The Score Magazine July 2016 Issue! by The Score Magazine

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 09 Issue 05 July 2016

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India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

STAR OF THE MONTH

AMIT TANDON HE TALKS TO US ABOUT HIS JOURNEY, VIEWS ON INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE IN INDIA, FUTURE PROJECTS AND MUCH MORE

HARMAN LIVE ARENA WE HAD A CHAT WITH SOME OF THE MUSICIANS WHO PERFORMED AT HARMAN’S LIVE ARENA AT PALM EXPO 2016. THEY HAD SOME INTERESTING STUFF TO SHARE WITH US.

COVER STORY

ADITI SINGH SHARMA TALKS TO US ABOUT HER ENTRY INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, HOW SHE LEARNT DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND ADAPTED TO IT, HER MUSICAL EXPERIENCES AND MUCH MORE. ALSO INSIDE : WE HAVE SOME INTERESTING PRODUCTS FOR YOU TO LOOK OUT FOR FROM BEYERDYNAMIC, ROLAND, YAMAHA AND CASIO.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE Director, Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development Pragash VM Director, Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Creative Director George Vedamanickam Lead Designer Nipun Garodia Content Contributors Pramita Bose Amogh Rao Manisha Bhat Shreya Bose thescoremag

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Artists conveying Social messages is a tradition that spans millennium. Independent music going viral because of social messaging however is a new phenomenon. Rebounding back from the huge controversy surrounding the allegedly sexist Club la Mub la, Hip Hop Tamizha has released a short music video "Takkaru Takkaru", calling for legalization of the classical sport Jallikattu. Ever since Jallikattu was banned by the Honorable Supreme Court in 2014, there have been various protests against the ruling. The 12 minute Music video, which speaks out against the ban, has evidently hit all the right emotional and musical notes and has garnered over a million views on YouTube. Another example of a recent viral sensation is Sofia Ashraf, an Indian rapper and singer. Her music video Kodaikanal Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t!, released a couple of years ago, has made over 3 million views. Focusing on the alleged mercury contamination in Kodaikanal, the video is now at the fore-front of the 14-year old campaign and brought to the campaign a widespread awareness. Every artist must attempt to provoke public opinions and start conversations about previously taboo subjects. It is equally important for any artist to portray subjects in a balanced, responsible and factual manner. Even powerful actors and musicians such as Amir Khan, Sharukh Khan and Kamal Hassan have found themselves on the opposite side of both fact and public sentiment or confused between public sentiment and fact!

PRAGASH VM

Director - Business Development

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I NSIDE

ADITI SINGH SHARMA

Talks to us about how she came into the Music Industry, how she learnt different languages and adapted to it, her musical experiences and much more.

HARMAN LIVE ARENA 38

SOUL INCLINATION

We had a chat with some of the musicians who performed at Harman’s Live Arena at Palm Expo 2016. They had some interesting stuff to share with us.

CASIO PRIVIA PX-350M

The latest Privia delivers the most realistic piano experience you’ll get for under a grand and rivals the sound and feel of stage pianos that cost many times more.

PALM EXPO 2016

The band speaks about the release of their debut EP , what they stand for when they create their music and what they plan to offer nascent fans.

Breaks attendance records as numbers swell by 20%, reflects vibrant growth and expansion of the Indian pro sound and light market.

AMIT TANDON

PROLIGHT+SOUND 36 We had a chat with Ahmed Pauwels, CEO, Messe Frankfurt Middle East regarding the new show this year.

SENNHEISER TOP 50

Get a glimpse of what’s in store at this year’s battle between bands by Sennheiser He talks to his about his journey, views on independent music scene in India, future projects and much more.

ADITI

SINGH SHARMA The gorgeous girl behind the voice of the super hit song Sooraj Dooba Hai from the movie Roy, Aditi Singh Sharma spoke to us about her path through the music industry, the hardships she faced, her momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in her musical journey, what she loves to do before her performances, about her bands and a lot more fun stuff.

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SNEHA RAMESH Were you always inclined towards becoming a musician or was it something that just happened? As I am told by my mother, I have been singing since I was a baby in my cradle. Instead of crying for milk or to wake them up, I would be singing by myself in the cradle. I feel really lucky that music is something I was born with and I just kept going with it. Performing in grade 1 for the annual day, joining the class choir in school in Moscow, representing high school for music and winning almost all competitions, winning awards in college and then finally forming the band and eventually coming to Bollywood.

Tell us something about the bands you were associated with, Crimson and Level 9. CRIMSON was the first band I co-formed with my best friend Gaurav Balani (bass player) and was fronting, a rock band with a female vocalist was interesting as our country had very few of them. I loved performing in the Delhi Rock Circuit and I think have performed at mostly all venues possible. I was asked to join Level 9 when their vocalist left the country, so I had a great time performing with them and we even played 2 gigs in Mumbai back then

These bands, along with Grove Adda opened Bollywood’s doors for you. Would you say that you’ve gained a rich experience that you’d have otherwise not got by being a part of these bands? I think every artist have their own journey. I am not sure how or what I would have done had I not been a part of these bands but I definitely think that my career has been an incredible journey in itself right from performing on stage in school to singing in Moscow in Russian to representing college and judging events to singing in a rock band and then moving to a blues,pop, jazz band and then finally getting to Bollywood - all the bands and stages taught me a lot and of course have made me the artist that I am today.

A thought that goes with female fronting bands is that people end up remembering the singer alone, did that ever happen with you as you’re the only girl in all three bands you’ve been a part of. We have always tried our best for it not to be that way, in fact my best friend Gaurav Balani (bass) and I formed the band together and I think he is such a star. He plays with the rock band Parikrama, he also performs with the amazing Shubha Mudgal and I am lucky that he plays for my setup as well. Even the rest of my band Rahul Tiwari (Keys), Arbaz Khan (Guitars), Vinit Arora (dDums), Anit Bhatt (Percussions) also play for many known artistes like Nakash Aziz, Armaan Malik, Shaan, etc. I think more than it being a gender thing, people do tend to remember the singer more than the others in the band but I do think and hope that they pay equal attention and appreciation to the amazing musicians we share stage with.

How did you step foot into Bollywood? Bollywood just 'Happend' to me. Fronting the rock bands and being so active in the Delhi circuit and being well known for singing and performing in English, I had never thought that few years down the line I would be a playback singer in Bollywood. I hosted the Jack Daniels Rock Awards in 2007 and 2008, which is where I met Ehsaan Noorani (Shankar Ehsaan Loy) and Vishal Dadlani (Vishal - Shekhar). Ehsaan played my work to Shankar Mahadevan and Loy and they flew me down to Mumbai for my first ever recording in Mumbai for a song in the album 'High School Musical 2'. I met Vishal right after the recording as well and got encouragement from all these people. A short while later, I performed in Mumbai with one of the bands and Amit Trivedi was attending my show. He asked me to come to his studio to try my voice on a song, and that song ended up being my debut film song 'Yahi Meri Zindagi' in Dev.D

TOP 10 SONGS High Heels (Ki and Ka) Oye Oye (Azhar) Dhat Teri Ki (Gori Tere Pyaar Mein) Touch My Body (Alone) Bekhudi (Teraa Surroor) Sooraj Dooba Hain (Roy) Main Heroine Hoon (Heroine) Kho Jaane De (Vicky Donor) Shaadi Wali Night (Calendar Girls) Yahi Meri Zindagi (Dev D)

Was it a struggle for you to make your mark in the industry especially since you have no godfather in the industry? It has been an incredible journey, since 2009 every year listening to a few songs release in my voice. It has been a dream come true really. Of course it was very difficult for me to move base to Mumbai away from my mom and friends who are in Delhi, to live alone here, to meet everyone in the industry, to make friends, to adjust to a completely new city, etc. But with each song, with each experience I learnt something new and till now have kept going.

You have mentioned many a time that your mother is your major source of support and the person behind your success, could you tell us a little bit about your relationship with her? The Woman behind my success is obviously my Mother ,my Momma. She is the reason why I am here today. I mean literally she is the reason I'm in this world and also because why I stand where I stand as a playback singer in Bollywood. She is the one who gave me the Strength , the Courage, the Confidence to always do what you want to do and do what always feels right and do the right thing. Otherwise it would have been impossible for someone like me sitting in Delhi, performing with rock bands and singing in English to suddenly just move to another city where I don't even know how to pronounce or spell names of places to suddenly move to this level. I sometimes sit and think about it and it seems pretty difficult and also pretty undoable but nothing is undoable and I have done this and this all thanks to her love and support. Thank you Momma!

