Everyone wanted to hug Chithra “chechi”, touch her feet, hear her sing her popular numbers, be photographed with her, and ask her what she thought of their singing. And the chatty, ever-smiling playback singer K.S. Chithra responded to each of them with genuine warmth and candidness — the gathering was floored. It was a rather rare occasion when Chithra was in Bengaluru to speak to amateur singers and listen to them sing, at a workshop.
It was organised by Sunil Koshy, founder of From Mug to Mike, a platform that hopes to handhold bathroom singers all the way to the studio. The nearly 50 participants ranged from seven to 60! Chithra had them with her opening lines: “I’ve learnt Carnatic classical music only for seven years. I’m a normal singer, just like you…” Sunil, of course, reminded them that she’s been singing for 36 years now, and has sung over 25,000 songs.
The singer involved everyone in the story of her life, baring details of her parents who were strict teachers but never pressurised her, of not participating in college music competitions because she didn’t want to compete with her sister Beena who studied with her, of her younger brother who started playing the mridanga and is now a famous guitarist in Nigeria. “All three of us would sing every evening when my mother would light the lamp.” She grew up listening to Yesudas, S. Janaki, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Leela, Jamuna Rani, Vani Jairam, G.N.B., M.S Subbulakshmi, and M. Balamuralikrishna. Her father would play from his extensive collection of tapes. She sang a few lines whenever any participant asked for their favourite!
She admitted how she’s always scared of Ilayaraja (“Raja Sir”), compared his working styles with Rahman’s — “Raja Sir doesn’t like improvisations; Rahman allows you to record different improvisations but will keep what he likes!” Chithra then compared recording traditions in earlier times when singers went through rehearsals and sang an entire song in one go, to now, where she’s seen young singers record a song line by line, thanks to technology.
As each participant came up on stage to sing for her, Chithra helped them, starting with how to hold the mike, to singing along till they got a particular musical phrase or nuance right. Participants left with certificates, photographs to flaunt, and memories etched in their hearts.
Chithra’s notes
* Never sing along with the original track. Learn a song, record your singing, analyse and learn from your mistakes (something Ilayaraja taught her).
* Breathing exercises help. Do Pranayama. Inhale from one nostril; hold for six counts. Slowly exhale — should be longer — 8 to 10 counts. It increases lung capacity.
* Practise alankaras in three speeds. Becomes easier to sing certain phrases.
* Find your shruti, where you can sing from the lower sa to the upper sa comfortably. Try to go up to a higher note, one by one, up to three notes. That’s how you increase your range.
* Learn from a voice trainer.
* Learn to sing along with a tambura — real or electronic, or even on an app on your phone.
* Don’t record what your teacher teaches you. You must learn from “gurumukham” — the face of your guru.
* Listen to different genres of music, different singers. But develop your own style. You should have your own baani.
* Don’t participate in a competition or reality show to win; treat it as a learning experience.
