Monday 31 January 2011

Random thoughts


Just a few days back, it was the New Year’s day. Didn’t realise its already the 31st! On one hand, had this strong urge to not write a blog, simply because there isn’t anything to write actually. But I realised I could actually choose to do that every time I wanna write. So, I forced myself to write something, just for the record.

Guess its an example straight out of what happens in life. I strongly believe, and I know most of you would also agree that people have tremendous potential and it clearly shows when they are pushed to the maximum.

(Excuse the philosophical rant,
courtesy: Now playing: Dream on - Aerosmith)

In the middle of typical mood swings these days. Today, I feel there is so much to do in life, so much that I’ve rambled on, when alone, that come to think of it, there is actually very less time to do all that. Sometimes, just because of the insecurity that sets in if I would be able to do all of it or not, prompts me to aimlessly drift away from the ‘set’ goal.

Music. Ah. Those 5 magical words. They give joy and another set of 5 letters. Bliss. Earlier,  not much earlier in fact, my rendezvous with music was just going to classes, learning the lessons with utmost dedication, minus any practical application. That changed pretty fast over the years, courtesy, the company I had, the musical repertoire I found myself attracted to. The next phase was spending a lot of time in figuring out how tunes were made, how they applied in other forms of music. How everything is a magical set of just 7 (or 12, erudite musicians) notes. This phase saw no emphasis on lyrics, whatsoever. I guess that is when it all changed.

(Now playing: Aaromale - Alphonse/AR Rahman)

When I learnt what words and expressions in songs meant, I didn’t stop listening to songs that I don’t understand. Music still has taken precedence over lyrics, obviously. Talk about music not being native to any language.

Maybe around 7 years has passed since I started with these phases. Today, I’m a part of a band, and I can say I’m proud to be one of the founding members. What started off as a thought of just creating instrumental pieces changed over time, and proper ‘songs’ were born. Someone recently asked me, ‘It must feel really great no, after composing a song? It’s more like you’ve achieved something.’ No, it honestly doesn’t. When I listen to songs that I’ve already recorded, I think what can be made better in it. More often than not, I get lost when composing a song. I just stop working even if I’m getting ideas and distance myself physically from it. I let it evolve and come to me. This could last from anywhere between few hours, a day or more than a couple of months. Achievement is still something that scares me, especially with something like music, coz what do I do after I achieve?

Today, I’ve a setlist of songs, all waiting to be recorded. Can’t wait to listen them happen.

(Now playing: Feel my love - Vinay Shanthagiri/BlendzZ)

When I listen to a song, a flurry of thoughts get in my head. First the complexity in it, then the expression. When I hear a spectrum of wavelengths of different instruments, the only thing that occurs to me is how much dedication is required and how many hours of practice that artiste would have probably put in to play it to such a degree. At that particular moment, everything, every single thing in life seems bull crap. That is the divinity music has.

Back to some Maiden now, maybe, or, here goes....

(Now playing: Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin)

Ciao!

1 comment:

Karthikeyan Vel said...

Hats off for the command you have on the language.You breath music Vijay.....