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The song on loop on your playlist Sorry (Justin Bieber) Best food you’ve ever cooked (Yes, we know it from Instagram) There are a few of those dishes as I always cook with the ingredients available to me, but I would say one of my best - 'Cheese Omelette'.

You’ve sung in Japanese, French, Russian, Spanish, Marathi and Hindi, obviously and looks like you are a natural in it. How do you overcome the language barrier?

I love to travel and I love languages. I think it is something that I have picked up from my dad. Place you’d like to visit but We lived in Warsaw haven’t yet (Poland) when I was in kindergarten and Spain, Italy, France and a lot more I was put in a Polish of Europe. one, then when I was in Moscow (Russia) On stage or in studio? I went to a Russian school and I kept Record it in the studio and then picking up whatever perform it on stage :) was given to me. I have attempted any Rock, pop or Bollywood? languages that is I’m poppin' to rock Bollywood :) given to me, I only need a supervisor who can help me with pronunciations, otherwise I am very happy to sing in any language.

How do you handle competition? I don't really believe in competition. Most of my contemporaries are my friends, and we all have very different styles of singing. I really feel that if a song is meant to be mine - it will be.

Do you follow a diet regime to keep your voice intact all the time? One breakfast food that you must have is eggs and if you are a vegetarian then oats. I love to have fried eggs or an omelet in the morning to not make it boring not make it monotonous every day, I started having oats and cornflakes. And in oats I tried this new way of making oats in water and adding milk and peanut butter to it. So it is a peanut butter flavored oats and you can also add any fruits or anything that you want to have. I usually have my cereal with cold milk and add lots of fruits and nuts and stuff in it. So lots of options for breakfast . I have started having mini meals because we travel much and there is so much to do. So before sound check or before the show and after mini meals could contain of fruits, I have started having a lot of soup which I have loved as a kid. I have completed my kindergarten in Poland and in Warsaw when I used go to school our snack in the school used to be soup so I strongly created a liking for soup. So yes, fruits, soup, healthy nuts or I just make myself peanut butter sandwich with brown bread. This could be either with organic honey or peanut butter with strawberry jam. Or just have one one egg with brown bread which does not turn out to be too heavy. Sometimes i even manage to make some smoothies. I don't really follow a diet plan never really works for me because love food so much and I know that even if I go on a diet for three days it is all going to come back because I love food. So I have just started controlling my portions, like I eat everything that I want to but have less of it. I do have my crazy moments, like I remember I had finished an entire bar of that gigantic dairy milk at one go. So that is the diet plan, eat everything in moderation and try not eating late.

You came from performing on the stage to singing in a studio, which was harder to settle in and get used to?

Even if it’s like choosing a favorite child, which is that one song you’ve sung and absolutely love?

Ever since I can remember, I have been performing on stage - annual day in 1st grade, performing with the school choir in Moscow, winning all the competitions in high school and college in Delhi and then the bands. I always felt that I was the most at home on stage until I started recording in studios. I fell in love all over again. I always say that being a stage performer and a studio artist are like two different jobs, every good playback singer might not be a great stage performer and vice versa. I honestly love both equally as they are different experiences for me and I am trying to get better at both of them.

That is the one question I have never been able to answer. Each song has been an incredible experience for me and I have been so lucky to work with so many music directors and lyricists, it is impossible to choose a favorite. I have started asking the fans on social media and they also reply with 3 or 4 songs at one go; no one seems to name one.

You’ve performed on stage for quite some time now, what has been your pre-performance ritual, if you have any because you bring in a lot of energy into your performances. Thank you for the compliment. Well I don't really have a ritual as such, as everyone around me would vouch for - I am a huge tea lover. The only thing I would ask for backstage or before a show in my room would be tea, that’s about it really because the schedule is so hectic most of the times you fly in and have to check sound and get ready and rush and meet someone or the band and before you know it it is time to get on stage. So I would say 'tea' and listening to more music before the show.

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Have you thought about venturing into something new like making your own album with your own compositions? Not as of now, I don't think I am a good composer yet. But these things just happen when they are meant to and can happen anytime. So maybe someday.

Lastly, what are your future projects? Nothing concrete as of now. Last year 'Sooraj Dooba Hain' was one of the biggest songs of the year and I am really happy about the songs that have released this year - Bekhudi, High Heels & Oye Oye. Will just wait and hope to record more.

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Aditi's recent single 'Befikra' has got quite some love. It is composed by Meet Bros and lyrics are by Kumar. The music video of the song was shot in Paris featuring T iger Shroff and Disha Patani. Befikra is by far the best performing song in recent times and has crossed numerous views. This year has truly been awesome for Aditi with hit Bollywood songs and her single also doing well.

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All-in-One Linear-Array P.A. System with 6-Channel Mixer

Harman Professional introduced a wide array of products at Palm Expo 2016. Here are a few of those.

Lexicon QLI-32 Quantum Logic® Immersion Processor HARMAN’s Lexicon introduced its QLI-32 Quantum Logic Immersion cinema processor, designed to deliver up to 32 channels of surround sound in professional cinema applications. The new QLI-32 interfaces with a theater’s media source and existing cinema processor to provide a multi-dimensional listening experience with left, center, right, surround, rear and height channels, all via HARMAN’s proprietary Quantum Logic Immersion surroundprocessing technology. In doing so, the QLI-32 provides theaters with a cost-efficient and easily deployed upgrade path to significantly-improved immersive cinematic sound.

AKG K92 Headphones A Studio Mainstay Mix and master your tracks with uninhibited clarity with the AKG K92 over-ear, closed back headphones. Professional-grade 40mm drivers reveal even the subtlest nuances, so you can be confident your mix will translate accurately on any system. Whether you’re fine-tuning track levels within the mix or mastering the final product, the selfadjusting headband and lightweight design will provide hours of comfort. Designed by the company whose mics and headphones have helped create some of the world’s most iconic recordings, the durable K92 is a serious headphone that delivers great sound in the studio and beyond.

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Legendary JBL sound. Unparalleled convenience. Style for every situation.

JBL EON208P Packaged 8" 2-Way PA with Powered 8-Channel Mixer and Bluetooth Get legendary sound quality with the EON208P all-in-one portable PA system, complete with an 8-channel mixer and Bluetooth audio. With a convenient suitcasestyle design, the EON208P makes it easy to get great sound for performances, meetings and events. The 8-channel detachable mixer provides professional connections for mics, instruments and line-level sources, while the 8” two-way stereo speakers deliver best-in-class audience coverage. Bluetooth connectivity also allows you to stream audio from your mobile device. With 300 watts, you’ll have more than enough volume to be heard. Plus, the compact and lightweight form factor means you can carry the entire system with one hand.

Soundcraft Vi7000 The latest Vi7000 digital mixing console delivers the best Vi sound ever, bringing optional 96kHz processing, upgraded channel counts and even more reliable hardware to live sound's most popular mix interface. Partnering a compact control surface with new Local Rack and Active Breakout box hardware, Vi delivers simultaneous mixing of up to 128 inputs and 32 mono/stereo busses. Pristine sound quality is assured by ultra-low noise mic amp designs and enhanced 96kHz* 40-bit floating point digital audio processing, while FX come courtesy of 8 independent Lexicon multi-FX units, BSS DPR901ii™ integration and a BSS graphic EQ on every bus output. Rapid configuration and powerful automation features, radio mic status monitoring and extensive ViSi Connect I/O expansion (EtherSound™, CobraNet™, Dante™, MADI, etc.) complete the package.

AKG K182 Headphones Take Control of Your Sound Never too hot. Never too high. Always just right. Designed for discerning musicians and engineers, the K182 professional closed-back monitor headphones deliver incredibly accurate sound. 50mm drivers keep it loud — even when using mobile devices — while the 10 Hz - 28 kHz frequency range provides a truly balanced mix. 3D-axis folding and comfortable, replaceable ear pads make these headphones an easy travel companion, no matter where your sound takes you.

