DVAAR Studio: Vijay Prakash on Building His Dream Creative Space in Bangalore
Q: Can you please give us a background about yourself?
A: I am a professional singer, musician and performer, and I have been part of the Indian music industry for over 30 years. My journey began with advertising jingles, which gave me the opportunity to explore different styles of music and work with some incredible musicians and composers. Over the years, that journey evolved into playback singing, live performances, independent music and music production across Bollywood and South Indian cinema.
Q: Can you tell us the function of the studio – what work do you do here?
A: I mainly use the studio for my own work, particularly for singing for other composers, films and independent projects. Apart from that, we do a lot of music production here. We create music, produce tracks and work with different artists and singers.
We also do a lot of music production for our own label, DVAAR Music, where we develop and produce our independent music projects. The studio is also used for video and other creative production work connected to our music.
Another important part of the studio is its association with the Vijay Prakash Culture Club, where we give students opportunities to come in, record and work on their music.
Q: How does this studio support your musical expression?
A: For me, this studio represents freedom. It is a space where I can walk in with an idea and take it all the way to a finished piece of music. After spending so many years performing and recording in different studios around the world, I wanted to create a space that reflects how I hear music and how I like to work.
At the same time, I wanted the space to have its own aesthetic identity. It had to feel inspiring, warm and personal. So, for me, this studio is not just about the equipment or the acoustics; it is a combination of the sound, the aesthetics and the creative atmosphere that makes me feel at home.
Q: Were there any challenges in creating this studio, and how did you overcome them?
A: As a professional singer and music producer, I have a basic understanding of what good sound should be, but I also knew that I couldn’t depend entirely on my experience when it came to the physics, acoustics and technical aspects of building a studio.
So, I spoke to a very dear old friend of mine, Mr. Darshan Nair, an engineer from the advertising industry in Mumbai. I trusted his knowledge when it came to the choice of equipment, the design and the other technical aspects of the studio.
He then brought Mr. Didier Weiss from Sound Wizard on board to design and build the entire studio for us. I knew what I wanted creatively, and I trusted the experts to translate that vision into the right acoustic and technical environment.
Q: Which speakers/subwoofers have you opted for in the studio?
A: We have opted for a stereo monitoring setup, with two Genelec 1238DF three-way Smart Active Monitors, supported by one Genelec 7380A SAM Subwoofer.
Q: What do you enjoy about this studio and location?
A: Probably the biggest thing I enjoy about the studio is that it is the dream creative space I always wanted to have.
What makes it even more special is that it is not just a studio; it is an entire building designed around music and the creative process. We have four floors, with a large rehearsal hall in the basement, an office, the studio on the second level, and rooms on the third level where musicians can rest and stay.
We also have a beautiful cafeteria on the terrace. We also have a full-time engineer, Mr. Jinto Thomas, who works with us.
So, the whole infrastructure is very harmonious and very musician friendly. It allows everyone to work, rest and create within the same space.
