 workshops in India but never charged. His main aim was to create awareness in India. He never lived for financial gains for music. He was more concerned about making sure people would gain. Society would be a more peaceful place with music and that was his main aim.

I usually play with several bands across the world but I’ve never come across anyone as knowledgeable as Madhav Chari. He was also a mathematician and hence his music was also very complicated but he worked towards making it simple to listen to.

For one of his songs Tango Sentimental , he took 30 days and the one that was performed is the one he wrote on the 31st day actually. The crowd just loved his music.

It was a great honor for us to have worked with him. Big Big loss for all of us!

Anil Srinivasan I still distinctly remember the first time I met Madhav. It was like meeting a college don, the kind who is careful about whether or

Floyd Fernandes Madhav was a very close friend of mine and an important one at that.We met by chance at a music store launch 11 years ago and were constantly in touch after that. The guy was a monster student in school,a gifted swimmer and an exceptional musician the likes of which we have not had in our country. Being multifaceted Madhav could speak at length on a wide range of topics but would constantly reference it to music, and fluidly draw analogies.We shared a common interest in Math and stuff so our conversations were not for phones with a low battery life.

He had given up his PHD in the US to pursue the love of his life, jazz music...something not many would ever think of doing. With this obvious passion came a vast amount of work transcribing, learning, playing , philosophizing and delving into the origins of this form of music.This kind of depth is alien in India when it comes to jazz and was very evident when he played. I don't think my pal ever got his due in our country, being outspoken and vocal about his views which could be brutally honest and pointed. He conducted several workshops amalgamating behavioral science, martial arts and their correlation to the performance of music at the highest level, and was determined to let young kids know the power of jazz. My great friend lives on in spirit,his amazing recordings and his conversations which I remember vividly.

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KEYBOARDIST ED ROTH RELIES ON QSC K SERIES FOR THE COMPLETE MUSIC EXPERIENCE

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Acclaimed keyboardist Ed Roth has been a part of the circuit for decades now, and over the years, his body of work has evolved astoundingly, having recorded with artists ranging from Coolio to Rob Halford to Tom Morello, and also being a part of top session bands such as the Bombastic Meatbats (with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith) and CTA (with former Chicago founder/drummer Danny Seraphine). Roth coproduced Kristine W’s #1 iTunes jazz single, “What I Like About You.” That apart, Roth was also a session keyboard player on records with artists including the Avett Brothers, Sophie B Hawkins, Maia Sharp, and Nathan Maxwell (of Flogging Molly).

These of course, are in addition to his works as an independent musician, with his most notable effort being his self-titled album of which the first ever single “Summertime” spent 8 weeks in the Smooth Jazz Billboard Top 40 charts. And enigmatically enough, the release of his self-titled debut album also coincided with the time that the ace keyboardist chose to sign with QSC as an official member of the K for Musicians Family.

Roth mentions that he came across the QSC K series almost by chance – “I ran into my old friend Gerry Tschetter at the NAMM show a few years back. Gerry said he had some speakers he wanted me to check out. And these were the QSC K series. We heard them together, and I must say, the musicality of these speakers knocked me out right away.”

The ace keyboardist proclaims that his passion and attention for true music sounds influenced his decision to go with the QSC K Series. “The QSC K Series gave me exactly what I was looking for!

First up, the QSC K Series speakers sound so warm and smooth.

They’re very musical to play through and their tonal quality is phenomenal, so much so that they are able to cut through a mix with sublime ease. It’s great to be heard without the usual harshness of most powered speakers, and the QSC K series makes the listening experience truly amazing. Secondly, as a keyboard player, you need headroom and power to be able to play with dynamics.

You have to have that power to play tastefully, whether you are playing piano or Rhodes under a vocalist, or soloing on a fusion gig. Again – that’s exactly what the QSC K series gives me!”

Roth asserts that the QSC K series allows him unparalleled flexibility and versatility without compromising on quality or performance as he quotes "QSC powered speakers let me go from 1 to 13, warmly and smoothly.

They give me the headroom I need as a keyboard player to play musically with dynamics. (By the way, 13 is two more

than 11!). The hardest keyboard sound for a speaker to reproduce is an acoustic piano sound. A lot of speakers will sound tinny and harsh, or crap out when you really need the extra volume, but the K Series keep the piano patches rich sounding with the power I need to both hear and feel. Plus, all of this in a package that’s compact, light and extremely simple to set up! It is nice to see some companies committing to make great quality music equipment in this day and age of the bottom line. And QSC is by far leading the race."

Elaborating on this, Roth goes on to explain how the QSC K Series helps him stay connected to his true sound, and how he would never settle for anything else “Like I’ve said time and over again, as a keyboard player, you need to have warm, rich tone with headroom, but you also need to feel connected to your sound through your speakers. I play a lot of piano and Rhodes, and picked the Roland RD 700 as my main keyboard not only for the way it sounds with those instruments, but because it feels like I am connected to those instruments. As an artist the speakers you use are as big a part of your sound as the gear is, coz that’s what should help you connect with your true sound. Honestly, ever since I played on it for the first time, the QSC K Series achieved that for me. And it continues to do so every single time. In fact, whenever I’m performing, I ask for the QSC K series for backline.

And very often find them already there as house stage monitors since a lot of concert venues are using K series for stage monitors these days. It's great to have a consistency to your sound even when you are traveling!”

Rounding off his thoughts on the QSC K series, Roth exclaims “Am I hooked? You bet!”

The Academy of Western Music was launched in May 2013 and has since then enrolled 830 students in the age group of 7 – 86 for various courses offered here. The Academy has 13 part time teachers including an American, who are highly qualified and well experienced in their areas of specialisation. On a general note, the students take classes once a week for 60 minutes and the Academy is open 7 days a week. It has a retail music store (Sterling Music), in the campus making it easy for students to buy their respective instrument and its related accessories. The students are eligible to take grade exams in music, once they complete the basics. In addition to systematic training and qualifications, the students are encouraged to perform at regular intervals. The Academy organises various recitals, workshops and clinics for its students to witness and learn from their own faculty and other visiting artistes.

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Trinity College London Students can take up grade exams in music conducted by Trinity College London once they complete a basic course.

The grading begins with the Initial Grade, and The Academy of Western Music was Founded is then numbered from Grade 1 to Grade 8 in

by Mr. Chetan Acharya who has been in the music increasing difficulty. Candidates are rated under business for the last ten years, and has donned many hats during that time. Today his company distributes three categories – the performance of musical some of the world’s finest musical instruments and pieces, technical work such as scales, accessories across the country - Yamaha, Ashton, Sennheiser, and supporting tests such as sight Casio, Bespeco, Havana, Blackstar and Carlsboro to name a few. reading and improvisation.

They also have a 3000 sq.ft. musical instruments showroom on Sterling Road, which they aplty named Sterling Music, that has served the musically inclined since 2009. Mr. Chetan believes one thing about the people of Chennai the amount of raw talent he has seen in this city is incomparable to anywhere else in the country. The enthusiasm and the dedication that the people put into learning music and perfecting their art is very heartening to see, he says. He thus felt that the city deserved a school of music that would live up to its expectations and those of its talented musicians. This was the seed that grew into The Academy of Western Music.

During the conceptualization stage, he was very clear about a few things: 1) The academy should be world class with no parallel anywhere in the country, 2) The infrastructure, instruments and staff should exceed their students expectations in every possible way and 3) the academy should serve as a talent development center fostering not just the learning of an instrument, but also touching upon key areas such as ensemble performance, presentation skills and body language to name a few.

