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how does Ir compose a song

Topic started by Jeeera (@ 206.175.176.2) on Thu Oct 31 18:02:15 EST 2002.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

This is a woderful article written by somebody. I picked it off the IR's group. This is a huge one but explains in detail how and what he does to compose a song. After reading thsi I was stuck with Awe. Does this man have had any time to do anything else other than mudic. Enjoy!!.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Speaker (@ 203.126.142.232) on: Thu Oct 31 23:51:30 EST 2002
  
  Thanks jeera for the article. Thanks to original author as well. It must be really an exhamination hall mood. Many times I wondered , what would be the first reaction of the actists for many tune. This article wonderfully picks up that point. Lucky artists. Only one point I would like know how IR uses chorus artists. I came to know from a friend, IR even decides the position of the chorus artists from microphone, groups, lead chorus etc. Any news on that.
  
  
• From: Vj (@ 61.11.82.11) on: Fri Nov 1 00:48:28 EST 2002
  
  wonderful article... i liked it specifically since it didnt contain any jalra or jinkchak... it just narrated how things really are without over-doing things....
  
  would like to hear more and also about the way our other MDs work.... especially ARR. :-)
  
  
• From: Mayuri (@ 131.151.101.79) on: Fri Nov 1 01:49:50 EST 2002
  
  Hi All,
  Where is the article???.I would also like to read it.
  
  Thanks.
  Mayuri
  
  
• From: geeth (@ 213.121.248.170) on: Fri Nov 1 02:07:50 EST 2002
  
  go back to the old responses mayuri.
  
  btw, very interesting and thanks jeera for this recap. it was like watching a movie. awesome !
  
  
• From: Jeera (@ 206.175.176.2) on: Fri Nov 1 11:40:12 EST 2002
  
  vel has posted this in the IR's albums thread too. (we got it of the same source). Somebody in IR's thread has also given the URL where you can find the article.
  
  It is available here now thanks to S Narasimhan http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Stu/nsriniva/interests/music/ilai/ircomp.pdf
  
  
  Since discussions are continuing on IR's new Album thread on this, I guess, admin can close this.
  
  
• From: Mayuri (@ 131.151.101.57) on: Fri Nov 1 12:05:02 EST 2002
  
  Thanx Geeth.
  
  The article is simply great.What a genius OUR Maestro is.
  
  "Hats-Off" to him.
  
  Mayuri
  
  
• From: archivist (@ 152.163.189.230) on: Fri Nov 1 13:43:46 EST 2002
  
  Awesome, mind-boggling, unbelievable - a typical day in the life of IR from 1976 to 1996 (i assume) i've also been in the studios a few times even talked with VSNarasimman, i thought he was the righthand guy, though he sits all by himself, while other musicians throng together to copy the notes etc..
  
  
• From: Britto (@ 12.23.133.6) on: Fri Nov 1 13:59:05 EST 2002
  
  simply amazing...
  Great article. Thanks a lot Jeera!!!
  
  
• From: vazhippOkkan ! (@ 12.96.7.17) on: Fri Nov 1 14:20:09 EST 2002
  
  Very well written.
  
  More reasons to love IR !
  
  
• From: lav (@ 192.39.39.33) on: Wed Nov 6 11:44:57 EST 2002
  
  Excellent article. I dont know what to say, I am so thrilled, it was simply superb...Thanks Jeera!
  
  
• From: Venki (@ 192.127.94.7) on: Wed Nov 6 12:41:18 EST 2002
  
  Now I feel like reading how other MDs composes a song or BGM. It will be interesting to know why Raaja is the Greatest.
  Anyone who writes on other MDs (ARR, VS, YSR, KR, Deva, SAR, Sirpy, HJ or even MSV) will be highly appreciated.
  
  This is my humble request.
  
  
  
• From: Speaker (@ 203.126.142.232) on: Wed Nov 6 21:51:12 EST 2002
  
  Whether Mr. Ananthanaryan visits this forum. Otherwise, Admin please contact him to start a q&a session.
  
  
• From: kumaran (@ 210.210.38.85) on: Wed Nov 6 22:49:28 EST 2002
  
  using his brains is the answer.Whatta silly thread
  
  
• From: WordsOfWisdom (@ 12.240.78.68) on: Thu Nov 7 00:18:29 EST 2002
  
  Nothing is sillier and funnier than this thread
  http://www.newtfmpage.com/forum/27788.09.10.43.html
  
  
• From: satsona (@ 203.199.192.162) on: Thu Nov 7 01:13:55 EST 2002
  
  
  thanx for a wonderful thread and a superb article.would appreciate if such articles are brought forward about MDs much before IR (from 1940s to 1975)
  
  cheers
  
  
• From: Are Yaar (@ 203.197.141.186) on: Thu Nov 7 05:09:12 EST 2002
  
  WordsOfWisdom :
  but many say that this thread also falls under the same category.
  
  http://newtfmpage.com/forum/10823.18.02.15.html
  
  
• From: Madhav (@ 195.93.34.7) on: Thu Nov 7 06:32:35 EST 2002
  
  Are YAar,
  I agree, how can anybody even try to Fathom how the great Maestro composes a song!"
  Any ARR's BGM is a joke!
  
  
• From: Vel (@ 202.88.152.159) on: Thu Nov 7 07:59:44 EST 2002
  
  Jeera,
  
  The sentence in that whole article that left me dumbfounded & dazed was this,
  
  "...At the end of this session the final song copy okayed by Ilaiyaraaja is ready for voice mixing. This is also the break period for Ilaiyaraaja to spend some time meeting vistors, reading or writing. In fact most of the pieces in his two albums How To Name It? and Nothing But Wind were written casually during such breaks..."
  
  
  Can you believe this :-). "How to Name It" & "Nothing But Wind" were written during "break periods" in between song composing for films !!!
  
