Something I composed last Sunday. Done entirely on FL Studio on my comp, and damn I need to buy a keyboard soon! It is really tough to put together such music note-by-note, layer by layer…
Tranquility
Made with a piano base and a flute overlay, this song plays on the soft moods of a tranquil seashore and more piano layers before moving into a bit of classical flute towards the end.
Something I recorded a long time ago, when I was at L. Tanpura and Pad recorded on FL, voice arranged and noise-filtered on Adobe Audition. A simple rendition (not a great one, I admit) of the lovely Vaishnava Janato.
First it was the synthesizer that changed the rules of the game. It made possible sampling and converting any sound and any instrument, thus enabling the sound of any instrument, even human voice to be played on a keyboard type interface.
Then we moved on to turn-tables, virtual mp3 turntables, loop machines, Studio emulators and personal sound factories. All this was a gradual progression, organic steps in music composition technology.
Until now.
The interface of generating music is moving from notes, layers, loops, samples and channels to something much more complex, intuitive and interactive. What if music was made visual, and the pattern of composition, itself as beautiful visually as aurally?
Here I present two of such next-gen devices that I have come across. Watch and be amazed. The first, and the more recent one, is called Tenori-on. This is, according to the makers Yamaha Inc,
“a unique 16 x 16 LED button matrix performance instrument with a stunning visual display. The TENORI-ON 16 x 16 LED button matrix is simultaneously a performance input controller and display. By operating and interacting with the LED buttons and the light they produce you gain access to the TENORI-ON’s numerous performance capabilities.”
The next one is a more colorful, more glamorous, and more rich sounding contraption called the Reactable.
Positioned as the “Musical Instrument with a tangible musical interface”, it provides a musical universe that is limited only by one’s creativity.
The Tenori-on, to make a simple observation, is much more user friendly, compact and musically inclined. What I mean by that is, since it is based on patterns and set to a 16 beat grid, it naturally aligns to a 4-beat rhythm and hence, sounds musical more easily. My money is on Yamaha making a lot more dough than the geek-dudes playing with the Reactable. Time will tell.
First day of work (of the first job ever!) I land in the new office, clothes crisply ironed, nails clipped, shoes polished to a shine. Smartly dressed (albeit my light paunch spoiling the picture, but anyways) and attired with an attitude. I get introduced to my boss (Asian-American, Brand Manager), my superboss (Kiwi, Associate Marketing Director) and am already pretty impressed with the smart people around. Then I go on to meet the uber-efficient admin in-charge of the office, the ever-helpful JiaJia (Singaporean).
And this is when all the fun begins.
Me: Hello JiaJia. Nice to meet you. Please show me around the office, and help me set up my desk.
JJ: Hello Harrissh. Let me get your name right, I have to mail back India about your arrival. So you are Harrissh Nawa.. Nawana.. Nawaya… Nawayaa..Nawayananana…Norain…
Me: (Panicking) Just call me Harish, JiaJia. That’s like Harry, you know, with a ’sh’ at the end.
JJ: Aah. Ok OK.
One should hear the Chinese speak in Singapore. This variant of English is called ‘Singlish’ (just the way we have a Bambaiya English). JJ is one of the well-spoken Singaporeans I have met. But usually what gives it away is ‘Yaaeeesss la! caaan’. Anything remotely related to yes is ‘can’ and anything else is ‘cannot’. Pretty logical, and pretty binary, I must say. Also representative of the simple minded straight-forwardness of most people.
The ‘caaaan’ beats most hindustani classical singers in raag and tal. I am reminded of Russel Peters and ‘Theitee four feeftee’ when i went to Chinatown. This is a fun place, I have to give it that. Small but fun. Just like the people :)
Will write about the coolest Singaporean I met, later.
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