When I was young (in my teens), I liked listening to Hindi songs. The only options then were an LP player and radio. We had many records at home. I would also record songs from the radio so I could listen to them whenever I want. My years at IIT expanded my repertoire to English language songs – the likes of Simon and Garfunkel. I had a 2-in-1 radio and cassette player in my room at IIT. Sometime after that as I started working and then became an entrepreneur, my interest waned.
Now, nearly 30 years later, music has come back in my life thanks to the Amazon Music app on my mobile and the Bose QC45 headset. It was last April when I upgraded my mobile phone so I wouldn’t have to worry about storage space. I had also bought the headset, ahead of a US visit. My main purpose was to have a few songs downloaded which I could listen to offline during the flights. I ended up downloading a couple hundred Hindi songs – mostly from the 1970s and later. Many of the songs have associated memories of my growing up years.
With the noise cancellation headset, I realised the songs playing at low volume in my ears helped me switch off from the surrounding sounds and concentrate better. The technology is now so good that even the engine noise in flights is almost cancelled. I could now create my own private space wherever I wanted. This was for me a new experience – and one that I began to like.
I have since expanded the songs in the app. I downloaded all the songs from “Hamilton” and then added many more English language songs. Of late, I have also added some musical soundtracks. My favourite is from “Lord of the Rings.” Although I have watched the movies multiple times, I had not paid as much attention to the musical score in the background. A few chords had stuck with me. I now realise how good the compositions are.
In the app, I use the “Random” mode – so there is always a surprise coming up next, rather than the same sequence. At home, I sit in my chair with my writing notebook, put on the headset, switch on the Music, and commence my thinking and writing. For the time I am listening, I am switched off from the street noise and all other distractions.
Music playing softly in my ears helps me relax and think better – and I wish I had not let my childhood interest disappear. Next, I want to explore classical music, symphonies and even music from other countries. I don’t have a natural ear for music, but I guess it’s never too late in life to explore new horizons!