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PX-350M WHEN YOUR MUSIC MATTERS

Piano Sound and Feel Compared to the previous flagship Privia (the PX-330), Casio has tripled the sample size of the main piano sound. They’ve also adjusted the key sensors such that there’s a lot more going on than what you may be used to from a digital stage piano. For one, the keys transmit high-resolution MIDI to the internal sound engine (as well as any external software that can interpret it), so instead of 127 possible velocity values, there are 16,256. On a graded keyboard, the hammers are (or seem to be) heavier and slower in the lower range, just like on a real piano, and they get gradually lighter as you ascend. The PX-350M has this, and also something called Hammer Response, an algorithm that accounts for the time it takes for the heavier hammers to hit the strings at a given MIDI velocity. Also, the key surfaces have a prominent texture that gives your fingers grip, wicks away moisture, and makes it hard to go back to stage pianos that don’t have it. The PX-350M has sustain resonance, which simulates the sound of all the strings vibrating in sympathy with actually-played notes when the damper pedal is down. Check out presets like “Grand Piano Dolce,” which dials in resonance like you would reverb or chorus. The effect is magical. Casio also touts AIR (Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator), their digital strategy for interpolating between the four velocityswitched sample levels. It works. You get smoother dynamics, finer control, and longer samples with barely noticeable loops. Slam down an octave near the bottom and it growls away for what seems like forever.

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Bottom line: You have to engage the same level of mental and kinesthetic concentration that you would if playing an acoustic grand. Once you do, you have a very expressive instrument at your fingertips.

Other Sounds and Features What Casio didn’t do was tamper with the already robust feature array of the previous deluxe Privia, the PX-330. For the Rs. 8000 bump up from the PX-160 (which features the same piano sound), you get 250 sounds, a 17-track sequencer that records and plays MIDI files via driver-free USB2, a programmable drum machine with 180 rhythms, auto-accompaniment, and auto-harmony—the latter two with a bit of cheese factor but darned fun nonetheless. There are cushy Rhodes simulations, a nasty little Wurly that’s the goto EP on anything funky, Clavs that cut, and a serviceable smattering of organs. New in the PX-350M are a super-wide stereo string patch and some ballsy drum sounds. The bass/piano splits (with both acoustic and electric basses) work in many situations, and you’ll be grateful for the pitch-bend wheel, which you can whip out at least once a night even on piano trio gigs. One new feature which comes out of the box—but after a couple of uses is to be found indispensible—is the audio recording. Plug in a USB flash drive, hit a couple of buttons, and you can now record anything that goes on in the instrument as a CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) WAV file. This is great for capturing fleeting songwriting ideas, documenting practice for feedback from a teacher, or turning a solo gig into a demo.

The original Privia was the answer to many pianists’ prayers: the first (and for some time the only) serious 88-key digital piano at an unprecedented price and weighing only 25 pounds. This made it a catalyst for increased competition in the under-a-grand piano market: 128-voice polyphony, graded and weighted keyboard actions, and ample supplemental sounds are pretty standard these days. What does Casio do to up the ante? For the latest Privia, the PX-350M, they plunged their resources into a piano playing experience so improved... it’s astonishing.

On the Gig We took the PX-350M out of the box and directly to a 150-seat jazz quartet gig. Going through a pair of Barbetta 41C keyboard amps, it took me a few songs to nail my sound. Most digital pianos, we now realize, are more forgiving than a well-miked acoustic grand. That’s what this Privia—with its sensitive dynamics and wide separation— sounds and plays like in a live situation. For the first few tunes, we had to concentrate on our voicings and touch. Then, it began to sound like a good recording of a live performance. A week later we played a 500-seat corporate gig through a pro sound system with a stereo direct box and wedge monitor. Again, it was like playing a miked acoustic, only now we knew how to take advantage of it. For example, you don’t necessarily have to twist the volume dial to make it louder—you can simply dig in more. The PX-350M sounds fine through its internal speakers as well as the signal from the Privia’s line outs is hot enough that you can leave the keyboard volume knob below three o’clock and just raise the gain on your amp, P.A., or recording interface without adding to the noise floor. We tested this, and the results were loud and pure. A final nit: On a dark stage, it’s easy to reach for and hit a Registration button and recall a sound category. Registrations save the entire state of the instrument and can include rhythm and auto-accompaniment that starts right up. Pre-programming registrations (a good idea in any case) can save you an embarrassing moment here.

PROS Uncanny grand piano playing experience. Audio recording of your performances. Graded action with textured keys. Giggable EPs, organs, basses, and General MIDI patches. Ultra-light. CONS One needs to buy a case for the PX-350 separately as that makes it so much easier to carry to a gig.

The latest Privia delivers the most realistic piano experience you’ll get for under a grand and rivals the sound and feel of stage pianos that cost many times more. The Privia PX-350M has the soul of a real acoustic grand. It’s inspiring and emotional in a way that I haven’t experienced in a digital piano outside of the best virtual instruments and most expensive hardware digitals. Kudos to Casio for their commitment and execution.

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We had an interesting chat with an upcoming, young talent Abhiruchi about how she came into the music scene, her work so far, her awards and how much they mean to her and a lot more. Tell us about your musical journey. I am living my dream. From Bareilly to Delhi to Mumbai, from winning district level competitions to writing, composing and recording songs; it has been quite a ride and I'm happy to have truly enjoyed every bit of it. I feel my journey as a musician has fortunately just begun and I am growing as an artist each day.

You have won many awards in your entire musical journey. Which was the most special one and why? Everything that I have ever won means a lot and is extremely special to me. The most cherished memories are of my parents, my sister and brother sitting in the audience and clapping for me while I sang on the stage. However, the most special one would be the title of 'Voice of Bareilly' that I had won in the year 2007. The competition was open for all ages and I was one of the youngest participants then. Apart from the title, I was also awarded a cash prize of Rs. 21,000. I remember being the talk of the town. Everybody was praising me and it felt really good.

Where did you get inspired from to take up music as your profession. My parents have always been my sole inspiration. I have grown up listening to them sing and they always encouraged me to do well in music. I started singing from my early childhood and with time I realized that singing was one thing that I loved doing the most. I then learnt how to play the guitar from my elder sister, so that I could accompany my vocals when I performed live. After winning a couple of contests that lead me to record songs with Nikhil D'Souza and Ayushmann Khurrana, I knew for a fact that music is really what I'd want to do all my life.

You've worked with and performed at some great platforms, which has been your most exciting experience? I’m fortunate to have had many wonderful experiences. The song that I recorded for MTV was an extremely special one since that was my first song as a playback singer and it was a duet with my favourite singer, Nikhil D’Souza. Singing ‘Pani Da Rang Official Remix’ was really exciting too. However, the most exciting experience was when I performed in Vizag at the Opening Ceremony and the Presidential Concert of International Fleet Review 2016 in the presence of the Hon'ble President and Hon'ble Prime Minister of India.

If not music, what would you have been doing? I am a performer. I love to sing, act, dance and talk. So, if not a musician, I would have been an actor.

Tell us about your future projects. Is there anything particular that we can look forward to? Your message to upcoming musicians in your field. Presently, I am hosting a show called 'Music on demand with Abhiruchi' on a live streaming app called #fame, where I sing for people daily at 10am. Apart from this, I am writing my own songs post the brilliant response that my first original single ‘Ud Chali’ received. I’ll be releasing some song covers and originals on the internet soon. The only thing I'd tell anyone who wants to become a musician is Find your own sound -the music within you. Be original and keep going. Best wishes and love

