Jump to content

Charanjit Singh (musician): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat: Again, blog posts and a commercial reseller of the album are not WP:RS, please stop adding this content.
Jagged 85 (talk | contribs)
87,237 edits
→See also: Adding/removing wikilink(s)
(2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 51: Line 51:
}}
}}


Charanjit Singh is best known for his 1982 release '''''Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat''''', an album originally intended as a [[Fusion (music)|fusion]] of [[Electronic music|electronic]] [[disco]] music with [[Indian classical music|Indian classical]] [[Raga]]s. Some music journalists have speculated that it is perhaps the earliest example of [[acid house]] because it pre-dates [[Phuture]]'s seminal [[Chicago house|Chicago acid house]] record "[[Acid Tracks]]" (1987) by five years.<ref name="guardian_2010"/><ref name="guardian_2011"/>
Charanjit Singh is best known for his 1982 release '''''Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat''''', an album originally intended as a [[Fusion (music)|fusion]] of [[Electronic music|electronic]] [[disco]] music with [[Indian classical music|Indian classical]] [[raga]]s. Some music journalists have speculated that it is perhaps the earliest example of [[acid house]] because it pre-dates [[Phuture]]'s seminal [[Chicago house|Chicago acid house]] record "[[Acid Tracks]]" (1987) by five years.<ref name="guardian_2010"/><ref name="guardian_2011"/>


Since its 2010 re-release, the album has been critically acclaimed in the [[music press]]. Besides acid house, comparisons have also been made with the work of contemporary [[electronic dance music]]ians such as [[Ceephax]], [[Phuture 303]], and [[Aphex Twin]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 10 Compilations and Re-Issues Of The Year|work=Bleep Magazine|year=2010|url=http://bleep.com/index.php?page=dynamic&module=top10compsreissue_2010|accessdate=2011-06-13}}</ref> According to ''[[The Guardian]]'' writer Stuart Aitken, Singh's record was "far ahead" of its time.<ref name="guardian_2011"/>
Since its 2010 re-release, the album has been critically acclaimed in the [[music press]]. Besides acid house, comparisons have also been made with the work of contemporary [[electronic dance music]]ians such as [[Ceephax]], [[Phuture 303]], and [[Aphex Twin]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 10 Compilations and Re-Issues Of The Year|work=Bleep Magazine|year=2010|url=http://bleep.com/index.php?page=dynamic&module=top10compsreissue_2010|accessdate=2011-06-13}}</ref> According to ''[[The Guardian]]'' writer Stuart Aitken, Singh's record was "far ahead" of its time.<ref name="guardian_2011"/>


===Production===
===Production===
Singh produced ''Ten Ragas'' using three [[electronic musical instrument]]s made by the [[Roland Corporation]]: the [[Roland Jupiter-8|Jupiter-8]] [[synthesizer]], [[Roland TR-808|TR-808]] [[drum machine]], and [[Roland TB-303|TB-303]] [[bass synthesizer]].<ref name="guardian_2010"/> It was one of the first records to use the TB-303, a machine that has become synonymous with acid house. Singh had bought his TB-303 in Singapore soon after its introduction in late 1981. He didn't know much about the three machines at first, so he spent much time in figuring out how to use them, and eventually discovered that it was possible to synchronize the TR-808 and TB-303 with the Jupiter-8 keyboard. According to Singh: "At home I practised with the combination and I thought 'It sounds good – why not record it'."<ref name="guardian_2011"/> While the TB-303 was originally designed to fill in for a bass guitar, it was awkward when it came to reproducing conventional basslines, so he found a different way to employ the machine, particularly its [[glissando]] function which made it suitable for reproducing the Indian [[Raga]] melodies.<ref name="ra_raga"/>
Singh produced ''Ten Ragas'' using three [[electronic musical instrument]]s made by the [[Roland Corporation]]: the [[Roland Jupiter-8|Jupiter-8]] [[synthesizer]], [[Roland TR-808|TR-808]] [[drum machine]], and [[Roland TB-303|TB-303]] [[bass synthesizer]].<ref name="guardian_2010"/> It was one of the first records to use the TB-303, a machine that has become synonymous with acid house. Singh had bought his TB-303 in Singapore soon after its introduction in late 1981. He didn't know much about the three machines at first, so he spent much time in figuring out how to use them, and eventually discovered that it was possible to synchronize the TR-808 and TB-303 with the Jupiter-8 keyboard. According to Singh: "At home I practised with the combination and I thought 'It sounds good – why not record it'."<ref name="guardian_2011"/> While the TB-303 was originally designed to fill in for a bass guitar, it was awkward when it came to reproducing conventional basslines, so he found a different way to employ the machine, particularly its [[glissando]] function which made it suitable for reproducing the Indian [[raga]] melodies.<ref name="ra_raga"/>


