The Score Magazine August 2021 issue

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 14 Issue 07 August 2021

/ highonscore

Music Tech

Recycling Tips for Your Music Gear Score Indie Quickie

Avanti Nagral

On the cover

Asees Kaur

The songstress talks to us about her life & career Score Magazine

Also Inside: In conversation with Anish Sood, Priya Darshini, Bipul Chettri and more.1 highonscore.com The

A compact standalone DAW that lets you untether from your PC or AC Classic sampling workstation with the flexibility of a modern DAW Built-in stereo speaker system 7-inch high-resolution multitouch display 16 of the best velocity-/pressure-sensitive pads Internal, rechargeable lithium-ion battery can run for up to 6 hours

+91-98112 68090 musicnmoreindia@gmail.com www.onstageindia.in

FA-15-3/4 Scale Steel String Acoustic Guitar Walnut Fingerboard

BLACK

RED MIDNIGHT BLUE

All-laminate construction Modern 3+3 headstock +91-98112 68090 musicnmoreindia@gmail.com www.onstageindia.in

Nato set-up Includes gig bag The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

3

4

INDEX 7 12

27

Cover Story

Know about

Also read

Asees Kaur

Jamshedpur Hip Hop Revolution

10 things a pianist must consider while composing music

30

33

34

Read more

Music Tech

Read about

Finding stories through music.

What’s the secret behind In-Ear Monitors?

Strumming music in the valley of silence

36

44

48

Read more

Find out

Music Tech

What’s the best way to learn new songs?

What makes the Strat so magical?

How to arrange songs in the studio?

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

New Genelec GLM 4.1 celebrates 15 years of truthful reference monitoring

G

enelec – the global leader in professional loudspeakers – is marking the 15th anniversary of its much-loved GLM loudspeaker manager software with the introduction of GLM 4.1, which is compatible with all Genelec Smart Active Monitors and Subwoofers. This update offers significant new features and improvements, thanks to the debut of the next generation AutoCal 2 automatic room calibration algorithm – which delivers a more precise frequency response in a fraction of the time than was previously possible.

Drawing on the data from thousands of real world room calibrations, GLM 4.1 gives the user supreme control over a room’s detrimental acoustic influences, producing mixes that translate even more consistently to other rooms and playback systems. Originally introduced in 2006 and based on decades of research, GLM integrates seamlessly with the intelligent DSP hardware within each Genelec Smart Active Monitor, allowing each monitor and subwoofer to be networked, configured and individually calibrated for the user’s specific acoustic environment.

GLM’s reference microphone kit allows the user’s room acoustics to be accurately analysed, after which each monitor and subwoofer can be automatically calibrated for relative level and relative distance delay, plus subwoofer crossover phase and frequency response. At that point the user has many options for personalisation if required - including the calibration of absolute listening level in dB SPL, according to global broadcast, OTT, gaming and film standards. This level of flexibility makes GLM the perfect tool both for users looking to fine tune an already excellent room, and those working in more challenging spaces not originally designed for creative use.

With the wide range of listening rooms being used for production today, GLM 4.1 specifically improves the calibration of spaces that are more acoustically ‘lively’ than was once the norm, and assists those choosing to monitor at ultra nearfield (UNF) distances right down to 50 cms – which is now growing in popularity as a bridge between in-room and headphone monitoring.

GLM 4.1’s new AutoCal 2 feature takes advantage of detailed background information of each monitor in a system, producing a quicker and more accurate discrimination between direct and reflected sound. The fast calibration speed is further enhanced by a completely new 64 bit architecture and fresh, lean code. GLM 4.1 is therefore a powerful tool for mobile audio engineers and creatives who are regularly working in different locations.

That mobility is also supported by GLM 4’s choice of Cloud-based and local storage of settings.

Users of the 8331A, 8341A, 8351B and 8361A models from ‘The Ones’ series of coaxial three-way point source monitors will welcome the new ability of GLM 4.1 to extend phase linearity right down to 100 Hz. With coaxial monitors, phase linearity is a valuable feature because it improves off-axis performance and stabilises UNF imaging too. GLM 4.1 accurately time aligns all the monitors in a room, across types, taking The Ones’ wide phase linearity setting into account.

Other new features in GLM 4.1 include an increased number of EQ filters offering more flexibility, weighting refinements when taking advantage of GLM’s unlimited number of microphone measurement points, and a Solo-X mode for faster soloing of monitors when working with immersive content. Finally, through the addition of French, Italian and Portuguese language options, international users of GLM 4.1 are now able to choose from 10 user languages.

“The AutoCal calibration algorithm has always been the backbone of GLM,” comments Genelec Managing Director Siamäk Naghian. “So I can think of no better way of celebrating GLM’s 15th anniversary than with the launch of AutoCal 2 as part of the new GLM 4.1 release. In those 15 years we have gradually seen intelligent loudspeaker calibration become universally recognised as the most reliable path to creating a true sonic reference – and we are proud to keep leading the way.”

For more information please visit www.genelec.com The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

5

THE TEAM

INDIA’S NATIONAL PAN-GENRE MUSIC MAGAZINE

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

6

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

SUBSCRIBE TO US at www.highonscore.com

www.highonscore.com highonscore

@highonscore

contactus@highonscore.com

highonscore highonscore +91 95000 12975

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.

Asees Kaur Asees Kaur has successfully carved a niche for herself as a playback singer with her melodious voice and versatile songs. In an exclusive interview with us, the singer chats with us about her start as an artist, on independent music, her recent Filmfare award, and more.

Read on to discover more..

Tell us about your initial years as an artist in the industry and how you started out When I came to Mumbai 8 years ago, initially it was all about getting that one meeting sorted with that one music composer and I used to try for that sometimes like a week, or even fifteen to twenty days. It was all about meeting more and more music composers and presenting my voice and then praying to get to sing even for just the scratch of the song, so that meant a lot. It was more about hustle and bustle at that time.

You are a very versatile singer and have sung numbers ranging from soulful to peppy tunes. How important do you think it is for an artist to be open to singing all types of songs?

How did you adapt and do this?

Yes, I’m really blessed that I got to sing soulful and peppy numbers and I’m glad that I’m not typecast for just romantic songs which I sang initially in my career. I think it is very important to sing all kinds of songs. For me my adaptation is only to feel the song and then I try to communicate that feeling through

my singing. I just imagine myself sometimes in a romantic situation, if it's a club number I imagine myself dancing to that song in a club. That’s how I adapt and I just sing my heart out.

In a competitive industry such as Bollywood, how do you think an artist can stay relevant?

Bollywood is very competitive, or I should say this world is very competitive and for an artiste to stay relevant it is only possible if you’re true to yourself and to your art. To be relevant you have to click with the audience, so you have to notice what the younger generation is listening to and what they connect with. I think when you make songs which cater to their emotions and you communicate their feelings through the songs, that is how you stay relevant. Also working on yourself and your art is something which keeps you up to date and I think that’s the job.

You recently won a Filmfare Award for ‘Hui Malang’. How did that feel? What do awards mean to you?

Receiving Filmfare for ‘Hui Malang’ was literally a dream come true.

I used to sit in Panipat and watch

Filmfare Awards on TV and see everybody receive those awards.

I used to imagine the feeling of getting the award. So, when it really happened it was very surreal. In fact for almost two days I wasn’t able to believe that I literally have the black lady in my home. So, that’s absolutely amazing! I’m really blessed that I received my first Filmfare this year. Many people say that awards don’t matter to them.

But I think it was my dream to win an award from the music fraternity, from the best people judging and then receiving recognition for my talent, for my work, really means a lot to me. So, I thank all the jury members and esteemed musicians who thought that this year I should win.

When was that path breaking moment for you and how did you achieve it?

My path breaking moment would be the moment I decided to come to Mumbai because I belong to a nonmusical family. My parents were skeptical about sending me here to struggle and try my luck. They always had this fear that they’ve no idea how the industry works. But when they decided to give it a go, I came to the city and started meeting people. If I didn't have that courage to come to Mumbai and try for my The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

7

dream life and would not be sitting here and enjoying this life here today.

In an age where Independent music is taking over the scene, what’s your opinion on more artists creating original music? Can we hear more independent music from you too?

I’m really happy that in the last two years independent music has been doing great also because film music was on hold mostly and people always have this urge to listen to new music. So, it was there to cater to their demands and requirements and fill our lives with happiness and emotions. I think music is the best way to convey feelings. Independent music has done a great job and I’m really happy that the change of focus from film to independent music is happening. I’m open to do more independent music. I’ve done a lot of singles in the last two years and a lot more is in the pipeline. I’m coming up with some amazing numbers.

So, yes you’re definitely going to be listening to more independent music from me.

In a very short span of time, you managed to sing for popular composers and gave super hits. Did you expect this?

I’m really glad that I got to sing for the most amazing composers and I have some of the biggest hits in the last 7-8 years. I always prayed for it, hoped for it, I dreamt for it, but as for expectation I think in this industry it is very difficult to expect as you have no idea what will be the scenario in the next two or five years as to what kind of music people will be listening to. So, I didn’t expect this life but dreamt of this life and I’m really happy that I’m living it.

Is it important to be in influential camps or under the aegis of a godfather to get a break at the right time

8

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

at the right place, because in the age of abundant talents, often the industry loses out on a bonafide vocalist due to lack of proper scope, exposure and backing?

I belong to a non-film background and had no one who could introduce me to the industry or any godfather.

Being a part of any influential camp or having a godfather and on the other hand coming from a non-film background, I think both the things coexist in the industry. And there should be a balance for it. Because if we say that camp should not be there, then it doesn’t make sense for the people who have worked hard for their lives, they want their children to be a part of the industry. It is very natural for a parent to introduce his/ her child into the industry and they should do that. At the same time there should be enough opportunities for the people who are coming from a non-film background from smaller cities with a lot of dreams and hopes in their eyes. They should have equal opportunities and the industry can only flourish then. Otherwise, I believe that talent always makes way for itself and if you’re talented, no matter what, you’ll get work. All that matters is that you do your hardwork and give your hundred percent and definitely you’ll get whatever you deserve.

Till recently, the debate on star-kids versus rank newcomers from outside was raging on. What’s your take on this? Even you had made inroads through a competition and never got an easy launchpad like a home production. Were you ever treated like a stranger on the industry’s threshold when you were a fresher?

I think this happens in every industry. If you're a businessman, you will definitely give your business to your own child. You won’t give it to your manager’s child or your employee. You will

give your business to your child only. This happens whenever a big actor/actress wants to launch their child. They get this opportunity on a silver platter which is really okay, but at the same time I’d say that the industry should be welcoming to newcomers. There’s immense talent coming from outside. Star-kids have their own baggage to prove in their first films while newcomers who are super talented, their struggle is to get that first film. Everybody has their own struggle. I think in the end if you perform well, if your film does well, in the theatres you have amazing box office numbers running, that’s something which matters. Aap kitne bhi bade baap ke bete ho, agar aap acting achi nahi kar rahe to koi film nahi dekhne wala hai. On the other hand if you’re performing and doing your character amazingly well, people will love you. It is all about having that talent and then doing wonders.

I wasn’t treated like a stranger when I came to the industry. I felt that the music industry is very welcoming to all the new voices and textures and we’re really exploring in that sense so that’s really amazing.

In a digital post pandemic era, how have you leveraged the wave and stayed connected with your audiences? Do you connect with your fans on a regular basis? If yes, how?

The pandemic has taught us to do things we never thought we would be able to do. For me it was like I wasn’t that social earlier. But sitting at home, social media was the only way to connect with my fans, to have that hope that people are still listening, still enjoying lives. So, I really connected with my audience through Instagram and Facebook. I love doing that now because it has become a part of my life. The pandemic has really changed a lot of people and it’s been really eye-opening for me too.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

9

What are 5 important things you do before you step into a studio for a recording?

Whenever I have a dub, I wake up and I do my riyaz which is “kharaj ka riyaz” and then I pray before leaving my home. Next I just go to the studio, have some coffee, and listen to the song. This is my only ritual before going for a recording.

As a singer, maintaining your voice is very crucial.

What are some steps that you take to ensure your voice is always intact?

Yes, it’s very important to maintain our voices. For that I follow a very strict sleeping pattern. I sleep at least for 7 to 8 hours. I think sleep is essential to keep my vocal chords in shape. I stay hydrated and another crucial thing that I do is vocal warmups before the dubbing and then cool downs after the dub and after the show.

What are some skills have you learned that will help you in your singing career?

In my singing career, one thing which I swear by is understanding the emotion of the song and then trying to deliver that emotion vocally. I think that really helps you connect with the audience and something I really look forward to. If I’m able to touch their hearts with my voice, my job is done. I sing songs only so they can feel the emotions. Whether it’s a romantic or a sad song, they should feel it in their own heart as if it’s happening in their own lives. That’s the only thing that matters to me. It’s a skill every musician or singer should understand. If you’re singing for another composer, try to understand his or director’s point of view and know about the character who you’re singing for. That goes a long way.

How important is a formal music training accounting to you? When did you receive

10

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

training for your voice?

I think formal music training is really helpful. Then you have a path and you know you have to follow that path to reach somewhere. Without training you’d have no idea of what is good for you or what practices or riyaz you should do. It plays a great part in the life of any singer. I started learning classical music when I was in class sixth. It has really helped me in that way. Of course if you’re not able to get a guru or a proper teacher who can teach you, there are many videos on YouTube which tell you how to modulate your voice and try different things. There are vocal techniques which you can learn online and give it a try. If you’re willing to put in, there are many ways to learn.

What’s your take on the industry being male dominated? Have you ever faced bias?

Well the industry is certainly male dominated, but I haven’t faced bias as such. The only thing is that female oriented films are made less in number and eventually females have less number of songs. Female singers are still struggling to get good songs.

Sometimes even when the song is based on a female, it’s a male singer singing in the background. It happens in the industry and I think the only solution to it is to have more female oriented films made, which would eventually lead to more female songs. It’ll be amazing actually if we’re able to achieve that!

If there was something you really could change about the industry, what would it be and why?

I find the industry pretty amazing.

I feel there isn’t any need to change anything. I think if we just maintain a balance of non-film music and film music, that’ll be really great.

e

Rapid Fir

Your favourite studio to record in My home studio which I set up last year. That’s the cosiest studio where I love to record.