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BEYERDYNAMIC DT 1770 PRO THE EVOLUTION OF A STUDIO LEGEND With the DT 1770 PRO headphones, beyerdynamic is building on a great tradition. The new model is the next step in the evolution of the DT 770 PRO reference headphones, which have been tried and tested for decades and are an essential staple for professional users around the globe. The DT 1770 PRO meets the high requirements of musicians, sound engineers and producers who are looking for the best equipment available on the market. The new headphones are clearly positioned as a new premium model in the range of professional beyerdynamic headphones. The systems are the driving force of all headphones. As the centrepiece they are essential for a powerful and analytical sound reproduction. The Tesla drivers are a part of the outstanding features of the closed 250 ohm headphones. These drivers, which are being used in professional studio headphones for the first time, are characterised by a high magnetic flux density for significantly enhanced performance and accuracy. A detailed and also balanced sound is essential in a recording studio. The DT 1770 PRO easily meets these requirements. Tesla 2.0 systems offer maximum efficiency and ensure precise, completely distortion-free sound quality with the finest resolution and impressive spatial properties even at very powerful output levels. The DT 1770 PRO are the ideal headphones for live applications as the extremely high efficiency drivers ensure a perfect listening experience in loud environments. A triple-layer compound membrane in the DT 1770 PRO reduces unwanted partial vibrations to allow a previously unknown level of brilliance in the reproduction of overtones, as well as thoroughly impressive bass reproduction. Sound events of any kind are reproduced precisely, and a dynamic range from pianissimo to fortissimo is recreated effortlessly. In addition to its sound, the new DT 1770 PRO offers an attractive

design. The clear, aesthetic contours reflect the heritage of the legendary DT 770 PRO, while numerous details add fresh accents. Fine materials ensure durability and captivate viewers with their exclusive look and feel. The comfort plays a decisive role in mixing and mastering applications. High quality materials and the ideal headband pressure of the DT 1770 PRO ensure maximum comfort and a perfect fit for the daily studio work. The exchangeable ear cushions are covered with soft velour or highquality artificial leather. Despite the remarkably high ambient noise reduction, the circumaural ear cups fit so comfortably that even long sessions will seem like a pleasant, relaxing listening experience. Velours ear cups and leatherette ear cups are both part of the delivery scope. The sturdy spring-steel headband is adjustable and equipped with exchangeable padding. Thanks to the wide range of accessories, the DT 1770 PRO dynamic premium headphones are ready to tackle any audio task. High-quality accessories are part of the basic version â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the included coiled cable and the included straight cable are singlesided and securely attached to a lockable Mini XLR connector. A hard case can protect the headphones and accessories during storage or transportation. Whether you are recording, mixing, monitoring or mastering, whether for studio or live use â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO is the perfect solution for professional users who demand maximum quality and the best in both sound and design. Like the classic beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, the new standard for professional headphones is made by hand in Germany.

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MONTAGE MUSIC IN MOTION

Welcome to the new era from the company that brought you the DX and the Motif. Montage sets the next milestone with sophisticated dynamic control, massive sound creation and streamlined workflow.

Yamaha has taken the wraps off the Montage, its new flagship synth, which is very much an all-rounder, and a serious studio/stage instrument that comes in 61, 76 and 88 note flavours. For more than 40 years now, Yamaha has created synthesizer milestones - from the revolutionary DX7 in the 1980s to the legendary MOTIF series, Yamaha has set the standard with its FM and AWM synthesis. Now it's time for a meeting of generations: With MONTAGE Yamaha presents a unique flagship synthesizer and re-defines the criteria for stage and studio. Its Motion Control Synthesis Engine, combining FM-X and AWM2 Tone Generators with controllers, allow completely new interaction with sounds and sound shaping, making MONTAGE one of the most flexible synthesizers of all time. At the same time the instrument is a dream machine for all songwriters and keyboardists and comes with 61 or 76 keys with synth action and with 88 keys with weighted hammer action. At the heart of the Montage is the Motion Synthesis Engine, which combines Yamaha's AWM2 waveform-based subtractive synthesis engine with a new "modern version of synthesis" known as FM-X. This offers eight Operators, 32 algorithms and seven Spectral Forms. Other features include Spectral Skirt and Spectral Resonance - which are said to enable widening of the harmonic curve and the shifting of harmonic peaks - plus filters, EQ, an additional Common LFO and effects.

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You'll probably be familiar with the AWM2 technology, but in the Montage it delivers 128 notes of stereo polyphony, with the synth having ten times the waveform capacity of the existing Motif XF (in fact, it looks like Montage is the direct successor to Motif). This can be used at the same time as the FM-X engine - the engines can be played in up to 16 keyboard zones and also layered. Montage also promises a new method of manipulating sounds known as Motion Control. The Super Knob can control multiple parameters simultaneously, Motion Sequences enable you to sync parameter tweaks to tempo, and there's also an envelope follower. As you'd expect, the Montage comes packed with presets, including a high-quality grand piano and synth sounds from Yamaha's DX and TX synths. It also offers direct connection to a computer over USB - audio channels for all 16 parts are sent to your DAW, as is MIDI data - and it can even be hooked up to an iOS device. All three Montage models feature a 7-inch touchscreen; the smaller two keyboards have semi-weighted synth action keyboards, while the 88-note model has a hammer action.

AMOGH RAO

AKIRA JIMBO

"I PLAY YAMAHA"

Akira Jimbo isn't a name that needs introduction in the world of percussion. Yamaha's world famous endorsee and brilliantly gifted drummer sat down with us for an insightful conversation into his musical lifestyle. What made you choose drums?

What are your views on technicality vs feel?

I started playing drums 40 years ago, and back then there was no information on drums. I had to learn everything by ear. Steve Gadd was the guy who inspired me to play. Once I heard him play, I knew instantly that I wanted to play drums. First I tried to copy his style, then I started listening to other drummers and I learnt everything they played by ear.

Feel is the most important of course. Technique is a tool, like a nice computer or smartphone, but feel is the most essential cause drummers need to lay the ground for any music. There are a lot of ‘choppers’ and I love that, but at the same time it’s necessary to remember to keep a good groove.

Could you name 5 musicians that influenced your drumming style?

Indian movies are famous across the world. We watch them everywhere. And India has a long history with a very rich musical culture, like the percussive rhythmical concepts that are very hard to understand for us. But Indians have a great base for music, and so I think it’s great to mix this culture with pop and western music.

Steve Gadd is my biggest influence. HarvyMason from West Coast, David Garibaldi from Tower Power, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl are also great drummers.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid setup?

I think there’s no disadvantage. I got into hybrid drumming in the last 25 years. I’d just sample my voice, “Jimbo” and put it on the kick drum. People loved that. It’s quite unique for a drummer to play melodic things. So I started to play simple stuff and gradually the more complicated music. And now I can play Star Wars (laughs).

What was the best advice you received in your drumming career?

It’s good to play all music styles. Not just pop, or jazz. We should keep our eyes wide open and understand the different styles of music. Start by copying a style and then add your originality to it.

What do you think about India?

Are there any Indian artists that you love playing with?

I’ve toured with TrilokGurtu. The ‘carpet drummer’ (laughs). He’s a very funny guy. We’re both Zildjian artists, so we’ve played together a lot.

What is it about drumming that makes you want to go back to it every day?

Drums make me happy. As long as I’m playing drums, I’m happy. I don’t know, maybe I was just born that way, but I’ve been very lucky to find this instrument. I also love watching people enjoy my music.

Do you have any message for the readers of Score magazine?

I’d just say, listen to all the different kinds of music out there and have fun when you play. Enjoying what you play is the most important.

EC-10 EL CAJON Electronic Cajon with Sapele Playing Surface, 30 Electronic Kits, and Integrated Amplifier and Speaker

The Roland EC-10 EL Cajon enhances your music with layered electronic sounds. In addition to top-notch acoustic sounds, the EC-10 EL Cajon is packed with 30 electronic kits with traditional percussion instruments and out-of-this-world electronic drums and sound effects. Top-notch acoustic sounds combined with a Roland sound module Already a top-notch acoustic instrument in its own right, the Roland EC-10 EL Cajon is loaded with a Roland sound module, providing you with a massive palate of sounds. You can supplement your rhythms with a layered tambourine and djembe, create a backbeat with acoustic or electronic snare sounds, or add low-end drama with an electronic kick. EC-10 EL Cajon's quality sapele playing surface and independent head and edge sensors make its touch-response quite realistic.

Straightforward controls make performing easy and natural The Roland EC-10 EL Cajon's sound controls are top-mounted for quick access. Dedicated buttons scroll through sounds categories, while other buttons select individual instruments. A rear-mounted Volume knob controls your electronic sounds' levels, and a Trigger Balance knob adjusts the balance between head and edge sensors. Trigger sensitivity is also easily tweakable.

Battery-powered w/ built-in speaker for all-inone performance Just like a traditional cajon, the Roland EC-10 EL Cajon is selfcontained and easily portable. An integrated amplifier and speaker deliver high-quality sound that's loud enough for acoustic gigs, and six AA batteries powers the EC-10 EL Cajon for up to 12 hours. An Electronic Sound Out jack lets you connect the EC-10 EL Cajon to a PA system for larger performances. A Mix In jack allows you to connect your smartphone or iPod for backing tracks or break music. Of course, you can always turn off the electronics for a traditional cajon experience!

