'You don't need a degree to play music'

Musician Monjyoti Bhattacharyya has simplified the art of learning music through his recent initiative at a city cafe

BANGALORE: “Anyone can be a music artiste. If you enjoy listening to music and appreciate a work of art, you have artistic acumen. You don't need a musical degree to bring out the musician in you,”  Monjyoti Bhattacharyya states. Being a self-trained guitarist himself, he believes that one doesn't need to be bombarded with the theoretical aspects when it comes to playing the guitar.

This is what gave birth to his initiative, Musical Journey. What’s different about this initiative? He explains, "My method of training focuses on the basic elements of song-playing, it is a practical way of learning. When a person starts learning the guitar, he wants to be able to play a song. If they are taught only theory, they get bored and when they are not able to play the guitar the way they want to, they get demoralised and eventually drop out in just one or two months. This is why I only teach what is required, like chords for a song they wish to play."

Monjyoti conducts his guitar classes four days a week at Green Theory on Convent Road and the sessions go on for two hours. “We start off by picking a song which has easy chords. I get them to practise it as often as they can and then move on to the next song. Since the learning is simplified, it is lot more fun and keeps them motivated,” he says.

Though he steers clear of the conventional teaching methods, he doesn't disprove of them entirely. “If you are interested in advanced guitar programmes, then it is important to learn scales, notation and other things. But most of the people are not looking to get a degree in music. They want to use the guitar to play a song they like. Hence, what I teach is very practical.”

The initiative is five months old, and so far, he has seen a lot of progress. “Some of my students have performed on stage within a month or two,” he adds.

This solo performer, guitarist and songwriter, was a software developer and had even founded his own web designing and mobile app development company, Estimath. But after just one year, he veered towards music and with the help of his friend Ananyabrata, started doing gigs in Bangalore. He has performed at over 20 shows in the city till now. He says, “I have collaborated with Ananyabrata for a project called the M Theory. We have release a song called Udja Panchi. We are also looking to collaborate with musicians from different genres for this project. Apart from this, I am working on a solo album which should be out in two months’ time.”

As for his plans for the Musical Journey, he says, “I am in talks with other artistes to expand the realm of the approach and include training for other musical instruments as well. I also want to get more people involved. Not just music artistes, but also songwriters and composers.”

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