A composer you would love to sing for Vishal & Shekhar and A.R. Rahman Name 3 actors whom you would like to lend your voice to Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra A song you cannot stop listening to AP Dhillon - Insane A song of another singer that you wish you had sung Love You Zindagi from “Dear Zindagi” Your own song you wish someone else would’ve sounded better None. I love all my songs, so I never want anyone else to sing my songs.

Your message to budding playback singers Do your riyaz sincerely. It is very important to be prepared for the opportunity when it knocks at your door. And, never lose hope. Sometimes things take time to happen, but they happen if you have faith and if you have worked for them.

Living in a pandemic world, what were some of your biggest learnings in this phase? Did you get more time to create music?

Pandemic has been a learning experience for everybody. It really opened my eyes. Earlier I was very busy with all the work in my life as I was travelling for shows. But when it hit, we were forced to sit at home and be patient. I was happy initially but later in 3-4 weeks I started getting irritated by sitting at home. It really affected me, physically and mentally. So, I started taking care of both my physical and mental health. I began online training with my trainer teaching from the other side of the phone. It was very challenging for me to workout without any assistance or help. But it helped me to become a better person as I also started doing yoga and meditation to keep myself calm. That eventually helped me focus clearly on my music as well.

You sing in different languages. How do you break the language barriers? Has it been easy?

I enjoy singing different kinds of songs in different languages. Definitely it’s not easy to sing in multiple languages especially when you have no idea of how to convey the emotions in words. So, I usually ask the lyricist to explain the meaning and then I go on with the same process of singing my heart out.

What musical genres or which artistes you generally prefer listening to?

I really like listening to sufi music, ghazals, shabads and gurbanis. Besides these I enjoy listening to Taylor Swift. She’s an incredible artiste. I enjoy her music thoroughly.

Your upcoming projects A lot of good music is on its way. I’m coming up with some really good songs including independent releases. One is with the Haryanvi artist Renuka Panwar who has sung ‘52 Gaj Ka Daman’. The song crossed 1 billion views on YouTube. So, now we’re coming up with a Hindi version and it has both Haryanvi and Hindi touch. This is my first collaboration on a Haryanvi song, so I’m looking forward to it.

Apart from this I’ve a song coming up in an upcoming movie “Bellbottom” which is releasing on 19th this month. I recently had a song in “Shershah”. I’m happy that film songs are being released again. In non-film music, I’m coming up with a song called “Kashmiri Apple” on White Hill Music. These songs are in the pipeline and you’re going to listen to them very soon.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

11

JAMSHEDPUR

ARCHANA LAKRA

HIP-HOP REVOLUTION

J

amshedpur, a city known for the conglomerate, TATA; Steel plants, and for movie lovers Udaan. But can it be known for something more, something completely different, something like Hip-hop? this thought hovered over the mind of Ritik Raaj, a young fellow from the city when his love for music and especially hip-hop culture made him start what is now considered as Jamshedpur Hip-hop revolution.

Jamshedpur Jamming and Jamshedpur hip-hop tv are trying to empower hip-hop in the city to the fullest, be it rapping, beatboxing, dancing, basically all the pillars of hip-hop. Where Jamshedpur jamming is a group of 5 musicians who organize rap battles, cyphers, block parties in the city to promote hip-hop culture, Jamshedpur hiphop tv is a Youtube channel that helps budding artists from the city to distribute and release their music through their platform.

Some of the artists helping the revolution gain momentum are:

12

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

RAAJMUSIC

Ritik Raj, also known by his stage name raajmusic is a hip-hop artist with multiple singles, an EP "Bad Trips", an album "Alpha" under his name. Jamshedpur Jamming is his brainchild which he started along with Rapper Blaze, to start the hiphop culture in the city just like what one can see in cities like Mumbai.

RAPPER BLAZE

Ansh Sawaiyan, popularly known by the stage name 'Rapper Blaze', is a rapper-producer based in Jamshedpur. His discography includes singles like " Bigda Ladka", "Sheesha", and collabs such as " Bol Baap Kon Hai" with Raajmusic.

He also is one of the founding members of Jamshedpur Jamming.

His works have been said to put up Jamshedpur on the map of the desi hip hop community.

DZIRE

Akansha Kumari aka Dzire is a 19-year-old rapper who started off by text battling internationally before getting in touch with Jamshedpur jamming. And now is a regular

member who inspires numerous other girls from the entire state to follow their dreams.

Abhishek Roy Based in both Jamshedpur and Bangalore Abhishek Roy, a rappersongwriter with multiple singles in his discography is also one of the enthusiastic participants of the rap battles organized by Jamshedpur Jamming. He also is a part of The Genesis Cypher co-written and coperformed by Raajmusic, Gud Kid, Vanither, Shazylei.

Jamshedpur Hip-hop revolution is an answer to those who say small towns are not for big dreams.

Both Jamshedpur Jamming and Jamshedpur hip-hop tv are reaching their goals by stepping on the milestones one by one just like they did recently. On the 27th of July, they had their first block party for their third anniversary. If you are a hip-hop head then give these young guns a chance and you will not be disappointed. Stan talent and one day we will see Ritik's dream come true.

SHAURYA SINGH THAPA

SHAAN’S SECOND ALBUM TANHA DIL AND ITS IMPACT ON 90S YOUTH SCORE INDIE CLASSICS

W

hen it comes to Bollywood music of the 2000s, Shaan has been a heavilypopular name as a playback singer. And as many would know, the singer initially broke out with his non-film albums such as his debut Loveology and his sophomore effort Tanha Dil.

touched upon the changes that he went through in his musicality with Tanha Dil. To put it in his own words, ‘I took three years to launch my second album that time I had a different thought process and there is a lot of changes after three years in comparison with Loveology it has mature songs because I am also grown up since.’

Both albums perfectly capture his change in tone and the maturity that he acquired with time. While Loveology was more playful and flirtatious in its lyrics and sound, Tanha Dil presented a more introspective side to Shaan while simultaneously capturing his lovable popstar aura.

A major reason behind Tanha Dil’s success was how Shaan managed to resonate with the youngsters. Just take the title track for instance. The chorus resonates with the refrain ‘tanha dil, tanha safar’ that roughly translates to ‘a lonely heart, a lonely road’. And every youngster does have a point in life where they have to take the sole decision on where their heart will take them.

As an old interview sourced from WildFilms India shows, Shaan

The accompanying music video is equally iconic and is easy ‘nostalgia material’ for every so-called ‘90s kid’. Shaan sets out on a lonely road quite literally, sporting long, wavy hair and a bag that he slides on one shoulder. On this road, he also seems to remember significant moments from his coming-of-age phase such as his everyday shenanigans with friends and romantic interests as well as his time at a music class where he found his passion for the guitar. And then as the song ends,

he continues walking on the road all alone, towards an uncertain future.

In many ways than one, this song and the video serve as a metaphor for Shaan’s own diverse journey as an artist.

The album is similarly filled with several other memorably nostalgic songs on love and life. Gum Sum Ho Kyu finds the singer asking his beloved to not shy away from her feelings while Bhool Ja relies on a more dancey sound to get over bittersweet memories of a failed relationship. The final track aptly titled Shaan Se is another upbeat track celebrating life and asking his listeners to live with ‘shaan’ (pride).

In the end, Tanha Dil continues to hold relevance amongst those who are interested in discovering yesteryear from the 90s. When it comes to indiepop, Shaan will always be as significant as artists like Neeraj Shridhar (Bombay Vikings) and Mohit Chauhan (Silk Route).

Much like the latter two, Shaan, of course, managed to helm a successful playback career having sung songs in Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and many other languages. Still, his early album days will continue to strike a chord with many.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

13

NAVYA C

FOLK MUSIC

YOU MUST HEAR THIS MONSOON! The term “folk” music itself says that they are the songs for the common people. These songs are fun, enjoyable and entertaining to hear. The lyrics are conversational, and the tunes are easily hummable for the common audience. The songs are thoroughly enjoyable and India being a diverse country in terms of cultural norms and unique features in every region, folk songs developed based on the local language, and their surroundings. Sometimes, folk songs can actually speak about social issues in such a painful and passionate way. The exuding rawness in the folk music is something pristine and remarkable. We bring you some of the finest folk music that has emerged over the centuries in India.

• Bihugeet- Assam: Geographically

located in the north east, Bihugeet is all about the living conditions and the daily routines of the Assam people. Spanning over themes such as love, social message, and nature- Bihugeet is a beautiful listen during the monsoons.

• Lavani- Maharashtra: Highly rhythm based along with colorful Maharasthrian styled tunes, Lavani is dynamic and also speaks about the contemporary social issues. This form of folk music became nationally popular for its expertise.

• Maand- Rajasthan: When the desert

it at its utmost calm , or when a sandstorm comes in- Maand is something one cannot miss when it comes to folk songs. With rustic voices singing the notes effortlessly, carrying the local stringed instruments and dressed in bright reds and greens, A visit to Rajasthan is guaranteed if their folk music is appreciated. One cannot forget the most popular Kesariya Baalam- which must be having a hundred different versions.

• Kajari- UP/Bihar: Sung by the

womenfolk who yearn to see their beloved, Kajari is all about love and bonding.

Originated from Mirzapur, this folk music will surely tug a heartstring for the emotional ride it takes us through.

• Pandavani- Orissa/AP/ Chattisgarh/Madhya Pradesh:

India has a long history of story telling, and many interesting stories were passed from generation to another through word of mouth. Folk music has been greatly responsible for this to happen. The lead singer uses the tanpura along with some dholak, and supporting instruments to tell about those forgotten stories in musical form.

• Bhavgeet- Karnataka: Also the home

for Yaksha Gaana, Bhavgeet is an amazing folk genre from the breathtaking Karnataka.

Written by famous Kannada poets and writers, the singer of this genre of music are out of the world. True to its name, there is some much of hidden meaning in the lines and the singer’s renditions.With the advent of printing and book, and later the Internet and mobile revolution- the art of passing stories through singing folk music has almost gone into obsolete stage. With COVID-19 around the corner, and people wishing to go back to their roots, folk music is a great place to start.; It also gives the listener an understanding of the region’s customs, their stories, and gain so much of valuable knowledge.

Take time this monsoon to make yourself dwell in the rustic folk music roads, and take your children and younger music lovers as well to get a remarkable and rewarding musical experience.

14

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Congratulations on your latest EP "Double Standards". We love the tracks. How did you put this together?

SCORE INDIE QUICKIE

Thank you so much, I’m so glad you like them!! I’d been releasing singles for a while, and was itching to put out a body of work, especially one that was representative of both my own per-sonal growth and our community’s growth. I’d describe the EP as coming-of-age empower-ment pop, a record that explores themes that are important while growing up (namely, jeal-ousy, gender equity, consent, body celebration, beauty standards), but that we might not al-ways openly talk about. I’m in my early 20s, whilst a lot of our audience is in their teenage years, and what’s been really gratifying is their response to it and the impact it’s had on them and their friends, mindsets and soundtracks of their daily lives. I was pretty clear going in that I wanted to build a concept EP, and build it out right from the audio, to the aesthetics, to the music videos, to all the ancillary content and conversations around it.

AVANTI NAGRAL

You have collaborated with a couple of artists on this EP. What's your process of pick-ing who you want to collaborate with?

Yes, and they’re all incredible!! I wanted there to be some cohesion in the audio experience, so chose to go with the same writing and production team, and collaborated with Natania Lal-wani and Austin Armstrong respectively. Natania and Austin are friends and long time collabo-rators too, so it felt very seamless! I’d worked with both of them before on ‘The Long Way’, and had such a beautiful time working with them, that it made absolute sense to go with them for this project as well.

Natania and I wrote the songs via WhatsApp and voice notes, and Aus-tin really brought them to life. Using Dhol and Tabla on Double Standards which was a bit out of his comfort zone, but I loved how he executed it. Natania and I are friends now and she re-ally dug into the concepts that I wanted to write about and helped me give them shape in the pop world.

Bhushan is my go-to mixing engineer because he really understands my voice. We worked with Mehek Malhotra (Giggling Monkey) on the visuals, and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better; she brought all my colourful pop art dreams to life! Additionally, Kevin Fernan-do did a duet on the track ‘Imperfect’, which added so much to the meaning of the song and the record as a whole. When it comes to picking collaborators, I pick folks whose work I re-spect, who I think will really be able to bring themselves to the project, and for whom it feels like a piece of themselves, and not just a work-for-hire or a favor.

Everyone involved with this project reallllllly gave of themselves to it, had a sense of ownership, and were very invested in it.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

15

What's your take on collaborations and how important is it?

Collaboration >>> competition. I love collaborating - it makes the process more fun, allows you to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and challenges your own way of thinking. I collabo-rate with folks across a spectrum of art forms: musical, content-based, artistic, dance and more. Too often I feel like we think of those similar to us as competition, but in fact if we all collaborate, we’re only increasing the scope of the industry and the pie for everyone involved. Music is also awesome because it can be paired with so many different art forms. I’ve loved seeing people “create” to the songs things and concepts I could never have imagined! The other cool thing about collaboration is that you get to make so many new friends!!! And expose them to your audience and vice versa. It’s totally a win-win situation.

You are a classic example of having grown digitally from ground level. What are 3 things you did consistently to reach where you are now?

The first thing I did was shift my mindset from social media being a portfolio building tool to it being a community building tool. I used to use it as a place to share quick moments from my life, mostly shows I was performing at, random photos and music videos, but it very much felt like a one-way relationship. And more importantly, it felt like a chore or an obligation.

But when I started to think of it as this incredible community BUILDING tool, my mindset and approach to it immediately changed. Not only was I interacting with the community daily via comments, messages and other content, but we were also building across social media (YouTube, Insta-gram, Discord) and attempting to create a safe space. I started having fun with it, and that’s the main thing.

The second thing I would recommend is doing research - really understanding your audience and analytics, beyond just the numbers. What do they care about? Who else do they watch or listen to? How old are they? What kinds of trends are they responding to? Sometimes it’s hit and miss, but much of the time it’s very intentional.

Think about what you can offer within the broader context of what people currently care about/are resonating with. Track the numbers, but don’t let them control or dictate your life.

The third? Try, fail and try again. Not everything you put out is going to work or resonate. Un-like a traditional music release where you work on it for a few months and plan out a full cam-paign around the release, digital content involves more frequent output (or at least, it should). The cool thing is that you get instant feedback!

