Visitors to musician Soumya Sanathanan’s own space on the first floor of her house at Amrita Nagar, Kaimanam can almost hear the roll of drums as they step into the room. It looks like the entire room is filled with musical instruments of different kinds. Chenda, edakka, darbuka, djembe, drums, conga, dhol, ek tar, cajon, duff, xylophone, melodica, guitar, tabla, shakers ... and many others that one hasn’t seen or heard.
Soumya plays each of the percussion instruments arranged on the carpet in her lavishly furnished room. Before we sit down to talk about the instruments, she takes me to see her studio, Neelambari, named after her daughter, which is in another room on the same floor. Done up in soothing shades and accentuated by soft lighting and minimal furniture, her studio has a computer, sound card, speakers, mike, head phones.... and a small recording console.
“This studio is two-and-a-half years old. But for my parents’ support, this would not have been possible. Although, there are no musicians in my family, music has always been a part of my life. I have been learning music from childhood. But a career in music or a studio was not planned. But when it did happen, a new chapter in my life was opened,” she says.
Musician Soumya Sanathanan at her studio
It was a hands-on learning for Soumya. “I knew very little about technical aspects of a music studio and so, initially, I had my apprehensions. But now I know how to go about it. This space is a blessing for me, for, that’s why I could come up with my independent projects,” says Soumya.
The journey begins
It is here that the singer-composer-percussionist drummed up excitement with her first independent work, an Onam song. What got her wide acceptance was a capella cover version of the popular song Thumbappoo kaattilpaadi , followed by the a capella version of Vande Mataram .
“Making an a capella version requires several hours of practice and recording. So if I didn’t have this space of my own, that venture would have remained muted,” she says. A Grade I light music composer with All India Radio, it is here that she composes music for various labels and events, the recent one being the title track for ‘Nareeyam’, an all-women stage show in Muscat.
The amount of time she spends in her studio varies from one project to another. “I can’t call myself a morning person or a nocturnal composer. It depends on the nature of the work I have taken up,” she says. Sometimes the studio is “crowded” with the instruments she wants to use for a particular song, Soumya adds.
Her affair with percussion started with the tabla, which she started learning at the age of 11. Two years later, she got an opportunity to play the instrument and sing in a show, Magarisa on Asianet.
Later, while pursuing her under-graduation in music, she learnt the veena. Edakka was the next on the list, followed by drums. “One thing led to the other. I have been learning drums from Joeboy sir, a veteran teacher/performer. He taught me the conga and I have accompanied him for his concerts. I love percussion, but never thought that I would end up learning so many instruments.”
On a familiar beat
Percussion is a stress-reliever, she adds. “I have my mood swings and playing an instrument makes me feel better. I can vent my feelings when I play a percussion. I take the instrument to my studio and play it to my heart’s content. Since the room is sound proof, I don’t disturb any one with my moody beats!” she says with a chuckle.
Coming back to the instruments, Soumya excitedly talks about some special ones in her collection — Hapi Drum (metallic round tongue drums), wave shaker, guiro, udu, flexatone... “I keep collecting new instruments, most of which are not used by musicians here. I make it a point to include it in my composition. For example, I played the Hapi drum for Rajasree Warrier in her new production when it was staged in New Delhi.”
Currently pursuing her PhD in music, Soumya says that she keeps experimenting as a musician. “I keep looking for information about new fingering techniques from other musicians. My dream is to come out with a production through which more people can listen to these instruments,” she says.
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