The only way to experience the grandeur of Ilaiyaraaja’s music is through DTS six-channel music and hi-fi stereo audio, says A. Muthusamy. He has manually enhanced 5,500 of the maestro’s songs in these formats, writes K. Jeshi
Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s ‘pattu poovey mettu paadu’ from the film
Chembaruthi plays in full volume in DTS 5.1 six-channel audio and all
those listening have goose bumps. There are six audio speakers — left,
centre vocal, right, left surround, right surround, and subwoofer that
capture the nuances — and the music leaves you stunned. You can thank
A.Muthusamy of Honeybee Studio in Coimbatore for the experience. “More
than 300 music artists contribute to a song in a live recording. When
you listen to it in six-channels, you appreciate every individual
effort. DTS gives a 360-degree experience which you can enjoy with your
eyes closed. The market is flooded with digital surround players that
compress the six channels only into two. What we experience is a mere
digital surround effect,” he rues.
Muthusamy does this by a manual enhancing process, where he picks
Ilaiyaraaja’s songs from old films, separates the six channels, and
enhances every channel in quality and strength to suit the latest audio
format, without tampering with the original composition.
So far, he has completed 5,500 songs from 100 films, all released between 1976 and 1981. They are from films such as Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri, 16 Vayadhiniley, Annakili, Ilamai Oonjalaadukirathu, Aval Appadithaan, Bhadrakaali and Paalooti Valartha Kili
Painstaking process
“His music genius is unparalleled. No one can replicate it. My wish is
that maestro’s music should reach the public in original DTS six-channel
format and in Hi-Fi stereo,” he says.
Manual enhancing is a painstaking process which takes up to 25 hours for
a single song, where he divides the frequencies as LCR (Left, Centre,
and Right), LS (Left Surround), RS (Right Surround) and Sub Woofer. “I
keep rolling the mouse for over 20 hours to separate the channels
manually without any software,” explains Muthusamy, and adds “ulakkaila idichi idichi arisi edukurathu mathiri…”
Through the process, one can build a crystal clear archive of old songs, and offer an original music experience.
“Please tell ayya (maestro) if you like it,” says Muthusamy as he hands
over a CD at his nondescript studio. “You are also free to complain if
you didn’t like it,” he says, but with an air of confidence.
He has distributed a select number of CDs in Madurai and Coimbatore to get a feedback from the public.
As we listen to ‘Ilamai idho idho’ from Sakalakala Vallavan,
Muthusamy says, “Hi-fi stereo is God’s gift to music. It is an audio
format that is created in tune with the human body. Stereo music (in two
tracks) is the most natural music as we have a left ear (treble) and a
right ear (bass) and the central channel (mind) which brings the
balance. The golden period of stereophonic recording lasted till 2000.
Then, 5.7 Dolby Digital Surround used in home theatre took over and that
marked the death of DTS.”
An electronics service engineer from Coimbatore, Muthusamy has worked in
various companies including Solitaire, Dyanora, and National Panasonic
for over 30 years, till he took it upon himself to create awareness
about DTS.
“Original sound brings clarity and depth to a composition. Mouna Guru was
one of the last films in theatres that gave a 360-degree experience on a
70 mm screen in original sound. Audio companies and producers who have
the rights to a film’s music failed to create awareness on original
music.”
For over five years, Muthusamy has been campaigning for awareness on
DTS. He released a number of print advertisements, and even secured a
license to build customised Analog DTS players. “I went to China to
learn the technology and customise the player. Though I lost over Rs.2
crores in the process, I sold 5,000 players in Tamil Nadu and the number
translates to awareness,” he says with pride.
Unmatched compositions
Muthusamy has sourced the original master tracks of 600 films of
Ilaiyaraaja’s compositions from audio companies in India, U.K., the
U.S., and Canada. He also has original audio wrappers of all the films.
Now, he has begun working on Maestro’s tracks of the next batch of films, from 1982 onwards. “I want Ayya to
take it to the public. I have listened to every single song of
Ilaiyaraaja over 1000 times inch by inch while enhancing the channels.
The music arrangement he brings to every composition is unmatched.”
According to this sound wizard, Ilaiyaraaja’s mind is the best music
instrument. Every piece of his music is a perfect creation. We listen to
music through instruments. For him, it plays out beautifully in his
mind. And, that’s what makes him a maestro,” he says and closes his eyes
as Ilaiyaraaja’s ‘Idhayam Oru Koil’ washes over us.
(To know more, call 94437-08290 or mail ilaiyaraaja.muthusamy@gmail.com)
Meeting Ilaiyaraaja
Muthusamy remembers meeting Ilaiyaraaja. It was in January 2012 at
Prasad Studios in Chennai. “I checked the tape recorder, the alignment
of the speakers and played ‘Poomalaye Thol Sera Vaa’ from Pagal Nilavu…
The next minute, he spoke to me. “Idha Pannunga”, he said, and gave me
the tape of ‘Ananda Raagam’ from Paneer Pushpangal. I completed it the
same day. He then asked me to continue with the other songs.” Muthusamy
wants to enhance all of Ilaiyaraaja’s Tamil songs in DTS and hi-fi
stereo, and exhibit them at the London Museum.
Legal take
Advocate Muthu Krishnan, a guiding force to Muthusamy, says: “Once songs
cross 25 years, anyone is free to enhance it. However, audio companies
can object if they fear ‘reputation injury’ or when the songs are used
for commercial purposes.”
Note-worthy
Uncompressed music CDs are compatible with the latest home theatre
players, Blue ray, 3D players and car stereos that are hi-fi enabled.
The file size of each song a single song in such an uncompressed format
runs up to 60 MB. More than 40 websites that offer free download of
Ilaiyaraaja’s songs, but they are compressed 3 MB files, which kills the
effect. “When youngsters listen to DTS six tracks and hi-fi stereo
audio, they know what they have missed. Then they won’t accept any form
of compressed music that is available on pen drives, FM radio, MP3 and
iPods,” says Muthusamy.
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