The hard thing is that you’re literally growing in front of people’s eyes (or not), with them watching your every move, and with so many more opportunities for them to criticise you. Unless you experiment though, you won’t have enough data points to see what is working with your current audience and how to expand to a new one.

16

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

As an artist, you constantly put out interesting content on your digital space.

How has that been received by your audiences so far?

I thought for the longest time that I’d have to be a more “established” musician for people to care about my voice beyond my singing voice, but I was definitely wrong.

Once I started diver-sifying my content, still keeping music and social impact at the core, I started to attract newer audiences who might have come for a specific vertical, but stayed for the music. Or at the very least, stayed for me and my holistic brand. I’ve realised that because I keep songs, stories and conversations at the forefront of what I do, folks feel comfortable engaging with all of them as well in all those forms. I’ve had to strike a balance of course, but I see other types of content as an extension of who I am, what I care about, and the people I care about, so it all feels very organic and fun.

How do you ensure you are updated with the latest trends on social media given the constant change and algorithms?

You can’t be a proficient musician unless you spend a lot of time practicing music. Similarly you can’t be updated with what is working on social media unless you spend time on the plat-form. Create on the platform, follow people who inspire you, save things you see and you like, create a storyboard or mood board. There are several ways you can “keep up” with what’s go-ing on, it does take a lot of work though. Find accounts that are generalised in the areas you care about, save trending sounds, see if you can put your spin on what’s trending, while still maintaining your own voice. Log and keep track of things digitally or old-school on paper!

You also talk about a lot of social issues prevailing in our society on your digital platforms. What drives you to create content that is of importance?

It’s always been at the heart of what I do and care about. I’ve done a lot of work in the spaces of health and education even as a teenager, because I realised that you

RAPID FIRE An artist you would like to collaborate with Indian space: Armaan Malik, Anuv Jain, Vishal Mishra Absolute dream: Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift

If not music, what?

didn’t have to be a professional to care and start creating impact. I think it’s really important to have a sense of purpose in life, and whatever that might be for you, not wait until you’re old or have “made it” to work toward it.

You can engage with that sense of purpose as you keep building, and that’s always been my intention. Each of us has a voice and story that matters, and no matter how big or small, we have access to platforms to talk about them. I also recognise that a lot of my openness to experience and ability to talk about taboo topics comes from privilege, exposure and opportunity, so it almost feels like a sense of duty or responsibility to be able to share that with the world, and if it helps even one person, that’s incredible for me. I also truly believe that music has such a huge capacity to spark change, start conversations, and serve as a vehicle beyond just the audio experience, and that’s what I hope to do with my music and content for as long as I can!

Talk to us about your upcoming project

The EP is not the end point, but merely the starting point of what is to come.

My work doesn’t end on release day - it begins. We’re staggering the release of all the music videos for the EP so that we have Whether that is through a lot of ancillary conversations, workshops, and events we are creating for our community to engage with on the themes and topics, other col-laborations, resource partnerships, we are trying to build out a world around this experience. I have tons of musical and other content collaborations coming up that I’m so excited to share! We’re also building a physical studio space that will serve as a multipurpose creative space, fostering community among music, videography, photography, dance, art and much more that I’m excited to announce soon.

The reverse of what I am doing right now - I’d probably be working in the global health/ social impact space and figuring out how to combine the arts with it through media messaging or ad-vising on content and communications on how to use psychology to subliminally affect change.

A song of yours you wish you could re-write I Like (because it was my first), or Sneaking Around and make it in Hindi, or more Hinglish than it currently is

Reels or Stories on Instagram Both..

I guess reels have more discoverability, so probably those, but stories are really fun too.

A song of another Indian Indie artist you would love to recreate Oo, probably Choo Lo by The Local Train

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

17

ARTIST

OF THE MONTH KIARA CHETTRI Tell us about your songwriting process.

I never plan a songwriting session, it just happens. When I sit down to write lyrics, I don’t plan on what I am going to write about, I just write about whatever hits me at that moment. I have one rule for myself when it comes to songwriting and that is, never try to make your lyrics rhyme while writing. This is something that I used to do initially when I first started writing. I used to think that if the lyrics don’t rhyme in the first try, it’s not going to be a song.

But I was wrong. For me, it is really important to just write down lyrics and sentences or even random words related to what I am feeling. Then I connect everything together and form lyrics. After that, I make my tune and then finally make the lyrics rhyme wherever needed. For me, songwriting is just writing down what I am feeling or thinking about at that moment. I also try to take inspiration from the smallest of things around me in my daily life. Whether it's a candle, perfume bottle or even a piano, I am still learning how to find meaning in the simplest of things in life.

18

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

You've made it to the no.1 spot on World Indie Charts. How do you feel about it?

Just thinking about it makes me super happy.

I remember sitting with my parents when my producer Rohan Solomon called and screamed “You’re number 1!” I was so excited and could not contain my happiness. I remember just staring at the charts after that and not being able to sync in the fact that I am the youngest solo Indian artist to accomplish this position that 31,000 worldwide Indie artists vie for every week. I am truly so grateful to have such positive people around me who respect what I do and have supported me through it all. Without my friends and family, I could not have done it. I feel so blessed to have had my song Why be number 1. I will always cherish this honour. It is totally surreal to me.

How was it to create and produce your debut album 4AM amid a pandemic situation?

My debut album 4am, came out last year in November. I got a very overwhelming response and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. I knew from the day I released my first single that I want to make an album. After my first single, all the songs I wrote went into my album. I never thought that I would have to create my album during a pandemic. The entire process was difficult as the producer was in Bombay and I was here in Gurgaon. I wanted to be at the studio seeing my songs get made but that was not possible. We made the entire album on calls.

As much as I was sad that I had to make my album during the pandemic, I enjoyed the entire process. I had so much fun and would not go back and change anything.

I remember having so many funny memories in the process of this album because of the fact that I could not be in the studio with my previous producer. What was funny to me was that because of signal issues, every time I would hum a tune, my producer would listen to something completely different and put that in the song. Once it would reach me, I would laugh so hard knowing that that tune was supposed to be something else. Every single song on my album has a very special place in my heart. I believe that everything happens for a reason so maybe my album getting created and produced during the pandemic was for a reason.

Tell us about your latest single "Why" and your story behind it.

I always wanted to write a song that everyone can relate to. I initially had some words written down and then in the next half an hour, it turned into a

song. I have always been inspired by Sam Smith and his music so when I wrote the lyrics down and figured out the tune, I knew I wanted a grand orchestral feel like how Sam Smith has in a few of his songs.

Everyone has gone through bouts of grief, loneliness, sadness or loss at least once in their life so I just wanted to write a song that people would be able to connect with. When you go through an emotion like sadness, grief or loss, you always question Why. Even if you don’t get your answers, you always question why you are feeling this way.

‘Why’ allows people to get lost in their deepest emotions and thoughts.

Name 3 artists in the Indie scene you look up to and would love to collaborate with and why?

I am so happy that the indie scene in India is rising.

It's really exciting to see that people are finally paying attention to Indie music in the country. I love all Indie artists but three Indie artists I would love to collaborate with would be Anuv Jain, Prateek Kuhad and Nucleya. These artists are so great and their music really inspires me so I would love to collaborate with them one day.

What inspires you to write music?

There are so many things that inspire me to write music. The main thing would be my immense passion for it. My life is music now and I can never complain about that. My parents are also my inspiration for writing music. Without them, I would not have been where I am today. The love and support my followers and listeners give to me also motivates me to make better music. I try to better myself as a musician and writer with every song that gets released. There are also so many artists who inspire me to write music. Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Little Mix and Coldplay are a few artists who really inspire me.

Upcoming projects.

I have just released the video for Why and have so many exciting projects coming up. My next single is ready and I couldn't be happier. Along with music, there are lots of other things to look forward to too. I just want to share my music with the world and hope to inspire my listeners with my lyrics.

There is always going to be more music released in my life. I cannot express how grateful I am for the platform I have been given and I am deeply humbled. I am super pumped for everyone to listen to my next single. It is so different from Why and it's something I have never done before. I hope everyone enjoys it.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

19

SHAURYA SINGH THAPA

THE IMPORTANCE OF BAMBOO IN INDIAN FOLK MUSIC

B

amboo shoots have been served as food in the NorthEastern states since time immemorial, and thicker specimens of bamboo are used to make a variety of wind instruments. Also used in construction and handicrafts, bamboo is of major symbolic value in a few states in this region.

The hollowness and sturdiness of the tube-like bamboo are advantageous for crafting wind instruments.

However, there can be exceptions like Manipuri chordophone pena.

The major body of this stringed instrument is made out of bamboo while a wooden fingerboard graces the top. Bamboo pegs are attached to the fingerboard to control the tension of the string much like a guitar. A bow referred to as the Pena Cheijing is used to play the instrument which was once a royal device but is now used in usual rituals and festivals such as the Lai Haroba.

Song and dance are united with bamboo in Mizoram, largely due to the Cheraw dance. Regarded as one of the state’s old dances, it is performed at several local festivals.

20

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

The male performers sit on their haunches and clap bamboos in a rhythmic fashion while the female dancers hop and dance between the beating bamboos.

When it comes to Assam, the gogona is a noteworthy bamboo product. It is what musicologists would call a jaw harp. There is a solid end to this instrument on one side and several free ends on the other. To play the gogona, you need to grip the solid end with your teeth and then strike the free ends to play notes. Some sources suggest that the gogona was developed in China and was passed on to Assam by Sino-Indian tribes. A type of gogona known as the Lahori gogona also doubles as an adornment as it is tucked into a hair knot by women while performing the traditional Bihu dance.

Bamboo whistles from Tripura, bamboo trumpets from Nagaland, there are numerous examples of bamboo being used in music. Delving away from the North-East, one can find that many flutes played in the Hindustani classical music traditions (North Indian) are made of bamboo.

Popularly called the bansuri, it is one of India’s most popular woodwind instruments. Anywhere between 12 and 30 inches in height, the bansuri is made from a single hollow shaft of bamboo with six or seven holes. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia was arguably the greatest Indian exponent of this specific kind of flute, taking it to new heights in international performances.

Of course, India’s original flutist has to be Krishna, the dark-skinned incarnation of the god Vishnu in Hindu mythology. Often depicted with a bamboo flute, his flute-playing had some mystic connotations.

Folklore and mythology say that when Krishna played his flute, the rivers stopped flowing and the birds came down to listen, with the music even hypnotising them.

In this way, bamboo is much more than just the tallest grass in the world. It is integral to local folk music cultures, mythology, and it can even be adapted into modern instruments. For instance, Kerala-based bamboo craftsman Unnikrishna Pakkanar even used to design bamboo guitars, drums, and xylophones.

Indian Scientific Music

EASWARAN ANANTRAM

MELAKARTA - THE PARENT SCALES

There are 72 Melakarta considering all possible combination of notes in Carnatic Music.

The first mention of the Melakarta can be found in Raamamaatya’s Svara-mela-kalanidhi, c. 1550. While Venkatamakhin, a musicologist of 17th Century, is attributed to this system, Govindacharya standardized this and it is this system that we will discuss in this article

Katapayadi Sankhya

The Katapayadi Sankhya is an ancient coding system that has been used to determine the name of the Melakarta. It is an ancient coding system of Sanskrit that associates the consonants with digits.

Ka – Ta – Pa – Ya are the consonants that have been given the number 1. The rest follow as simple counting. The Anuswaras (the vowels which appear as consonants), are given the number 0 To give you a simple example, in Chakravakam, the First letter is “cha” which corresponds to number 6 and “ka” which corresponds to 1. You reverse the sequence of the digits, you get 16 which means Chakravakam is the 16th Melakarta

Vivadi Swaras

We have estmablished in the previous articles that there are 12 Swaras, and in the process of making a Raga, we cannot take the Vikruta Swaras one after another.

Venkatamakhin got around this concept by making one Vikruta Swara as a lower or higher Swara, thereby giving rise to 16 positions of the notes For example, the Shuddh Rishabh (Notated as R2) takes the form of a Gandhar when used with the Komal Rishabh (Notated as R1). This Gandhar is called as the Shudhha Gandhar in Carnatic Music. So, we end up using the similar logic with 3 Rishabha, 3 Gandhara, 3 Dhivata & 3 Nishada.

They are denoted by R1, R2, R3, G1, G2, G3, D1, D2, D3, N1, N2, N3

Arrangement of Melakarta

The melakarta are perfectly arranged in groups of six called Chakras. In each chakra, the Rishabh and Gandhar remain constant, while the Dhivat and Nishad change to see all possible combinations. The first 36 Melakarta are with the Shuddha Madhyam while the

other 36 are the Prati Madhayam or Tivra Madhyam equivalent of the same The Chakras are also named in a certain way that are easy to remember: Indu – Moon as there is only one moon for the Earth – This is the first chakra – Has R1 & G1 • Netra – Meaning eyes – two eyes denoting the second Chakra – Has R1 & G2 • Agni – There are 3 Divya Agnis, hence used for denoting the third Chakra – has R1 & G3 • Veda – There are 4 Veda, hence used for denoting the fourth Chakra – Has R2 & G2 • Bana –That is 5 Arrows of Kamadeva as the 5th Chakra – Has R2 & G3 • Rutu – The 6 seasons denoting the sixth Chakra – Has R3 & G3 • Rishi – Saptarishi to denote the seventh Chakra • Vasu – Ashta-vasus or 8 Vasus to denote the 8th Chakra • Brahma – to denote the 9th Chakra • Disi – the 10 directions to denote the 10th Chakra • Rudra – the 11 Rudras to denote the 11th Chakra • Aditya – the 12 forms of the Sun to denote the 12th Chakra To figure out the Notes in the Raga from the name, • Chakravakam – using the Sankhya – 16th Melakarta • Subtract 1 and divide by 6  Quotient = 3 Reminder is 3 • It is from the Third Chakra has R2 & G2, and similarly, has D2 & N2 • As it is less than 36 it has M1 that is Shuddha Madhyam I hope this gives some clarity of the magnificence of the Melakarta System! Happy Reading!!

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

21

ADITI SARAWAGI

PAID MUSIC APPS IN INDIA

M

oving from records to cassettes, to CD’s, MP3’s, iPods and now finally digital streaming apps, how we listen to music has surely evolved over the years. With the large number of apps available, companies were scrambling to secure their market share and offered free trials for their apps followed by subscription plans.

Not only are the prices of these plans varied, but there are various tiers to the subscription plans as well.

