Comments on: Who is instrumental? http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/ My personal weblog Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:24:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Aneesh http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/#comment-37 Aneesh Fri, 02 May 2008 14:00:15 +0000 http://aneesh.underscorerecords.info/2006/11/16/who-is-instrumental/#comment-37 Undoubtedly, machine made instruments cannot substitute hand-crafted ones and in that sense do not pose a challenge to the latter. This is so even in India. However, acoustic instruments have faced challenges in the world of film music in India, because most music directors prefer to use sequencing and sampling on synthesizers. Naturally, some of the acoustic instruments, particularly those of Indian origin, have not been sampled as well as many others, but many of those working in studio sessions, take recourse to using samples even when they aren't good enough. According to many musicians from the film world, this state of affairs has arisen primarily because music directors today wish to keep the entire budget to themselves rather than pay other musicians. Often, the kind of music being made for films also doesn't require acoustic instruments. There are of course exceptions to this pattern. Undoubtedly, machine made instruments cannot substitute hand-crafted ones and in that sense do not pose a challenge to the latter. This is so even in India. However, acoustic instruments have faced challenges in the world of film music in India, because most music directors prefer to use sequencing and sampling on synthesizers. Naturally, some of the acoustic instruments, particularly those of Indian origin, have not been sampled as well as many others, but many of those working in studio sessions, take recourse to using samples even when they aren’t good enough. According to many musicians from the film world, this state of affairs has arisen primarily because music directors today wish to keep the entire budget to themselves rather than pay other musicians. Often, the kind of music being made for films also doesn’t require acoustic instruments.

There are of course exceptions to this pattern.

]]> By: veda http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/#comment-36 veda Fri, 02 May 2008 07:36:42 +0000 http://aneesh.underscorerecords.info/2006/11/16/who-is-instrumental/#comment-36 Guitar building schools exist. I know only of guitars, but I assume such schools exist for violins, pianos, etc as well. However, there also are families that keep the tradition of instrument making alive. I don't think that machine made instruments pose a competition to hand crafted ones. In fact, I think it's the opposite. Machine made instruments are much cheaper and easily available. It gives students a place to start on. After a while, the instrument you own limits the nature of your performance. There are colour tones and projection abilities that no machine made instrument can give. So, eventually people switch over to a hand crafted instrument. That's what it's like in the west. I don't know much about Indian instrument making. Guitar building schools exist. I know only of guitars, but I assume such schools exist for violins, pianos, etc as well.
However, there also are families that keep the tradition of instrument making alive.

I don’t think that machine made instruments pose a competition to hand crafted ones. In fact, I think it’s the opposite.
Machine made instruments are much cheaper and easily available. It gives students a place to start on. After a while, the instrument you own limits the nature of your performance. There are colour tones and projection abilities that no machine made instrument can give. So, eventually people switch over to a hand crafted instrument.

That’s what it’s like in the west. I don’t know much about Indian instrument making.

]]> By: Ani http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/#comment-18 Ani Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:49:03 +0000 http://aneesh.underscorerecords.info/2006/11/16/who-is-instrumental/#comment-18 Here is one address we could contact: http://www.rksguitars.com/ He is an Indian to boot :). Here is one address we could contact:

http://www.rksguitars.com/

He is an Indian to boot :).

]]> By: Aneesh http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/#comment-17 Aneesh Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:05:44 +0000 http://aneesh.underscorerecords.info/2006/11/16/who-is-instrumental/#comment-17 Yes, we could find out more information from friends in the West. I will follow this up, but if you get some material regarding this issue, please add it to the blog. Thanks. Yes, we could find out more information from friends in the West. I will follow this up, but if you get some material regarding this issue, please add it to the blog. Thanks.

]]> By: Ani http://blog.aneeshpradhan.com/2006/11/who-is-instrumental/#comment-16 Ani Thu, 16 Nov 2006 19:50:05 +0000 http://aneesh.underscorerecords.info/2006/11/16/who-is-instrumental/#comment-16 Instrument makers for western music also faced the same problems, I am sure. For example, the people who still handcraft classical guitars, or violins, or even saxophones, they all still face the same problems of staying in business and continuing the craft they love so much. At the basic level it is about just pure business issues - profit. Perhaps if we find ways to emulate the paths followed by the instrument makers of western music, we could perhaps help the instrument maker in India. We could write to these instrument makers to find out how they have survived the inevitable onslaught of machinery. What do you think? Instrument makers for western music also faced the same problems, I am sure. For example, the people who still handcraft classical guitars, or violins, or even saxophones, they all still face the same problems of staying in business and continuing the craft they love so much.

At the basic level it is about just pure business issues - profit. Perhaps if we find ways to emulate the paths followed by the instrument makers of western music, we could perhaps help the instrument maker in India. We could write to these instrument makers to find out how they have survived the inevitable onslaught of machinery.

What do you think?

]]>