Computer doing more harm than good to Nigerian music – Sir Victor Uwaifo

7 years ago

Computer doing more harm than good to Nigerian music – Sir Victor Uwaifo

Nigerian music icon, Sir Victor Uwaifo has lamented the advent of computer, saying the trend has killed real music and presents counterfeit to music lovers.

Uwaifo, who is also a writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor, was speaking with the Punch.

He added that the musicians no longer had bands but depended on the computer for beats production.

The “Joromi” “Guitar Boy” and “Mummy Water” crooner advised the young musicians to learn how to play instruments.

Uwaifo’s songs made waves in the late 60s and 70s, and the Professor of Arts at the University of Benin believes that music has evolved to what we have now.

Comparing music then and now, he said “They are completely two worlds, you go to the studio and record, when you make a mistake you repeat all over again but over time they started introducing small gadgets until we got to the age of computer.

“In computer you don’t need to have a band, one man can record, he goes to the studio, lay down the track, play the other instrument, get the other musician to lay down his track differently, just like a tailor making a shirt.

“He cuts them into pieces and sews them together. So, for our young ones today, it is not that they understand music but they play music and the computer is arranging it for them.

“The computer will concise the bad voice and put it in line and shape and the producer helps a lot. The producer has an idea but the computer is supposed to be a model to have an idea of what a song should sound like but it is not music itself.

“You still have musical instrument. People must learn how to play musical instrument because once you know the rudiments of music, you can play several instruments.

“I play almost all musical instruments, from piano to sax, to bass guitar, guitar, clarinet, xylophone and a lot of other instruments. I didn’t want to play trumpet because I didn’t want any mark on my lips, that is the only one I avoided.

“So over the years, music has always been revolving. In our days, you don’t dance anyhow you have to go to a dance school to learn how to dance Bolo, Quick Step, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Bolero, Pechanga and classic but now it is a free for all dance.”

According to him, the style of music and method of production in the country had provided jobs for many of the youths who would have been jobless on the streets.

He added, “But all I know is that we allow them to go because who would have given them jobs. Most of them are self-employed. Whether you like it or not they are making waves and also making a living out of it but for how long?”

“We only thank God that most of us who have been there for over 50 years are still there and the young ones are still appreciating us.

“Sometimes they go back into our archives and give it a remix. But I will still encourage them to learn how to play musical instrument so that they can also be equipped with that in life.”

He further asserted that the computer thing is killing talents of musicians who would done without it.

He said, “Yes, it kills talents. The computer is a rogue and a thief, it is like you allow somebody to go into the examination hall with mobile phone, he knows the answer before the question.

“So music from the computer is known before they are recorded and that is no music. The person doesn’t know music yet he is playing music.

“The best thing is to encourage them to be playing live music and learn musical instruments. Instruments are still sold and they are taught in schools.

“Life is give and take so let’s give them the benefit of doubt, they are young and if I were born in this era, I probably would have behaved like them.

“So it is the situation they found themselves and it is the implied act of their existence. The implied act of my existence was 60 years ago but I have been able to give new rendition to events of life.

“I have reinvented myself over and over again but some of these people have one way to go and when that way is blocked they think that is the end.