There are monthly, quarterly, halfyearly as well as annual plans. Some apps also have tiers like ad-free, HD quality and unlimited downloads, language packs according to your usability. This customisation allows a larger audience to subscribe as per their needs and budgets. These are the most popular apps on the Indian market these days: Spotify: Spotify is a Swedish audio streaming service founded in 2006 and is the world's largest music streaming service provider, with over 365 million monthly active users. It launched in India in 2019 and has proved to be a tough competitor to our home grown apps.

Spotify Premium has individual as well as family plans and has plans for as less as Rs.7/day. You can even take weekly plans or annual plans for yourself and your family as well.

Apple Music: Launched in 2015, Apple Music has a user-friendly interface. It offers a three month free trial and Rs.99/month thereafter.

It also offers family plans along with CarPlay a unique app which seamlessly connects your music to your car speaker.

22

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Amazon Prime Music: Amazon Music is a music streaming platform and online music store operated by Amazon. It is part of the annual Rs.999 plan which also offers Prime Video, Prime Reading as well as Prime Delivery so all in all a great plan for the budget conscious with multiple offerings on the table.

Airtel Wynk Music: With over a 100 Million app installations, this music app from Airtel is extremely popular in India and is available for free to Airtel users. It also offers subscription plans at Rs.49/month.

Jio Saavn: From the house of Reliance comes Jio Saavn-with music from over fifteen languages as well as original podcasts from India.

It offers unlimited downloads and adfree music for just Rs.399/year.

Gaana: Gaana is the one-stop solution for all your music needs and offers you free, unlimited access to over 30 million Hindi, English as well as regional songs. To go ad-free, it offers the Gaana Plus subscription plans which can be paid for monthly, quarterly or annually and it also has a special student plan for only Rs.199.

Hungama Music: It is a digital entertainment company in India, providing services across music, video, entertainment news and gaming. It offers an annual plan of Rs.1,399 for music, videos, movies and even original TV shows. They have smaller duration plans as well.

YouTube Music: YouTube Music replaced Google Play Music and its recommendations are fabulous once you get into listening mode.

It offers a one-month free trial following which you may renew your subscription at Rs.108 per month or Rs.309 for three months.

Music companies want consumers to pay for their services so even artists know what audiences want to listen to instead of just playing the top charts every week. This can be achieved by limiting the quantity of free music available to listeners as well as smaller free trial periods. Though there is a debate about the pricing of these apps, no consensus has been reached for the same, hence we see the differential pricing for different apps. Some are of the opinion that keeping a low, affordable monthly cost will attract larger numbers and that is primarily how the Indian market works-value for money. Another point of view is that from yesteryear wherein customers would pay anything between Rs.100 and Rs.300 for a music CD which had very few songs and they would buy multiple CD’s, so for unlimited songs, charging a higher price will not be a problem for customers. Lot of consumers are paying for video OTT services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime as well, so music companies don’t want to lose out on the spending of India’s public, hence the high pricing strategy for some companies.

THE BRILLIANCE OF VENERABLE VAINIKAS Written by : Dr. Tara Rajendran, MBBS MFA Biography : Tara Rajendran is a medical doctor-musician and the founder of' Oncology and Strings,' the leading advocacy program for inculcating music into Indian palliative oncology infrastructure.

Veena Sheshanna (1852—1926) Sheshanna was a concert musician at the court of the princely state of Mysore. Back in the days veena artistes played the Saraswati Veena holding it vertically and it was Sheshanna who played it holding it in the horizontal position for the first time. It is believed that, Sheshanna was perhaps the originator of the Mysore style of rendition. He was an exceptional composer and his profound knowledge in north Indian classical music is striking in his Tillanas.

Dhanammal (1867–1938) Dhanammal was a highly accomplished, vocalist and a soloist performer on the Saraswati veena. She is unanimously known as Veenai Dhanammal and the prefix Veenai in her name speaks volumes about her mastery and legacy. Her systematic raga elaboration is unparalleled. Dhanammal’s style of veena rendition, is still regarded as a yardstick for tradition and depth of expression. Her supreme mastery over ‘Tanams’ (Elaboration of a musical mode set to a non-metric rhythmic pulse) is remarkable for its grandeur, perfect proportion, and refinement.

Karaikudi Subbarama Iyer (1883-1936) Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer (1888 - 1958) Brother duos, the seventh generation to carry the distinguished Karaikudi tradition, they were known for their stage presence, and brilliant tone of their Saraswati Veena. While Subbarama Iyer held his veena vertically and Sambasiva Iyer held his Veena horizontally. Subbarama Iyer was known for illustrating of distinct melodic improvisations on a line of text within the structure of the composition. His control over tempo was exceptional. Sambasiva Iyer was known for his outstanding exposition of Tanams.

Mysore Venkatesha Doraiswamy Iyengar (1920-1997) One of the greatest Saraswati veena exponents of modern India. Born into a lineage of vainikas, Doraiswamy Iyengar was brought up in the royal atmosphere of Mysore palace. He is praised for his tonal purity along with his impeccable raga expanse. Doraiswamy remained a purist and stuck to the ‘acoustic’ Veena and stayed away from contact microphone. He cites, the natural tone of the Veena is lost while using a contact microphone albeit the exaggeration of the sound.

Maestero is acknowledged as a notable representative of a unique “Mysore style” of veena rendition.

Emani Sankara Sastri (1922-1987) This creative genius and integrationist hails from a family of celebrated Vainikas. His exposure to classical north Indian and classical western music has influenced his personal style. He performed duets with eminent Hindustani intrumentalists. Shankara shastri illustrated versatile expressions on the third and fourth strings of the Veena. Furthermore, he explored the Veena to create a range of sounds, including something that resembled wind instruments. His Gamakas (integral ornaments) and Tanams illustrated with ingenuity and virtuosity.

Chitti Babu (1936 – 1996) Arguably one of the greatest Vainikas, who became a legend in his own lifetime. Continuing with the principles of his mentor’s (Emani Shankara Shastri), Chitti Babu, evolved a distinguishing identity, which is in all respects his own. The hallmarks of his unique rendition style are tonal quality and versatility. From syllables that resemble vedic hymns to mellifluous Cuckoo's voice and even classical western. Audience finds his concerts emotionally moving.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

23

IN CONVERSATION WITH

BIPUL CHETTRI

What was the most difficult part of creating Samaya?

Samaya was almost wholly written during the lockdown of 2020. As, the world went into quarantine mode and struggled to control the virus, most countries were looking at a humanitarian crisis. It was especially difficult for those who lost their loved ones to the virus.

So the atmosphere and the state of one’s mind wasn’t in the best of spaces with the world going through what it did. So writing about it was not very easy with us waking up to some kind of upsetting news every morning. But then, art for me is also a reflection of the times we are in when we were looking to cope and struggle with the tragedy of this pandemic.

How have the last two years changed you?

And how much of it is in the EP? This pandemic has reinforced the idea of impermanence for me. We are and were all aware of it but these

24

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

philosophies were hugely heightened during this particular period of time where so many of us lost someone or the other to this dreaded virus. It has personally taught me to value family, friends and their friendship, and not to take anything at face value which may have led me to consciously or unconsciously incorporate them in this EP. Like ‘Samsara’ for example is my way of accepting this impermanence and contemplates the cycle of life, death and rebirth, in which each one of us is served our quota of suffering (dukkha), desire (ichha) and karma (deed).

What is getting you through this unprecedented time?

The last year and a half has been extremely difficult but the positive side to this has been that since there were no tours, I got to spend quality time with my wife and our two year old daughter who keeps us both on our toes all day long.

SHREYA BOSE Now that Samaya is out, how are you spending your days?

Does the EP have a single message you hope to put into the world?

I am a teacher at a school in Delhi, so a good part of my day is spent teaching children, most of which is online these days. And now that the lockdown has eased here, the band has just started to meet and have started playing together and working on some ideas for new music.

There is no particular message but as I mentioned earlier, it is a reflection of a particular space of time the world and I went through. Having said that, there is a song ‘Naya Din/New Day’ which talks about a hope of looking to a future when we get back to what we called or lived a ‘normal’ life as we knew it before this pandemic.

What are your hopes for your music? How do you want your songs to affect their listeners?

What was it like, recording without a studio?

What hurdles did you face?

Music is hope, regardless of what genre of form it is in.

I personally have a very selfish motive towards making music. I usually write and compose for myself and if I am happy with the result, I let it out to the world.

How the listeners accepts or rejects them is beyond my control. It is a great feeling when someone or the other connects to even one line of lyric or a single melody of a tune. Art is subjective and is usually not created by the artiste expecting it to be appreciated by everyone while consuming it, unless someone is deliberately creating it for commercial value. If it does get appreciated, well and good. It’s also okay if it doesn’t. That’s also one of the beauty and advantage of being an indie musician.

There is no one telling or forcing you to make or create a particular type of work.

Recording this EP was not the ideal way to have done it, although we eventually got some studio time to record them. But since everyone was socially and physically distancing themselves, we also had to follow those new norms. So when the studio finally opened when the lockdown eased a bit, we took advantage of it and quickly recorded these tunes. During this period, our recording engineer Anindo was on his console recording us with him sitting on the 2nd floor while we were playing on the ground floor and only communicating though an internal video link. We also did not sit with him in the same room while mixing the songs which was a first for us all. It was strange times indeed.

Tell us about your fellow musicians and collaborators on Samaya.

It is a fully stripped down, acoustic and organic set of five songs written and composed while we were physically distanced from the rest of the world. So each and every song was mostly composed and written on a solo basis with just one more instrument accompanying my guitar as I didn’t have the luxury of meeting bandmates as easily and frequently. Thankfully, Pranai Gurung, our guitarist who lives close by was there to help with additional guitar parts on a couple of songs and Rohit Prasanna helped out on ‘Bhaans Ghari/ The Bamboo Grove’ with his flutes. Anindo Bose who has been our friend and engineer since the first album recorded, mixed and mastered this EP and also chimed in with some organ parts on a tune. Sonam Tashi , our Manager doubled up as the Executive Producer, Nima Namchu wrote the liner notes and Manohar Rai who art directed the first album design also came in for Samaya as well. I’m very thankful to all these wonderful people who gave their time and creative help to present this work out to the world.

What makes Samaya different from everything else you have sang and created?

The whole premise of the pandemic on which ‘Samaya’ was themed didn’t make for an ideal and affable picture, so the songs tended to become melancholic and escapist compared to my earlier works. But at the end of the day, music as an art form must also reflect the times we are living and experiencing life as it is.

Do you ever imagine you will sing in a language other than Nepali? Apparently, you wrote Samsara in English initially.

I grew up singing and listening to western music as the school I attended was a Roman Catholic school which was mostly inclined towards that. Also, the onslaught of western music on radio, tapes, CDs,TV and later mp3s I guess also helped steer us towards it. And then, I took up western classical guitar as my primary instrument and was a student of it for over 15 long years practising to become a soloist and finally earned a degree in it as well. But as I grew older, I tended to tilt more towards my mother tongue as I realised that it was the language I was thinking in, so why not write and sing as well. The first song I wrote in the Nepali language, Wildfire was as recent as 2013, which shows that I was a very late entrant into Nepali language music scene. But singing in another language other than Nepali is not off the table yet, so one never knows.

11.

How are you still staying inspired?

Life inspires me. Be it people, relationships, a particular place, nature in general, children I teach, an article or book I read, a documentary I watched….. the list goes on.

12. Talk to your listeners. Tell them something you want them to know and haven't said before.

Learn a musical instrument. It doesn’t matter how proficient you become. As long as you learn to enjoy it, it will keep you a happy person.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

25

A CUP OF MUSIC, A GALLON OF LIFE

Classical music and

EMOTIONAL AWARENESS Written by: Nithya Rajendran, a dual Indian Classical vocalist in Hindustani and Carnatic music with over 3 decades training. She is founder and curator of Music Vruksh, an initiative to spread awareness and appreciation of Inidan Classical music for its aesthetic, spiritual, wellness and transformative potential.

Mindfulness and awareness are the big buzz words of our generation. These words have helped simplify spirituality for the West. Mindfulness is essentially an attribute of practical spirituality. It involves developing the ability to be fully aware, of one’s environment, of one's body and mind, and most of all one's emotions.

Emotional awareness is considered essential not only in the lofty realms of austere spirituality, but also in regular mental health. Mental health professionals like psychiatrists and psychoanalysts repeatedly allude to 'repressed' or hidden emotions being the underlying cause of many emotional ailments.

One of the ways we can learn to be more emotionally aware is when we are in the presence of music. Especially classical music that evokes different emotions in us with different melodic scales or Raagas. This aspect of Indian classical music is unique and powerful. Raagas, because of their unique combinations of flat and sharp notes evoke in us a gamut of emotions which may otherwise be repressed or hidden. And because music is so engaging, disarming and evocative, it is easy for us to feel these emotions and moreover be consciously aware of them.

Music doesn't judge, music doesn't pity. Music just understands you. Like a childhood friend who knows exactly how you feel and can empathize powerfully with you without judging you.

When why cry to a Carnatic Raaga like Subhapanthuvarali, or feel tense when we listen to the Hindustani raag Shree, something profound is happening. We are connecting our inner sorrows and tensions with something powerfully empathetic outside of us. This allows for a cathartic release of those repressed feelings.

There are other ways music can evoke emotions. For instance, through nostalgia. When we connect with music that is familiar from the past, we actually relive those moments as though they are happening again now. Furthermore, we have a chance to reprocess unfinished feelings from that time. This way we are offering closure to repressed unhealthy emotions.

There are several profound instances of Indian Raagas transforming people in powerful and extraordinary ways. As testified by people, we know of instances of Raag Megh helping a chain smoker quit smoking over time, to Raag Malhar gradually helping relieve a person's migrane. From Raag Yaman helping a person with anxiety issues to Raag Bilawal helping a weary person get back on his feet, Indian Raagas have shown empirical evidence of helping people become emotionally more aware over time, attaining better mental and physical health in the process.

Just as the world has begun to understand the healing impact of emotional awareness and catharsis through mindfulness practices, we should start to see the potential of music towards achieving this goal. Especially Indian classical music, since it is unparalleled in having a structure that is so intricate and complex and yet so powerfully emotive. It is a treasure we sit on and it is about time we put it to good use.

