This journey from 100 to 200 took 3 years. But it was a lot of learning and enjoyment. Classical training improved my voice quality continuously. Songs were becoming more palatable. My pronunciation of Hindi and Punjabi which an issue earlier started improving considerably. I started understanding and giving attention to each bit of the song and practicing each bit and its variations before I presented it. This was not the case earlier. But there was still a problem.
I didn't have good quality recording equipment. I googled a lot and contacted music recording studios. None of them were willing to help either because they were busy or since it was their business secret. I had to travel from Chinchwad to Old Pune regularly in search of recording studios. One studio guy then sold a pre-amplifier to me for 60K. It was something that he didnt perhaps want. I started using it with a dynamic microphone at home. It was giving a little better quality then the cheap headsets that I used to sing with. But not a quality close to professional recording quality. So though I did good in my practice of the 100 to 150 songs, many of them didn't come out as great recordings. My Live singing quality was far better than what was getting recorded. I started researching more and more. Then in 2016 November I attended a musical workshop where I met Mr. Suresh Kalkundrikar Ji of Belgaum, Karnataka. He had a recording studio in Belgaum and his family was in Pune. He used to travel up and down regularly. I asked him if he could help. He helped me buy good recording equipment and helped me setup them. Now I had a mini recording studio at home. The first song that I sang with that equipment was from the film "Raees". It came out to a great quality, close to professional. And I was myself impressed that now there is some justice to what I am singing.
Classical music was advancing and now I had to give focus on classical training too. This meant that the hobby of film songs had to take a little back seat. Then I tried some tough classical/semi-classical songs from Hindi, Telugu and Marathi films some of which came out good and some told me that there are challenges further ahead. But I was ready for each challenge.
I continued with Music when I was happy, sad. Some songs that I planned to sing, I could not due to the influences of life on certain occasions. But I didn't forget those songs and did sing them later. Some songs that I wanted to do justice to, I sang them again with my new recording equipment. In these 4 years I added Yoga to my exercise. Yoga started helping me immensely in my breath control and stamina. In these 4 years I was blessed to progress on Music, Yoga in parallel, relish and cherish in their company. These two friends will stay with me for this life, thanks to the Almighty.
I didn't feel like participating in competitions. But a whats app message from my music school prompted me to participate in the Voice Of Pune competition. I won the 2nd Runner up in my first competition in August 2018 and that was a big confidence booster. I was going through a lean time and was not feeling good that time. But this win came as a blessing. Many competitions have age limit till 35 years. So being a 42 years guy, I cannot participate in all. But there are still good competitions that I can look forward to. And my aim was not to compete. It was to learn and enjoy music anyways. Any by product of this is purely a blessing from my God. On festive occasions, He did bless me to sing nice songs dedicated to Him.
From 150 to 200 songs it was a satisfying journey with my new recording equipment. From Melodies to classical renderings to tough contemporary songs, I could try all and I got good appreciation. But real classical singing and gaining expertise in it is a life long penance is what I realized in this process. There are many further goals that I need to reach. Thanks to my Guru Ji's guidance I am enjoying this journey and that is what is important. And so my 200th was "Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi" From Swades. Numbers are just numbers. But they give us a count and a confidence associated with that, a satisfaction and a path to look forward to. The path further is a blessing by God. I pray to Him to keep me engaged with these Friends - Music and Yoga. And help me enjoy this journey and make this a memorable one.
Jai Sriman Narayana
Asmad Gurubhyo Namaha
Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha
I didn't have good quality recording equipment. I googled a lot and contacted music recording studios. None of them were willing to help either because they were busy or since it was their business secret. I had to travel from Chinchwad to Old Pune regularly in search of recording studios. One studio guy then sold a pre-amplifier to me for 60K. It was something that he didnt perhaps want. I started using it with a dynamic microphone at home. It was giving a little better quality then the cheap headsets that I used to sing with. But not a quality close to professional recording quality. So though I did good in my practice of the 100 to 150 songs, many of them didn't come out as great recordings. My Live singing quality was far better than what was getting recorded. I started researching more and more. Then in 2016 November I attended a musical workshop where I met Mr. Suresh Kalkundrikar Ji of Belgaum, Karnataka. He had a recording studio in Belgaum and his family was in Pune. He used to travel up and down regularly. I asked him if he could help. He helped me buy good recording equipment and helped me setup them. Now I had a mini recording studio at home. The first song that I sang with that equipment was from the film "Raees". It came out to a great quality, close to professional. And I was myself impressed that now there is some justice to what I am singing.
Classical music was advancing and now I had to give focus on classical training too. This meant that the hobby of film songs had to take a little back seat. Then I tried some tough classical/semi-classical songs from Hindi, Telugu and Marathi films some of which came out good and some told me that there are challenges further ahead. But I was ready for each challenge.
I continued with Music when I was happy, sad. Some songs that I planned to sing, I could not due to the influences of life on certain occasions. But I didn't forget those songs and did sing them later. Some songs that I wanted to do justice to, I sang them again with my new recording equipment. In these 4 years I added Yoga to my exercise. Yoga started helping me immensely in my breath control and stamina. In these 4 years I was blessed to progress on Music, Yoga in parallel, relish and cherish in their company. These two friends will stay with me for this life, thanks to the Almighty.
I didn't feel like participating in competitions. But a whats app message from my music school prompted me to participate in the Voice Of Pune competition. I won the 2nd Runner up in my first competition in August 2018 and that was a big confidence booster. I was going through a lean time and was not feeling good that time. But this win came as a blessing. Many competitions have age limit till 35 years. So being a 42 years guy, I cannot participate in all. But there are still good competitions that I can look forward to. And my aim was not to compete. It was to learn and enjoy music anyways. Any by product of this is purely a blessing from my God. On festive occasions, He did bless me to sing nice songs dedicated to Him.
From 150 to 200 songs it was a satisfying journey with my new recording equipment. From Melodies to classical renderings to tough contemporary songs, I could try all and I got good appreciation. But real classical singing and gaining expertise in it is a life long penance is what I realized in this process. There are many further goals that I need to reach. Thanks to my Guru Ji's guidance I am enjoying this journey and that is what is important. And so my 200th was "Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi" From Swades. Numbers are just numbers. But they give us a count and a confidence associated with that, a satisfaction and a path to look forward to. The path further is a blessing by God. I pray to Him to keep me engaged with these Friends - Music and Yoga. And help me enjoy this journey and make this a memorable one.
Jai Sriman Narayana
Asmad Gurubhyo Namaha
Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha
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