Besides [[Music of India|Indian]] raga music, he also took inspiration from contemporary [[Music of Bollywood|Bollywood music]], or [[filmi]] music, specifically the Indian electronic disco scene that had only just become popular in the early 1980s (sparked by the success of [[Pakistani pop]] singer [[Nazia Hassan]] and Indian producer [[Biddu]]), at a time when disco's popularity had declined in much of the [[Western world]] by that time. In parallel to the [[Euro disco]] scene at the time, the continued relevance of disco in India and the increasing reliance on [[synthesizer]]s led to experiments in [[Minimalist music|minimalist]], [[Hi-NRG|high-tempo]], electronic disco, such as [[R.D. Burman]]'s "[[:File:Dil Lena Khel Hai Dildar Ka.ogg|Dil Lena Khel Hai Dildar Ka]]" (''[[Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai]]'', 1981) which had a "futuristic [[Electro music|electro]] feel" and [[Bappi Lahari]]'s "[[:File:Disco Dancer - Yaad Aa Raha Hai.ogg|Yaad Aa Raha Hai]]" (''[[Disco Dancer]]'', 1982). Such developments eventually culminated in the work of Singh, who increased the [[tempo]] up to a "[[techno]] wavelength" and made the sounds more minimalistic, while pairing them with "mystical, repetitive, instrumental Indian ragas" using his new equipment setup to produce a sound resembling acid house.<ref name="geeta_ragas">{{cite web|author=Geeta Dayal|publisher=The Original Soundtrack|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=Further thoughts on ’10 Ragas to a Disco Beat’|date=April 6, 2010|url=http://www.theoriginalsoundtrack.com/2010/04/further-thoughts-on-ten-ragas-to-a-disco-beat/}}</ref><ref name="geeta_disco">{{cite web|author=Geeta Dayal|publisher=The Original Soundtrack|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=‘Studio 84′: Digging into the History of Disco in India|date=August 29, 2010|url=http://www.theoriginalsoundtrack.com/2010/08/29/studio-84-the-history-of-disco-in-india/}}</ref><ref name="ra_raga"/>
Besides [[Music of India|Indian]] raga music, he also took inspiration from contemporary [[Music of Bollywood|Bollywood music]], or [[filmi]] music, specifically the Indian electronic disco scene that had only just become popular in the early 1980s (sparked by the success of [[Pakistani pop]] singer [[Nazia Hassan]] and Indian producer [[Biddu]]), at a time when disco's popularity had declined in much of the [[Western world]] by that time. In parallel to the [[Euro disco]] scene at the time, the continued relevance of disco in India and the increasing reliance on [[synthesizer]]s led to experiments in [[Minimalist music|minimalist]], [[Hi-NRG|high-tempo]], electronic disco, such as [[R.D. Burman]]'s "[[:File:Dil Lena Khel Hai Dildar Ka.ogg|Dil Lena Khel Hai Dildar Ka]]" (''[[Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai]]'', 1981) which had a "futuristic [[Electro music|electro]] feel" and [[Bappi Lahari]]'s "[[:File:Disco Dancer - Yaad Aa Raha Hai.ogg|Yaad Aa Raha Hai]]" (''[[Disco Dancer]]'', 1982). Such developments eventually culminated in the work of Singh, who increased the [[tempo]] up to a "[[techno]] wavelength" and made the sounds more minimalistic, while pairing them with "mystical, repetitive, instrumental Indian ragas" using his new equipment setup to produce a sound resembling acid house.<ref name="geeta_ragas">{{cite web|author=Geeta Dayal|publisher=The Original Soundtrack|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=Further thoughts on ’10 Ragas to a Disco Beat’|date=April 6, 2010|url=http://www.theoriginalsoundtrack.com/2010/04/further-thoughts-on-ten-ragas-to-a-disco-beat/}}</ref><ref name="geeta_disco">{{cite web|author=Geeta Dayal|publisher=The Original Soundtrack|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=‘Studio 84′: Digging into the History of Disco in India|date=August 29, 2010|url=http://www.theoriginalsoundtrack.com/2010/08/29/studio-84-the-history-of-disco-in-india/}}</ref><ref name="ra_raga"/>
Line 79: Line 79:


