Bengaluru has witnessed a spurt in the number of musicians over the recent times. The glut of live gig invites on your Facebook timeline is proof enough. However, in an interesting trend of sorts, young peeps with an inkling for soulful melodies are taking the e-route to hone their talent — by learning through free music apps, and going live with their musical experiments! The rage to get maximum views and the convenience of having assistance at your fingertips are the bonuses. So is this trend here to stay or just an option to thwart away those #FOMO’s (fear of missing out)? We delve deeper...
“As a musician, I’ve always found apps like iTanpura and metronome very useful. I often use them during my practice sessions. There are many other apps that I have come across, with respect to ragas; chords; rhythm structures; and what not, that have proved to be very helpful in getting an insight into the fundamentals of music,” begins Varijashree Venugopal, a popular carnatic vocalist and flautist. While she opines that her experience with going live is not extensive, the singer admits to having shared her musical experiments on online platforms quite a few times. “It’s amazing to see how the digital era has resulted in the whole world unfolding in front of our eyes and has brought people closer. I am personally benefiting out of the digital media, through all the music that I’m able to experience; enjoy; and, adapt and apply into my school of learning.Though I believe in the old school method of learning from a Guru one to one, I see digital content as a bonus point. I strongly feel that this is a golden period for music enthusiasts to experience and learn through the inexhaustible treasure that the digital era has to offer,” she adds. Swithin Hartman, a software professional who moonlights as a saxophonist, feels the idea of learning music from an app is dicey. But he believes YouTube is a trusted source to bank on. “I look up a lot on YouTube for music videos, to keep up with the times. But then again, how much you learn from this app is very debatable. It is super convenient, yes. If you have studied basics of music, then you can study further on your own via an app. Unlike the years gone by, where you had to go to a reputed teacher and learn all that he was willing to teach you, you do get all this for free! Vocal techniques, how to use your lung capacity to the fullest whilst singing, guitar riffs and basics, jazz techniques for the saxophone are some of the things for which you no longer need to shell out or register, it’s just a tap away. The arrangement of learning from an app is best suited if you’re in two minds of whether you must pursue music full-flegedly or not, he says. Echoing similar views, Akhilesh Kumar, a lead vocalist of the band One Girl Shy and a martial arts trainer, opines that apps can compliment the traditional learning process but not override it. “I’ve used apps to learn blues techniques. But I think learning from another person, face to face, is much better. Use it as an add-on, and that’s how you’ll step up your game.”
Expert quote: While city folk are stoked, Bindu Subramanium, a seasoned musician, says, “Ambi and I have always believed in embracing technology.While an app can do many things more efficiently, like log students’ practice hours and help them correct their pace and pitch, they can’t replace the emotional connect that only a teacher can provide. We collaborate in technological platforms with the driving principle of supplement; ‘don’t replace.’ I believe that teachers and technology should work together while being clear that neither can replace the other. Especially at a set-up like ours, where we work with children as young as three years old, we use apps with caution since research doesn’t favour young children using too much technology. After working with over 12,000 students of different ages and musical inclination levels, we’re very clear – apps are cool but our teachers are our superpower!”