Today, his dream has been realized and the Academy of Western Music stands proud on Santhome High Road. It is a 7500 sq.ft. campus with large class rooms, a library and a 60 seater recital hall built on a carefully manicured 18000 sq. ft. plot of land with adequate parking facilities for all our students. The entire academy is air-conditioned, has 24 X 7 backup power generators and closed circuit television for security. Additionally, they have a large dining area and a beautifully landscaped garden.

The students will find that the range of instruction is quite extensive: they conduct classes in piano, acoustic & electric guitar, keyboard, drums, vocal, saxophone, clarinet, violin and theory of music. The spacious classrooms ensure a comfortable learning environment and the student-teacher ratios ensure personalized coaching. Speaking of the teachers, they have handpicked only the best teachers in the city-true masters of their craft.

With syllabus graded by the highly reputed Trinity College London, the choice of both traditional and contemporary music is available for students to choose from. As talent development of the students is a major focus of the academy, they provide their students with numerous workshops, master classes, competitions, recitals and other opportunities that deepen the exploration of the rich world of music.

The Academy is headed by their CEO Mr. John Sudhakar, a seasoned professional with close to 20 years’ experience in teaching music.

Get Details on our website (www.awmchennai.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/awmchennai) Email: info@awmchennai.com Tel: 044 4269 6520 / 044 2498 5813

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SOUND ENGINEERING AN EMERGING CAREER OPPORTUNITY IN INDIA

By Vinay Prabhakar, Head – Academics, Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music, vinay.prabhakar@sam.org.in

India has witnessed a growth in the number of live concerts and shows over the past decade.

The number of live venues in India that enable young musicians to showcase their talent is also increasing. Besides this, a host of festivals like the NH7, Mahindra Blues and Sunburn festival that showcase great artists and draw new talent each year are encouraging to any music professional in India.

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The sound quality of these shows could have been questioned until a decade ago, but with the improvement in sound systems and system engineering aided with smart technology that enable engineers to tweak the system, the final sonic quality of shows has improved remarkably. Concertgoers today are well - informed and are particular about the sound quality of shows.

Sound reinforcement is the main purpose of live sound productions.

The reinforcement takes place in different degrees. A small performance in a coffee shop will not need a lot of speakers while a concert in an outdoor venue will need a lot of speakers, power amplifiers along with a larger mixing console with more headroom on each channel. Therefore, ensuring that in a given venue there is optimal sound coverage that is audible as well as clear is the main aim of live sound engineering.

There are many aspects to achieving quality in sound productions; having a solid understanding of sound equipment like mixing consoles, loudspeakers and power amplifiers, fundamentals of the physics of sound, applicative knowledge of microphones and miking techniques and the ability to shape a live mix with the right tools like equalization and dynamic control are what is needed to ensure a successful production.

Without a skilled engineer or qualified personnel, such an achievement is not possible. An effective live sound production is the product of a properly designed sound system that is audible and clear to everybody in a venue and controlled by a Front of House engineer (FOH) who understands the sound of the band as well as being adept with the mixing console.

A system engineer’s role is to ensure that there are enough loudspeakers in a venue and they are setup in the most effective way possible to cover all areas of a venue.

by observing other mix engineers. An audio institute will teach the basics of equipment and best practices in setting up and mixing, but the real experience of learning Front of House mixing will be achieved with each show that you mix.

A Monitor Mix engineer is another important role that is still new in India. This role entails that the artists can hear themselves on stage clearly either through in ear monitoring systems or stage monitors.

Most of the times, FOH engineers perform this role simultaneously.

There are tremendous opportunities for any person who is inclined towards live sound. Starting from the role of a crew, instrument technician to becoming a System Engineer or Front of House Engineer (FOH) or Monitor Engineer, you can end up shaping a career in show production. While system engineers are still few in India, most live sound enthusiasts start young by joining a sound rental company and work their way up from a crew to an FOH engineer. These enthusiasts learnt most of it on the job by observing others.

Most audio production institutes offer the basic knowledge like microphones, mixing consoles, which will certainly help you understand the different equipment but the real learning takes place when you are in a setup that is recreated to give a feel of a real venue. Learning about live sound with line array speaker systems, system tuning software and industry standard mixing consoles will certainly improve your contribution to a live sound production if you are entering as a fresh graduate.

If you are considering training in live sound then Audio Academy in Bengaluru, Sound Engineering Academy in Trivandrum and True School of Music in Mumbai are a few options you can consider.

Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music will soon be launching a short course in Live Sound.

The other important role in live sound is that of a Front of House engineer (FOH); this person ensures that the sound of the band is conveyed to the audience in a manner that is balanced and close to what the band desires. This is only possible when the FOH engineer understands the artist’s music and also has a good system to work on. Most FOH engineers started their careers as a crew or a technician and learnt

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STAR OF THE MONTH

JUBIN

NAUTIYAL

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PRAMITA BOSE

If songs like ‘Bandeya’ from Jazbaa , ‘Zindagi’ of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, ‘Samandar’ from Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karu, ‘Meherbani’ from The Shaukeensand ‘Ek Mulaqat’ of Sonali Cable are on your favourite hitlist, then you know who the singer is. For 26-yearold Jubin Nautiyal is no alien to mainstream musicdom. Hailing from the idyllic hamlet of Jaunsar, nestled in the lap of heavenly Himalayas, this youth strongly adheres to the adage ‘practice makes a man perfect’. As a proof, he heeded the prized advice of none other than his talent-spotter A. R. Rahman and marking his words, returned to his woodshed only to spring back with a dazzling shine. The Score magazine strikes an informal chat with this gentle guy with an unconventional tonal texture about his lineage, musical education, influences, future assignments and love life.

Was meeting the musical genius A. R. Rahman saab a lifealtering experience for you?

Yes definitely! It was indeed a turning point of my life and a defining moment to cherish. I got to meet the master on a show called Ustadon Ki Ustaad where all A-league singers of our country had participated.

Well you may say that Rahmansaabcertainly played a very important role in my hitherto journey. I’m not even sure if he is aware of that.

When I just completed my school, I was so set in my mind that music is my ultimate destination that I straightaway came to Mumbai and took an admission in college (read Mithibhai College, Mumbai) to do graduation. By then, I had made up my mind that Bollywood is what I wanted to chase and join but I was still so young, novice and naïve at the time that often heart overruled my brain. And my voice was still in a developmental stage. It was constantly changing and maturing.

At this crucial juncture, I got to connect with Rahmansaab with a stroke of good luck as reaching a man of his stature you may well realize, is no cakewalk for any fresher. It was quite an eye-opener for me and not a planned thing actually. All credit goes to my father’s chain of fruitful links and quick calls that suddenly put me inside a green room of a reality show called Ustadon Ki Ustaad where Rahmansaab was on the panel, judging a host of today’s leading singers like Kailash Kher and Sunidhi Chauhan.

I got a five-minute slot to interact with him and within that short span, I sang out some lines to him. After lending me a patient hearing, he told me how I should pursue music and asked me to return and continue practicing till the time is ripe to make the cut. I followed his advice from the next day itself and packed my bags to come back, learn more and be better each day, honing my rough edges. He did compliment my voice, describing it as beautiful and I was predictably humbled by his generous words. He said that mine was an age where a male voice cracks and develops bit by bit. So it wasn’t a good idea to start playbacking before it mellows properly. It might harm the vocal quality permanently. He assured that I was doing my riyaaz under the right guidance of teachers and that I must continue training and sharpen my skills further. I remembered his words like sermons from a Gospel and did exactly what he had asked me to. Three years hence, I could fathom that it’s apt now to set my foot into the city of dreams and here I am talking to you for an interview (grins)!