===Track listing===
===Track listing===
Both the original 1982<ref name="allmusic_ragas"/> and 1983<ref name="discogs_1983"/> [[LP record]]s and the 2010 [[CD]]<ref name="discogs_cd"/> and LP<ref>{{Discogs release|2108668|Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat|type=album}} (2010 LP)</ref> re-releases contain the following tracks:
Both the original 1982<ref name="allmusic_ragas"/> and 1983<ref name="discogs_1983"/> [[LP record]]s and the 2010 [[CD]]<ref name="discogs_cd"/> and LP<ref>{{Discogs release|2108668|Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat|type=album}} (2010 LP)</ref> re-releases contain the following tracks named after [[raga]]s:


*"[[Bhairavi (Hindustani)|Raga Bhairavi]]"
*"[[Bhairavi (Hindustani)|Raga Bhairavi]]"
Line 91: Line 91:
*"[[Malkaush|Raga Malkauns]]"
*"[[Malkaush|Raga Malkauns]]"
*"[[Bairagi|Raga Bairagi]]"
*"[[Bairagi|Raga Bairagi]]"

==See also==
*[[Acid house]]
*[[Bollywood]]
*[[Goa trance]]
*[[House music]]
*[[Indi-pop]]
*[[Music of India]]
*[[Psychedelic music]]
*[[Raga rock]]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 23:01, 1 August 2012

This article is about the musician. For the hockey player, see Charanjit Singh. For the politician, see Charanjit Singh Atwal.
Charanjit Singh
BornMumbai, India
GenresBollywood, Dance, Disco, Electronic, Elevator, Experimental, Filmi, House, Indian classical, Indi-pop
Occupation(s)Composer, Guitarist, Session musician, Songwriter
Instrument(s)Bass synth, Drum machine, Electric violin, Keyboard, Farfisa, Guitar, Jupiter-8, Synthesizer, Steel guitar, TB-303, TR-808, Transicord [1]
Years active1960s-1980s
LabelsGramophone Company of India, Sa Re Ga Ma

Charanjit Singh is a musician from Mumbai, India, who performed as a session musician,[2] often as a guitarist or synthesizer player,[3] in numerous Bollywood soundtrack orchestras from the 1960s to 1980s,[2] working with filmi composers such as Shankar-Jaikishan, S.D. Burman, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.[4] Singh led a wedding band and recorded and released a number of albums covering popular film songs.[5] These were a form of instrumental elevator music, some of which have since been re-released by Sublime Frequencies,[6] such as his steel guitar renditions of "Manje Re" from Bandhe Haath in 1973 and "Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne" from Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1975.[7] In 1981, he produced synthesizer-based electronic renditions of the Silsila soundtrack in his record Charanjit Singh: Plays Hit Tunes on Synthesizer of Silsila.[5]

Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat, an album of original electronic disco compositions Singh recorded in 1982, was a commercial failure at the time of its original release, but its re-discovery in 2002 and re-issue in early 2010 garnered attention due to its resemblance to music from the acid house genre of the late 1980s.[2][8] Since then, certain commentators in the music press have hailed Singh as a pioneer of acid house music.[2][8][9] He also used the same drum machine and synthesizers for his experimental electronic calypso record, Experiments in Calypso.[10] His son Raju Singh is also a musician, composing music for films and television shows.[4]

Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Mojo[10]
Spin[12]

Charanjit Singh is best known for his 1982 release Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat, an album originally intended as a fusion of electronic disco music with Indian classical ragas. Some music journalists have speculated that it is perhaps the earliest example of acid house because it pre-dates Phuture's seminal Chicago acid house record "Acid Tracks" (1987) by five years.[2][8]

Since its 2010 re-release, the album has been critically acclaimed in the music press. Besides acid house, comparisons have also been made with the work of contemporary electronic dance musicians such as Ceephax, Phuture 303, and Aphex Twin.[13] According to The Guardian writer Stuart Aitken, Singh's record was "far ahead" of its time.[8]

