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Composer's favourite instrument

Topic started by Radhai (@ h3265.s86b1.baynetworks.com) on Fri Feb 18 18:40:35 EST 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I have noticed that every composer chooses one of the instruments as his prime one and tends to use that instrument more.

For KVM, it has been the veena
For MSV, it has been the piano and sax
For V.Kumar it has been the piano.
For IR it has been the VIOLIN
For ARR it has been the flute.

Do u agree that these instrument played an important role in most of their songs? I might be wrong. Go ahead share your views...

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Responses:

• From: sinnathamby.s (@ webcacheh10a.cache.pol.co.uk) on: Fri Feb 18 19:40:54 EST 2000
  
  Radhai:
  
  I do not quite agree with your observation. These MDs may have their favourite instruments of choice and have used them more often than any. But without them having to tell what they are, we can only do sweet guessing.
  
  But listening to their songs with interest, would create a sense of familiarity and even with the variation of instrumentation, it is very likely to find their signature in their music. That is, without reading the labels or listening to the introduction to the songs, they could be recognised.
  
  In my observation MSV's signature is his flute. I never knew `Mella Thirantahthu Kathavu` was a Ilayarajah MSV combination. But thrilled to note in the song, `Ooru sanam thoongiruchchu, ootha kaaththu adichirichu..` the flute piece bearing MSV's stamp.
  
  Ilayarajah used a variety of instruments. Of course violin is one of them. `Punnakai Mannan`, and several other movies have songs with excellent violin pieces. But I suppose the beat of the songs, with or without a beat-instrument (drum etc.) would indicate Ilayarajah's signature.
  
  Certainly, KVM used string instruments a lot. But in my opinion `thabela` was his handmaid.
  
  Regards,
  
  Sinnthamby-
  
  
• From: Srinath (@ 209.8.128.113) on: Fri Feb 18 20:27:12 EST 2000
  
  Actually, IR's signature would be his waw leads and flanger violins, IMO.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.147) on: Fri Feb 18 23:43:42 EST 2000
  
  ARR's fav must be the synth keyboard or the drums:-)
  
  IMO, these have played an important role in (the success of) most of his songs rather than the flute which pokes out once in a while (like in Anjali Anjali of Duet), but not often.
  
  In fact other MDs played around with it more often and more effectively than him, esp.IR for most of the interludes in his village type songs and also as counterpoints...no need to mention NBW and the role flute played in many of the BGM pieces...Arunmozhi, the player of flute in IR's team has become well-known thanks to frequent use of the instrument...
  
  I think it'll be too difficult to classify the fav' instrument of IR since his career has been quite a long one with progressive changes in style. A different one was chosen to dominate at the period of each style..it may be rather simple to identify those instruments that he `used rarely' or `neglected for most part of his career'...all IMO:-)
  
  If DF'ers choose to vote violin as IR's fav, then it has to be a `group of violins' and not a solo:-) If we exclude HTNI, with due regards to IR & VSN, till date I've not heard a solo violin composition of IR that beats `vAn nilA nilA alla' of MSV (& Joseph Krishna)!
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.147) on: Fri Feb 18 23:45:52 EST 2000
  
  And, Sinnathamby!
  I read somewhere that IR was taking care of the musical arrangement of MTK while MSV was in-charge of the melody section..I strongly feel the flute piece of ooru sanam has IR's stamp rather than MSV's!
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.147) on: Fri Feb 18 23:49:43 EST 2000
  
  To backup my above statement:
  I want you to please compare the flute arrangements in mudhal mariyAdhai songs..e.g.the flute piece that follows `rAsAvE varuththamA' in the song poongAtRu thirumbumA, which is to express the surprise emotion of Shivaji!
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ bacall05.slip.yorku.ca) on: Sat Feb 19 00:18:33 EST 2000
  
  ARR once said that his favourite instrument was the keyboard. But he did mention in 'Kumudam' that he liked the sax a lot and used it frequently. Of course, I haven't heard him use it much nowadays, maybe because I don't listen to his music much. Does anyone else know if he uses sax often still?
  
  Earlier on, he used it in Duet and Puthiya mannargal.
  
  
• From: cram (@ 206.103.12.102) on: Sat Feb 19 01:57:37 EST 2000
  
  the moment u say IR, i can only hear his guitar.
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ netcache31.mot.com) on: Sat Feb 19 08:38:16 EST 2000
  
  eden,
  I guess the the flute mentioned as arr's fav one is the synth one (oru flute a eduthu adhukkuLLA thupparA mAdhiri sound varumE, adhu ). I guess he's the one who used it well in lots of his songs.
  