You know that’s the greatest reward to an amateur! You get a golden opportunity to vibe with world-class musicians and enhance your own performance level. That’s how I got to train in western music and arouse my keen interest in it. So today if I’m able to do Bollywood and infuse Hindustani classical strains with the western notes, that’s because I was coached on the campus of SAM.

You wish to bring in the musical notes and instruments of your Jaunsari ancestral roots to mainstream music. Tell us something about your homegrown local music and its salient features in detail.

Toh jahan se main belong karta hun us jagah ka naam hai Jaunsar aur wahan ke bahut hi kamaal ke instruments hai jinke bare mein utni jaankari nahin hai…jinkoexposure hi nahin mil paya abhi is industry mein (The place of my origin is called Jaunsar and it is a goldmine of some incredible musical instruments like rubab (lutelike musical instrument) and ransingha (horn instrument or a type of primitive trumpet) which are yet to get a pervasive exposure in the film industry). Aur jab mujhe mauka milega…jab bhi mein kabhi album pe work karunga, ya apne music pe work karunga, main usme woh sound ko definitely involve karna chahunga (And whenever I’ll get a scope to compile an album or work upon my own music, I’d definitely want to involve that indigenous sound of my native place and let the world know about it). The sound I think is very earthy, beautiful and as real as it gets. It certainly has a different tone to it.

What are your other impending Bollywood projects as a singer?

As of now, I can’t disclose any detail about the movies am toying with before the deal is full and final. But I can only say that I’ve recorded a string of tracks with popular composers like Jeet Gannguli, Amit Trivedi and Pritamda (Chakraborty) for their forthcoming releases.

Buzz is that you’ll be shortly seen performing alongwith the happening hit composer Jeet Gannguli in one of the soon-tobe-sired episodes of MTV Unplugged Season 5…

Yeah you heard it absolutely right. Am currently busy wrapping up that shoot. But we are yet to get the telecast date from the channel. So as of now, we only know that it’s going to be beamed this December.

I’m super excited about it as I said earlier that I’ve been always fond of live, raw, un-programmed music.

How did the short course in Chennai’s music academy prepare you to face the larger professional world outside?

With so much melody, warmth and passion embedded in your voice, one wonders if there is any time for love in your life?

See, you have to keep unlocking the doors along your path to attain your goals in life. And SAM music school (Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music) was one such stop for me. I used to go there, attend an array of workshops and get to jam with a power-packed troop of world musicians. The concept there is that the illustrious institution invites different musicians from different parts across the world as their guest faculty and you get to interact with them from close proximity.

Nah, no time for love at all (blushes)! I know it sounds drab but that’s the harsh truth. And if you pester me hard about my dream girl, then of course she is beautiful I’d say but to douse that oft-quoted cliché, I can only suggest that she dwells in a very private slice of my imagination which cannot be explained in words but can only be conveyed through my songs. I do serenade her frequently with my romantic tracks.

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TAPAS RELIA Tapas Relia, the renowned name in the Advertising Industry and also a music composer talks to us about his career, music scores, ad scene & most importantly his association with Harman India.

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First things first, you are known to be a recognized name in the Advertising industry and have also scored music for some super popular brands. How did that come about?

I moved to Mumbai from Ahmedabad in 1996, and immediately started doing small and odd jobs as an amateur composer. With one keyboard and its onboard sounds, I did whatever I could to make the best possible music in my capacity. The passion, energy and excitement was always there, in the right proportions. One thing led to another, one producer to another and so on and so forth. Finally everything snowballed into a Close-Up Toothpaste Jingle (Kya Aap Closeup Karte Hain) I composed, which became an instant hit on Television. From that point in my career, everything changed. Over the next decade, I was fortunate enough to compose jingles and themes for many popular brands, and find permanent acceptance within the advertising industry.

Apart from that, you've also scored background music for some films in Bollywood. How different is it working for two different industries?

In these many years, I’ve scored for 12 Films, and a few hundred commercials. And these two industries are not only just ‘different’, they're vastly contrasting, in terms of creativity, time, energy, commitment and budgets. Scoring for an Ad takes not more than a day or two. You have to think and create on the spot, and deliver it in a few hours. Whereas a Feature Film, is a commitment of a few months, which begins by reading the script and sketching unlimited rough musical ideas till you find the right flavour of melodies and the sound palate, upon which you will base and execute production over the next few months, involving a tonne of musicians, singers and engineers.

And the Songs are just one part of the Film. The Background Score is an additional 20-40 days worth of work.

You are the brand ambassador for Harman. How did the collaboration come about?

Aditya Mehta of Sudeep Audio, sent me the JBL LSR 308 pair and the AKG 820 asking me to test drive them. I ignored it for the longest, because I was right in the middle of working on the music of my Film ‘Dhanak”.

He kept on calling and nagging me. So finally, one day I decided to give it a shot. I took a bold step and switched monitoring to the 308s in the middle of a song I was working on. And believe me, in no time, I was sold to the sound. The same happened for the 820 when I dubbed a singer on it the next day.

I was pleasantly surprised at the clarity of the mic. So I called up Aditya and told him that I loved these things. And he asked me if I was interested in endorsing them. I was taken totally unawares. I asked him why didn’t he tell me about this before, to which he replied, "I wanted your honest opinion on them”. Finally I met Ashish Barje from Harman, who I instantly hit it off with. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with the entire Harman team at The Palm Expo and then later at their business event, where they talked about their future plans and

other impressive initiatives. Totally excited to collaborate and endorse one of the best in this business.

Could you tell us more about the studio monitoring speakers and their specifications? Which is your favourite?

These speakers are loud and clear. The Image Control Waveguide developed by JBL is clearly a winner and my favourite. It gives me a wider sweet spot, much needed clarity and superb imaging. The separation between the highs and the lows is just perfect. Nothing really fights to be heard. Apart from this, it also has JBL’s Patented Slip Stream LF port design, which ensures deep bass, and never seems to struggle even at loud levels. The LF and HF trim switches are also handy if you want that extra tweak. These are speakers which are going to sound good in any working environment, I think.

Can you share some experiences live or in studio with this particular speaker?

I always give a rough reference mix of my song to my engineer (Farhad K DadyBurjor) who does the final mix of the song. And so, like always, I mixed this song I was working on. Only difference this time it was the 308. So when he heard my mix in his studio, on the much larger Genelecs, he turned around and said “I really like this mix”. I was surprised how well the 308s translated outside.

What do you think is the USP of Harman's AKG 820 microphones?

The 820 definitely has an almost flat response curve, with just the right amount of boost between 2kHz and 5kHz to give that much needed presence to Vocals and Acoustic Guitars. I love how the voice just sits out nicely in a track. Mostly for those kind of singers, who don’t have that throw or presence in their voices. And with the added option of multiple-patterns, there’s a lot you can achieve tonally.

Tell us about your future projects to look forward to?

I’m currently working on a film by Nagesh Kukunoor, which stars some of the leading names of the Music Industry here. It’s pretty challenging and overwhelming at the same time, when you’re composing for Shankar Mahadevan, Salim Merchant, Sunidhi Chauhan, Papon and Sivamani, who are all actors in the film!

Your message to readers of The Score Magazine?