26

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

KANUPRIYA MODI

10

THINGS A PIANIST MUST CONSIDER WHILE COMPOSING MUSIC

Piano makes for a soulful instrument indeed, just like most other instruments that evoke emotions of calmness and poise. We wonder what makes one a unique pianist? The answer is simple it’s the process and the approach that they take.

The process of composing music for a pianist is as unique as their thought process and their inspiration. But to delve deeper into the interesting process we will list down ten things a pianist must consider while composing music.

•

•

•

•

Your melody and tune: You need to figure if the melody is going to be complex or simple in terms of rhythm. That’s the first step towards building what’s in your mind.

The soul of the tune: The soul of your tune is basically the instrument at work. There can be another instrument along with the piano to complement the rhythm.

The length of the composition: You have to keep in mind the duration of the composition for it to have the right impact and feel. The length is crucial to the composition.

The structure of the song: There are different parts to the melody;

•

•

•

•

•

it starts with an introduction or it starts directly and there are tempo changes as well that make up the structure of the song Harmony of the tune: The harmony of the tune differs from pianist to pianist. It depends on how one forms a chord structure for a tune.

The feel: The most important aspect is to make peace with what you make. There needs to be stability in thought and approach to deliver something amazing.

Find an inspiration: You must listen to a lot of compositions to find your inspiration. It could be classical, jazz, metal or folk music.

Understand the Why of compositions: You should be able to copy someone to compose.

That helps you understand mindset of the composer.. why did he use a particular note and chord for example. You need to be critical not about the cosmos but the process and reason out your composition. It’s a Multiverse in itself.

Find your sound: The process of music composition is endless so the most important part is to find your sound and stop at the very point you feel one with it. Find

•

your individuality and make the song your own. For example even a Happy Birthday tune can be rendered in a totally unique way which makes it personal to you. Start from the basics and go into something new while you explore the realms of music.

That’s your sound Your attitude: Don’t care what people think. Your composition should make you happy. It’s your sound and you must embrace it.

Ask yourself am I doing enough and that’s when you have to stop.

The process of music composition is an emotion-led one rather than a technical one. The more passionate you are, the better your outcome will be. In the end it’s about finding your happiness in the chords and creating the sound that expresses who you are. That’s what Niranjan Joshi, a pianist since more than a decade believes in. He feels it’s all about being one with yourself as you immerse in the music you create. He feels it’s all about growing and evolving with your music and experimenting with your sound that stirs up the Placido Effect, which also happens to be the name of his album.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

27

In conversation witH

Anish Sood India's most popular DJ and music producers Anish Sood talks to us about his new musical name Anyasa, on his upcoming EP Gaya and discover more about this amazing DJ through this conversation.

Tell us about the name Anyasa.

It’s a beautiful word. How did you come across it? And why did you feel compelled to make the change from Anish Sood to Anyasa?

spontaneous or effortless and I can’t think of a better way to describe this evolution.

The idea behind changing my artist name was to wipe the slate clean and create a fresh start. I think the new sound and radically different approach to Gaya really deserved a new identity and with a label like Anjunadeep backing the release it felt like the right move to make.

Gaya was written with the intent of being a conceptual EP. This was right in the middle of the first lockdown when inspiration and motivation were at an all-time low and I was just trying to make music as a creative outlet. There were a lot of small things that came together in hindsight to create Gaya.

I looked back at a lot of progressive trance from the early 2000s and that definitely served as a reference point for writing music that was emotive and euphoric. Working with Indian vocals was also a chance discovery but the further I delved into it, I quickly realised that there was something special.

The name itself took a while to get right. I had some basic ideas laid out and they were – It had to sound “Indian” and hence Sanskrit was the go-to language. It also needed to sound like an evolution of my name and thus I was looking for words that started with A and of course it had to make sense in the larger scheme of things as well.

So I basically bought a bunch of Sanskrit dictionaries, started shortlisting words and eventually lucked out! Anyasa translates to

28

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Could you talk to us about your four-track EP Gaya?

The EP itself is designed to take the listener on a journey through the night. It starts off with ‘Rasiya’ which is a mellow take on vocal deep house. The vocal is really the star

of the track and the production was built around it for support. From there on the EP gets progressively darker and the tracks have been arranged very carefully to create big moments on dancefloors. I think what I’m most proud of with the EP is that even once the energy levels pick up significantly towards the end with ‘Ranjhna’ and ‘Nadiyan’, they don’t lose the emotions from the vocals and that really is the essence of the sound I wanted to make with Anyasa.

We absolutely loved ‘Rasiya’, your first single off from the EP. How did you decide to collaborate with Isheeta Chakrvarty?

I first discovered Isheeta Chakrvaty on a track by Anhad & Tanner which they asked me to remix. I was truly blown away by her voice as well as her ability to write Indian classical melodies with a very fresh and contemporary feel. In many ways reaching out to her was the start of the journey that put me on the path to Gaya and then Anyasa.

What’s your process of choosing an artist you would like to collaborate with? What drew you to your other collaborators Bawari Basanti, Avneet Khurmi and Amira Gill for example?

For me it’s all about that first reaction. There has to be something special that instantly draws me to their voice. I think each of the collaborators is very unique in their own way and I’ve also processed each vocal differently to bring out the texture in their voices.

You're signed with a famous label Anjunadeep, which is a big first for an Indian artist.

Congratulations! What are your thoughts on signed on with a label? What are your expectations of a label like Anjunadeep?

Thank you! It’s a pretty surreal feeling to be honest. I grew up listening to Above & Beyond and Anjunadeep and some of the oldest CDs in my first DJ case feature their records. Beyond the initial excitement, I’m actually very grateful that they have signed a sound that is quite radically different from the rest of their catalogue and that’s always a huge risk for such an established label.

They have an impressive distribution network I’m also really excited for Anjunadeep’s very loyal following worldwide to listen to the music, I truly believe it’s a unique and authentic sound and I’m looking forward to sharing it.

Tell us about 5 pieces of gear you cannot live without and why.

My laptop definitely tops the list.

Over the years I’ve transitioned from being fully in the box to buying a bunch of hardware and external gear to coming around and being in the box again. I think at this point the difference between software and hardware is only how you can creatively use it and what inspires you, sonically they are nearly identical.

My Focal Twin6 monitors come next, having a reliable and accurate set of monitors is essential while producing.

The Native Instruments Maschine MK3 comes next. All my drums are arranged on it and it’s a key element in my songwriting process.

Next is the Universal Audio Apollo/ Satellite combo. The Apollo is a phenomenal soundcard and the Satellite gives me extra processing power to run the UAD plugins which are absolutely amazing. They really narrow the gap between producers in home studios mixing ITB and those using large format consoles in dedicated studios.

Last but not the least is my only piece of outboard gear and that’s the Elektron Analog MK2. I sold two synths to buy this one and it’s ridiculously powerful for its size. While the UI can be tricky to navigate, once you learn the workflow it’s very rewarding.

You transition from Anish Sood to Anyasa also prompts us to ask for your take on the electronic music scene in India.

easy to pick opportunities that come along the way that may not fully align with your vision and there is nothing wrong with seizing those moments because everyone’s journey is different and we all have bills to pay. The important thing however is to come around and find the path again and that’s the only way to effectively break through.

Could you share a few details about your upcoming projects?

First up is a special livestream set that was recorded on a cliff above Anjuna beach. It’s a great homecoming for the label and showcases a beautiful side of my hometown, Goa. We also have a music video coming up for ‘Rasiya’ very shortly which a collaboration with my friend Tridha Choudhury.

The second EP with Anjunadeep is almost done and should be scheduled for release towards the end of the year.

I think the electronic music scene is at a pivotal stage in the country.

After the initial EDM boom that was instrumental in exposing so many young listeners to electronic music, the whole country has evolved and everyone has found their distinct tastes.

What we have now is a scene that is far more mature and also very dedicated to the sound they want to listen to.

What would be your message be to upcoming artists who choose a similar path such as you?

Two key words - patience and resilience. Like everything in life, time is the key to finding a sound and identity.

It’s also really important to stay focussed to your vision. It’s often The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

29

H

FINDING STORIES THROUGH THROUGH MUSIC

ave you gone a day without listening to music of any sort? Be it the catchy advertisement tunes on TV, or your friend or colleague humming a tune or even the ringtone on your phone. Music has always been a part of most of our lives, even more than we realise.

As new-borns, we were spoken to in a musical tone and before that we thrive on the rhythmical beat of our mothers’ hearts. We are taught alphabets through a song; we learn our first lessons through rhymes and the list could go on. Music has brought meaning to so many of our lives, but do we really try to find the meaning behind it when it has adopted us under its gracious wings?

perspectives to the song. In my opinion, a song writer plays as equal or even more so of a role as the voice of the song. It is quite interesting to be a part of the process of the realisation that hits when a song becomes something more upon reading its lyrics, how it becomes closer to our hearts now that it has found its purpose.

Many might say songs don’t need to have deep meanings or eloquent lyrics to be enjoyable, that songs do not require to be understood by its listener, that it transcends barriers. While this is what is uniquely beautiful about music, it is only acceptable that we think of songs as a form of expression.

Afterall, music is art and art if not anything is a form of expression. How to perceive and accept it is up to the listener but the need to acknowledge the emotion and message it tries to convey surely does exist. The wonderous instrumental pieces of Tchaikovsky, Bach and Beethoven and the relatable lyrics of Bruno Mars are all amazing examples of what music is and has become. While most of us can jam to 24K magic, many of us won’t have the same zest when it comes to The Song of the Swans. This is exactly why a song with lyrics makes it more widely appreciated than one which conveys the message through instrumentals. Though both are music, we cannot ignore the power of words accompanied with it.

It was a huge epiphany when the hidden message behind one of the most unique tracks of Queen, “The Bohemian Rhapsody” was theorised and deciphered by fans taking it a whole another realm of relatability and understanding. The perception of the song and the band itself was different and their credibility in emoting something that difficult in a song was applauded. The lyrics that didn’t mean much previously now meant the struggles of a man who had been trying to find his true self, adding more story to the song, making it more artistic. There is a plethora of songs that have to go through the ears of listeners eager enough to know their true stories and end up giving us an antechamber to the artistic message it was meant to deliver.

When we listen to a song with lyrics, we can find a connection to it easier than we would otherwise which means we do give the meaning of a song some importance even if it might seem insignificant. This little attention can go a long way and sometimes even leave us with completely contrasting

Of course with the commercialisation of every industry, music also falls into its clutches.

There seems to be more songs with haphazard lyrics that do not really carry a valuable message to be deciphered and are to be heard on a platonic level which seems fair in today’s fast-moving world. A good beat paired with a trendy dance move seem to make songs enjoyable as time passes but the happiness of finding your true relationship with a song and enjoying it in your own way will never be of an equal.

30

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

VISHNUPRIYA

THE WORLD IS JUST AN EARPHONE AWAY The world definitely has become a smaller place especially in the past “pandemic ridden” year and a half. Everything from food to clothes reaches the doorstep within clicks, school finding its way home, work at home regimens all in your hands, way you want it, the way you like. Movies from all different parts of the world is as easily accessible as talking to neighbours was 10 years ago. Cultures are exchanged and we get to learn more of the world from just within the walls of our homes. This tailored and almost customised experience we fortunately have is probably the reason why the wide variety of gates and boundaries that different industries have crossed seems to be watered down.

Music has also become a part of this global movement with altered playlists and favoured recommendations from different streaming platforms. Songs in languages that represent different countries are on so many playlists, almost forming a connection that is infrangible.

The pandemic although had imposed on us physical boundaries, allowed our curiosity travel to places which time didn’t allow us to before. New musicians are on the rise with their talents going viral on social media and even landing record deals through their sudden surge of popularity. Languages and songs have become an open relationship and are no more exclusive to a listener. All this is possible thanks to social media, music apps and the power of an opinion online.

The support different music industries have been receiving has made them more open minded to exploring newer styles and reaching to opportunities which didn’t seem realistic before. Old songs are rediscovered and are given a second chance at their credibility, tracks popularised by short trend videos actually get turned into a track allowing to different cultures to be represented and enjoyed at the same time. It’s amazing to witness how music can be the path that steers away from endemic behaviour, convincing people enough to appreciate the cultures of world.

Bollywood and the Indian music industry, rich with some of the most talented artists are also branching out to test waters outside India in an effort to bring people closer as well. Butta Bomma singer Armaan Malik’s recent collaboration with Eric Nam, a Korean American artist and KSHMR on their single Echo was a refreshing one to see and he surely found new fans through the track with the love it got worldwide.

All the parties benefitted from the combined effort that went into the track and the song had its purpose served.

With music being a just a gateway to different cultures, it opens the interest of people from not only music but to other aspects like food, fashion and other sources of entertainment which completely expands the persons view and perspective of the world. The perfect example of this is the sudden explosion of K-pop as a genre all around the world in the recent years. Not only did K-pop popularise the Korean music industry but also marketed Korea’s food and fashion industry, promoted their tourism, spread awareness about situations of their country, idealised their lifestyle and established their grip on ardent K-pop fans. The Hallyu wave that had started a few years ago has reached its peak with its grasp on the music and entertainment industry which is commendable as they have not sacrificed on the quality of the products they produce regardless.

We often fail to realise the potent effect of music on a personal and on a socio-economic scale and how a small spark of interest can set a whole culture ablaze with popularity. The change in mindset and the openmindedness that music has brought to people truly shows that the power of music is a ubiquitous catalyst for the world to come together, slowly but surely.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

31

How to Recycle Your Music Gear If you've been involved in music for some time, chances are someone has asked you the most annoying question in the world at some point: "Why do you have so much junk?" To which you always reply: "My gear is not junk!" And that's true! But just because it is not "junk" does not mean that today is not the perfect day to start getting rid of our old equipment to make some space, or to acquire better quality equipment (if that is the case). This is a good time to start talking about recycling equipment that has reached the end of its usefulness.

All of us (or at least most) always begin to venture into the musical field with equipment that we can acquire at that time, perhaps not all of us can start with the best or the most expensive from the beginning and that is why we acquire equipment whose price is adapted to our budgets. But there also comes a time where we can renew the equipment we started with to acquire new and better equipment, either because they have broken down or simply because the time has come to give rise to better equipment. This is good and healthy for us.

That is why this time we are going to talk about How to recycle your music and audio equipment

1. How and why recycle my time we encourage the long-term use of equipment that can still equipment

provide good performance.

