Life in music

JESSICA RAI, thehimalayantimes.com, KATHMANDU: Musician Sachin Singh says that if you subtract music from his life‚ then he is nothing but a big fat zero. He is a big name in the music industry today, yet conversing with him is not intimidating at all. Instead one finds it rather pleasant and one catches oneself grinning or laughing with him as the conversation flows. And what adds to his charismatic nature are the unforgettable and unique tunes that he has created for films and music albums.

Aago Lagyo Dilaima Damkal Bolaideu which has not receded from people’s mind to the danceable number Lathi Charge Nagara to touching and melodious numbers Kahabata Ayau Aja, Kasko Aankha Lagyo, Sachin Singh has redefined Nepali music.
At 50, Singh believes that “I have garnered respect and love (malami payeko chhu jasto lagchha)” because of the kind of person he is and musical endeavours he has undertaken and achieved.
“I would be nothing if the music was subtracted from my life … I would be a zero. It feels really good to be a part of this industry,” he expresses.
As a matter of fact, the Nepali music industry would have been incomplete without Singh and his compositions. 

Making of a star
The first song as a professional composer, Singh tuned Hijo Aja for Sukmit Gurung’s album Hijo Aja in 1991 (2048 BS). However, it did not stand out. Then came Sweekar of Subodh Shridhar where he challengingly “created tunes for already arranged tracks without lyrics”. 
Unfortunately, the film did not release. After a gap of two years came Dharma where he went unnoticed while he drew attention with Mero Maya Lai Bari Lai in Ragat. 
It wasn’t until Sagun that he earned fame as a composer with songs like Aago Lagyo Dilaima Damkal Bolediadeu. “It was my turning point,” divulges Singh who believes “everything has its time”.
Singh had relatives in Kathmandu and he visited them once in awhile. However, in 1988, he stayed back to pursue music. He had come for recording work where he met his friends from Kalimpong in the Valley which motivated him to stay back. 
Upon coming to Kathmandu, he started working in Symphonic Studio as a guitarist, taught music in schools and played guitar in a restaurant. 
He recalls those days as “tough” adding “one has to struggle in life”. It was difficult for the first few years. 
Nonetheless, Symphonic Studio proved to be lucky as it was the meeting place for singers and musicians. This was where Singh’s talent of composing was acknowledged and recognised.
From guitarist to arranger to composer, Singh gradually achieved the feat. 
“At first I worked as a guitarist in the studio. Seniors believed I could arrange music. Then one day Sukmit Gurung asked me to compose songs for her,” Singh shares. 
From that moment on, Singh worked as a music director in about 44 to 45 films and worked with singers including Nalina Chitrakar, Reema Gurung Hada, Udit Narayan Jha, Kumar Kanchha, among others. 

Magnetic music
E major, A major and B major — the three chords of guitar and Singh was good to go. Taught by musician Raju Gurung when Singh was studying in Class VI, and then he taught himself to play the instrument under the guidance of senior musicians and arrangers. 
Phire Pheri Godhule was the first tune he composed when he was in junior high and he remarks, “Since then I have continued composing and have come this far.” 
In 1981, this song won him the first prize during Bhanu Jayanti where he had sung the song. 
Participating in music competitions, appearing on school as well as college stages and organising musical events, he practically grew up with music since the age of six or seven. 
Then the Gorkhaland agitation in 1986 in the Darjeeling hills where he grew up, gave him an opportunity to come out with a revolutionary album Chaar Kune Aagan for Singh and his group Calypso. 
With the disturbing environment, Singh went to live in Gangtok, Sikkim for a year before landing in Kathmandu. 

Tuning lives
Growing up in a small town of Kalimpong, India there were no other means of entertainment for Singh except radio.
“There were two radio stations — Radio Nepal and All India Radio, Guwahati. Lots of Hindi songs and Deep Shrestha’s song were played,” Singh reminiscences. 
Remembering one of those instances he mentions, “If a new song was broadcast, we had to wait for hours to listen to it again and another hour to learn it.” 
It was how Singh’s interest in music deepened. 
During those days, he used to listen to many songs of RD Burman who has inspired him. “He is my favourite composer. His style of using chords and rhythm, I unconsciously use it in my compositions.” 
To his delight “when I had gone to Bombay for recordings, Indian musicians told me that my compositions resembled Pancham da’s”.
His another favourite artiste is singer Deep Shrestha. 
Starting from rhythmic compositions and to melodious ones, Singh has experimented with different kinds of compositions. He is still composing songs but not like before. Now, he is busy as a guitarist and music arranger who takes up work as a freelancer.
Creating a piece, he can take six months, like he did for for Kasko Aankha Lagyo to make it “different”. Understanding the feel of lyrics and of the lyricist, he tunes a song using his “imagination”. 
After all, “music is all about feeling” for him. “I put my feeling to each composition,” Singh expresses.