Is it necessary for a playback singer to have learnt classical music?

Is it necessary for a playback singer to have learnt classical music? Is it necessary for a playback singer to have learnt classical music?

Topic started by Ritham (@ 202.88.155.18) on Fri Jan 3 23:24:25 EST 2003.
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From: Supporter (@ 12.89.76.128) on: Sat Jan 11 22:32:45 EST 2003

Hello: After 1995 most of the singers suck. You dont a have a PS/VJ anymore. The music nowadays is just a piece of crap (copied or either simulated). No IR/MSV's legendary compositions. Totally agree with Youth's posting. No none would be able to replicate playback singer's like legendary PSusheela and lesser known Vani Jayaram will be never be born again. Todays's music is a total garbage..
From: Youth (@ 203.106.139.113) on: Sun Jan 12 00:15:23 EST 2003

Well, I don't agree with you about no legendary compositions presently. ARR is a legend in his own right.

Songs today especially Tamil songs have reached out far and beyond, that even a sub-standard MD like SA Rajkumar's songs are copied by the mundane Hindi MDs.
From: Arun (@ 195.93.50.7) on: Sun Jan 12 06:52:59 EST 2003

Hi guys, I am not from India, so forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems as though there is a great division between the people of the "North" and "South". There are North and South Indians from where I come from and it is evident that there are great divisions between them. They are always conflicting in my school. I must agree that the North is very ignorant of the South and from what I have seen, it seems as though the North belive that they are superior. I listen to both South and North Indian film music. Why can't you all appreciate the music offered by Indian singers regardless of if they are from the "North" or "South".Obviously there are language and cultural differences but I think that is a good thing. It means that India has a vibrant mix of cultures. You should learn to appreciate the range of music that India offers.
From: Sreedhar (@ 24.30.132.23) on: Mon Jan 13 01:26:29 EST 2003

Arun, my Chinese friend says, "put 3 Indians together, and they cannot agree on anything". :-) Why North - South, even amoung Tamil music fans there are big fights based on the era (old versus new), Music Director (IR vs ARR), etc.

My preference is for the olden days. Ah, for a AM Raja today. What a voice...
From: Are Yaar (@ 203.115.31.67) on: Mon Jan 13 03:52:35 EST 2003

Arun:

Sad to hear such a perspective about India from an outsider..Well I am not critisising you but I am sad about our state of conflicts...As sreedhar said..Three Indian can never agree on one common issue...worse..
From: Vijay (@ 203.200.33.65) on: Mon Jan 13 04:49:46 EST 2003

Sreedhar & Are Yaar: Think in this way ... A man tries to understand a problem when he questions. Ofcourse, if you involve more people into it, you get different perspectives. That is a good development. Ofcourse, you are clouded with mysteries, but these mysteries are basically what you anticipate out of the problem. It is upto the individual to decide what inspired him.
From: Are Yaar (@ 203.115.31.67) on: Mon Jan 13 04:58:37 EST 2003

Well Vijay, what you say is partly correct...but many a times disagreement becomes rivalry and each one gets pitted against the other and they lose sight of the common goal.

This happened in the BBC poll and will happen again also. I am not saying that all should have voted to VM. But we could have initially had a discussion and made one Tamil song as top. IR fans opened a thread in RKT and went into their campaign. ARR fans went into Chaiyaa chaiyaa and made their campaign...But both lost out to a Small country's collective effort to conquerethe poll....

We can go on quoting 100s of such instances where as Indian we have lost to some petty people...

Well that's my opinion and what Arun wrote here really pricked me.
From: Speaker (@ 203.126.142.232) on: Mon Jan 13 05:03:34 EST 2003

X, Kavitha is good in some songs (the humming for literacy movement), but many time her voice trembles and nasel mode picks up (mile sur mera & alaigal tv serial song). I agree with you on SS and Chitra comparison.
From: Raghu (@ 217.158.120.226) on: Mon Jan 13 09:59:08 EST 2003

Ritham;

>>Is it necessary for a playback singer to have learnt classical music?<<

No, but would help, to maintain shruthi control!
From: atif (@ ) on: Wed Sep 15 10:31:24 EDT 2004

well it is necessary to learn classical music befor aiming playback singing coz sur and way of singing improves so at least 2 or 3 rags are necessary to learn for that.
From: hari (@ 155.69.5.234) on: Sat Sep 18 00:46:14 EDT 2004

It is really not necesasry of a playback singer to have training in classical music. Very good examples are Dr.SPB and Janaki - how good they sing in the absence of classical training!. But the real fact is that they have the in born talent to understand and manipuate the swaras once they hear them. But singing a full fledged classical song is a different issue! - one cerainly need to get some good tarining to do that.
From: K. G. V. DOSS (@ ) on: Thu Dec 9 09:49:41 EST 2004

Mere learning in a Music School cannot make a singer the best singer. To be precise, the singer should first be practical try to grasp the raga and sing as per the raga and as per the tala. To improve further and for giving the best in singing practical singing only will help.
From: cho (@ 209.47.143.226) on: Thu Dec 9 09:58:38 EST 2004

"Is it necessary for a playback singer to have learnt classical music? "

It used to be. But not anymore! Dappangoothu, kuthu paattu paaduvadharkku, edhukkuppa music knowledge??

Singers were expected to have carnatic music knowledge, good saareeram and proper pronounciation etc to qualify as a playback singer..... but not any more... that's the current state of TFM
From: Babaji (@ 194.223.244.7) on: Thu Dec 9 10:12:58 EST 2004

K. G. V. DOSS (@ )

I Do agree with your point, like you said,mere Carnatic learning is not important, as long as the singer has in born talent, typical example would be none other than our greatest Dr.SPB
From: Ravi (@ 192.147.57.6) on: Fri Dec 10 04:43:17 EST 2004

Let me share a piece of my mind on this :

Playback singing is a different ball game which involves that the singing is flawless with respect to thalam, sruthi and clarity. More important here is the pronounciation. In addition to that the voice has to emote, suite the character he/she is singing for, which at times, would mean singing out of tune, stammer - what not!

But whether a playback singer needs to learn Carnatic Music - even I dont think so. Learning Carnatic Music would help your voice go thru' different modulations, pitches, pace. So in case a person is not born a gifted singer, he/she can improve his/her voice range by undergoing such training.

But if singers have a gifted voice or have an improvised voice thru' continuous singing just like many of our own gifted playback singers, I guess one can be a successful singer without any formal training in Carnatic Music.

Cho, doesnt dabanguthu also require some kind of a voice? But voice clarity and pronunication have taken a back stage in today's era.
From: Babaji (@ 194.223.244.7) on: Fri Dec 10 04:59:56 EST 2004

Ravi, good points

' would mean singing out of tune, stammer - what not! ' bale good one , lol :-)
From: Ravi (@ 192.147.57.6) on: Mon Dec 13 01:13:09 EST 2004

Babaji, I dont understand if you are really appreciating or pulling my leg :-(

Actually, what I meant was, in playback singing, singing out of tune (shruthi) or any such flaw can be accepted if it is 'intended' (for the actor on the screen) that way.
From: j (@ 61.2.34.26) on: Mon Dec 13 15:02:09 EST 2004

If u all don't know already, a certain singer from the south whose name is sp balasubramaniam, started singing in films with absolutely no training in carnatic music. And i need not mention that he has achieved what other 'trained' singers have not...
From: Babaji (@ 194.223.244.7) on: Tue Dec 14 05:09:52 EST 2004

Ravi,

I was appreciating your comments, they were 100% valid :-)
From: prem kishore (@ 66.75.92.119) on: Tue Dec 14 15:48:20 EST 2004

I am looking for information on Tamil, playback singers, their varied styles of music, the popular song titles, the political agendas .I need website addresses or contacts.

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