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Roland EC-10 EL Cajon Features: Hybrid acoustic/electronic cajon enhances your music Top-notch acoustic cajon sounds from a quality sapele playing surface Packed with 30 electronic kits with traditional and electronic sounds Supplement your natural acoustic sounds with studio-optimized cajon sounds Integrated amplifier and coaxial speaker for all-in-one performance Up to 12 hours of playing time on 6 AA batteries Weighs less than 9 pounds 6.5" speaker with 3W rated power output The Roland EC-10 EL Cajon is an innovative acoustic instrument with built-in electronic sounds!

SOUL INCLINATION Soul Inclination's attempt at rediscovering the glories of 80's/early 90's Grunge/Alt Rock has gone over rather promisingly with the release of their debut, self-titled EP. Composed of Puneet Vohra (ex-Hundred Octane), Shashank Bhatnagar (Undying Inc/Hyperion/ Broadway Brawler), Nishant Hagjer (Undying Inc/Rectified Spirit/Underside/Nishant Hagjer) and Aashish Sharma, the band delivers immediately enjoyable sounds for anyone who chooses to pursue their interest in maturely crafted melodies laced with smartly placed dissonance. The band caught up with Score Magazine to speak of what they stand for when they create their music and what they plan to offer nascent fans.

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SHREYA BOSE How did the band come into existence?

How would you characterise your music?

Puneet: Soul Inclination has been around for almost 3 years, active since January 2014. Initially it was meant to be a home recording project, sticking to only a few online platforms. I have been supporting Grunge and music of that era for a few years now and have improvised a few songs to share online and have been playing live too, but the urge to relive the energy and sound of one of my favourite eras, pushed me to take this project live and record. When Soul Inclination started I was Lead vocalist and Lead guitarist and the band had a different line up. Unfortunately, that line up could not go further and the band was split with 2 singles released. Shashank and me have talked about collaborating on a Rock project for a long time and after the split he joined Soul Inclination. We have a dual vocal concept now and that adds to our distinct sound. The line up was completed after Nishant joined us on Drums and Ashish on Bass and they added their styles.

Puneet: The music is primarily inspired by the 80’s & 90’s era, bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Sound garden, Mad Season, Tool, Velvet Revolver, Queen, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Collective soul, Led Zeppelin, Iron maiden, Judas Priest, Pantera, Black Sabbath and many more; an intense amalgamation of all that is intended to move people beyond physical dancing. With such versatile influences, our music is meant for a wider audience. Though the band initially started to support Grunge scene in India we evolved and got a sound with an essence of Grunge in it and a lot of Alternative, Rock and metal vibes.

Tell us a bit about the new EP. Puneet: Our EP is self titled which clearly explains the inclination of a soul. I relate and connect emotions and feelings with a soul inside that drives our physical body. In this EP we have tried to portray the dark side of a soul. We want to work on that and explain those emotions for listeners to connect to and overcome and be strong and motivated. There will be a song for everyone to relate. We are not restricted to any particular kind of sound and genre as we all come from different musical influences with a common base and love for this kind of sound. Our sound is raw, powerful and mellow. We have 4 new songs in this EP which are: Who’s your God, Running Today, Return to Self and Born of a Sun along with 2 previously released singles as bonus tracks "I am alone" and "Not a Loser". Shashank: The album has a lot of different elements and major variations. Although, if people are hoping for computer generated atmospheric layers/wall of sounds, beep bops, dub vubs, post rockish vibe or auto-tune, this one is definitely NOT for you. Just “Alt Rock/Grunge” would be better words to describe it!!

What would you say is the most distinctive aspect of Soul Inclination's music? Ashish: The honesty. We have tried to portray our little world, and the things affecting lives. For e.g., "Who's Your God?" is apt for this age when people kill people over religion. Even "Return To Self" is our attempt to help people fight depression by telling them it's not others they are living for, but for themselves and their loved ones because life is short, make it beautiful. So for me, Soul's music is all about honesty and really defining the world.

Is the song writing process collaborative or singular? Puneet: I am not in favour of a single person writing and composing for a band. Everyone writes with a different prospective. So, engaging with each other and working on ideas is better for making music. Yes, someone initiates it and gives an idea or an instrumental or a melody and we all can show our creative part and work on it. Most of the songs started out as my old compositions and were recorded earlier with the previous lineup and we had to change all the parts except the guitars resulting in a huge change sound. The redo was a collective effort. 'Return to self' is a brand new track composed with the contribution of every member. Ashish: Everybody has say in the band which is very important. While everyone writes their own parts, no one says that I can't write lyrics just because I am not a singer. Similarly, if there is a bass groove someone else thinks of in the band, I play that if it's syncing with the overall sound. We do not want to rush into songs, but ensure every note is thought of, written and played at least a 100 times so that it's the best fit for the song before it goes into tracking. Nishant : We can only write music at night and it goes on till its time to wake up. That period is super productive for us. We always have one member missing. Every session brings out new elements in our songs. It's super fun.

Have you played live yet? What was it like? Puneet: We had a few shows together before releasing our EP. When we came together, we immediately started recording songs and playing them live to understand the sound. We have also performed our songs acoustic.It was a wonderful experience sharing the stage. We are just free to be ourselves and we share a great chemistry on stage and off stage. Ashish: I think for every band the off-stage chemistry needs to get translated on-stage, otherwise we are just talking about 4/5 people playing their respective parts in the band without the so called "feel" that makes any band alive and loved by its fans. When I did my first jam with the band I knew there was a good connection. Musically and even personally. I think that's what you can see on-stage as well.

What can fans look forward to? Ashish: A lot of jumping around on-stage. Shashank and Puneet doing a beautiful vocal harmonies. Nishant and I trying to keep the base structure steady when Puneet goes into guitar solos. Some great jamming on stage with Nishant and Puneet. We are working on new songs and hopefully releasing them this year. We have got a lot of love for our recently released EP, and it has really motivated us to bring more tracks and work harder to get Grunge and the likes and support this kind of music in India. The

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STAR OF THE MONTH

AMIT

TANDON The super talented singer and a fantastic actor, talks to us about his musical journey, his latest song, his views on independent music and much more.x Catch his interview here.

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Let's get you to answer the most clichĂŠd questions first. Tell us about your musical journey. My musical journey has been certainly an interesting one. From being a finalist in Channel V Popstars to a top 10 finalist in Indian Idol season 1 then my debut album with Tips titled Tanha and now to my renewed and resurged push with my latest singles itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an eventful run so far. And I am only looking forward to better and bigger things.

You're an actor and also a singer. Which one do you think defines your personality better? I love both mediums of expression with equal passion. The one big difference and edge I give to music is that when I sing and act in my videos I have complete creative control over the song and scenes. On the other hand when acting on TV, I am restricted to the role I am playing. TV is limited in that sense.

What inspired you to make the song Lambi Judaai? Any story that you would like to share? I have always been in love with the music of the 80's and 90's. Lambi Judai was a song I absolutely love singing and when the chance came to recreate and revisit this classic I jumped at the opportunity. I relate this song to losing a loved one and dedicated this song in memory of my girlfriend Manika Narula who passed away in the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. I am sure the audiences would connect to the feel of the song, it is very real, in every sense.

You're a big fan of making independent music. What's your take on the current independent music scene

in India? I think finally and thank god for that we are not restricted to only bollywood films for our music. The digital medium has opened up so many opportunities for singers to express their talent and I think this really opens up the market to new talent. Bollywood music is dependent on the situations in the film whereas in the independent space we have the freedom to create the situation and music of our choice which is great.

Song on the top of your music playlist Mai rahoon ya Na rahoon and wakhra swag In front of the camera or behind it? What suits you best? Always in front What do you feel like eating right now? Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Anytime all the time! All time favorite song Humein tumse pyar kitna All time favorite artist

Kumar Sanu is King! Tell us about your craziest fan moment and why? I've had a few crazy fan moments which usually involve female fans expressing themselves in some very "interesting" and "provocative" ways. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best I leave it at that (wink wink)

Being a part of Indian Idol, what were your takeaways? India Idol was a great platform especially that first season which I think the whole of India was watching. What we do with that opportunity after the show is over is on us though.

Do you think reality shows in India are over rated? If not, what's your opinion? I think they have their place and some I do find entertaining but they tend to have a lot of repetition being the same judges, hosts, and storylines which gets a little predictable and boring after a while.

