Goa has always been a pool of talent in the ocean
of music. The fretboard, worshipped by those that
strum a guitar; the keyboard, impressed upon like a
trail of melodies; the drum kit, struck upon to support
the harmony of sound; and gifted voices, setting the
stage ablaze by expressing emotion of song… such
is the passion for live music in the state. And while
there are those that stand by turntables to mix music,
and a few others that choose to tread the path of
originality and produce their own; instruments like
the ghumot and violin display Goa’s true heritage.
Through all of these variants, the competition is
steady to push forward the music scene in Goa. But
how does one enter and survive in this business?
“To enter the music business in Goa and survive,
you need to be good or else the competition will eat
you,” says Zubin da Cruz, an individual from Loutolim
who plays the guitar, violin and mandolin and also
sings with his band, True Blue. The music industry is
very competitive. Recognition for work doesn’t come
easy and a band has to watch their competitors to
know what makes them different from the rest. The
right and positive attitude is also a must to succeed in
this industry.
Franky Fernandes, a resident of Ribandar, is a
lead guitarist and vocalist who started jamming with
friends from his locality and eventually formed the
band Purple Rain. The band has been performing for
the past 30 years and still continues to do so. “All of
us in the band have day jobs. There is no organised
structure to get into the music scene. You start as
a band and then you play at weddings and hotels,
based on the contacts you’ve built,” he says. Many
have day jobs in this industry to supplement their
income. This may be necessary for new entrants in
this industry.
Colin D’Cruz, a seasoned bass guitarist, started
his career almost 40 years ago and is now a music
producer and owner of Jazz Goa – a portal that
promotes Goan artistes. He says that musicians
should take advantage of tutorial videos on the
internet to hone their skills so that they can book gigs
around the country and overseas.
With the coming of the digital age and an era
where social media is a powerful tool, Grayston Vaz,
the lead guitarist of A26, considers it a good platform
for new entrants. “Artistes should write their own
original music or do covers and post them on social
media. Starting a YouTube channel is also a great idea
as it will give them much recognition and bookings,”
he asserts.
When it comes to music instruments that define
our land of great culture, Samir Shabi Gadekar, a
ghumot performer and teacher, says that a student
should learn the art of playing the instrument
through a good mentor and then continue to
practise and participate in various competitions in
and around the state. And for Selwyn Menezes, a
violinist with professional experience of 25 years and
performances in Asia, South America and Europe,
it’s all about training. “A violinist should spend a
minimum of 6 to 7 years to learn to play the violin
well. Then they should team up with a group and
approach the hospitality industry and audition as
musicians. Talented players can join orchestras and
also move out of the state or take up a career in the
film industry,” he concludes.