  
• From: kk (@ 202.54.85.81) on: Sat Feb 19 10:20:10 EST 2000
  
  Deva's recent fav. instrument Kannama pettai thappu (listen to ezhayil sirippil)
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ pugsly01.slip.yorku.ca) on: Sat Feb 19 11:29:56 EST 2000
  
  Oh, I know what you are talking about. It is synth, comes along with most Roland keyboards. ARR was initially using a Roland D50 when he came into the field. He used that flute a lot, guess because it was a new sound. I believe it's called pan flute or something. I remember checking out a Roland keyboard with that flute sound. It is nice.
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ netcache2.mot.com) on: Sun Feb 20 02:24:55 EST 2000
  
  aruvi,
  
  pan flute is not a single piece of bamboo(it's an array of flutes ). The sound produced by it though sounds like the one i mentioned, it doesn't have the thuppal effect :-)
  
  In one of the episodes of travellers (discovery channel ) they had an interview with a pan flute expert and that guy was just amazing!!! from what i could see, looks like it's pretty difficult to play.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.139) on: Sun Feb 20 07:24:02 EST 2000
  
  Shankar:-)!
  
  
• From: rajaG (@ daecfp02.sprint.com) on: Mon Feb 21 09:59:20 EST 2000
  
  Shankar:
  
  The 'thuppal' sound you are referring to (example interludes of nee sirichchaal deewanaa, anbEy anbEy, and even ennavaLey) are all live flute played by Naveen who is the most sought after flautist in the Tamil Film industry today. Check the credits of most ARR albums, and you will find his name.
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ netcache31.mot.com) on: Mon Feb 21 10:51:14 EST 2000
  
  
  OhO..avar veththala pOttuNdu flute vAsippAr pOlirukku :-) enna rajaji ?!?!
  
  
• From: rajaG (@ kcecfp01.sprint.com) on: Mon Feb 21 11:44:51 EST 2000
  
  Shankar:-)
  
  BTW, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has played that style too (Obviously much before Naveen did!)
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 209.36.218.65) on: Thu Feb 24 12:19:38 EST 2000
  
  Radhai,
  Good thread. How did you get piano and sax for MSV? How many songs are we talking about besides the ones from "Pudhiya Paravai"?
  
  Of the modern instruments, MSV used accordion quite a bit to increase the tempo of a song in the 60s and 70s (ex: Raaja Raaja Sriraajan).
  
  In the earlier days IR had his signature acoustic guitar/flute interludes that were so him. In rhythms he used every type of folk instrument early on in his career: urumi, nayyaandi, molam, thaarai, thappattai, udukkai and so on. Later on, the tabla became inseparable from IR.
  
  Veenai is KVM's signature for sure, in rhythms he relied much on the bongos.
  
  S.A.Rajkumar uses violins and flutes a whole lot.
  
  
• From: Kumar (musicman) (@ 202.188.135.75) on: Thu Feb 24 13:38:27 EST 2000
  
  I Think Ar rahman favourite instrument's is keyboard In "TAJMAHAL" song's Ar use a lot synthezir sound Ar using the synthesir sound using TRINITY well trinity is the best keyboard.. Product from KORG
  
  
• From: naadhas-lover (@ gateway.nmg.sms.siemens.com) on: Thu Feb 24 19:08:19 EST 2000
  
  So, naadhaswaram is nobodys favorite :(
  
  
• From: Kennedy (@ ) on: Sat Oct 2 08:29:44 EDT 2004
  
  Hello!
  
  I need Ilayajah's complet songs from first Annakili to the last movie (including Hindi) with the name of the movies, singers and lyric writers. Please help me with the information. I am a great fan of Illayarajah's fan.
  
  
• From: angry (@ 62.243.89.46) on: Sat Oct 2 20:17:54 EDT 2004
  
  vidyasagar definately uses flute in most of his songs
  
  
• From: dinesh (@ 210.186.42.65) on: Sun Oct 3 03:26:27 EDT 2004
  
  naadhas-lover,1 of ARR's fav instru is def nadswaram
  1.Adhisaya thirumann - PP
  2.Sona Nahi - 12ka4
  3.Nethukitten - Star
  
  to mention a few,ARR is known for FLUTE more,he uses the instru is most of his songs!!
  
  
• From: rs (@ 219.64.142.60) on: Sun Oct 3 10:18:16 EDT 2004
  
  ok something relevant to what dinesh said..h ave u seen Rahman's live composing of a piece exclusively for SUN T.V (in his heydays , 1995, Jan 14th to be exact) . he was composing with a naadashwaram vithwan... it is an excellent piece..for so long, SUN T.V was using it when they announce their pongal programmes
  
  

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