If there is one artist/musician/band you'd like to work with, whom would it be and why? I would love to collaborate with Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal as I love their voices.

Your future projects to look forward to. I have many songs coming up and I plan on making a big splash on the music scene. My first single Jeeya Te Jeeya released in April followed up by Lambi Judaai which released in May. Am getting my 3rd single ready for a June release and plan on releasing a new song every month for as long as I can.

A message to readers of the magazine. Thank you for all of your support and love for my first 2 singles and with Lambi Judaai crossing 1 million views in a mere 7 days I am even more excited to share the new songs with you as soon as possible.

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moves on from strength to strength Breaks attendance records as numbers swell by 20%; Reflects vibrant growth and expansion of the Indian pro sound and light market It says a lot about the PALM expo Mumbai, when visitors swamp the registration halls on the opening day itself and the exhibitors are not amazed anymore. Record breaking attendance at PALM seems like a given now. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the 16th edition of the expo, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), Mumbai on 26-27-28 May 2016, was the biggest till date, in terms of attendance, with visitor count climbing up to an official figure of 22,366 unique PALM visitors. There was a 20% growth in the number of visitors and delegates who walked through the doors of the PALM expo this year, as compared to 2015. A substantial rise in the online pre-registration figures highlights the fact that the expo over the years has evolved into a much-awaited pivotal event. The show drew in thousands of visitors from throughout the country. The importance of the Mumbai show is also underscored by the attendance of a substantial number of international delegates who made their way to the expo, from countries like USA, UK, UAE, Australia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Oman, etc. This year the organisers instituted a paid on-site entry process. The aim was to filter and ensure that only quality industry professionals registered for the expo. This move by the organisers certainly paid off, as the expo succeeded in attracting a more professional audience of consultants, integrators and rental & event management companies. “The PALM show was great! We've had a wonderful response to our products, a lot of foot traffic. The exposure, networking and quality of visitors was very good for Pro Audio,” says Mr. Vibhore Khanna National Sales Manager, Pro Division, Bose Corporation India. “This year PALM has really got some quality crowd and I hope to generate business from the great leads that we got here,” reiterates Saahil Kumar of Sennheisher India. Every single exhibitor had only praise to offer in terms of visitor profile. Words such as “perfect” and “amazing” were in abundance on the expo floors.

Swift escalation in size and scale The PALM has undergone a dramatic growth through the years making it India’s only and undisputed trade show for pro audio, stage sound & light, AV install and music production. 183 direct exhibitors who included top manufacturers, brands, distributors and dealers, covered 24,336 Sq.m. of space at the BEC. “We are here from the first PALM Show, and each year it is growing bigger and better,” said BV Nagpal, Founder of Sontone. That international brands are finally taking concrete steps to affirm their commitment to the Indian market by exhibiting directly, was

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reinforced by the participation of more International brands. The 2016 edition boasted of 74 new exhibitors, bringing the total number of brands on display to 500+, representing a clear growth year-on-year. “The show was beautifully organized, very professional and OHM has generated amazing amounts of new and interesting contacts which will undoubtedly convert into business. We are looking forward to next year!” said Mr. Gareth Coleman, Director – International Sales, OHM UK. The numerous audio, video, lighting and install solutions embraced within the expo, reiterated the fact that the Indian pro sound and light industry is integrating with world class companies, which in turn has resulted in PALM moving in tandem with other global expos in Europe and US for displaying the latest products launched. Mr. Ramesh Chetwani, the Exhibition Director for PALM states: “Year after year we keep striving to add more exhibitors and brands on the floor to showcase new line of products that are entering the market. This year, PALM recorded the highest number of new exhibitors, which proves that the market is maturing and is ready for more top of the range products and technology. The only way is up. “ One of the gauges to the success of an expo is probably the amount of time it takes to walk the aisles of the expo. New products and technologies were in plentiful supply, making the PALM a long-walk and a fascinating spectacle. “PALM India, ensures a great platform for all leading AV brands to showcase their technologies and solutions. MUSIC Group derives a great mileage from this show by demonstrating it state of art solution though its renowned brands TANNOY, LAB GRUPPEN, LAKE, MIDAS, TURBOSOUND, TC ELECTRONIC and TC HELICON,” enthused Mr. Karan Kathuria, Director, Touchpoint MUSIC The growth of PALM has been such, that it is today a mega event spread across three exhibit halls, two exhibit Demo Qubes and other special events spaces such as the Soundscape Hall and the Open Grounds at the BEC.

Defined exhibit areas for both pro-audio and lighting In Hall 1, the focus was on audio and sound - studio, recording, concert, installed, PA, production, broadcast and media. Hall 5 offered lighting for stage, studio and theatre, stages, trussing and rigging. The show also had display, projection, video and LED. “The PALM 2016 achieved its key objective in allocating defined exhibit areas for both pro-audio and lighting. Independent Halls for

both segments advantaged exhibitors tremendously in organized flow of visitors to their interest segments. Functionally and productively PALM 2016 established a new paradigm. Industry growth in India both in volumes and values as well as in size effectually presented the largest display this year of product, technology, brand and trade. PLAM 2016 invested considerably in delivering very high level of leadership talent on the conference, soundscape and live arena stages. We are creating new avenues for engaging the industry and contributing to the development of the pro audio and lighting industry in India,” say Anil Chopra, International Director, PALM Expo. Mr. Chetwani added “The show scored on many other fronts, like the crucially designed defined exhibit areas between the two halls, the entry fee that had a benefited effect on the visitor profile, our strict enforcement of ‘NO-Sound Contract’ signed with the exhibitors finally paid off in controlling the sound on the floor and many other initiatives. The show features and other allied events drew a lot of attraction and accolades from the trade professionals who walked the exhibition. Our motto of ‘Delivering Business’ remains strongly focused. We are happy that the industry has supported us well, and we see growing together to achieve higher laurels as we move together.” Over in Hall 2B & 2C, Yamaha Music India Pvt. Ltd. once again booked its own independent space spread across 1150sqm, to display their collection of products & solutions. A major draw for rental companies and event management companies was the Open Air Line Array demos, conducted in the open space on Ground IV, near the visitor parking area. 12 brands exhibited their line arrays, attracting thousands of visitors over the three days of the show. The HARMAN Live Arena, was back again for the seventh consecutive year with a line-up of some of the best bands and musicians like Shivamani and Louiz Banks, Niladri Kumar, Ranjit Barot, Mihir Joshi, Blackstratblues, Ananthaal - Clinton Cerejo, Rakesh Chaurasia and Friends (RAF) and Gypsy Sound Revolution, to name just a few. The acoustically treated Demo Qubes near Hall 4 gave Hi-Tech Audio Systems Pvt. Ltd. and Pope Professionals an opportunity to showcase their sound systems without any restrictions, as opposed to Hall 1 which was earmarked as a no-sound hall this year.

Gateway to Business Intelligence On the show floors itself the expo offered an array of sideshow events. The highlight was the educational PALM Conference & Seminar Programme, held at the International Lounge in the Hall 1 Mezzanine.

The PALM Conference & Seminar Programme showcased 30 top speakers / presenters, communicating knowledge on product solutions, technological developments and safety and security issues in the event industry. The sessions offered an ideal networking environment and provided for an interactive exchange of ideas and information. The three day program witnessed several full-house sessions. The PALM Soundscape which took place in Hall 4, had 50 entertainment events, pro-audio and music industry stalwarts share their experiences and expertise through interactive sessions and panel discussions curated by artist management agency - UnMute. On the first two days, the Soundscape was followed by the 6th consecutive DJ Championship spearheaded by DJ Championship Director DJ Reji. Companies like Sun Infonet and Modern Stage Services too conducted informational workshops on the expo floor. 3D mapping has evolved into a driving force for sales. Modern Stage Services presented an immersive 3D Projection & Mapping showcase in Hall 1 which involved 3D mapping on a 3D object in full 3D Stereoscopic.

