Music and technology have long been happily married to each other . Ever since the time music was performed , even in the royal courts , or in cathedrals , there was science and engineering involved in the acoustic treatment of those spaces so that sound could spread far and wide to the last listener in the audience .
While it is true that many great singers or instrumentalists in the past could manage a stronger projection of their voice or instrument – because they did not have a choice – it is also true that for too many of the listeners , who were probably seated in the back rows , a lot of the finer artistic nuances of the music was lost .
Scientifically , every space has a sweet spot . If you are seated in the sweet spot , you might at best , be able to hear everything clearly . In the case of acoustic instruments , like the sitar or the sarod , also the amount of pressure that can be applied without either breaking the strings or damaging the pitch and timber of the sound is very limited . In my opinion , the clearer the capture of the sound by a microphone , the better the ability of the amplification system to faithfully bring the finest nuances of the music to every listener in the audience .
I have heard a lot of music purists in the West also insist on “ natural sound ” of the instrument . One must bear in mind that while a lot of these instruments are beautifully resonant , and do have a beautiful natural sound , with good audio engineering this very natural sound and texture of the instrument can be brought to the listener in a better way . Of course , I am not advocating over the top , overwhelming levels of volume or processing of sound to distort the natural nature of the instruments , but the role of good audio engineering is to bring the original texture of the voice of the instrument without dropping the natural testable level as it travels from row to row of the audience . It is the job of the musician to educate themselves , somewhat about soundtrack , and also to embrace and cooperate with sound engineers and work with them in their own interest so that their art is showcased and presented better .
Many Indian musicians ridicule the use of the latest technology in sound engineering . I don ’ t think this presents the art form in a good light . Advocating inferior quality microphones or sound equipment can never be seen as a good thing .
On the other side of this , I have also seen engineers who are totally cerebral in their approach . Rather than listen to the sound of the vocals or the instrument , they will approach the engineering by looking at the light metres on the console for the best possible outcome . The artist and the engineer have to work together and trust each other .
I follow a golden rule in my concerts . I put a great deal of emphasis on a good amount of time for a soundcheck . During this time period I try to foster a spirit of cooperation with the engineer . If I sense some degree of resistance coming from the tech crew , I try to have a word with the producer of the event , through my manager , so as to enable the channels of communication to be open between the engineer and myself . Once I begin performing , I try not to bother the sound engineer or even the light engineer for that matter . I do not like the flow of the concert to be interrupted by minor issues that I may encounter . Instead , I try to adapt and tune my own ears so that I can continue the flow of the performance in the best possible manner .
Technology is not only limited to sound engineering in music . If one really wants to keep up with the times , one has to work with one ’ s instrument maker and inject the best possible technology on that forefront . Also , when I started using my electric sitar , the Seetar as it is called , I had to constantly go back-and-forth between the manufacturer of the first electric sitar and guitar makers so as to get the right hum bucker for my first prototype . When my dear friend Klaas in Belgium , agreed to make the first prototype of the seetar , I had to discuss design with him in great detail and try to understand the technology that goes behind an electric instrument . After that I had to understand the best possible effects processor available in the market so as to bring out the best possible processed sound .
In the music industry , as it is today , one has to constantly work with video technicians who will shoot your performance and music in the best possible manner . In the digital world , music is now an audiovisual experience . The musician needs to have holistic knowledge about everything ranging from sound engineering to video editing to be able to give his audience , the best possible listening and viewing experience . To shun technology , while being part of the music industry is to be living in a kind of toxic denial , which is good neither for yourself or for your audience .
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