Use the Internet to find out how and where to recycle your stereo and audio equipment. Social networks will also help you find someone who can use what you no longer can. It really couldn't be If you put them in the garbage easier: go to the internet, a page of (yes, there are people who do), musicians on social networks or they will end up in a garbage on the web and offer equipment can. As equipment breaks down, that can be useful for someone rainwater washes away those heavy metals and that dirty water else. We are pretty sure someone will be happy to find what you can ends up in local water supplies, this is going to very extreme cases. offer.

Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our 2. Can you donate it? natural resources and prevents Yes, if your equipment is still air and water pollution, as well working, donating it is a great as greenhouse gas emissions option. Not only do you get the caused by manufacturing virgin satisfaction of handing over your materials. Therefore, recycling equipment that was once loved, your old electronics also preserves but you can also support the natural resources and at the same dreams and products of a friend, Speaking of ecology, the components inside stereo and audio equipment are made of heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium.

32

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

acquaintance or even a colleague.

You can even make an exchange if you like that, find someone with whom you can make a good deal and go ahead. For example, if you bought a guitar pedal for playing blues music (and don’t want to play it anymore), you can exchange it with someone with a heavy metal focused pedal who wants to venture into playing blues now (a Boss Blues Driver for an MXR Fullbore Metal).

3. Can you sell it?

Absolutely. If your gear still has a lot of life left, sell it. This will be a great way for you to make a bigger investment in your new equipment, and you can even buy something worth more than what you thought. Look to sell your used equipment on the internet, social networks, etc.

AKARSH SHEKHAR

WHAT MAKES

IN-EAR

MONITORS GREAT? IEMs are used both for recreational listening and as professional monitoring headphones in live audio situations, whether in broadcasts, movies, and TV or music performances. For live music performance, in-ear monitors or IEMs are the preferred monitoring tool. First, they keep a small profile, and secondly, they isolate noise particularly effectively.

The expansive foam ensures a perfect fit in the ear canal that is sealed from the outside environment.

There's no question about it, the in-ear monitors are incredibly well insulated and soundproof. Here are some benefits:

Protection for your hearing

Live music performers are exposed to tons of loud noise, that goes without saying. However, have you ever done a series to realize that you are slowly turning up the volume on your headphones? Experiment with the volume of your headphones in a typical setting and listen in a quiet environment, you might be surprised how loud you press it. In a live situation with music coming from the main speaker system and monitor speakers, you just don't realize that the volumes are reaching dangerous levels. Live performers need their ears - wearing in-ear headphones helps protect them.

Better Monitoring

It can be difficult to hear things

properly through on-ear headphones for the exact reasons mentioned above, they are poorly isolated and ambient noise is filtered out. This may confuse you, where is the bass line? Are those hi-hats coming from the monitors or from the headphones?

Loud noise can be difficult to decipher, and poor control leads to mixing errors. The internal monitors mute everything and allow you to hear your mix internally as it plays through the mixer signals. With no outside interference, you can really focus on nailing the mix to perfection. If you want to hear the overall mix as your audience listens to it, simply turn on the master output signal.

Internal monitors vs. headphones

In-ear monitors are headphones, but not all headphones are inear monitors. Headphones come in many shapes and sizes, from AirPods to bulkier models that clip over the ear. Headphones designed for recreational listening, such as AirPods or any other headphones with hard plastic earbuds, are not suitable for live music performances.

These types of headphones are not designed for use in very noisy environments, and while some are reasonably well insulated, they somewhat undermine the sense of using internal monitors. The

internal monitors you want to look for are those with foam headphones.

Foam headphones expand into the ear canal to provide the acoustic seal that gives IEMs their advantages over regular headphones.

Internal monitors can protect your hearing while providing an ideal monitoring environment with no background noise. However, they are markedly different from traditional on-ear headphones and getting used to them can be tricky.

Find Your Fit

Internal monitors may or may not hook over the ear with their cables or a real ear hook. IEMs with this type of fit will stay in your ear as you move across the stage, but can rub the back of your ear. You may also find it difficult to remove your headphones frequently. That being said, the ear hooks are handy and don't need to be hooked every time you insert and remove the earbud.

In the case of DJs. forget about monitoring just one side - they often have one headphone on their head and the other off their head. This allows them to hear the monitor speakers and the mix.

With headphones, it's best to leave them more or less for as long as you mix. Why? Because this allows you to keep volumes in check while mixing, protecting your hearing and enhancing your monitoring experience.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

33

PALAK DOSHI

Strumming Music in The Valley of Silence, Kashmir's Music Scene Is Waiting to Be Heard.

They say, the more you’re suppressed, the more you absorb when let free the louder your roar. In the aftermath of the abolition of Article 370, Kashmir was put under a complete shutdown that lasted for more than a year. Post which an overlong siege was followed by an extended lockdown due to the outbreak of the COVID-19. Under such grim circumstances, one overlapping the other, how do Kashmiris hold it all together? It’s time for them to be heard and how! It’s time to lend an ear to their tunes that are mellifluously floating through the valley, wafting their way all over the country. Even with the limitations, a tremendous amount of quality music, particularly in the contemporary and popular genre has been brewing in the state. The voice of Kashmir’s indie musicians’ ricochets with politics and folklore. Many Kashmiri musicians are also creating incredible renditions of folk tales and poems blended with Western percussion instruments.

While the Kashmiri music scene was gasping for its survival, some traditional musical instruments were on the verge of extinction, one being – Rabab. The classic Kashmiri musical instrument was completely forgotten till a new brigade of instrumentalists picked it up and brought it back to life. Adnan Manzoor started playing Rabab when he was just 15 years old.

His fascination with this instrument increased after he learnt the guitar. At 21, he is the youngest Rabab player in the valley and not to forget the most famous too. His music videos have millions of views and he has become an inspiration for many youngsters.

Once the whole world was propelled into a lockdown, Brothers Numan and Furqan created a version combining the mandatory home-stay and its associated blues, the outcome is a ten-minute musical odyssey on the same, in the form of Quarantine Blues, the second track from their album Raetkoal.

New emerging artists such as the rap duo SOS (Straight Outta Srinagar) that released their singles Psycho and Czawul, and the eclectic band Ramooz (Aalav), result in a surge of music output.

A chaotic sound effect kicks things off and ushers the listener into the beautiful ambience of the orchestral instrumentation of Rabab, synths and guitar. That’s the magic of The Lost Shikara by Qafilah and Junaid. The song took almost nine months to finish due to a lack of equipment. There are no bars or punchlines here; it is just immaculate poetry, written by a poet who prefers it in the style of rap.

34

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

One more number that gained instant momentum for the cinematic depiction of loss, through the tragedy of a mother and her son’s search for closure was Jhelum, sung by Faheem Abdullah. Currently boasting half a million views on YouTube, the song starts with a mesh of guitar lines and Sarood, which is played by Rohan Prasanna.

Another Kashmiri artist, Ahmer, had an impressive streak of releases in 2020. Singles such as Tanaza, where we see the rapper with Tufail of SOS fame; or Zor, his afrobeat inspired single that features Delhi Sultanate, as well as Kahar that deserves the most recognition.

Produced by Prxphecy, the only known beatmaker and producer from the valley, the song is brimming with witty punchlines. Ahmer also raps about his place in Kashmir’s hip hop scene. Ahmer played an important role in several new releases, be it for mixing and mastering or production, or be it him being the most powerful voice to come out of Kashmir.

From blues, rap, fusion to soft rock, each song is a unique blend of Kashmiri and Western genres, merging to create an unusual range, reverberating the moods of the valley that’s been hushed for quite some time now.

AKARSH SHEKHAR

How to Practice Music Without Disturbing

Your Neighbours?

Soundproofing

Making a room truly soundproof isn't always straightforward. In general, soundproofing involves building a structure on the inside faces of the walls of that room. The objective is to form an additional barrier that prevents the passage of sound.

The process is usually limited to the space and layout of the room.

However, here are some solutions that you can apply in order to soundproof your room: • If you are still looking for an apartment, make sure the walls have been made of bricks or concrete. These types of materials can cancel out sound quite effectively.

• Try rock wool (rockwool) in your walls for more sound insulation.

• If you plan to use speakers, then it is best to place them against the wall and facing the outside of the apartment. In this way, the resonances will be less noticeable to your neighbors.

• Also, you should add mass to your doors, since these are usually plywood and are practically hollow. To achieve this, a vinyl adhesive material is usually used to help muffle sounds.

2. Acoustic treatment

Acoustic treatment and soundproofing are not the same.

These have two completely different purposes. Soundproofing focuses on

controlling noise and preventing it from escaping or entering the room.

Acoustic treatment involves the absorption of excess resonance within the room. For that both foam panels and bass traps are used.

Although these will not be decisive in preventing loud sounds from affecting your neighbors, they offer additional help.

3. Isolate your monitors

Maybe you don’t just want to create music at home, but you plan to install several speakers in one of the rooms of your apartment as a mini studio. The downside is that these can be quite noisy.

At this point, you are no doubt wondering what you need to make music at home without disturbing the neighbors. In that case, you'd better isolate the monitors from the surrounding surfaces. This consists of adding a good distance between the monitors and the surface on which they will be placed.

This is accomplished either by using a suspension method or by adding sound pads under and around the speakers. The monitors emit vibrations not only from the woofers, but they also resonate through the speaker body. Well, to decrease the sounds, consider the following: Monitor Isolation Pads The function of monitor isolation pads is basically to separate the speakers from the desk on which they are located. In this way the

scenario of resonances being reflected in that table or desk is avoided.

Monitor stands On the other hand, monitor mounts elevate the speakers away from the table or desk surface. By being in a higher position, you get an additional advantage: the vibrations are less intense on the ground and will go unnoticed by your neighbors under your apartment.

4. Use headphones

Maybe your original idea was to use multiple speakers, but often the position of the apartment or the size of the room make it difficult to have many monitors. In that case, one item that is needed to make music at home without disturbing the neighbors is a good pair of headphones.

These not only mean less noise for your neighbors, but they are also much cheaper. Now, that doesn't mean you can't have speakers, but hearing aids help you not just depend on them. They will also be perfect when you want to make music late at night.

Now you know how to make a room soundproof so you can quietly make music and not disturb your neighbors. If you haven't purchased your apartment yet, look for one that offers you the features that will add comfort to your lifestyle.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

35

8

AKARSH SHEKHAR

Tips to Help You Learn Songs Better

Know what is expected of you When faced with a new song (or a dozen), it is important to know what you need to do. Are you being asked to play each and every note in a guitar solo exactly the same as in the album version, or are you free to improvise your own cadence over the chord structure? Should your drum beats be sleek and understated or thick and intense? Be aware of that.

Listen a lot

When you get new music to learn, listen to it on repeat as much as you can. One part is active listening, where you focus, without being distracted, on specific elements of the song, analyzing as you go and

trying to memorize some parts.

Other times it is passive listening while you walk, cook, work, pack your bag, etc. Everything helps.

Listen to different versions

If you're learning a new piece that other artists have covered, listen to as many interpretations as you can before it's your turn to play the song.

Likewise, if there are YouTube clips of the band or artist you're playing with, performing the same song at three different gigs, listen to them all.

Tap on recordings

If you are given a recording of the song that you need to learn quickly, whether it is a simple demo or a finished studio track, play over it as many times as you can before going to the concert, studio, or rehearsal room. The more you play along with the song in a simulated performance and you can experiment with what works best when you play on it, the better prepared you will be once the moment of truth arrives.

Get sheet music, if you can, and take notes

Take a look over the shoulders of many musicians in concert and you will see sheets of music and chords filled with pencil notes, rhythms, symbols and reminders. Whether you take note of when to play loud and when to play soft, when to play staccato, and when to make a hasty ending, don't be afraid to jot down your scores in any way that best helps you remember what to play, when, and how.

36

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Don't always start at the beginning

When you get into a new song, try to learn the final chorus first, or face the difficult bridge that comes in towards the last minute. Oftentimes, working on a few things beforehand can help you get a feel for the entire song and a greater musical sense once you put the pieces together in order.

Write your own score

Remember that everything you write does not have to look pretty, what you create is purely functional and just for you, so write your chords, transcription or cheat sheet in the format that will best help you to follow the song at once. Writing your music down will also improve your confidence.

Improve on every rep

If you are faced with a difficult new song, whether during band rehearsals, in the studio or live, your main goal the first time you play should be to get from start to finish and do your best. The second time?

The same, but now that you have it a little more in your fingers you can devote a little more attention to pinpointing those accents well in the second verse, for example. The third time? All of the above but maybe this time you will have the mental space to focus on connecting well with the drums in the guitar solo and that the voicings of your chords in the final part support the voice as much as possible.

NAVYA C

FROM VINYL TO ONLINE STREAMING- A MUSICAL METAMORPHOSIS Preserving the golden masterpieces of music is equally important as the preserving the art form itself. The storage of music is the only way it could pass from generations to generations, by keeping the quality intact.

In Indian Classical Music, the preservation of music used to be done vocally from the guru to his /her disciples.

With the advent of writing and paper, the preservation of the compositions through notations came up. Indian Classical Music in particular focused on hearing and memorizing, rather than reading or documenting it.

cards and many such artistic trends. Music fans relished the cassette collection to be a priceless possession to have maximum number of cassettes of their favorite artists.

Walkman- in which the mobility of music listening came into vogue globally. Then came in CDs which had higher quality and retrieval in terms of quality and giving an enthralling experience to the listener.

Slowly, vinyl started getting into magnetic tape which was considered because of its portability (compared to the huge sizes of vinyl records and the costs), tapes have ruled the music storage and retrieval field for decades.

Tapes had an advantage of carrying them wherever the listener would wanted them to, and with the help of portable recorders as well, it became the primary source of music listening. However, tapes used to wear off with time, and repeated listens- and the innovation to produce quality music continued.

While the purists of music feel this is a sad state of affairs and nothing can replace vinyl in terms of quality, streaming of music has definitely brought more people closer to music and made is comfortable to listen. As they say , vintage old is gold- one can never beat the clarity and magic of a vinyl record- even in the fast-paced era of 2021!

Listening to a vinyl record, CD or a cassette will definitely reverb nostalgia in the minds of music lovers who grew up listening through those medial. Take some time out to dust off those vinyl, cassette records or CDs and travel down the memory lane this season!

