Not to mention the flute doing the same with the electric guitar. In Ilaiya Nila from Payanangal Mudivathillai – (1982) the second interlude has an acoustic guitar playing in counterpoint to the electric guitar. Sometimes, Raja places some of his great work on orchestration in some obscure song that you need to unearth. It is very easy not to pay attention to this wonderful piece of work. Singara Cheemaiyile from Ninaivu Chinnam (1989) - the first interlude is a masterpiece using a guitar in counterpoint with a western flute – another masterpiece. Pay attention to the following counterpoint segments in the track below: a) 0:03 to 0:13 secs - Guitar in counterpoint with flute b) 0:25 to 0:34 secs - again, guitar in counterpoint with flute, but the melodies are completely different c) 0:35 to 0:52 secs - guitar in counterpoint with the synthesizer and at times with the flute d) 1:09 to 1:29 secs - again, guitar in counterpoint with flute, but the melodies are completely different from the earlier two examples! Hear the track. It is the regular hollow guitar (or Hawaiian guitar) that plays for a few seconds with the bells in a different melody. Then Poove Poove Vaa from Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984) – pay attention to the second interlude and see the guitar play with the keyboard in counterpoint mode. If you notice closely, the lead guitar plays three roles: 1) plays along with the melody at times 2) plays a different melody at times (counterpoint) and 3) plays a coversation with the other instruments (also called call and response technique). I chose this track first as this demonstrates the mastery Raja has over the Western idiom. Pay attention to the following segments on counterpoint technique: a) 0:01 to 0:15 secs - guitar in counterpoint with sax b) 0:16 to 0:33 secs - guitar in counterpoint at times with another guitar and also with a flute c) 1:20 to 1:35 secs - brilliant guitar-guitar counterpoint. I will start with Manadhil Enna Ninaivugalo from Poonthalir (1979) – please hear the prelude, first and the second interludes and see the play of guitar (electric, rhythm, bass), flutes and saxaphone in counterpoint/call and response mode – vintage Raja. I do not think anyone in Indian cinema has used the regular acoustic, electric and bass guitar the way Raja has used it. The unique feature of Raja's guitar work is its simplicity. No prizes for guessing who has done some of the best guitar work in Indian cinema – he got his music qualification in Western Classical guitar. Raja was a guitarist and an organ player before he became a composer.
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