[PhillipHer]

From sakala's post in the IR forum:

http://www.tamiloviam.com/site/?p=923

இசை குறித்து எழுதுவதற்கு முக்கியத் தகுதிகளாக நான் நினைப்பது

1.இசை குறித்த உண்மையான ஆர்வம்.
2.நாம் வாழும் நாட்டின் இசை வகைகளைக் குறித்த புரிதல்.
3.பிற நாட்டு இசை வகைகள் குறித்த புரிதல்.
4.இசையின் தோற்றம், வளர்ச்சி குறித்த வரலாற்று ஞானம்.
5.நல்ல கேள்வி ஞானம். நிறைய இசை கேட்பவராக இருத்தல்.
6.புறவயமாக இசையை அணுகும் இயல்பு.
7.இசையிலிருந்து தத்துவத்திற்கு இட்டுச்செல்லும் தொடர்பு குறித்த பிரக்ஞை.
8.கலையையும் கலைஞனையும் பிரித்துப் பார்க்கும் தேர்ந்த நோக்கு.
9.எந்த முன்முடிவுகளும், அரசியலும் இல்லாமல் அணுகுவது.

[MannoFr]

Originally Posted by MADDY anyone can become a critic - as long he can express his views clearly

yes.... consumer has every rights to criticize

he knows the subject well

why ?

saappaadu nallaa irukkaa/illayaanu solla, samaiyal kalai therinjirukkanum'nu avasiyam illayE sarna,

samaiyal theriya vendiya avasiyam ilai dhan.

anal, ipodhu irukum situtation,

samatihavan - Muttal..

Vimarsnaam seidhavan - Arivujeevi endru solli

Vizha edukum varai povadhu....

idhu sariya ? thavara?

[Drugmachine]

This is a fairly difficult question to answer but given the current scenario, it is good have a debate on this aspect.

I said it is difficult in this area because film music does not have strict boundaries as in carnatic music or hindustani music. Yes, Carnatic music or hindustani music can take in external influence but the core of the music form is well defined. Whereas the core of Indian film music is nebulous to say the least, though there is definitely something called film music!! This ability to take in any influence, classical, folk, western rock, pop, jazz etc and morph it into itself is the greatest virtue of our film music.

Given this situation, it is obvious difficult to say that the critic should be well versed in one form of music and it is almost impossible to someone to be well versed in all forms of music!! My personal take is that a good critic should be well versed in the basics of music like being able to identify the notes or in being able to identify the chords. Someone who actually has played an instrument for a film song would be great or atleast who has tried to play a song on the instrument in an orchestra. Someone like Violin Vicky would probably fall in this category. Needless to say, the critic should have an open mind to accept newer influences and see how they impact the current. He should have heard a lot of different types of music and should be able to appreciate other forms of music. (Ofcourse many music directors may not want a critic who has heard a lot because he / she may find out where they get their inspiration from ) Would agree with Vijay that putting things down in an understanable fashion is very important.

As trends change, the expectations from the critic change as well. Someone who was good critic during MSV era may have been insufficient during Raja times and when Rahman came along critics would have had to learn newer things. Yet some basic expectations would remain. The ability to see continuity in change, the ability to point out to new talent and ability to influence tastes.

Given this, I would agree with Vijay that I have not yet come across a film critic who can be termed as good. I would personally rate someone like Baradwaj Rangan as a good writer. Musically I don't get much from him and I am sure he will accept that he is not a musician and is not trying to educate us musically. Other like Karthik etc, I would call them as reviewers as opposed to critics.

[Fegasderty]

Param,
I think he's talking about emotional reaction (for instance, 'pathos') to piece of music.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

'தடி எடுத்தவனெல்லாம் தண்டல்காரன்' என்ற வழக்கு போல ஆகி விட்டிருக்கிறது தமிழ்த்திரை இசை விமர்சனம்.

முறையான விமர்சனத்தளங்கள் ஒரு காலத்திலும் இல்லாதிருந்ததே முக்கியக்காரணம். மெல்ல மெல்ல இப்போது 'எனக்கு இசையே தெரியாது ஆனாலும் என்னை இசை விமரிசகன் என்று விழா எடுக்கலாம்' என்னும் வரை இது நீண்டிருக்கிறது. வந்து வந்து இப்போது "பரப்பிசை" என்றெல்லாம் இதற்குப்பெயர் சூட்டு விழாவும் தொடங்கியாயிற்று சில அறிவுஜீவிகள்

என்றாலும், tfmpage / hub இணையதளம் தொடக்க முதலே திரை இசை ஆய்வுகளுக்கு ஒரு நல்ல அடித்தளமாக ஆகியிருந்திருக்கிறது. இசைத்தட்டு விமரிசனங்களும் / இசை விற்பன்னர்கள் பற்றிய ஆய்வுகளும் பல ஆண்டுகளாக இங்கு தனித்தரத்தில் நடப்பதும் கண்கூடு.

என்றாலும் 'இசை விமர்சகர்' என்றால் யார் என்று தெளிவான வரையறைகள் இங்கு செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறதா என நினைவில்லை. அதைச்செய்ய ஒரு சிறு முயற்சி தான் இந்த இழை

[tgs]

a_e for an useful thread!

What do you think are basic qualifications of a TFM critic?

Training on either ICM or WCM plus knowlege of Film field
- MUST

Ability to at least sing / play an instrument plus years of TFM listening
- not essential but shud be aware of what it takes to sing a hard piece. for which he shud know if a specific song/piece is tough or not. for which, he shud have really tried singing or seen playing complex parts in musical instruments

Wide listening experience of variety of music genres with no musical knowledge
- Listening experience is quite mandatory but no musical knowledge, or just Kelvi gnaanam wont make you a critic.