Firstly, support Original Music. Secondly, respect an artist. And if you’re a Musician yourself, do not let your writing get wrongly influenced by a lot of technology around you. Remember, the best music of the world was written and recorded without computers! Learn, and keep sharing the knowledge…

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7 INDIAN ROCK BANDS TO JAZZ UP YOUR PLAYLIST

Indus Creed

Agnee

If you were to shut your eyes and listen to these guys, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart from any international rock acts. Brilliantly recorded and performed tracks with seamlessly woven riffs and grooves, these guys are one of the most popular rock acts in the country. Technically proficient musicians and an awfully cohesive band, you wouldn’t want to skip their music.

From every possible outlook, this band exemplifies your quintessential Indian band. Right from their vocal style to dynamics and lyrical ideas, they blend all sorts of mainstream sounds with a classical approach. Every song powers through with immense feel, regardless of its technical complexity.

Songs to check out: Fireflies, Cry, Thie

Songs to check out: Kabira, Aahatein, I Believe (with Parikrama and Shilpa Rao)

Parikrama Perhaps one of the most influential indian rock groups of all time, this band’s generosity with mainstream rock concepts coupled with carefully placed elements and themes that remind us of home, makes for a very vibrant and colourful approach towards indian rock. Their utilization of instruments such as the tabla and flute is very subtle, yet brilliantly effective.

Songs to check out: But It Rained, Am I Dreaming, I Believe (with Agnee and Shilpa Rao)

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AMOGH RAO

Modern Indian bands have an intrinsic quality of fusing traditional and classical concepts with the more rigorous rock and pop. An exotic flavor of ideas blended with the tastefulness of the western music scene, here are some bands that will definitely exalt your musical perspectives.

Avial In terms of originality, Avial leads the way with their pioneering genre of what they call Malayalam rock, an alternative rock sound with lyrics in Malayalam. Despite singing in their regional language, they’ve gained a massive fan following across the country. They’re also one of the few bands to utilize a turntablist /DJ in an alternative rock setting, and successfully adding layers of sound to their tracks.

Songs to check out: Chekela, Nada Nada, Karukara

Advaita Hindustani vocals taken up a notch, melodic yet complex ragas and a resounding sarangi to bring it all together, fusion is at its best in this band. The progressive elements in their music gently lift their complexity and creativity, without sacrificing key classical ideas. Their unorthodox approach towards the arrangements in instruments also adds an interesting colour to an already vibrant composition.

Songs to check out: Ghir Ghir, Durga, Rasiya

Motherjane Moving down south, it’s impossible to miss Motherjane. Their masterful incorporation of Carnatic classical concepts into their riffs along with the added progressive element of odd time signatures makes for an earful of India’s finest. A handful of lineup changes have caused a major shift in their musical direction, however, their fundamental sounds still stands as some of the best Carnatic rock in the country.

Songs to check out: Fields of Sound, Chasing The Sun, Mindstreet

Indian Ocean As robust as their name sounds, this bands intensity can be witnessed by the impact they create at live concerts. Utilizing concepts including Sufism, shlokas, ragas and more, they have successfully established a defining sound in experimental indorock. Despite the overwhelming Indian-ness in their approach, they masterfully weave in foreign instruments like the drums and guitar into their compositions.

Songs to check out: Behney Do, Bandeh, Kandisa

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ARJUN

KANUNGO Arjun, a music producer and composer is also a trained actor from one of the most reputed institutions of acting, Lee Strassberg. Trained in classical and jazz music he had the honour to accompany one of the most versatile singers of our country, Asha Bhosle on her world tour, was the male lead vocalist and performed for over 30 shows alongside her. He got exposure after singing the multi-platinum hit Khoon Choos Le from Go Goa Gone.

Along with being his knack in music, he has also composed over 100 ad films and corporate films.

The versatile soul launched his first party song 'Baaki Baatein Peene Baad' featuring popular rapper Badshah a week ago that has hit a million likes already.

A well-known Internet sensation, Kanungo is a blessed musician with his talent both behind the studio and in front of the camera, which is mesmerising. With a combination of great looks and a perfect voice, Arjun makes for a complete package yet to be explored.

We had a chat with him about his music, inspirations and much more.

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Tell us about your musical journey I started with music a little late. I was sure, that this was what I wanted to do, only when I was 17. I made a conscious decision at the time to pursue music as an art form and a lifelong endeavour.

It was probably the best decision I ever made. It's always been challenging but fulfilling.

I started with starting a recording studio at age 18. It's still running today, although it's mutated into two recording studios (a third one is one the way), a rehearsal space and design company. Through the studio I met musicians and composers and that was a great medium for me to learn music and the dos and donts of the music industry. I think one of the toughest things for a young musician is to find a starting point for his or her career. This was mine. It gave me a great way to meet people and through the studio I met Mr. Nitin Shankar who introduced me to Asha Bhosle ji who I ended up touring with for a couple of years.

Bollywood happened soon after. I sang for Asha ji's film 'Mai' and my second song, for the film Go Goa Gone, 'Khoon choos le' was a hit. Music directors soon started trusting me with their songs and I sang for a few more films like Pizza 3D and Coffee Bloom.

Then last year I started my own Youtube Channel and after a few successful videos, Sony Music India approached me and I signed with them, which led to 'Baaki Baatein Peene baad'.

You are an actor from the reputed institution, Lee Strasberg, how did the interest in music come about?

Music came first. I was performing a lot and I felt a lot of times while on tour that I wanted to better myself. I feel like performing is a mix of singing, acting and dancing and while I was very confident of my singing skills, I felt that to take my performances to the next level I need to take my acting and dancing a notch higher. I took a breather from music and went abroad to study method acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York city.

Simultaneously, I also learnt hip hop and jazz in dance. I got back to Mumbai and still continue my training in both.

You have toured the world with Asha ji as the ale vocalist and performed many shows along with her. How was the experience?

Amazing. Asha ji is an amazing person. I auditioned for her band in 2010 and she liked my voice. I did my first show with her at IIT Powai and while I was performing a lot at that time, I had never quite seen or performed in front of a crowd of so many people. My guess was that there were about 4000-5000 people in that IIT event and it was absolutely crazy. I had never been cheered for that loudly and never been appreciated like that. The performance went well and I was asked to become a part of the troupe. We toured a lot after in India and Internationally. My favourite tour was our tour of Australia and New Zealand. More so because of the place itself, I love Australia (Melbourne particularly).

Also performing next to Asha ji is a learning experience in itself.

Her 7 decades of musical experience is so evident that there is something new to learn from her everyday. I also learnt so much from the band itself, especially Mr. Nitin Shankar who plays percussion in the band. He has been a mentor to me in a lot of ways.

The biggest lesson I learnt from Asha ji is that there are no limits to how far you can take your training with your voice. Singing is a life long endeavour.

Composing for Ad films and corporate films is another side of you. How do you manage to do too many things at one time? It truly is a Gift of the Gab !

We musicians need to make money as well haha. I started composing music even before singing. I got my first paid gig composing from Bindaas tv. I made many many tracks for a

show called 'Lagegi'. After that there was a couple of production houses that approached me. I did a few digital films first and then tv commercials. I've worked with over 50 brands for different mediums.

I really enjoy making music for commercials. They are the 20/20 matches of composing! While film songs can take months to materialize, an ad film is usually a day's work. You hit the studio, compose the track in a few hours and a mixing engineer mixes it.

Within a few days it's on the air. You have to be quick with your work and you need to know your stuff to get it done on time.