  
• From: jeera (@ 206.175.176.2) on: Thu Nov 7 14:34:21 EST 2002
  
  vel
  
  Astounding, isn't it. I have no doubts in my mind that this guy is a genius. He says that he puts things that comes to his mind and does not take time to compose a song and I believe it. There are people here who might argue that this is not professional or he should take time to compose like others and keep polishing it until it is good. But his philosophies and way of working is different - he believes in the 'manodharmam' style of composing. In the article it mentions that he asks if there is a machine to capture all the notes that comes to his mind the first instance because he does not even like the changes that it undergoes during the time it takes him to write it down.
  
  I took the following from dictinary.com for the word genius.
  "Genius implies high and peculiar gifts of nature, impelling the mind to certain favorite kinds of mental effort, and producing new combinations of ideas, imagery, etc. Talent supposes general strength of intellect, with a peculiar aptitude for being molded and directed to specific employments and valuable ends and purposes. Genius is connected more or less with the exercise of imagination, and reaches its ends by a kind of intuitive power. Talent depends more on high mental training, and a perfect command of all the faculties, memory, judgment, sagacity, etc. Hence we speak of a genius for poetry, painting. etc., and a talent for business or diplomacy. Among English orators, Lord Chatham was distinguished for his genius; William Pitt for his pre["e]minent talents, and especially his unrivaled talent for debate."
  
  IMHO, this man has got the the right mix of Genius and talent. Genius in the sense of imagining and coming up with ideas and talent in terms of putting the ideas into the 24 (or so ) frames that he talks about.
  
  
• From: Jag (@ 35.9.26.160) on: Fri Nov 8 10:46:26 EST 2002
  
  Sincerity, honesty and hard work. These are the things that are characterestic of Raaja's work. It shows that the amount of time you work on some thing doesn't have anything to do with the output. It is how well you do it and how smart you work in that time, that is more important. The way IR puts the same amount of work for even 3rd grade movies shows his sincerity. And luckily for us, for a worker like IR, talent is immense and that is a terrific combination.
  
  
  Jag
  
  
  
• From: Vel (@ 202.88.152.159) on: Sat Nov 9 08:39:35 EST 2002
  
  Jeera,
  
  When you read that article on how IR composes, you feel a bit dissappointed that such a colossal talent has been wasting its massive potential in just film music. But not to worry, since he once told in an interview,"ennadim ulla kadaisi thuli isai varai veli konarnthu vittu dhaan naan piriven". (I wont fade away till the last drop of music within me flows out).
  
  
• From: mohan (@ 203.199.245.5) on: Sun Nov 10 06:18:28 EST 2002
  
  thats really great..
  
  raaja raajathaan...
  
  
• From: haris (@ 148.87.1.170) on: Mon Nov 11 17:23:34 EST 2002
  
  does anybody know when IR switched from the harmonium mode to writing mode? 'would be interesting to check if there is any impact in the outcome of the songs.
  
  
• From: pavi (@ 206.184.140.168) on: Mon Nov 11 18:37:27 EST 2002
  
  Does a director get to choose a BGM (like tunes for songs) or IR is the final authority?
  
  
• From: Prabhu (@ 203.124.139.195) on: Tue Nov 12 06:38:09 EST 2002
  
  Jeera,
  regarding ur elaboration on genius, let me add my definition. Genius is one who knows his art inside out, breathes it out, lives it in such a fashion that he makes it so simple even a duffer can be inspired by it.(Personally, for years I knew 0 about tfm or music, when I first listened to IR, I was totally sold out and became an instant addict)
  What do you see in an IR piece of music, 10 min of Tendulkar's batting, a short paragraph of RK Narayan/ Kannadasan? Classical art in its simplest form, without the artist breaking his head to produce it.
  
  
• From: Ashok (@ 61.11.77.115) on: Sat Nov 16 06:44:41 EST 2002
  
  I R Just goes to the composing room without any rehearsal. He goes there, hears the situation and starts the composing
  
  
• From: CHEENU (@ 203.199.205.25) on: Mon Nov 18 03:19:53 EST 2002
  
  >
  
  A cruel joke, in fact!
  
  
• From: Lakshmi (@ ) on: Sun Dec 29 14:21:16 EST 2002
  
  Wonderful Article! Excellent Thanks for posting
  
  
• From: Whatever (@ 206.175.176.2) on: Tue Dec 31 17:54:25 EST 2002
  
  Here are my two cents on geniuses.
  
  To look at what others are looking at but to be able to see what no one else can is a hallmark of a genius. Take IR's use of a traditional Lathangi for his 'chinna rAsAvE'.
  
  From there to producing something that others can see - or hear as the case may be - and appreciate is the next sign. As Einstein said, "If you cannot explain it simply, you have not understood it well enough". IR's 'inji iduppazhagi' from dEvar magan is a classic example of simple beauty.
  
  Another gift that a genius has is to make large numbers of associations between separate ideas. Any number of IR songs have so many complex strains or threads running through them.
  
  Multi-tasking, yes, the much-maligned term, is indicative of a genius. IR multi-tasked like crazy - look at the way he composed 'How to Name it' and 'Nothing but wind' in the midst of something else.
  
  Geniuses are quite often introverts and unconventional. Perfect match.
  
  And finally, productivity! It is very rarely that a certified genius has just a couple of works to showcase his talents. IR is perhaps the most prolific composer in history and like the works of other geniuses, he has his share of bad quality. But if one does not keep trying, how does one improve?
  
  Does IR measure up? You betcha! :-)
  
  
• From: hihi:-) (@ 128.111.113.76) on: Thu Jan 2 13:49:17 EST 2003
  
  whatever: i think that quote was from feynman. (please confirm)
  
  

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