Honouring and Spotlighting Excellence and Achievements As in the past, this year’s PALM expo was also the venue for the renowned PALM Sound & Light awards and IRAA awards. The Global Audio Industry Leader of the Year award at the PALM Sound & Light awards went to Mr. Uli Behringer, CEO & Founder of MUSIC Group, in recognition of his visionary leadership in creating and strengthening the International MUSIC GROUP. The Indian Pro Audio Industry Development leader award was bestowed on Vardhaman MegaTech. These awards for professional excellence in stage sound and light were manifested in 21 categories. In its 10th consecutive year, the IRAA awards continued to applaud the best in the Indian music recording industry and winners across 21 categories were felicitated at the awards ceremony. The IRAA Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on veteran Sound Engineer, Satish Gupta for making a significant contribution to the Indian music recording industry. “PALM 2017 will witness further ingenuity in defining industry segments and opportunity for growth. The joie de vivre of PALM motivates the global industry each year to be part of the magic aisles in the entertainment city of India,” said Mr. Anil Chopra. The next edition of PALM expo, Mumbai will be held from 01-03 June, 2017.

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We had a chat with Ahmed Pauwels, CEO, Messe Frankfurt Middle East regarding the new show this year. Why did Messe Frankfurt decide to launch a Middle East edition of Prolight + Sound? First, the location is ideal. Dubai is at the crossroads between Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, presenting the ideal gateway for manufacturing countries to network and do business with countries from throughout the wider region. At Prolight + Sound Middle East, exhibitors will have the opportunity to do all this under one roof, while at the same time learn about the latest developments, trends, and requirements of the regional professional AV, lighting, and stage production industries. Second, the UAE, GCC, and the wider Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world regarding AV products and services. Major infrastructure projects coupled with mega events such as the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and Expo Dubai 2020 are fuelling other industries such as hospitality, retail, events and festivals – all of which need the latest in audiovisual technology to enhance the visitor experience. Third, this region is already home to a strong presence of international AV and entertainment brands. Now they have an annual platform to not only expand their business interests throughout the wider region, but more importantly to share their latest high-tech innovations that are shaping the future of an industry that is constantly evolving.

What is it in particular about the market demand/ climate here in the Middle East that makes you believe Prolight + Sound ME will be well-received by the industry? A key aspect that underlines the AV and entertainment market in this region is that end-users, distributors, integrators, and consultants all demand high-quality products. Also new technology means product life cycles in this industry are extremely short, and so the need for a dedicated exhibition that brings the latest professional sound and lighting equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers is critical. This demand for high quality comes from the top-down: regional governments are keen to make a global statement when it comes to staging world-class events, developing state-of-the-art infrastructure projects, or – as is the case in Dubai – being the ‘smartest’ city in the world. This has a major impact on the audio visual and entertainment market, and the industry has a unique opportunity to respond. Prolight + Sound Middle East will allow it do just that.

Are you expecting the Middle East show to have the international reach that Frankfurt does, or will it be targeted more specifically at visitors and exhibitors from the GCC/MENA region? Prolight + Sound Middle East is a global show that will feature international and regional exhibitors targeting visitors from the Middle East and Africa, the Indian sub-continent, South East Asia, and beyond. The show was born to let international supply meet regional demand all under one roof.

Demand for high quality comes from the top-down: regional governments are keen to make a global statement when it comes to staging world-class events, developing state-of-the-art infrastructure projects, or – as is the case in Dubai – being the ‘smartest’ city in the world. What kind of numbers are you expecting in terms of exhibitors and visitors to the first PL+S Middle East at this early stage? For the first edition we are planning to welcome around 80 exhibitors from all over the world, including China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, and of course, the UAE.

Are there any new show features or exhibitor zones being introduced at the ME version of PL+S? The Middle East is of course a different market compared to Europe and this led us to adapt the concept of the show to suit specific regional needs. A key difference from the Frankfurt show is that we are introducing DJ equipment as an additional product group, focusing mainly on different manufacturer brands. End-users are becoming more involved in the decision making process in this industry, so we’re targeting them directly from a visitor perspective, particularly in key industry verticals such as hospitality, retail and so on. We are also planning to have other show features such as an outdoor live demo area, and an indoor demo area, however more will be revealed closer to opening dates.

Why did you choose the October-November time slot for the debut show? How does the choice of show dates work in tandem with the industry here in the region? When we conducted our market research, we were asked by companies to hold the show during this period. From a business point of view, October is the beginning of high-season, when buyers are planning their budget for the next installation season, and have time to search for new products and start making orders for the next season. Aside from that, it’s also a great time of the year when the weather is mild enough to allow us to organise an outdoor demo area for PA systems producers.

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SIVAMANI

This year at Palm Expo 2016, the Harman Live Arena had some amazing acts from the country that set the stage on fire. We managed to have a quick chat with some of the super talented musicians in Mumbai.

One of India's masters of percussion, Sivamani along with Louis Banks gave us a performance of such myriad dimensions that the number of instruments on stage was only exceeded by the number of fans cheering for an encore. Here is what he had to say to us What is it about the individual instruments that define your playing style? It all happened on my trip to Germany when I came across so many percussion players. We need this in India. I didn’t want to play just drums, but do something different. So I collected a lot of percussive instruments. I have such a large collection, that I need to find a place to keep all of them. But the journey I have been through with them has been worth it. Wherever I go, I have an instrument to do justice to that culture and their sound.

What do you think about the Live Arena? It’s beautiful. People get to see new talents and musicians. When I started going to Frankfurt Messe, I thought I wanted to move out of India since there was nothing here back then. But now we’ve got all we need, good instruments, dealers and not just for drums, but music in general.

What are your future plans? I’m working on A.R. Rahman’s material, and also Ashutosh’s work. My album is also coming out, and I’m also starting a Gurukul in Tamil Nadu.

Do you have any message for the readers of this magazine? Please read more about music. If you have light inside yourself, you’ll be bright outside.

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AMOGH RAO

RAKESH CHAURASIA AND FRIENDS

Although we've heard Rakesh Chaurasia's music resound through the classical music scene, RAF featured a vibrantly new and modern perspective on an age old, divine sound. We asked the master flutist what his thoughts were regarding this concept, and here's what he had to say.

From the genesis to her current musical stand, this child prodigy gave us a deep insight into her life and sound. Here's what Mohini had to say.

What brought this band together?

What brought you into the music scene?

I’m a regular classical concert player, and when we played corporate shows people would ask us what instrument I played. And it was surprising how Indians don’t know what a flute is or looks like. People have a perception of classical music being lengthy or complicated, and so we wanted to make music that would reach them easily. All of our music is fusion and so it’s based in classical ragas, but can still reach the youth easily.

My father is a bass player and he’s played in over 300 albums. Every time he practiced, he would put headphones on my ears and I could keep the right tempo while he played. I was 3 years old back then. So he decided to start giving me lessons and I used to go to shows and studios with him and he’d introduce me to musicians and let me play a few parts in his songs. That’s how people got to know me. He and RanjitBarot were very close and they used to play together with Hari Haran and my dad used to always talk about me to him and talk about my progress, and Ranjit would be very happy. He asked him to bring me to his studio and he got him a CD of me playing. So I went to his studio and played, and he played on his lap and we jammed a little bit to this 5/8 tune, and he was blown away. From then on I started going and playing in his studio and he would show me stuff, tell me how to approach music based on the genres and the understanding. Then I played on his album called Bada Boom, and played at different venues and with different people from the industry. Then I started improving my technicalities, and now im 20 years old, working professionally.

What was the one key advice that stuck with you through your learning process? I am very fortunate to have a guru at home, PanditRakeshChaurasia, and he told me that right practice and correct practice is more important than the quantity of time spent playing. You should be focused on what you’re doing.

Are there any challenges you face while merging classical and contemporary music? My instrument is completely acoustic. So sometimes I really need to physically put in a lot of effort into playing while being accompanied by drums and keyboard, which are loud as it is. Playing with electronic instruments is definitely challenging.

Do you have any advice for aspiring classical musicians? Today it’s much easier to find someone to teach you classical music. In fact, you could just Google it. It’s important to attend a lot of concerts, cause that way you get to know and like someone’s playing and musicality and learn from the same. And it’s not about learning an instrument; it’s about learning music. All you have to be is dedicated, and once you learn classical and your foundations are strong, you can handle any kind of music.

MOHINI DEY

Best advice you were given? Be yourself. Don’t fake your personality, cause your nature and personality is gonna come out through your playing. So just work on being a better person every day and be yourself.

