The interview which appears below, was originally published on Mumbai Mirror in June 2008. ©The rights to this material are reserved to the owner. If you have any concerns or comments, please send an email to info@rahmaniac.com.
“The 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!