I also think that most musicians these days are adept at doing more than one thing. It's commonplace to be good at many things these days. I feel like doing more than one thing helps you understand the whole system better and makes you better in each individual attribute as well.

Your latest party song has hit the blockbuster chart already with a million views. Do you think commercial and fast numbers reach the audience faster?

1.5 million and increases everyday! I think what the internet has changed is that there is an audience for every kind of music now. I also think that there are more people who want good music today and because the internet is based on the concept of choice and because it gives consumers convenience, good content is more important than ever. I really do believe that Baaki Baatein Peene Baad is doing so well because it is good and original content.

After a lot of searching, we found the right producers for this song in Sweden. We wanted to bring a new kind of sound to India and I definitely think we have achieved that. Baaki Baatein Peene Baad is the first trap song to hit the Indian commercial market.

I do think there is a market for both fast and ballad-y numbers.

People have different moods at different times and they might enjoy a slow soulful song in the morning and a faster, edgier song later that day. I really do believe that quality is the most important factor and thats what appeals to audiences the quickest.

On the other hand, we hear that you are coming up with a new romantic ballad soon, is there something attached to this?

My next song is called 'Fursat' and it is a beautiful ballad. Mayur Puri has penned the song and he really has poured his soul into it. Again we've tried to redefine the sound of the ballad and I do believe that when you hear it, you will think that too. It's about love and loss and moving on.

What are your future projects?

Right now I'm focussing on my next single with Sony Music and we have a ton of shows until the end of the year. Some new content for Youtube is coming up as well. This is busiest time for live performers, i.e between now and March. So my focus will be Fursat and shows. I'm doing some tracks for films as well, more on that soon.

Your message to upcoming artists.

Start. Start now. Don't think. Don't wait. Just pick up your guitar, or your microphone, or whatever you play and a video camera and just get to work. Make videos. Put yourself out there. Do gigs.

Don't be afraid to be judged. You are going to have bad reviews but some of it will be constructive as well and that's what will help you grow as a musician and a person. I've seen the best singers and musicians get bad reviews and comments. It comes with the job and honestly, every critique is a gift. Work hard. Time is the only thing that is not on your side. If you think you need to improve skills, get a trainer. Look into how social media can help you. It's never too early and it's never too late.

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FOUR OF THE BEST THINGS THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED!

Caveat: Some you you might possibly know some of these things. A few of you will know all of them. But “The Four Good-ish Things That Maybe 70% of You did not Know Of” makes for a rather poor title.

Please allow for hyperbole, we don’t have to be PC. This is not AAP and we are not Kejriwal. Although, we will accept hate mail on even number days only.

With that in mind, let us continue our exploration! Tally Ho, or something like that.

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NILANKUR DUTTA & RAUNAQ SAHU

‘T he Empyrean’, Frusciante’s 10th solo album has everybody from RHCP without Kiedis..... It will make you question why RHCP exists.

RHCP without Anthony Kiedis Do you, like me, love the ‘Red Hot Chili Peppers’?

But, also like me, do you get at irrational (or perhaps not so irrational) urge to bend your tv screen into the approximate shape of a origami crane every time Anthony Kiedis shows up with his annoying, annoying moustache, his frankly bizarre onstage wardrobe decisions, and his unnaturally lustrous hair?

Here’s the truth about The Chilli Peppers: they are a near perfect band (or at least used to be, in their one of their many iterations). John Frusciante is a neargenius lead-guitarist. Flea’s ‘phunkayye’ playing style is a perfect compliment to Frusciante’s fretboard-experimentations.

And Chad Smith is Chad Smith, and that out to be enough. Even Josh Klinghoffer, Frusciante’s replacement in RHCP since 2009, has playing style that is commendable (if only because it is a carbon-copy of Frusciante’s). And then in the middle of all this brilliance, there is Kiedis and his left nipple, speaking some mumbojumbo psychic-vibe unicorn rap solos. I am going to come right out and say it: Kiedis does not deserve RHCP. And now, if you have been following the thematic tones of this article, you will know what is coming: ‘The Empyrean’, Frusciante’s 10th solo album has everybody from RHCP without Kiedis (and unfortunately, Smith, but Klinghoffer who plays the drums on this one, is actually pretty good). Frusciante himself is on vocals, and it is pure sorcery. Every song is impeccably, almost lovingly crafted, and the result is liquid gold being poured directly into your eardrums (except you know, in a nice way and not in a Game of Thrones way). It will make you question why RHCP exists, when the same lineup can pretty much mute Kiedis microphone and achieve perfection.

Listen to it right this moment, and you know, you can thank me later.

Female jazz vocalists When you think of jazz, you think Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Mingus. Or, if you’re a teenage girl, you think John Mayer.

All in all, unless you have stretched your dimensions to Aretha Franklin and (just maybe) Ella Fitzgerald, you probably do not think of many female jazz vocalists. Well, it is time you fixed that, because there is a whole lot of beautiful belles out there singing about sadness and cigarettes with siren-like

voices, who will instantly want to make you drop everything and marry them.

Take, for instance Julie London, an American actress of stage and film in the 60’s and 70’s, chain-smoker, drop-dead gorgeous, most coveted pin-up girl in World War II. With a resume like that, you don’t need to add much more, except Julie London sang some of the most sultrily seductive jazz songs of all time. Listen to ‘Black Coffee’ and tell me I am wrong.

Or Anita O’Day, uncommonly known as ‘the jezebel of jazz’ (and who looks like a dream). Back in the day when weed was seriously illegal, O’Day was a marijuana enthusiast, getting into trouble with the law several times. But all that is immaterial, just listen to ‘The Lady is a Tramp.’

Then there’s Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Diana Ross and many more, all of whom can be found with a simple google search, so please, for god's sake, stop listening to Celine Dion already.

The Dirty Mac Britain’s rock and rollers from the 60’s were a remarkably musically incestuous lot, often joining each other bands for collaborations and side projects (and often lasting for very little time). To wit, ‘The Yardbirds’ have contained, at different points of time, Eric Clapton, Chris Dreja, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and, at least on one memorable recording, Jon Paul Jones. Dreja and Page would later go on to form ‘The New Yardbirds,’ which Dreja would leave to give us Led Zeppelin, but that is a story for another time (watch this space next month)!

Anyway, the point I am trying to belabour is that most of the Britrockers of that period have played with each other: but here is an unprecedented, one-time-only lineup that is not only notable for who is on-stage, but also why they are there.

The years 1968, the Rolling Stones have a TV special called ‘The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus”, and a circus it was: the great John Lennon decides to put together a one-time only, drool inducing lineup: Lennon himself, Clapton, Keith Richards, and ‘The Jimi Hendrix Experience’ drummer Mitch Mitchell. Sounds like a great band right?

Except they were there to back Lennon’s girlfriend: Yoko Ono. Mitch Mitchell’s wiki entry puts it best: ”Yoko Ono providing improvised primal screams.”

They would go on to do two songs (that I can find anyway): ‘Yer Blues’, and ‘Whole Lotta Yoko’, after which, I assume, both Clapton and Richards would spend trying to live down their shame with decades of debauchery and drug-abuse.

The Sax-Man Cometh Jimi Hendrix once famously said, “I have been imitated so well, that I have heard people copy my mistakes.” But all in all, Hendrix is Hendrix is Hendrix, and the man has got one of the most inimitable sounds on the guitar.

But what if it were not a guitar?

I would decidedly hate to ruin this for you, so I will just give you explicit instructions instead: Google “Charlie Parker if 6 was 9”, go to the first video that pops up on Youtube (by some luminary called gtr67) and sit back, and wait for for the 4:12 seconds mark.

