On a song
Shreya Ghoshal gives us a peek into the process of recording a song
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On Sunday, June 22, 2008
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Kunal Guha
Barso re megha meghaThe first stage of recording a song is when I reach
the studio and find out that my music director hasn't come in," says singer
Shreya Ghoshal with a grin. She admits that she loves recording and that
should explain her excitement in taking us through this journey. Her
childhood memories of listening to Ashaji's style of expression, Shreya
says, has been her biggest learning - adding up to more than any theoretical
knowledge she has received through teachers.
The first stage is sometimes over the phone. "If I'm out of town, some
composers call me, and give me the tune and ask me to hum it to them on the
phone, to check whether my voice matches their vision of the song," she
says.
*Get the lyrics, please*
"When I reach the studio, the music director and I catch up on life over
coffee. By now, he has already loaded or is loading the track along with the
instruments. Meanwhile, I jot down the song from whoever has a copy of the
lyrics. Now, sometimes the track is loaded with a cue, which means, with the
music director's voice singing along. This gives me a reference for the tune
and becomes useful for me and for other live instrument players, who need to
come in at certain points in the song."
Another way out is for the music director to sing the song for her a couple
of times. "It takes me 10-15 minutes to get a grasp on a song. Usually, by
the second hearing, I am singing it along with the director or the track,"
she points out.
There are some music directors who actually make singers sit down and
rehearse the song, accompanied by the harmonium, before the recording. This
may take a little more time but it does help the singer understand the song
much better, Shreya feels.
Different composers have different styles. "A R Rahman records two hours at
a stretch, and then picks out bits and strings together one song," says
Shreya. "Other composers record in much shorter stretches."
Ilayaraja, Shreya's favourite composer, has his own quirk. "He doesn't like
singers to try out variations or different expressions for his songs. He
likes us to stick exactly to the tune." Vishal-Shekhar too, don't really
encourage singers to experiment too much.
*Swing into the mood*
A crucial stage in any recording is the briefing. Shreya believes that it
helps her get into the mood needed in the song. She says, "I'm briefed on
the situation of the song, the character in the film, the mood of the
character in that song. Generally, when I hear the tune, I may have an idea
about the feel of the song, but briefing makes it completely clear."
It is argued whether singers should try to get into the shoes of the
character to get the right tone. Shreya doesn't subscribe to this view. She
says, "There are some things you need to keep in mind. For instance, if the
character is a 35-year-old woman in love with a 60-year-old man, she's
practical, yet compulsive and playful. Then obviously, one can't be jumpy or
extremely happy in the song. But I'd probably add a chuckle somewhere to
portray that."
*The sound of music*
Unlike one's imagination, there is no time for a sound check in an actual
recording. You get on the microphone, the music director gets on the console
and you're on your way. Shreya believes that getting the mukhda or the
opening verse right is of utmost importance, the rest flows in with ease.
She gives us a picture of a typical recording, "When I get on the microphone
and start singing, I look forward to guidance from my music director who's
listening carefully at the console along with the director of the film.
During this, I take special effort to adjust my headphones.
At times I don't want a couple of instruments playing in the song as it
distracts me from listening to my own voice. In such cases, I may ask the
recordist to make that instrument a little softer as I need to be able to
hear my voice properly."
And no, every song doesn't touch the heart, of course. "When this happens, I
try to spice it up, much like adding a bit more salt to a bland dish," she
says.
There is a lot of pressure, to get the song right, and quickly. "Initially,
I used to worry about being sacked," Shreya laughs. "Now, I don't. Now,
composers sometimes put off the recording for another day, certain I'll get
it right then."
* Can you sing it like this?
*
The music director is present at the recording as he knows better than
anyone else about it. So generally he suggests corrections that a singer
needs to adopt in the song. Others give suggestions as well. Explains
Shreya, "I'm often told, 'don't go very husky in this' or 'don't open your
voice as much', etc. I get advice on how the tone of the voice should be
from the music director.
But my interactions during the recording would extend with other people as
well, based on the circumstance. In case there is a problem with the
character being portrayed in the song, the director of the film will point
it out. Also, if there is a mistake in pronunciation, the lyricist tells me:
'Beta, lavzon ko theek se gao'."
*'Barso re' in five ways!*
There is no set style that a singer needs to follow. When recording a song,
trying something new is usually welcome. She says, "It's always a two-way
flow of ideas. So, if I think there is a variation I need to add, I would go
right ahead and sing it. If they like it, praises come flowing in from the
console. Otherwise, I am told it's not working out." Shreya makes her point
by singing 'Barso re' in five different styles, expressions and
variations.
*Out of tune*
Even the best singers in the world have gone flat while recording and it's
part of the game. Shreya admits that she's had her share of it too. She
says, "When I sing, the entire sound design is already done in my head. But
there are times while recording when you go off key and may not catch it on
the headphones."
Once the song is recorded and the music director is satisfied, Shreya is
called to the monitor room to listen to the final song. If she thinks there
is a line that she can enhance, she requests the music director for another
shot at it. But if all is great, it's a handshake and off to the next
studio!
*A• R Rahman records two hours at a stretch and then picks out bits and
strings together one song. Other composers record in much shorter stretches*
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--
regards,
Vithur
HELP EVER; HURT NEVER;
LOVE ALL; SERVE ALL