Do you have any upcoming music that we could look forward to? I’m recently worked on Steve Vai’s album, playing a ballad. I’m going to be touring with GergoBorlai. I also have my own album coming out, and A. R. Rahman’s stuff is always going on. So yeah, a lot to look forward to. The

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RASYATRA MERKABA

When the energy on stage sky rocketed, we knew it was unmistakably Merkaba. From instrumental proficiency and musicality that touched hearts, to up beat and groovy tracks that brought together every western music genre we know, here's the band had to say about their music. What was the thought process behind putting this band together?

A magnificent marriage of cultures was what we witnessed on the first day of palm with Tamil and Marathi, and Indian and contemporary sounds colliding in an effortlessly blended series of compositions by Hamsika Iyer's Rasyatra. Here's what they had to say about their band. What do you try to communicate with your music? Music is an intangible thing that can’t be described with just words. A musician tries to make the intangible into tangible. If you can’t communicate something in any other way, there’s always music. That’s what we try to do with our music.

What keeps you grounded to this music?

We wanted to make music that was urban, contemporary, friendly and accessible and something that we would all have fun playing. We’ve all played together and worked together in different settings, but this project was the brainchild of Sanjay and Vasundhara. And we enjoy playing together, so we thought why not?

It’s second nature. When you get up you want to talk. Similarly when you get up you want to sing. Every day is a new day. Like Heraclitus says, no man ever steps in the same river twice. It’s a new experience every day. If you say ‘Sa’, this Sa is going to sounds different every day. And the newness of it is what keeps us grounded.

What do you think of this music as perceived by the youth?

Do you incorporate modern technology into music? How does it affect your sound?

The idea was to be able to keep the music open, and borrow from all the music that we like, that included pop, funk, RnB, jazz, soul and all these western styles. We play with different bands and a lot of fusion and classical music, so this was more of a contemporary setup.

Do you have any advice for young musicians? Listening to more music. And it shouldn’t be labeled again. Not just jazz or rock, the past and the present, but everything, and then getting an education in it. Being a part of the music community, coming out to gigs and watching other musicians, practice and dedication. It’s really important to come from a place of liking and enjoyment when you’re learning music cause then you’ll really find more of yourself in it.

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We say that if it’s Indian, is it also modern. Modern isn’t necessarily Western. You do have modern Indian music. This isn’t just classical, but we’ve blended folk and regional sounds into our music along with technology. So you could say that Rasyatra has an Indian soul, with a contemporary sound.

Any advice you would like to give to budding musicians? Don’t give yourself advice (laughs). It’s such an individual journey that has to be experienced within. You’re discovering who you are. I may have my faults and my merits, but I know that no one will have that very combination. So you shouldn’t follow someone’s path. You should find your own.

GYPSY SOUND REVOLUTION

In an intimate conversation over guitars and snacks, the Gypsy Sound Revolution band members enlightened us with the journey of gypsy music right from its origins in Rajasthan, to their current stand in the world music scene. Here's a brief account of what they said. Could you tell us what The Gypsy Sound Revolution is? The Gypsy Sound Revolution is basically an evolution of the sound, returning to Rajasthan where gypsy culture originated. We used to play in L.A. a lot, but when we played at Colombo we discovered a lot of Indian musicians and we decided to collaborate with them. It wasn’t just the music, but the culture and the sentiment that got to us. We blended our music right there and it worked out. So we went further in that direction, playing at Rajasthan’s International Folk Festival. When we realized that gypsy culture comes from Rajasthan, we met all the musicians and tried to listen to all the instruments and how they articulate their music. One after another, they all came in and played their music and we were blown away. But when Neru and Manju played, we knew they were the guys we were waiting for. And that was it. Usually this folk culture is a temporary interest. It’s a short collaboration. We wanted to make this last. We had some beautiful moments, blending culture and religion and music itself. It took us sometime to realize the human connection at a deeper level. It’s a work in progress and we try to make it better every day.

Are there any challenges you face while trying to blend these cultures? “How you do anything, is how you do everything”. The challenge was getting everybody out of their comfort zones. You don’t know what you’re doing unless you do it. Everyone has their own repertoire and bring something unique with them. So we need to work on the human first. We ate together, lived together, and understood each other’s habits and behaviors. We put everyone under one roof and that’s how it started to work. The Gypsy Sound Revolution has been a lineage that has opened many doors for us. Here, people really get what we’re doing. This is our market because people are so open to fusion for so long. In America they had to adapt to the Rajasthani element in gypsy music.

So what are your future plans? We plan to travel the world, bring a new awareness and raise people’s consciousness. You might say that’s ambitious, but why not? When words can’t go beyond a point, music comes in. That’s what makes a difference.

SUNITHA SARATHY

One of the musicians of the current scene, Sunitha spoke with us about her views on independent music in India and gave us an insight into what makes the industry as great as it is. Here's what she said. How was your experience at the Live Arena? It was fantastic. Awesome gear, lights sound and the best of everything under one roof. It was great that with the time frame given to them, they managed to handle sound check and the needs of each artist with professionalism.

What is your take on the current independent music scene? There should be more of it. People shouldn’t shy away and only work on commercial music. I’m coming up with an album that’s old school RnB, Neo Soul music. Musicians always say that there isn’t enough good music out there, but I’d say just create it. You make the music and put it out there without worrying about who and how many buy it.

Any artists from the Harman Arena that you’d like to collaborate with? Definitely Niladri Kumar, and RanjitBarot. I would love to work on a ballad with A.R. Rahman. I did work on a similar track for the movie Kisna, with which we performed in Goa around 10 years ago. India has so many brilliant musicians that I would love to work with.

Do you have any music coming out soon? I have an album coming out in a few months. I’ve worked with a celebrity artist, who isn’t from India and we’ll be releasing more details soon, so that’s all I can say. Really looking forward to that.

What is your message to the readers of this magazine and budding musicians? Stay on the scene. Don’t think about relevance. Do stuff that you’re comfortable with and make music that you know will inspire someone. You be the inspiration. You might get to a point where you’re disappointed with trends, but don’t lose hope, cause you are the hope.

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SENNHEISER KICK STARTS ITS SECOND EDITION OF SENNHEISER TOP50 - BIGGER, WILDER AND LOUDER! Sennheiser has always been at the fore front in giving an impetus to the independent music scene in India. Taking this ahead, the 70-year old German audio brand, Sennheiser, has recently announced the second edition of the famous Sennheiser Top 50 – a battle of Indian bands to compete and make their way to the coveted list of Top 50 best bands in India. Sennheiser Top 50 provides a perfect avenue for Indian bands to showcase their talent and create a place for themselves in the competitive and growing music industry. The registration period for Sennheiser Top 50 is 20th June 2016 to 10th July 2016. Sennheiser is raising the stakes this year with an irresistible jury, prizes that will make a musician’s heart skip a beat and taking the finale on ground! The jury this year constitutes of the stalwarts of the music industry – Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Raghu Dixit, Papon and Ashish Manchanda. The winning band will take home a Trophy, evolution wireless 500 G3 vocal microphones and HD 280 Pro for the band, 2 Year endorsement deal with Sennheiser which will give them access to Sennheiser gear, opportunity to perform at an acclaimed music festival and be the face of Sennheiser for the next two years across catalogs & brandings. The second edition will create stir with an on ground finale where the Top 5 bands will battle it out to be number 1. The first edition of Sennheiser Top 50 saw tremendous response and engagement. Over 300 bands across all genres - pop, rock, fusion, classic, metal, jazz and blues participated in the contest. It gave bands

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a golden opportunity to rock the world with their talent. The Top 3 bands - ‘The Local Train‘, Shadow and Light‘ and ‘Purple Fusion‘ won the prestigious Sennheiser evolution wireless D1 microphone sets. Mr. Vipin Pungalia, Director, Sennheiser Professional Segment, commented on Sennheiser-Top50 saying, "The overwhelming response from the first edition has encouraged us to bring back Sennhseiser Top 50 and make some more dreams come true! There is great talent in the country and we want to offer them the right platform to showcase it. We are excited to bring the best jury on board to recognize our Top 50 and believe that we will be witnessing some potential and great talent through this journey.“ Registerations begin on 20th June and will be on till 10th July post which the top 100 shortlist will be announced basis the entries submitted. This decision will be made by the jury. The next phase will involve jury decision(70%) and public voting(30%) which will reveal the ranks 6 to 50. This will be followed by the on ground finale where top 5 bands will fight it out in front of the jury to reveal the top 5 ranks. So a shout out to all the bands to participate in Sennheiser Top 50- the battle of the bands