Go on, I will wait.

Now, proceed to collect the blown-out bits of your brain from the wall behind you, you might need it later on

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FROM THE SOUTH OF INDIA

SID SRIRAM Sid Sriram, an upcoming playback singer and an established carnatic singer talks to us about how his musical journey began, his family’s role in shaping his career, playback singing and a lot more.

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How did you begin as a musician?

First of all, really glad to be doing this interview; I’ve been a reading The Score Magazine for a while now!

I was born in Mylapore, Chennai in 1990 and my family moved to a suburb called Fremont, near San Francisco in the US in 1991.

I was around so much music growing up; I knew from a very young age that it was my passion. My mother, Latha Sriram started a Carnatic vocal music institution there in 1992 and I started learning Carnatic music from her when I was 3 in 1993; since then Carnatic music has been my creative foundation and fountainhead. Around the age of 10, I started listening to artists like Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Whitney Houston and that’s when I got into singing R&B music; the vocal embellishments in that style of music really drew me in. In 2008, I started attending Berklee College of Music which is where I laid the groundwork for building my own original sound. Since I was a kid, my mother would play a lot of Indian film music; when I got my first call to sing for AR sir in 2011 it was surreal. I feel like I have a very unique responsibility to uphold all three streams of music I’m involved in. I embrace this responsibility with humility and love. Carnatic music keeps my mind, spirit and voice sharp.

My original music allows me to create something that is entirely unique to me. My film music work allows me to grow in musical environments that I wouldn’t normally be finding myself in. I have developed in all three areas in different points of my musical journey, but now they’re all feeding into each other beautifully.

How has your family paved path for you in your musical endevours and journey?

My family has been an integral part of my growth as a musician.

My mother started me off on Carnatic music and is an important musical guide to this day. My sister Pallavi Sriram is an established and forward thinking Bharatanatyam artist. I provide vocal and nattuvangam accompaniment for her performances. My father’s specialty is in business, technology, and entrepreneurship.

His forward thinking approach to everything in life has helped immensely in my progress as a professional musician. Family is very important to me; I’m very blessed to have a family that constantly pushes and encourages me. We all strive for honest, genuine excellence in our respective fields.

All your songs in playback singing were superhits.

How did that feel?

So far, I’ve sung 3 songs for Tamil films: Adiye from the film Kadal, Ennodu Nee Irundal from the film I, and Yennai Maatrum Kadhale from the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. I owe my career in playback singing completely to AR Rahman Sir. He really believed in me with such a cutting edge, different song like Adiye.

I had no track record before that song, and I’m so grateful to AR sir for giving me that first chance. All three songs have been hits and I’m humbled by this. My main goal when creating music and singing is to put forth raw emotion. I think the fact that these songs have been received so well is a testament to the simple fact that people need to feel. Music is such an incredible mode of communication, and to be able to use my voice to communicate emotion is a true blessing.

How has it been working with AR Rahman & Anirudh? How would you describe each of their working styles and was it too different from one another?

Working with AR Rahman Sir is one of the most musically enriching experiences I’ve ever had. When we recorded Adiye, I was in Boston and he was in Mumbai and we recorded long distance. I was super nervous; he’s been a hero of mine

since I was very young. As soon as we started recording, it was a rapid fire process where I didn’t have a second to overthink the takes. This way, he was able to get the most honest, raw performance. I remember hitting the ending riff on that song and he said “whoa, that was cool”. I was on a high for a while after that! For the Ennodu Nee Irundhal session, I was with AR sir at his Chennai recording studio. The song is in a pretty high pitch and is intensely emotional. Again, once we started recording we just went for it with AR sir feeding me different melody ideas and really getting the best vocal takes out of me. He always pushes me outside of my comfort zone, and this has helped me grow immensely as a holistic musician. As I said before, AR sir has been a hero of mine since I was around 5 or 6 years old. Being around him is always humbling and I always come away from my time with him learning so much both musically and personally.

Working with Anirudh has been really cool. The session for Yennai Maatrum Kadhale was long distance as I was in San Francisco when he was in Chennai. The minute I heard the song I was drawn to the catchy melodies. He guided me with the melody but also gave me freedom to embellishment certain sections as I saw fit. I’m really glad that that song has been received so well!

Tell us about your upcoming independent music albums.

I’ve been in Los Angeles, working with Grammy Award Winning, Multi-platinum composer/producer DJ Khalil since March 2014 (let me clear up that the term music producer there is equivalent to a music director does here). We’ve been hard at work on my album titled “Insomniac Season”. I’ve been releasing independent, original music since 2010 and have garnered an amazing fan base globally. This album is my first full length release and I’m very excited about it. Working with the team in LA has been amazing.

Khalil is incredible in that he’s pushed me to really develop and grow into a sound that is completely unique to me. We’ve brought together elements of R&B, hip hop, pop, alternative rock and Indian classical influences to create the sonic scape of the album. I’ve written all the songs and worked with Khalil and a team of 5-6 other musicians. Each song on the album represents a certain thought that has kept me up at night. Personally, working on this project has been a cathartic process; it’s really allowed me to work through chaos and reach a little more calm. We’ll be releasing the album in early 2016, keep an eye/ear out for it! I’m also in the process of putting together my Carnatic album which is going to be traditional music in a very aesthetically interesting visual environment. I’ve been conceptualizing that project for a while now, and we’ll be completing it soon.

How different is working for film music than making your own?

Working on my own music and working on film music are two very different processes. When singing for films, I’m given a song that’s created based on the context of the film scene. The emotion behind the song is determined by the situation of the scene, which then dictates what my performance should communicate.

When working on my own music, I come up with the concepts to write about and I come up with the vibe of the music with my team. Conceptually, I can really take the song wherever I want to based on what’s inspiring me at the team. Though I have to operate within certain confines when singing for films, it’s still a very creatively enriching process. Working on my music allows me to create my own world to share with listeners. Performing Carnatic music is different from both of these. Carnatic music is such a beautifully intricate art form, in which I get to perform incredible classical compositions while also improvising on a very intellectually and artistically

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Where do you draw inspiration from?

All my music is emotionally charged, so I draw inspiration from whatever pulls at me emotionally. Often times it’s something seemingly simple or subtle that captures my attention. In the time we live in, with the internet and technology being so inherently present in our lives, it’s easy to overlook some very beautiful aspects of everyday life. I try to really pay attention to what’s going on around me wherever I am; there are infinite stories just waiting to be told in any setting. I love playing around juxtaposition both lyrically and musically. Taking a concept or theme that is traditionally looked at as ugly, but overlaying it against a very serene and pretty musical backdrop, stuff like that can be powerful. My music is also my way of coping with personal existential questions and chaos, so I’m always inspired by way of introspection. My goal with all of my music (original, playback and Carnatic) is to provide listeners with an experience that while shake them from apathy and inspire them to feel. Not to harp on this too much, but I feel like everywhere in the world, people are become increasingly more desensitized because of the internet and technology. Don’t get me wrong, I think technology provides for amazing tools, but it can never replace emotional experiences that connect one with the soul. I want to do my part in reminding people how to feel, how important it is. I say all this with the utmost humility.

Having passed out from a prestigious college, Berklee College of Music, how has that made a difference in your musical journey?

I got my degree in Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music. My time there shaped my outlook on music and being a professional in this industry. Before I got to Berklee, I knew I had a great voice but I had no clue of how I’d make a career out of being a musician.

