'Where words fail music speaks'. A famous quote, from a renowned author 'Hans Christian Andersen', is undoubtedly true. Music/Sound transcends the language-barrier to work as a common medium to elicit happy, melancholy, annoying, devotional, calm, energetic etc. feelings. Though oldest musical instrument is contested, the records definitely ascertain the fact that music is much old than we generally think it to be.
The contested slice of history is w.r.t. two finds in recent times.
One is called the "Divje Babe Flute", discovered in Slovenia and estimated to be 43,000-67,000 years old.
The other is the pair of flutes found in Germany and estimated to be around 40,000 years old. These flutes, made of Mammoth's ivory and Swan's bone, are generally accepted as the oldest musical instruments.
So much on the musical instruments history. Let's come to the present, in the world where Hip hop/Rap & Pop songs are the talk of town. With immense variety of musical instruments (Know about String instruments from our earlier blog)., we have multiple versions/renditions of a song. Even a same music composition has varied level of lyrics, so much so that the music on the dance floor is also played as 'bhajans' (but with devotional lyrics, of course).
Of late, we have seen umpteen remixes of erstwhile hit songs. Some movies even have the reprise version of its original songs, played at different stage of the movie. But are you aware of the difference in Remix, Reprise and Unplugged songs? We often see these versions topping the music charts. One such song Ankh maare from the upcoming movie 'Simmba' is a classic example. The video garnered almost 50 mn views within a week of release.
Let's understand whether this song is a remix or a reprise version.
The contested slice of history is w.r.t. two finds in recent times.
One is called the "Divje Babe Flute", discovered in Slovenia and estimated to be 43,000-67,000 years old.
The other is the pair of flutes found in Germany and estimated to be around 40,000 years old. These flutes, made of Mammoth's ivory and Swan's bone, are generally accepted as the oldest musical instruments.
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| Divje Babe Flute (Source: Wikimedia) |
So much on the musical instruments history. Let's come to the present, in the world where Hip hop/Rap & Pop songs are the talk of town. With immense variety of musical instruments (Know about String instruments from our earlier blog)., we have multiple versions/renditions of a song. Even a same music composition has varied level of lyrics, so much so that the music on the dance floor is also played as 'bhajans' (but with devotional lyrics, of course).
Of late, we have seen umpteen remixes of erstwhile hit songs. Some movies even have the reprise version of its original songs, played at different stage of the movie. But are you aware of the difference in Remix, Reprise and Unplugged songs? We often see these versions topping the music charts. One such song Ankh maare from the upcoming movie 'Simmba' is a classic example. The video garnered almost 50 mn views within a week of release.
Let's understand whether this song is a remix or a reprise version.
What is an Unplugged version of Music?
A quite popular TV series - MTV Unplugged, showcasing famous singers rhyming their hit melodies in a unique way was a throw away hit. Why was it called Unplugged? Because, the series had musicians rendering their songs using just the Acoustic instruments i.e. without any use of electric instruments. Although, in original, the songs that featured in the show were alive on the backdrop of electric instruments, some wee movie songs while others were renditions from albums.
People liked the concept and musicians cashed into the same by launching their unplugged albums - earning both fame and money.
People liked the concept and musicians cashed into the same by launching their unplugged albums - earning both fame and money.
What is a Reprise? And Remix?
Reprise version of a music is totally different from Unplugged. A Reprise is basically taking the original song or its part and adding new lyrics or music or both to it. It is also a remix but remix songs, in more popular sense, are the ones having high discotheque music apart from just new lyrics amalgamated with the original ones. So a remix song is also a reprise version, while every reprise is generally not a remix song.
To summarize, Unplugged music is basically produced by unplugging all the electronic instruments, Reprise is the re-presentation of song with new lyrics/music, and Remix is majorly a revamped disco version of a song.
Hence, 'Ankh maare' is more a Remixed version than any other form.
To summarize, Unplugged music is basically produced by unplugging all the electronic instruments, Reprise is the re-presentation of song with new lyrics/music, and Remix is majorly a revamped disco version of a song.
Hence, 'Ankh maare' is more a Remixed version than any other form.
Nerd Notes:
- The album Beach Boys' Party, launched in 1965 is considered to be the first Unplugged album, with music only from the Acoustic instruments
- Music is widely used to help patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease
- South Korean scientists proved that playing music to plants helps them grow faster
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- Prakhar
Amazing Details...Surprised
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNice Prakhar bhai
ReplyDeleteUnplugged music refers to a style of musical performance where traditional electronic instruments are not used, and instead, artists typically play acoustic instruments. The term "unplugged" became popularized through the MTV Unplugged series in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where artists would perform their songs acoustically, often showcasing a more intimate and stripped-down version of their music.
ReplyDeleteOther related terms include:
1. **Acoustic:** Music performed with acoustic instruments, without electronic amplification.
2. **Live Sessions:** These are recordings or performances done in a live setting, often capturing the raw and unedited sound of the music.
3. **MTV Unplugged:** Besides the general term, it specifically refers to the MTV Unplugged series that gained popularity for featuring artists performing acoustic or semi-acoustic versions of their songs.
These terms highlight the desire for a more authentic and organic musical experience, often emphasizing the purity of the performance without the production effects of studio recordings.