Capability to critique anything / create a vambu or stir
- essential only for chaaru shaaji types

Should have worked in TFM / IFM in some capacity
- not essential but again having experience/feel of it. for example the way/speed a composer works at. the tekniks he use on instruments( a bizzare example is using violin as a guitar) the knowledge he has on other things - lyrics, sound engineering etc. if a critic is aware of this, it will be great. or else we will have AC room lazy critics

Other criteria - like "should have listened to 10000 hours of TFM" etc
- quantity matters!! but may not be limited in one specific genre. the more wider, the more exposure he gets, and naturally a better critic.

[softy54534]

Very Important :-

1. As there are not much indepth musical courses in India, or atleast from what we know. better go abroad, join a full time graduation in music, very importantly there shud be a sillabus for Music appreciation

2. Read atleast few books on Music appreciation, try to read about how they wrote in india, yeteryears.

3. Do a decent Research Paper here, on our musicians. with the knowledge learnt abroad. If u have guts, post it public!

4. The Review works shud be understandable (atleast to a decent extent) to commonman/normal music fans. Usage of musical clips, pictures etc to prove a point. If its elevates the musical knowledge of the reader its really great

5. Contribute to public documentation and a single portal. ( The complete history and contents o Carnatic, Hindustaani etc)

[doctorzlo]

Excellent! sakala, you have covered a lot of ground there.

For all that I dont agree with him always, I think Baradwaj Rangan is an excellent film music critic.

There is inetk, too, who is extremely succesful and popular, but I never get many useful insights from him.( I am sure he'lll read this so apologies for being blunt but I guess it's just my opinion so no big deal for a succesful blogger like him)

[softy54534]

Backgroundscore.com (Ursmusically/Suresh)
Sureshs65
Bala(Karthik)
Complicateur

[HedgeYourBets]

Plum,
Your opinion on above netizens..

[Lt_Apple]

sakala,

Excellent points there.

Training on either ICM or WCM plus knowlege of Film field
- MUST

Yes, I agree with this, but only add that he/she has no prejudice or any preconceived notion. In this regard, I find inetk to be a good critic than many others.

[MannoFr]

01

[softy54534]

--

[S.T.D.]

anyone can become a critic - as long he can express his views clearly

yes.... consumer has every rights to criticize

he knows the subject well

why ?

saappaadu nallaa irukkaa/illayaanu solla, samaiyal kalai therinjirukkanum'nu avasiyam illayE

[S.T.D.]

App_anneh

I belong to the 2,3 and 5 th points in your poll options, does that qualify me as a TFM critic ?

[Beerinkol]

app,
inum oru point serthu kolla vendum.

at least,

Naam sollum karuthuku - maatru karuthu varum enbadhai accept seidhu kondu ,

adharku idam thara vendum. maatru karuthai solla idam illamal seiya kudadhu.

idhu enna nyayam?

IPer patavaruku ellam vizha..

Yaraiyo pazhichu, per vangara jenmam.

ASINGAMANA GUNAM KONDA MANIDHAR..

ADHAI KONDADUM KOOTAM.

Idharku peyar dhan

Manidha VAKIRAM...............

[Fegasderty]

Param,

That is the very purpose of this thread - to identify the "right" criteria for defining a music critic.

sakala, Plum, Punnaimaran, UshakkA
nice comments / observations.

MADDY, looks like you've posted something and then erased. Come on, express yourself

Sarna, I like your sAppAdu analogy - a fav one of mine What we are trying to do here is to find out how to differentiate an average rasikan from an insightful critic. Let's see what comes up...

[Lt_Apple]

Plum,
Your opinion on above netizens..

ada nInga vEra apram kAl amutharadhOda niruthikOngannu sollitAnganna?

[PhillipHer]

I feel any one who has knowledge/experience in ICM, WCM or The ability sing even without any musical background would understand music much more than the others, hence may make an 'ideal' critic.

[softy54534]

An Ideal critic should have the ability to techinally and emotionally review a composition. In long term, a crituc shud outline the greatness or dumbness of an artist. Those writings whud bring the real picture of an (already established) artist. Sample this- http://solvanam.com/?p=7377

"என்னைப் பொருத்தவரை ஏறத்தாழ முப்பது வருடங்களுக்கும் மேலாக இசையமைத்துவரும் இளையராஜாவுக்குக் கிடைத்திருக்கும் மிகப்பெரிய அங்கீகாரம், இப்போது இந்திய அரசாங்கம் அவருக்கு அளித்துள்ள பத்மபூஷன் விருது அல்ல. சிறிதும் இசைப்பயிற்சி இல்லாத சாதாரண ரசிகர்கள் கூட, அதிகம் கவனிப்புத் தேவைப்படாத எளிமையான இசை வடிவமான திரையிசை மூலம், சவாலான பல இசைப்பரிசோதனைகளையும், வடிவங்களையும் புரிந்துகொள்ள முடிந்ததுதான்; இதன் மூலம் அவர் நம் சமூகத்தின் சராசரி இசை சார்ந்த பொது அறிவை ஒட்டுமொத்தமாக மேம்படுத்தி இருக்கிறார் என்பதுதான்."

Now he is not a professional critic but his review is not anything less professional. Now, the music has this power to transform a chaiwala to composer, as said by ARR once, about Rja's music