I was exposed to so many different kinds of music that ultimately shaped my own musical vision and sound. I met amazingly talented friends and peers who I work with regularly. I have a few professors that really took me under their wing and showed me what it is to really create music from the ground up. I’m forever grateful to Berklee and the people I met there.

Your message for readers of The Score Magazine.

My message to The Score Magazine readers will be one that I constantly remind myself of as well. Don’t let anyone define your path for you.

I think personal purpose is very important.

The heart and mind are always in constant communication of what your purpose is, though at times it’s hard to listen in! Spend quiet time to yourself, hone in on what it is you want your life to be and go after it without fear. I’ve had many experiences where people have told me I can’t exist in all three of the musical worlds I exist in.

I’ve realized that when I buy into the selfdoubt, I am stagnant. When I’ve believed in my vision whole-heartedly, the stars have aligned and I’ve moved forward.

I’ve also realized that empathy equally important as personal purpose. Truly connecting with the world around you, and being sensitive to it is what gives us the capacity to love. Thank you!

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announces

Global styles and sounds along with WAV import and onboard sampling

Roland introduces the E-A7, a powerful and versatile arranger keyboard for musicians needing professional-grade sounds and authentic backing styles.

Packed with over 1,500 sounds spanning a variety of musical genres, the E-A7 also comes with a huge library of backing styles from all over the world – including authentic styles crafted by musicians in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America.

Although the E-A7 is packed with sounds, further expansion is possible via WAV file import and the onboard sampling function, which gives the ability to sample the sound of a traditional instrument and use it as part of a musical performance. This also means that E-A7 is an instrument that stays up to date as musical styles change. The entire performance can even be recorded to USB memory which is a great way to evaluate how the performance sounded.

The sophisticated arranger engine is optimised for live use with over 150 dedicated controls for fast access to the most commonly-used functions, resulting in simple operation and fewer mistakes on stage.

With a dual-screen design, the E-A7 is highly intuitive to use; backing styles are on the left screen and sounds are shown on the right. This logical approach quickly becomes second nature and ensures that performing with the E-A7 is straightforward and stress free.

Vocalists will appreciate the microphone input and dedicated vocal effects bank including an array of pro-quality reverbs and delays, all of which can be edited to suit personal taste.

Features Over 1,500 versatile tones from all over the world WAV file import and onboard sampling function Huge library of backing styles from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America Powerful arranger engine with direct control buttons and versatile, one-touch performance options 156 dedicated buttons for fast access to commonly-used functions

Packing a lot of power and functionality into a compact 61-note keyboard weighing just 8kg, the self-contained E-A7 dramatically reduces the amount of equipment needed to play a successful gig.

Logical dual-screen layout, with backing styles on the left and sounds on the right

To learn more about the E-A7 visit roland.co.in

Easy to carry and transport, weighing just 8kg

Microphone input with dedicated vocal effects

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PX-560M WHEN YOUR MUSIC MATTERS

Introducing the Privia Pro PX-560 Digital Piano, a stage piano unlike any other. From the first look at its striking blue case, you’ll know it’s different. It boasts some of Casio’s most impressive sonic technology, in an easy-to-use instrument that sounds every bit as great as it looks.

For the piano player who wants to go deeper, the PX-560 delivers a comprehensive set of features that will take your music further than ever.

TOUCH YOUR MUSIC Front and center is Casio’s new Color Touch Interface. Its bright, 5.3" display is clear and easy to read, and the interface is inspiring yet simple. You’ll see familiar graphics to help you select instruments and functions, making exploring the PX-560 fun and easy. You’ll find yourself experimenting with new ideas, new sounds, and new ways of creating music.

THE KEYS TO SUCCESS The PX-560 features Casio's renowned Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keyboard, which accurately reproduces the touch and response of a concert grand piano, despite the PX-560’s light overall weight. As on a real concert grand, the keys are heavier in the lower register, and lighter up top. Your fingertips will immediately feel the ebony and ivory textured keys, which not only feel more realistic, but also give your hands a positive grip to keep your playing on point.

THE PIANO In an instrument like the PX-560, the all-important piano sound must be as rewarding as the keys themselves. Casio’s Multi-Dimensional AiR (Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator) Sound Source delivers some of the best piano sounds you’ve ever heard. Its Linear Morphing

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technology creates smooth transitions between the softer and louder sounds. Damper Resonance gives you the deep feeling of the piano’s soundboard interacting with the strings. String Resonance models the harmonic relationships between vibrating strings. Hammer Response mimics the time between pressing the key and the hammer striking the strings. Key Off Simulation gives you control of a note’s decay by how quickly the key is released. And with a massive 256 notes of polyphony, you won’t have to worry about dropped notes, even while all of these incredible details are being recreated. These specifications are impressive, certainly, but what’s most important is that they combine to form the perfect and complete experience of playing a 9-foot concert grand piano.

A SOUND DESIGN FOR SOUND DESIGNERS Under the hood, the PX-560 is not just a highly capable stage piano, but a full-fledged synthesizer. Unlike most other synths, going deep into sound design is as easy as touching the display. The PX-560 features Casio’s Hex Layer technology, borrowed from the flagship Privia Pro PX-5S. This means you can create massive splits and layers, with four zones and a total of 14 layers at once. What’s more, you can edit these Tones to sculpt them into something new and all your own. There are three realtime control knobs, as well as a modulation wheel, all of which can be controlling up to two assignable parameters at once.

With great-sounding filters, responsive envelopes, and extensive modulation, the PX-560 can be a sonic playground as well as a performance instrument.

TAKE THE STAGE The PX-560 is designed to perform, and to make you sound your best.

You’ll be delighted at how lightweight it is (just over 26 pounds), and how easily you can integrate it into your live setup. Its 1/4" outputs

The PX-560 is the latest edition to Casio’s Privia Pro line. Featuring many of the sound design elements of the award winning PX-5S, the PX-560 adds new tones, user-programmable rhythms, built-in speakers, all centered around an amazing, easy-to-use 5.3” Color Touch Interface.

and inputs give you great connectivity for PA systems and multikeyboard rigs, and its dual pedal inputs can be configured to accept an expression pedal, damper pedal, or footswitches.

HOMEWARD BOUND In addition to fitting just about any commercially-available keyboard stand, the PX-560 fits neatly in Casio’s optional CS-67P wooden stand, making a stylish musical statement in any home. Add the optional SP-33 3-pedal unit to experience realistic soft, sostenuto, and damper pedals, fixed in place for an accurate piano performance. The built-in speaker system has more than enough power to entertain at home. If you connect your favorite music player to its 1/8" stereo audio input, it even becomes a high-quality music dock.

5.3" COLOR TOUCH INTERFACE

your playing, creating a backing band that plays in the style of your choice. In addition to exploring the built-in Rhythms, you can even assemble 30 customized User Rhythms by combining basslines, drum beats, and other elements. You can also create 100 of your own Music Presets, which encompass a Rhythm, Tones, effects, and built-in chord progressions.

A BUILT-IN STUDIO When the muse speaks, you owe it to yourself to capture your idea.

You don’t want to miss the chance to record your creation. The PX560 gives you two ways to make sure your work is preserved. There is a 17-track MIDI recorder with editing features, and a USB audio recorder that creates an audio file directly onto a USB stick. You can create the sounds you want to play, record and edit MIDI songs with them, then add external instruments via the audio inputs, and capture the whole mix to share with the world.

