Sidharth Praveen is a guitarist/music composer from Chennai, and based out of Bengaluru. While he is currently playing with bands like The Celestials and Hashtapes, he also releases his own solo work. He has collaborated with Ramprashant from Resonance studios and worked on the music for a short film by Dhanush Naveen titled Porul. The film was nominated for best film of the year at First time Filmmakers session 2019 hosted in Berlin and Lift of film session 2019 hosted in London.
His latest single Wrath is inspired by composers like Hans Zimmer and Julian Scherle, and the band Nine Inch Nails as well. It is a piece that portrays how he dealt with anxiety and rage, and the role music played in helping him deal with his emotions in a healthy way. We speak to the artiste:
What is the story behind Wrath? What was your creative process?
While growing up, I was riddled with mental health issues like anxiety. Music seemed to be the only coping mechanism that got me through days but more importantly sculpted my roots to making that dream a reality. Wrath is a story. The track is a narrative. A journey of inner conflict of ups and downs. With sounds panning in the electronic section to a wall of ambient tones in the main verse.
It is also a tribute to composers such as David Julyan, Hans Zimmer and Trent Reznor with their innovative and cinematic scores in film. My creative process was to try and create a track that could sound like a complete inner pathway of sounds playing in my head.
How would you describe Wrath?
Wrath is a very dramatic track. From a Taiko fueled intro, an electronic pre-chorus and a symphonic verse. It’s the perfect description to music that can be used to a scene onscreen. To the listeners it could fit any visual of a tense or chaotic scene in a film .
What kind of gear have you used on Wrath? Is there any guitarists tone you’re inspired by for the song?
I primarily used an ANA2 Synth Plugin, BBC’s Spitfire Orchestration, Air Xpand for bass tracking and Slate Digital fx chains for the Guitar ambient undertones. I was inspired by Guthrie’s tones on the Steven Wilson project as well as Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson tones from Opeth.
How was writing and composing music different during the pandemic?
Largely, it helped me with skill building. I could spend more time in my room producing and engineering different tones and sounds for the track. I was able to be more clear with what I wanted as time was an abundant resource. There was less creative conflict as I was the only one doing everything.
Are there any notable guitarists that have influenced you technically or emotionally?
From a guitar point of view I think Guthrie is a big influence. With his whole theory on making melody a more important factor than speed, his phrasing is unparalleled. He looks at the guitar as a musical opportunity. Another influence would be Christian Muenzner from Obscura and Necrophagist. His two handed tapping style he developed despite having Focal Dystonia is something remarkable. Mikael Akerfeldt’s (Opeth) and Fredrik Akesson’s (Opeth) ambient melancholic playing is something I truly admire as well.
Have you had any formal training?
I grew up being a death metal guitarist so back then it was all about playing fast and flexing. I was fortunate enough to have family who funded me to study at the Nathaniel School of Music to make music a full time career. Learning formally was an eye opener as I was exposed to a whole new world of music. Started to listen to a lot of new genres, experiment with them on the guitar and overall improve my playing.
What has been the highlight of your career as a guitarist so far?
I’m really excited to be working with The Celestials and Hash Tapes. I was very happy that I cleared audition on my first try.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Best advice I’ve been given is to follow your own rhythm, whistle your own melody to live a song you imagined in your head. Be yourself and follow your ideas and paths even if it means saying no to a lot of people on the way.
What are your favourite and least favourite venues? And do you have any upcoming shows?
I have done shows at Fandom, Hard Rock Café, Kadence, Forum Battle of the Bands. A number of online gigs such as a charity fundraiser for Akshaya Patra,Wasabi Collective, Last Page Collective, and Manipal Viva La Vida. We are looking at doing upcoming shows with my bands The Celestials and Hash Tapes in the months to come.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
I would like to perform at Nh7 Weekender and open my own music school.
Listen to the song here: