00:00Working with Preetam Da, you never know what you're going to sing when you get into the booth.
00:09With most composers, you just have a certain idea of the kind of music they make.
00:14So you know what to expect when they call you.
00:17With Preetam Da, it's literally anything.
00:19It is anything where you'll be, sometimes you'll be singing something really dainty and sweet,
00:26sometimes you're singing some jazz, jazzy stuff.
00:28Like I did Dil Ki Mase for him for Merry Christmas.
00:31It's like a very jazzy thing.
00:32Lat Lag Gaye was a belty song.
00:34And Balam Pichka Re Itna Maasa, which got like falsetto in it.
00:39So it's been, it's one like that.
00:42You never know, one, what you're going to, the kind of song you're going to sing.
00:46Two, you don't know what film you're singing for.
00:49And there is no point in asking him, what film am I singing for?
00:53Who is, don't go there.
00:55Just go and do your job and leave is what I've realized.
00:58And just welcome the opportunity.
01:02Like I feel like at least this is how I approach any session that I go to.
01:08And it works for me.
01:09Although a lot of people have very different ideas about what they ought to get when they step into a studio.
01:17I feel like if I'm getting the opportunity to work with someone and show them that this is what I have to offer.
01:23Then it's an audition.
01:25For me, every time stepping into a studio is an audition.
01:29To be or not to be on that song.
01:31And with Preetam Da, I get to audition many songs.
01:35I get to learn two new things about what my vocal capabilities are.
01:38So working with him is just a thrill for me.
01:41It's like, Dada ka phone aaya.
01:43It's not like, bade picture mein gaana milega.
01:46It's like, kuch toh sahi gaane milega.
01:48I love that about working with Preetam Da.
01:51I find that he has this very unique ability to hear things which most composers actually have.
01:58But especially Preetam Da has this thing where,
02:02Shalmali agar yeh karegi toh wo aise lagega aur is track mein.
02:06He must be making those kind of calculations because when he calls me in to sing.
02:10And sometimes when he knows that the engineer may not be able to communicate this, what he wants to me.
02:18He'll just walk in and be like, acha sunna yeh part mein tu apne andaas se karna.
02:23Baaki sab just melody intact.
02:25Samna na?
02:29He knows what he wants.
02:31And he also knows that,
02:33I have heard it in my head and I believe you'll be able to do it.
02:36This is what I want.
02:38So, it's just a thrill.
02:41It's a thrill to try, sometimes make it, sometimes not make it.
02:45And he's just able to keep you on edge.
02:48It's incredible.
02:54I think it is always helpful to know a little bit around what your primary role in music is.
03:02Like if I sing, for the most part.
03:06To know other facets of music and by that I mean, like musicianship.
03:12How does one communicate with the musician?
03:14You need to speak the language they speak.
03:16You need to probably know at least the basic of what chords they're playing.
03:20What keys they're playing and what tempo the song is at.
03:22So, these kind of things are really helpful for you to understand what you're doing.
03:26And do it better and improvise within that.
03:28To communicate with your musicians.
03:30And to also earn their respect, right?
03:32They don't then feel like this is just a person whose show it is.
03:36And who's going to come in and just sing and leave.
03:38I think I enjoy the fact that my band looks to me for, should we do it like this?
03:42Or should we try this?
03:44And then I'll be like, no, let's keep it like this and change this.
03:47They look at me for creative inputs.
03:51And I don't only mean music.
03:55I mean even lights.
03:57Even graphics.
03:59Even stage plot.
04:01And what you wear on stage.
04:03How you walk on stage.
04:05If you're just standing and you don't know what to do.
04:08You're in front of people.
04:10So, I find that there are many things about music that are worth spending time on.
04:14And understanding.
04:16And when you're in that position doing that.
04:18You switch off of everything else and you do that.
04:20That's just something that innately happens.
04:22But having gathered the experience of all these different departments.
04:27Comes in handy in that moment.
04:29You know?
04:31Like if I'm just standing on stage and there's someone else taking a solo.
04:35So, the spot is on him.
04:37You can't assume nobody is looking at you.
04:39And that you're not in focus right now.
04:42You still need to stand like there might be that one person who is looking at you.
04:48You know?
04:50So, to have that presence of mind is something that happens organically.
04:54Because you've been practicing it here, there, here, there.
04:57I have personally also struggled a lot with how to streamline this process.
05:07In which I very very clearly know this.
05:11And one must know that without spending time on your craft.
05:15There is no cheat to it.
05:17There just isn't.
05:19It's just how it is.
05:21As much as you can give to it is what it will give back to you.
05:25So, spending time is essential.
05:27How you do it.
05:29Like I used to wake up until two weeks back when I made this change.
05:33That I wake up and then I sit and knit.
05:37And then I read a book.
05:39And have my coffee.
05:41And then I would do whatever music and this that.
05:43Now I've changed that.
05:45Saying that no.
05:47Knitting and reading is not as important.
05:49As doing Riyaz.
05:51Songwriting.
05:53And dance for me.
05:55Those are three things that I need practice with.
05:59So now I've allotted one hour every morning.
06:01So there's three hours like school.
06:03I go to the studio.
06:05Because I don't do it at home.
06:07At home you feel like oh I'll just sit here for some time.
06:09I'll check my phone.
06:11You have to feel like you have to either go to school or office.
06:13Whatever works for you.
06:15So for me school feels good.
06:17I feel like I'm studying again.
06:19So I go to the studio in the morning at 10 whenever I'm in Mumbai.
06:2110 to 11 is Riyaz.
06:2311 to 12 is songwriting.
06:25And 12 to 1 is dance practice.
06:27Whatever kind of practice you want to do.
06:29You're alone in that room.
06:31So you can either cheat yourself and be on your phone.
06:33Or you can actually do the thing you came for.
06:37But I'm still struggling with that.
06:39I've been following it religiously.
06:41But I'm struggling with it.
06:43And I happened to meet Virdas on a flight yesterday.
06:47And I asked him that when do you write?
06:49Because the man is always travelling.
06:51He's doing shows all over the world.
06:53And then he was doing another one.
06:55When I met him on flight.
06:57When do you write?
06:59And he's like every morning.
07:01I write every morning.
07:03He has a very proper.
07:05He gives me a fixed time.
07:07My wife also knows that don't bother him now.
07:09He has to go and write.
07:11And I just go and write at that time.
07:13So I told him about my 3 hour plan.
07:15That I do this but I'm struggling.
07:17He's like what are you doing first?
07:19So I said I'm doing Riyaz first.
07:21And then?
07:23And then I'm writing music.
07:25And then I'm doing dance.
07:27He's like start writing first.
07:31Then you dance.
07:33And then you sing last.
07:35Do it in that order and see how it feels.
07:37And I think it makes a lot of sense.
07:39Because the mind has to wake up.
07:41And when you start writing something.
07:43Like a paragraph.
07:45Or object writing is something that I do a lot.
07:47And when I do that.
07:49I feel like all my senses wake up.
07:51When my senses are awake.
07:53Then my body needs to wake up.
07:55So a little bit of dancing will help.
07:57And then finally.
07:59My throat has warmed up in the last 2 hours.
08:01So I think I'm going to try that next.
08:03But we need it.
08:05It's a discipline.
08:07And it's a discipline that everyone.
08:09Who wants to do something seriously as a career.
08:11Must allot time to.
08:15Music by Ben Thede
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