Production

Singh produced Ten Ragas using three electronic musical instruments made by the Roland Corporation: the Jupiter-8 synthesizer, TR-808 drum machine, and TB-303 bass synthesizer.[2] It was one of the first records to use the TB-303, a machine that has become synonymous with acid house. Singh had bought his TB-303 in Singapore soon after its introduction in late 1981. He didn't know much about the three machines at first, so he spent much time in figuring out how to use them, and eventually discovered that it was possible to synchronize the TR-808 and TB-303 with the Jupiter-8 keyboard. According to Singh: "At home I practised with the combination and I thought 'It sounds good – why not record it'."[8] While the TB-303 was originally designed to fill in for a bass guitar, it was awkward when it came to reproducing conventional basslines, so he found a different way to employ the machine, particularly its glissando function which made it suitable for reproducing the Indian raga melodies.[9]

Besides Indian raga music, he also took inspiration from contemporary Bollywood music, or filmi music, specifically the Indian electronic disco scene that had only just become popular in the early 1980s (sparked by the success of Pakistani pop singer Nazia Hassan and Indian producer Biddu), at a time when disco's popularity had declined in much of the Western world by that time. In parallel to the Euro disco scene at the time, the continued relevance of disco in India and the increasing reliance on synthesizers led to experiments in minimalist, high-tempo, electronic disco, such as R.D. Burman's "Dil Lena Khel Hai Dildar Ka" (Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai, 1981) which had a "futuristic electro feel" and Bappi Lahari's "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" (Disco Dancer, 1982). Such developments eventually culminated in the work of Singh, who increased the tempo up to a "techno wavelength" and made the sounds more minimalistic, while pairing them with "mystical, repetitive, instrumental Indian ragas" using his new equipment setup to produce a sound resembling acid house.[14][15][9]

According to Singh: "There was lots of disco music in films back in 1982. So I thought why not do something different using disco music only. I got an idea to play all the Indian ragas and give the beat a disco beat – and turn off the tabla. And I did it. And it turned out good."[8] The first track "Raga Bhairavi" also features a synthesized voice that says “Om Namah Shivaya” through a vocoder.[1]

Release

The album was released under the label Gramophone Company of India[16] (now Sa Re Ga Ma), having been recorded at their HMV Studio in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1982.[11] Following the LP record's release in 1982,[17] it garnered some interest in India, finding its way onto Indian national radio, but it became a commercial failure and was largely forgotten until recent years.[2] However, Singh may have played a role in popularizing electronic music in Bollywood at the time,[18] and a somewhat similar "techno-sounding interlude" had later appeared in Lahiri's song "Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki" from the film of the same name in 1984.[15]

Track listing

Both the original 1982[17] and 1983[16] LP records and the 2010 CD[11] and LP[19] re-releases contain the following tracks named after ragas:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Geeta Dayal (April 5, 2010). "Thoughts on '10 Ragas to a Disco Beat'". The Original Soundtrack. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Pattison, Louis (10 April 2010). "Charanjit Singh, acid house pioneer". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Samrat B (10 December, 2010). "A brief history of Indian electronic music". CNNGo. CNN International. Retrieved 1 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b Vijayak, Rajiv (8 June 2012). "Coming to the foreground". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b Charanjit Singh discography at Discogs
  6. ^ "Bollywood Steel Guitar CD SF043". Sublime Frequencies. Retrieved 2011-06-08.
  7. ^ Bollywood Steel Guitar at Discogs
  8. ^ a b c d e f Aitken, Stuart (10 May 2011). "Charanjit Singh on how he invented acid house ... by mistake". The Guardian.
  9. ^ a b c William Rauscher (12 May 2010). "Charanjit Singh - Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  10. ^ a b Ian Harrison (August 2010), "Future trax", Mojo, no. 201, retrieved 2011-06-13
  11. ^ a b c Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat at Discogs (2010 CD)
  12. ^ Andrew Hultkrans (August 2010), "Charanjit Singh - Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat", Spin, vol. 26, no. 7, p. 88, ISSN 0886-3032, retrieved 2011-06-04
  13. ^ "Top 10 Compilations and Re-Issues Of The Year". Bleep Magazine. 2010. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  14. ^ Geeta Dayal (April 6, 2010). "Further thoughts on '10 Ragas to a Disco Beat'". The Original Soundtrack. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  15. ^ a b Geeta Dayal (August 29, 2010). "'Studio 84′: Digging into the History of Disco in India". The Original Soundtrack. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  16. ^ a b Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat at Discogs (1983 LP)
  17. ^ a b Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  18. ^ Adam MacGregor (January 3, 2011). "Charanjit Singh - Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat". Dusted Magazine. Retrieved 2011-06-04.
  19. ^ Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat at Discogs (2010 LP)

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charanjit_Singh_(musician)&oldid=505338859"