TOOLS FOR SCHOOL

BRING THE BAND Going beyond the traditional definition of a stage piano, the PX-560 includes 550 Tones, covering a huge variety of musical instruments and genres. There are dynamic and expressive guitars, basses, strings, drums, and much more, enhanced by powerful onboard DSP effects.

The 220 onboard Rhythms allow multiple instruments to follow

The PX-560 includes features that are especially beneficial for private lessons and music labs. Duet mode splits the keyboard into two equal pitch ranges, letting two people (i.e. teacher and student) play side by side on a single instrument. Classroom mode adds the ability to send each side to an individual audio output, making it compatible with the most popular third party piano lab systems. Two front panel-mounted headphone jacks also make the PX-560 great for lessons or practice.

PLAYS NICE WITH OTHERS Like all Privias, the PX-560 has a class-compliant USB port which connects to a PC, Mac, or iOS device with no drivers needed. Easily control your favorite music software, without any extra setup.

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ANUSHA MANI We have a quick chat with Anusha Mani about her life, music, family and much more.

She hails from a south Indian family and is a Classically trained singer.

Tell us a little bit about your background I was born and raised in BARC Mumbai. I come from a very simple and conservative background, yet my parents were very liberal when it came to my upbringing. Ours was and still is a very close knit family. My father is my hero!!! Apart from getting good grades in school, I also was very active in sports,music,dance and all forms of extracurricular activities! I won the title of MS. POPULAR in school which was pretty cool. My brother was my biggest supporter in all good and bad I did. He introduced me to Kishore Kumar and RD Burman songs. We used to sing duets all day long until we got shouted at for not studying.

Before entering Bollywood, what were your musical activities like?

Learning Carnatic classical and bharatnatyam was mandatory coming from a tam-brahm family. My real interest in music started when I learnt music from my guruji SMT. Meera Nathan who was a teacher par excellence. To date I miss learning from her. I participated in a lot of music competitions in school and college and won prizes. Either music was played at home or I would sing at all times. I later went on to learning Hindustani from Srikanth Waikar Ji and Sunil Borgaonkar Ji.

You've given some hits in Bollywood. Are you particular about the songs you select to sing?

I've been very lucky to have very good songs to my credit.I have also worked with incredible composers like Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Vishal-Shekhar and Amit Trivedi which I consider a blessing. These songs have crossed my path only because the music composers felt my voice was suitable for the song. I would say no to a song only if I thought I couldn't do justice to it or it interfered with my moral values.

Has learning Carnatic Music paved a path for you in your musical journey?

Yes, my only understanding of music for many years was Carnatic. It has helped me realise my passion for music. It has helped me understand the intricacies of music and also has kept me in touch with my roots. It has helped me connect with my spiritual side and made me realise that this world is better place with music in it.

What role does your family play in your career considering that yours is a musical family?

My immediate as well as extended

family is extremely musical.

My aunts, uncles, cousins all have been blessed with immense talent. I am the only one to pursue a career in music. My father wanted me to become a classical singer but when he realised my calling was something different, he was extremely supportive. The only advice I got was to take responsibility for my actions because he didn't have any contacts in the industry. He said "you make it on your own terms and we will support you all the way".

TOP 5 SONGS

Your song Gulaboo has hit many fans across.

How does that feel?

(Game)

Tera Rastaa Chhodoon Na

(Chennai Express) Lazy Lamhe

(Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic) Zaraa Dil Ko Thaam Lo

(Don 2) Lehrein

(Aisha) Maine Yeh Kab Socha Tha

It's the best feeling when you get appreciated for your efforts.

Gulaabo is one such song that was completely out of my comfort zone. And it's the best feeling to have the music director convince you to do it because he believes you can . I give all the credit to Amit Trivedi for giving me this song. This song has definitely put me in a very different light because it's so different from my other work.

You have worked with Amit Trivedi and ShankarEhsan-Loy a lot. Do you plan to work with more such brilliant composers?

Yes of course. I have a long list of people I want to work with. So many great composers not just from Bollywood but all across the country I'd like to work with. I also want to simultaneously work on my own material so I can explore more genres.

What does your future look like to you?

I have a song coming up in JP DUTTA's next composed by SangeetSiddharth Haldipur and I am also working on my own material . I plan to release my singles in collaboration with Sangeet Haldipur soon.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I am a very emotional person. I get inspired by many different things. Nature is a big source, all life forms in its natural beauty, people, life situations, relationships, friendships,heartbreaks,life lessons. Sometimes seeing incredible talent in someone can just inspire you to be better.

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47

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MUSICIAN

by David Six, Piano Faculty, Global Music Institute

"I have been asked to write about music. Sometimes I like to quote Frank Zappa, who once said: “Talking about music is like dancing about architecture!“ I, as an Austrian Pianist and Composer, thought a lot about what I could write in this article despite having this quote in my mind. But an old email that I am yet to respond to, helped me out here.

I received a letter from a piano-student, after a series of piano solo recitals I gave at her university in China last year, in which she asked me a very interesting question about the influence of western classical music on western society. It is obvious that I cannot express my thoughts in full detail in an article of such short length. However, by answering this student’s email I must think of a freelance artist’s conditions and some of these thoughts shall be the source of the following extract.

What does it mean to be musician other than the obvious, performing, constant travelling and often not having a real home? What makes such a life actually beautiful next to the music or the aural-existentialism itself? Please consider these following thoughts on every day life as my personal ones, nourished from my individual experience: Probably one of the most driving aspects of a musician’s everyday-life is the constant necessity to practice our instruments, as well as the pleasure that comes from it. When I was eight years old and making my decision to become a pianist, I was not yet aware of many musicians’ permanent impulse to improve and develop themselves in their musical expression. Later on, I was astonished to discover such desire also in myself, shaping my life more effectively than anything else. There are often so many efforts made in arranging a musician's routine around this longing for regular playing; for example, when she/he is looking out for a new flat which allows herself/himself to practice in without disturbing anyone or being disturbed. Of course, one might behold something like this as a burden, but, honestly, speaking on behalf of many of my friends, I’d like to see that desire for concentration and being in the flow as an aspect of regular fulfillment. Flow is such a big part of a musician’s ordinary life. Moreover, these bearings often go hand in hand with a relatively clear vision for the whole imaginable future: Whatever happens, our instruments and the practice will be

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with us like the most happy marriage and also with no possibility of a divorce.

Sometimes I think of the fact that the most bewitching music out there must be – without a doubt – happening in a very private rehearsal space rather than in a concert hall in front of an audience. Musicians spend so much more time practicing at home in intimate acoustic conditions than performing on a stage. Therefore, most of the magical music-moments also happen at home, in the hotel, and in their every day private life. Of course, there is no comparison to a nice audience’s focus and excitement at recitals and concerts, which is a unique phenomenon and is refreshing and pleasing every day, each time.

It makes me smile thinking of this global family of musicians that I feel so lucky to be warmly embedded into. There are so many other disciples of music dedicating their lives to the exact same irrational thing. These people are very well connected, forming a network that is inevitable for us free artists, and there are many exchanges every day with a lot of management within. There are friends and dedicated amiable people in almost every city who will always offer a place to stay just for a few notes on your instrument. Surely you know the theory that every person knows every other human on this planet through the connections of five other people (six degrees of separation). I am tempted to say that among the global musician-circles, this number could be reduced to maybe one or two. You know that I am just guessing here, but I think you understand my message.

Although there are many more aspects that make every day life as a musician so wonderful (I have not even touched upon the satisfaction that comes from constant learning or a regular creative output), my space within this article has run out!

Please find the full reply to the Chinese piano student’s email on davidsix.com