The biggest issue with vinyl, cassettes and CDs were the quantity of songs that could be stored. The limit of storage made people look for alternate ways of listening to music But with the advent of writing, printing and expansion of and saving it. Mp3 kicked in from there which offered a the music forms, the journey of music storage underwent good solution for the storage of songs. While audio CDs so many changes, transformations and improvements. had maximum of 15-20 songs per unit, mp3s had hundreds Vinyl was the first electronic form of retrieval of music of songs stored in a single copy. At the compromise of that revolutionized the way one listens to music. With fidelity and compression techniques, mp3 offered a great highest range of fidelity and clarity, having a vinyl record solution to store more songs in one go. player in the house was considered a luxury during 1900s.

Music started reaching more audience through vinyl After Steve Jobs revolutionizing the music industry with records and Indian Classical Music in particular reached the remarkable launch of iPod, where the listener could greater horizons and crossed geographical boundaries. have all their collection in just a pocket, internet started Even till date, vinyl is considered to be the purest form of taking over music in ease. The current trend now is to music storage- with its analog capture and every treble, stream the song with just a swipe of the smart phone, or bass line and the whiff of mridangam can be heard in it. hitting a youtube link.

Cassette tapes were a huge rage not just with the music quality but also brought the idea of music covers, in lay

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

37

IN Conversation

with Priya Darshini Who snags a Grammy nomination for their debut album, written and recorded live in twelve days in a Brooklyn church? Mumbai-born, New York-based songstress Priya Darshini, that’s who.

Her debut album Periphery was nominated in the Best New Age Album category, a bit of news that hit her even before she’d had her morning coffee. Yet, Priya Darshini continues to approach music with the same grace that illuminates every song in Periphery, caressed by majestic strings, wistful dulcimer and effervescent vocals that shimmer between Indian classical with western influences.

Post the Grammys, she catches up with The Score Magazine to offer her impressions of a massive accomplishment, her artistic path and what inspires, motivates and enlightens her.

38

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

PHOTO CREDIT- VISHESH SHARMA

SHREYA BOSE How has life changed (both artistic and otherwise) after your Grammy nomination?

What, in your opinion, is your greatest artistic insecurity? How do you deal with it?

While I remain deeply grateful for this immense recognition, I’m still on the same artistic journey.

I continue to explore, and learn. If anything, this was an affirmation to trust my process. Professionally, many new doors and pathways have opened up, though things are still tentative and constantly changing as we navigate a tenuous time. This past year has had me reassessing my priorities, the intention behind my art, and how I define success.

Never being good enough. I feel that dealing with it is a work of understanding ego and my relationship with it. It’s fascinating, and maybe a necessary part of the process.

Have you started thinking of yourself and your music differently after the nomination?

Why would that be the case? I continue to navigate this path as a student. A nomination shines light in that moment. Something I’m deeply grateful for. But then, onward. Much beautiful music is yet to be made, and to be discovered. Much growth is yet to happen.

Your debut album grabbed a Grammy nomination. What, in your music, do you think resonates so deeply?

The album was recorded live, on one microphone in an abandoned /vacant church in Brooklyn. No EQ or compression was added.

The intention was to bring in the embodied space and document a specific moment in time, a musical emergence bursting with energy and vulnerability.

We played around in real time, with how the architecture of the place responded to each of our instruments. We had twelve days to write all the music. A writing and recording process like this one can break you and make you whole, all at once. We had to stay true and authentic to ourselves, be fearless, drop egos and function from a place of complete vulnerability and trust.

Maybe that’s what people resonated with.

What have been your most painful struggles till date? What has made it hardest to get where you are?

I’d rather leave out the personal struggles for now, but professionally - losing my voice and having vocal cord surgeries, restarting my career and building my life up again from scratch in a new country, navigating a world that is systemically rooted in toxic patriarchy. This has been an isolating path.

That said, this past year makes me shift focus away from all of it, and towards the feeling of gratitude for this life, and the privileges I have been afforded.

What was the hardest part of making Periphery?

Writing and recording it. We had a limited time to write (about twelve days) and we did most of it virtually. The recording process was very challenging, yet fascinating.

Periphery was recorded using advanced HD recording technology

by Chesky Records - where we recorded Live, on one mic, with no headphones, spread out far away from each other in a large space. But perhaps the internal work to bring all of myself fully in those moments was the most challenging part.

Who are your greatest teachers?

Nature, life’s experiences, people, my mentors, my teachers.

You've travelled from Hindustani classical training to jazz. Was this natural? Did you find any similarities that helped you make the transition?

When I first started singing or

listening to jazz in India, I was just listening to it, but not experiencing it culturally, which is an integral part of the music.

Now living here has helped me immerse myself a little more in this music, and helps me have a deeper understanding of it. There are so many similarities, one of them being they both require improvisation within structures.

Tell us a bit about making Periphery - from concept to release. Where did you begin?

David Chesky (Founder of Chesky Records) saw me, Dave and Max perform at a fundraising event and reached out saying he would like to record with us in this iteration, adding a percussionist.

Due to the nature of this crazy recording setup, the recording date was already set, and it was to happen in two weeks. By the time we got to writing, we had twelve days left. I was in a challenging place at the time - trying to navigate my existence in two different worlds that I called home. Given that the antiimmigrant rhetoric had been given new wings, the rising fear and hatred for anything that was different from us, compounded with the disconnect I was feeling from my friends and life back home in India - I felt on the periphery, and that’s where so much of this album comes from.

That feeling of isolation and the need to connect with people who were feeling like me.

The recording took a whole day and we recorded in this gorgeous church in Brooklyn. We played two or three takes of each song and moved on to the next. Towards the end of the session, David Chesky requested we play Savare - Ravi Shankarji’s composition which most of the band was playing for the first time. The recording itself was a full twelve hour recording session.

For the rollout of the album, I worked with dear friends and people who I admire deeply. Lauren

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

39

Delaquilla worked with me on designing the cover. And in India, I produced a music video for the single Home that was shot at Borivali National Park in Mumbai - directed by the awesome Megha Ramaswamy.

By the time I returned from India, the pandemic had hit the roof here in NYC. Everything went quiet.

My album roll out plans had to be put aside. The album was released during the lockdown in NYC. It was quite an unusual and surreal experience to be putting it out at a time like that and not being able to tour with the music.

You are involved in myriad conservation efforts. Give us a little insight into that.

Currently, I’m on the board of International Wildlife Conservation Network (IWCN), and educating myself in sustainability, and circularity for an upcoming project related to conservation.

IWCN provides expert interdisciplinary assistance, training, collaboration, and shared research to enable communities around the globe to coexist with wildlife. We work with our partners on the ground from around the world, to provide co-existence solutions to peacefully resolve conflicts with wildlife.

Our interdisciplinary teams include scientists, agricultural managers, researchers, ethicists, economists, government specialists, educators, indigenous leaders, technical engineers and more who are helping to pioneer new ways to live peacefully in coexistence with our beautiful wildlife. You can find out more on wildlifecoexistence.org in the What’s new section.

Outside of music, what are your other creative pursuits?

I like to read, cook, learn and teach about the physiology of the voice.

I like studying about biomimicry, sustainability, and circularity and finding ways to incorporate that in what I do.

40

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ - WEARING GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

Where do you get your ideas from?

My experiences, the arts, nature and silence.

If you had to recommend three albums to a completely alien civilization, what would they be?

Ahh tough one.

Toumani Diabaté and Ballaké Sissoko’s New Ancient Strings Miles Davis' Kind of Blue any live performances by MS Subbalakshmi, and Ustad Bade Ali Khan Sahab.

How have you been enduring the pandemic and everything it has inflicted?

I’m just trying to keep my head above the ground , and adapt to the changes, just like everyone else.

I’ve been trying to keep gratitude, and love at the center of it all. I’m focussing on mental health, offering healing in whatever way I can, and trying to find peace in music and the work I do.

While I’ve kept myself available to whoever needs me, I’ve been selective of the people I reach out

to when I’m in a rough place. I’ve learned that it’s important to curate the kind of energy you surround yourself with.

What have you been up to since the nomination?

I’ve started working on my next album - my first studio album! I’ve been working on Covid relief work with my non profit in India - Jana Rakshita, and with IWCN. I’ve got some cool new toys I’m working with - pedals and such. I continue to study with my teacher in India, and work on expanding my craft.

Where are you most comfortable?

In the studio? In your home with family? On a hike?

- In nature.

What's keeping you going right now?

Possibility. This incredible gift of life, and the people who are inspiring me to be better.

ARCHANA LAKRA

Even of Day

~ a band to get you through your darkest nights.

Generally, when someone says “Korean band”, you tend to think of K-pop groups - rap and vocals melded with flawlessly sharp choreography.

But there are a few bands still following the traditional setup. One of the most popular among them is Day6. Since their debut, the band has gained a significant following with successful albums and tours in both their home country and abroad.

Last year in August, Day6 announced their first sub-unit, Even of Day" , composed of 3 members, Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon. The name “Even of Day” was coined by Park Jin-Young, founder of JYP, meant to convey "a bright day comes out after the darkest of nights".

remedy and reassurance that we will meet again. All we have to do is hold on till that day.

LANDED This song from the same album The Book Of Us: Gluon is about finding a place for your wandering soul to land.

It takes us from facing our fear of losing someone to accepting that we found the place we searched for over a long time and it's 'them'.

Here is an extract from their piece: " Is it really okay?

Everything’s fine But why won’t my fears stop?

A place I don’t want to give up A place I never want to lose I want to start here (Yeah you)... "

Last month they released their second For a wandering soul, few things EP "Right Through Me", with a lead mean as much as a place to call home. single of the same name.

And this song is all about starting to embrace that very home.

For anyone looking to explore their rather unique sound, here are a few RIGHT THROUGH ME good songs to start with: The title track of the band’s second EP takes on the idea of loss. Every one WHERE THE SEA SLEEPS deals with loss differently and that's The title track of their debut EP, what this song portrays with poetic this song is all about holding on sensitivity. to someone. Released during the pandemic, this song can also be taken "Slowly beginning to crack as a message to loved ones far away: Knowing I will break But I was still holding on "May the day be calm So desperately hoping Or sometimes rocky I was wrong this time, but why " If only you’re here with me Whatever day we meet This song speaks of the pain of trying However the waves, I’ll hold on" to hold on when u know u must let go of something. This doesn’t just The song provides aurtal balm, a apply to romantic entanglements, but

rather all the relationships we tend to forge while floating through life. .

WE This July 2021 release urges listeners to not lose hope even in the darkest of metaphoric nights. It works as a healer for those stuck in anxiety and despair, and gives them something to cling to while the storm passes. "(No) When the dark wave (Never) finally hits us (No) We will be standing still and hold onto our hands, but (Remember) Don’t ever forget Even if the night tries to swallow us (Remember) The dawn will always come (Always)..."

It says we must not give in to the darkness and always look up because even after the darkest of nights, a morning always comes. As long as we endure, we’ll get to see the light and rise, scarred but strengthened.

In an interview with Daebak Weekly, Dowoon mentioned that “Looking back, I think the expression of our song lyrics and melodies have become not only more free, but enriched as well." when describing how their music has changed from the earlier days to the present.This is more than evident in their artistic explorations as Even of Day. For someone who wants to follow a musical journey which is not only for aural pleasure but leaves you with a bit to ponder upon, this Band is a perfect fit. Start listening.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

41

RAGHAV MEATTLE- LEAD- BIG INDIE BANG

HOW THE RAGHAV MEATTLE-LED BIG INDIE

BANG IS RETHINKING INDIAN INDIE Having emerged as one of the most recognisable and adored names in indie, Raghav Meattle is now setting his sights on giving back to the scene. At the helm of Big Indie Bang, a platform built to cater to the country’s unique indie landscape, he hopes to draw upon the endless streams of untapped talent bristling right under our noses, and set it free to do it's thing.

In tandem with Gaurav Wadhwa, CEO & Founder of BGBNG Music (the driving force behind Big Indie Bang), Meattle operates from the belief that indie music is the future.

During the lockdown, he interacted with over 600 artists during the lockdown via Instagram live, Raghav was able to zero in on their most emphatic obstacles.

42

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Held back by insufficient funding and resources, independent artists are left to home-produce music and leverage private social media which doesn’t do in terms of reach, popularity or revenue. Exceptionally good music is left unnoticed due to insufficient recording experience and marketing support, leaving talent to languish in obscurity.

Big Indie Bang seeks to correct the imbalance by giving artists the right mentorship, tools and marketing support to take them beyond their core fans and niches. To quote Raghav, “We want to get behind young artists creating fresh sounds.”

The eventual aim is to brand, produce and present indie music as a legitimate alternative to Bollywood

music, as mainstream but with a different intentions and aesthetics.

The label’s (and Raghav’s) dedication to uniqueness is steadfast: “Right from making collaborations happen, video narratives, sounds etc - I've been doing this for very long and have a deep understanding of what's truly Indie. We'd like to stay away from manufactured music, formulaic stuff!”

This is largely a function of their highly specific approaches to each artist on their roster. For example, their first release Khoye Se by SHOR did come with an expertly produced music video. But Raghav believes there’s more to it than traditional accompaniments. Youtube ads don’t do much in a landscape already dominated by star-spangled names,

SHREYA BOSE

so Raghav and his cohorts took to other avenues.

By pairing up with an Instagram travel blogger on a giveaway to anyone creating a reel using Khoya Se, the track gained considerable traction. Over 350 reels popped up, and the song gained more eyeballs and ears than it would have on more saturated platforms. Additionally, it let people write their own stories around the song.

Sounds ambitious? Well, Wadhwa is certainly painting a grand picture, “with a 360 push any artist can become mainstream. It’s all about sampling to the right set of consumers. There’s untapped potential for what we call niche artists. There should be no small, large, niche , commercial in art.” However, with Meattle’s on-ground experience and Gaurav Wadhwa’s industry smarts, it’s safe to assume that the pair know what they are doing.

Gaurav Wadhwa- CEO & Founder- BGBNG Music

If the numbers are anything to go by, Big Indie Bang is off to a promising start. Only 5 releases old, the platform has generated over 2.5 million streams on streaming services, and over 3 Million views on Youtube through diverse marketing activities. Apart from the success of Khoya Se, Ramayana by Akshay The One trended at #34 on YouTube with over 120,000 organic views on Day 1.

However, Raghav and Gaurav (CEO of Big Bang Music) are looking beyond stats to focus on community. “The dream is to create a community/family of artists who are self-sustained and constantly collaborating with each other. We want to build an ecosystem that builds on each other's strengths.

