#10 : My Life & Music

Been long time since I blogged. Thanks to long hours of travelling to work. I seem to have time only to eat,work,listen to music & Sleep. The 'Listening to music' activity is my favorite activity of the day. Honestly its not an " activity " . Music is a part of me, A part of my life. Music is what got me writing this blog post. I watched an video by the great composer A.R.Rahman, called " An Invitation".

Catch the Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v15g6zU-EG4

In that Video Rahman Sir asked what is good music to you ( Not sure of the exact wordings). That got me thinking & Eventually putting down my thoughts to paper (um...Blog!)

Ever since I was born I have been listening ( Technically Hearing would be an apt word) to music. Yes, I know you would ask how the hell do you know that?! Well, my parents have always kept up the " Tradition" (& they still do ) of starting the day with Carnatic music renditions by Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi , Dr.M.L.Vasanthakumari & a long list of other great singers. I never had much of an exposure to Film songs till the age to 14. Then when my circle of friends changed my exposure to music expanded. I started listening to film songs, Instrumentals, Opera Music & what not.

So what's the point?! How would life be without music?!

Well, for a start, I would be a really bored & lost person. Then my temper would be as hot as sun. I just can't imagine life like that.

Then the next question is, why not sing?! The answer is simple enough. Like all parents, my parents also got me a music tutor & I learnt singing at my own pace for a year. Then we shifted to another locality & I joined another tutor who felt I didn't have that right voice to sing. I got discouraged and quit. Well, what more could you expect from a lost 12 yr old ( Must have told that to me now I would proved I can sing too, with a little voice training). So I just stopped singing & my voice degraded & I lost that pitch. But then that's okay. I am happy as long as I am able to listen.

Listening to music. Note : Its music. Well whats the difference. Not much. Song is Music + Lyrics. So when I mean I listen to music ,I listen to that instrumental playing no matter what the lyrics are. Call me strange or queer. Yes, I might not understand what the song is all about but it'll be on the loop if I like the " Music". WHY?! simple. The music affects me in a way. In a good way.

Especially compositions of A.R.Rahman & particularly the ones rendered by Singer Hariharan & Rahman Sir himself. I am simply mad about his compositions. He compositions never cease to amaze me!

Of course I do love songs rendered by Late  M.S.Subbulakshmi & Mr.Unnikrishnan.

But the majority of songs that come out now days are simply unfit to be spent time on. Though there are rare good ones that come out. All I hear these days are " noise".  Its not that I am against fast numbers ( Come on! There was a time I used to listen to Metal music, Stopped it now. It wasn't going well with my ears! ) or the Kuthu songs. But just that it could be better.

Well, Hang on. A.R.Rahman's composition are an exception. Call me Biased. But that's a fact. He is only composer to be doing consistently well. I am not simply saying this just because he has won two Oscars. If you ask him Oscar for Jai Ho?! No Bad choice. There are list of other songs that deserve more than Oscar. My personal favorites being Pachai Niramae ( Alaipayuthay), Pudhu vellai Mazhai (Roja). The list is long.

Now coming to the answer for Rahman sir's question. What is good music?

The human mind & heart are a pair of Monkeys. Our thoughts keep fluctuating from good to bad. Good music is the one which makes this Monkey sit in a place. Calm it down & make it think. The music is working if it brings about a good change in you. And I believe to me A.R.Rahman & few others' composition have done that to me. Made me a better person.

That's my take on music!