It can be really lonely being an independent artist, and we want to give them the right tools to be able to scale.”, says Raghav.

Raring to go, the label puts her back into “talented artists who have the ability to blow up and make them reach audiences beyond their core fans. The idea is to sample the music to as many people and hopefully, change the definition of what's considered commercial in our country.” And there’s plenty to look forward to. Big Indie Bang is en route to at least 6 or 7 more releases this year, with ongoing projects involving Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Hanita Bhambri and a slew of hiphop artists.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

43

STUDIO TOUR AUDIOKRAFT, BANGALORE Tell us about space Audiokraft is a premier audio recording and music production studio based in Bangalore. Our sole purpose is to meet every audio recording and music production service needs that you might bring to us. We are eminently poised to handle all your music production and creative audio needs starting from composing, to recording, to mixing and mastering. To this end, we’ve gathered together an unbeatable combination of stateof-the-art technology, production facilities, engineers and artist’s/ talent collaborators and client comfort in one sweet space.Our facilities comprise the perfect mix of unrivalled technology and absolutely perfect acoustics. We use only the best, top-of-the-line audio recording equipments.We started the studio back in 2012. We have been going strong for 10 years now.

Take us through the process of setting it up The acoustics of the studio are very well done & rooms are properly tuned. We have around 1700 sqft of space with a Lavishing control & live room, making us one of the biggest studio spaces in the city. Our wall mount consists of Neutrik patch bay.

Our XLR,TS & TRS cables are from Proel. Our live room is equipped with amazing microphones from Telefunken, Sontronics, Lewitt, AKG, Shure & a lot more. We have AT M20x headphones with a Behringer distribution headphone unit, for the artists to be able to

44

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

create themselves a great headphone mix. We have Pop filters from SE electronics & mic stands from Samson. In the control room, we have a powerful CPU that manages heavy sessions. Also equipped with Prism Audio's Atlas as our main interface, UAD octacore satellite as DSP, Various 3rd party plugins ranging from Fabfilter, Waves, Izotope, Slate digital, IK multimedia, UAD to VSTs such as Kontakt & a lot more. We have monitors From Focals & Quested. Preamps from Neve & warm audio. We have Logic x pro & Ableton Live as our main DAWs.

What are some of the studio essentials you would recommend?

First things first, a well acoustically treated room. Although in this modern age, with plugins & companies introducing room response corrections , it has been really handy for people to mix or produce on headphones with proper

Calibrations. But, if you wish to record or even want to have good speakers too, a basic or decent room treatment is very essential.

Secondly, we would recommend learning your existing gears first, before going for new ones.

After all, it's not that you need to own fancy analogue hardwares to achieve a great mix! What really matters is the room, and how much you have spent time & tuned yourself over there.

Lastly, we would also like to say that good aura & positive vibes in the workspace is a must. It's a creative space, at the end of the day.

What equipment do you use?

We have an audio interface from Prism Sound. It's called Atlas. An UAD octacore satellite DSP for the UAD plugins. Various 3rd party plugins such as slate digital, waves, izotope, fab filter, ik multimedia, soundtoys, valhalla, rob papen and a lot more. We have Focals Twin6 be & Quested S8R as our monitors. We use logic x pro & abelton live as our primary DAWs. We have vintage mic such as Sontronics Orpheus & modern tube mic such as Telefunken TF 47. We also have dynamic mics from AKG, shure & condenser mics from Lewitt. Headphones such as AT M 20 & M 30. We have Warm Audio's Tone beast & Neve's 511 as preamps.

Power supply from Furman. And, MIDI keyboard from Novation.

Pieces of gear you cannot live without We really love our Sontronics Orpheus vintage microphone. And definitely, our AD/DA converter, Atlas. However, we do love our monitors equally.

Describe your typical work day in the studio.

We wouldn't term it as a 'Work Day' kind of stuff. For us, everyday is pretty fun & we really love our work. Somedays, we might spend hours on mixing background scores for films & there are days where

we take a break & chill. However a normal day starts with a good music listening session first. Then, we head on to complete our work deliveries, depending on deadlines. So, there's no such specific schedule for us.

Take us through some of your most significant releases from your studio and why it is special.

Working with artists such as Prasant Pillai, Raghu Dixit, Vasuki Vaibhav, Sanjith Hegde, Charan Raj, All Ok, Ricky Kej & AD agencies such as Webchutney, Veeville, Nirvana, Cinimage, Vivi 5,Fat free & a lot more, has been an amazing experience for us. There are a lot of releases & work we cherish till date.

However, the recent one's to name would be Malgudi Days (kannada film). The whole journey was surreal for us. From travelling places to record strings, guitars, orchestral parts to having amazing people to work with, is something we still feel special about.Also, the recent film we worked on called Neeli Hakki have been nominated for quite a few international Film festivals. It was a very fun & amazing experience working on the movie. We have

some amazing indies & commercial releases lined up too. The recent ADs we loved working on were TVCs for Himalaya, Digital ADs & Jingles for Furlenco, Homelane, OLA cabs,Swiggy, Canara bank and a lot more.

What’s your next buy for the studio?

This is a tough question. We have so many things in mind to get next.

However to name a few would be microphones from Eartrumpet Labs, AEA & JZ. And, we are also looking forward to upgrading & getting more 500 series strips for our recording chain.

Tips to aspiring owners of studios Do not fall for fancy stuff. Get what is actually needed for the studio.

Maintain positive vibes & treat your clients well. We are here to cater the artist's needs.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

45

AKARSH SHEKHAR

What Makes the Fender Stratocaster so Magical?

The Fender Stratocaster guitar has marked a milestone in music history and is one of the most popular and most imitated electric guitars in history. This is due to the many elements that its manufacturer initially incorporated into it and also to the acceptance it has had among the best guitarists in the world. The words to define it are excellence, evolution, innovation, tradition and versatility.

Origin of the Fender Stratocaster

This was the first solid body electric guitar to hit the market in 1954, thanks to the ingenuity of Leo Fender, B. Carson, G Fullerton, and F. Tavares. Its importance is such that it is the most imitated model of electric guitar in the world and has become a standard among solid body guitars.

The most iconic Fender Stratocaster guitars

The four most iconic Stratocasters of all time are: • Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster: It is one of the bestselling guitars in the series and also one of the most expensive in the world.

• Fender Stratocaster Eric Clapton: It is the second bestselling guitar among the Signature and the one used by this legendary guitarist.

• Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster: Fender created this model as a tribute to one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time.

• Fender Stratocaster David

46

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

Gilmour: It's the company's most expensive guitar and it's the one played by the Pink Floyd guitarist personally.

Fender Stratocaster Features Being a standard among electric guitars, the Stratocaster has elements that have not changed over time:

Body shape The Strat shape was created as the Type Strat and remains so to this day. The characteristics of this body are: • It has a double-cutaway or two "horns" where one is longer than the other.

• The bottom is completely straight, while the top has a slight inclination.

• The body measurements for a Stratocaster are 345.54mm at the widest, 446.25mm from the base to the top horn, 441.25mm at the base to the bottom horn, and 45mm thick. From the 22nd fret to the tip of the headstock it is 675.76mm, with 20mm thick at the 22nd fret and 15mm thick at the headstock.

These measurements are approximate for a Standard Stratocaster, but there may be minor variations depending on the specific model.

Body type Its body is not hollow and is made up of a single piece of solid wood.

Although today it is possible to find Stratocaster guitars composed of a solid body with several layers of

different woods.

Scale In general, the scale of a Fender Stratocaster guitar is 648mm from the neck nut to the bridge. It is one of the most accurate and versatile scales out there (especially in the 22 fret range). To get more accurate scales, you will probably need to upgrade to 24 fret scales.

Pickup configuration In terms of electronics, the first series of the Stratocaster featured an SSS microphone setup. Later, by the 1980s, this configuration changed to HSS. Recently, the company has used the HH configuration to compete with Gibson electric guitars and others like it.

Another aspect that was a part of first Strat was the passive system that later evolved. This change was achieved thanks to the incorporation of an active preamplifier powered by a 9V battery. Now you can find up to two 9V batteries.

Types of woods At first, the woods used for the American Standard Fender Stratocaster were maple for the body, mahogany for the neck, and rosewood for the fingerboard.

Currently, the woods used for the body can be Ash, Maple, Mahogany, Alder, Agathis and Koa. Colours Initially, the Strat had only two colours, but today they come in a wide variety of shades.

Crystal clarity and gutsy lows characterise ADAM Audio’s new addition to its budget-friendly T Series

Meet The T8V - The new big brother In ADAM Audio’s budget friendly T-Series monitor lineup featuring an 8" woofer and same U-ART tweeter and HPS waveguide design as seen previously in its smaller T5V and T7V siblings. ADAM Audio's T series of affordable powered monitors are designed in Germany, but built in China to keep the costs down. Despite their affordability, however, they are still based around ADAM's highly regarded Accelerated Ribbon Tweeter. T-Series has a range of three monitors in 5, 7 and 8 inch.

These monitors use 1.9–inch U-ART high-frequency driver and smooth polypropylene–woofer cone construction, with both drivers mounted into a distinctive bevelled baffle. ADAM Audio describe the T8V as a nearfield monitor and the low self-noise makes it perfect in this role As with many modern active monitors, the control circuitry is digital and in this instance includes DSP-based active 2.6kHz crossovers, response equalisation and driver/ amplifier protection. The 8-inch woofer provides bass extension

right down to 33Hz, while the U-ART tweeter's folded diaphragm reaches up to an impressive 25kHz. The HPS Waveguide - the same design as the more expensive S-Series - directs and shapes the tweeters output into a signal that is more intelligible to the ear and avoids primary room reflections whilst offering a wide listening field for the high frequencies.

A pleasure to listen to .

A Class–D bi-amp pack provides 20W (RMS) to the tweeter and 70W (RMS) to the woofer. A pair of T8Vs can produce peak SPLs of 118dB at 1m.

Both balanced XLR and unbalanced phono inputs are provided, with a slide switch to select between them, but there's no jack input option.

Power is via the usual IEC connector and there are a couple of three-way slide switches offering -2dB, 0dB and +2dB adjustment for both the LF and HF. The green power LED is on the rear panel, which is a little impractical given that the rear panel is usually out of sight during operation.

Sonically these speakers give a very good account of themselves,

especially given their position in the market, coming over as punchy, detailed and revealing, with no unforgivable vices. They also present a credible stereo image with a usefully wide sweet spot.

In context then, these are impressive little monitors that sit comfortably within ADAM's sonic orbit, and given their low price, they don't sacrifice nearly as much as you might imagine. There's also a two year warranty that extends to five years when you register your speakers with ADAM Audio.

Summary

The power and clarity of the ADAM Audio T8V is undeniable. Regardless of size, some monitors feel like they’re breaking a sweat when playing back bass-heavy or dense material. With the T8V there is no sense of the monitors ‘trying’ — there’s an oomph in the way these loudspeakers present sound that just feels so easy and effortless. T8V is the perfect choice for those who can put the pair in a large treated room and who regularly mix busy or bassy material — be it EDM or post production.

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

47

AKARSH SHEKHAR

HOW TO ARRANGE Songs in the Studio?

A good rule of thumb is that when preparing for a recording session, the more time you spend on preproduction, the better your output will be. This is very critical as far as song arrangements are concerned.

The following tips are not an exhaustive list of organizing ideas, nor should you expect all the information to be new to you.

Arrangement ideas are specific to each song - what can elevate one tune from mundane to unforgettable may not work at all on another. So even if a particular idea doesn’t work for a given song, remember it for later and it might just help you out with your next song.

1. Dynamics

One of the best ways to create natural movement in your songs is to utilize dynamic changes for separating verses and choruses.

For example, choruses are often louder than verses. Drummers can play with a side stick on verses and a full snare on backing vocals, guitarists can hum backing vocals while arpeggiating verses, and keyboardists can clarify verses.

There are all kinds of ways to make dynamic changes, including adding or changing instrumentation when you want a section to get bigger.

2. Instruments

If the choruses are going to be larger than the verses, adding additional instruments to the choruses is a great way to achieve this. For example, if a verse has an electric guitar part, adding a more distorted second guitar in the backing vocals

48

The

Score Magazine

highonscore.com

will definitely help the backing vocals be bigger. A piano in verse can be paired with an organ in a choir, or a tambourine (or other percussion instruments) can be used for the same effect. Any instrument that is added to a given section can be used: a sax, a mandolin, or an accordion.

3. Instrumental parts

The importance of the rhythm section can not be overstated, with the musicians creating and then playing parts. If you can create consistent parts for verses, choruses, and any other section within the song, not only will the arrangement make more sense, but it will likely become more musical.

4. Key Change

While it has been used, and possibly overused, for years when you need to pick up a song, a key change can work wonders. A half-step or fullstep modulation after a solo, after a bridge, or in a repeating chorus can do wonders for the emotion of a song. However, you should use it in moderation and not overuse it.

Otherwise, your song might start sounding a little weird and perhaps even amusical.

5. Arrangements

Background vocals are a great tool for creating song arrangements.

As a song progresses, start with a harmony voice, add another later in the song, and work your way up to a full chorus (if the song supports that sort of thing). It is more common to have one or two singers harmonizing some sections of the song along with

the lead vocalist, while other parts of the song will have a small group of singers doing oohs and ahhs. This type of vocal pad can add richness and depth to even the quietest parts of the song. From a lead vocalist's perspective, changing the timbre of your voice from light and airy to a full-throated scream (or something in between) can define the parts of a song and make an arrangement more memorable.

These are just a few of the many things to think about when creating arrangements for studio recordings; there are hundreds more. While great songs and great performances are more important than any arrangement idea, great arrangements will help songs reach their full potential, so don’t sleep on it when you record a song.

Unleash your creativity Introducing GLM 4.1 loudspeaker manager software For 15 years, GLM software has worked with our Smart Active Monitors to minimise the unwanted acoustic influences of your room and help your mixes sound great, everywhere. Now, GLM 4.1 includes the next generation AutoCal 2 calibration algorithm and a host of new features – delivering a much faster calibration time and an even more precise frequency response.

So, wherever you choose to work, GLM 4.1 will unleash your creativity, and help you produce mixes that translate consistently to other rooms and playback systems. And with GLM 4.1, both your monitoring system and your listening skills have room to develop and grow naturally too.

Find out more at www.genelec.com/glm