Rhythm of Love: In conversation with Nokrang Longkumer

Passionate Nokrang Longkumer is a music producer and sound engineer. Recipient of ‘Best sound engineer’ at the Music Award of Nagaland 2014, Lkr has worked hard to be where he is now and believes that if skills and hard work are present in equal measure then nothing can stop you!

Eastern Mirror: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Nokrang Longkumer: Hi my name is Nokrang Longkumer I’m a producer and a sound engineer at LKR MUSIC RECORDS. Music is one, if not the most important aspect of my life. Music means the world to me. It makes me think about how it relates to life and I love the beats. 

Eastern Mirror: How did you get started in the music industry? Could you tell us about how you started working in audio and producing?

I am a musician first but I started off programming and composing beats long before I became an actual producer at that time I didn’t know what it meant to be a producer until I met my first artist that taught me the ropes that helped me get to the next level. 

Eastern Mirror: What are some of the biggest differences you’ve seen in this industry since you started? 

Looking back at the early stage our music industry had very limited gears for lives and studio but today we are so fortunate to be in the new era of digital art. 

Eastern Mirror: What could ‘great-sounding’ recording do for an artist’s profession?

For both an artiste or a producer, it’s a competitive world in the music industry, ‘great sounding’ would mean better production. Which enhances the audience experience and showcases world class production. 

Eastern Mirror: What challenges do you face as a sound engineer and a producer? Which is more tasking? 

Producing a song is the most fun part as a musician it’s never ending, endless amounts of ideas can be explored if one keeps pushing and at the same time when you are a producer and sound engineer, sometimes the most difficult task is listening to the same music over and over while making beats and taking it to the mastering stage, its what more tasking in my opinion. It’s a challenge but as I mentioned earlier one should push harder.

Eastern Mirror: What are your proudest accomplishments?

I haven’t lived much of my life journey nor do I have great accomplishments, but in these 11 years and counting some achievements that always give me a boost-  I won the Best sound engineer at Music Award of Nagaland in the year 2014 and working with the Dreams and Chaos a web series of Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo (Daba) as a sound art guy for background music score was my proudest moments. 

Eastern Mirror: What is it like working with the various bands and musicians in the state-behind the scenes? What professional lessons have you learnt working with them?

Working with different artists, musicians and bands in the state is the most wonderful part I should say because every individual is from a different background and experiences and that’s how I get to understand them and start working accordingly. 

Eastern mirror: What’s behind your passion for making music? 

I am passionate about creating a great product that others can enjoy. People listen to audio more closely than they view pictures and video, so what people hear is very important. I want to make sure that what they are hearing is the best quality possible, so I can inspire others to love listening as much as I do. 

Eastern Mirror: What advice would you give to those starting out in the profession of sound engineer?

I think you’ve got to be an extremely hard worker, that’s the one thing I’ve learnt over the years, I have seen successful producers who I have observed in the studio and doing their things and thought wow you really don’t have to try very hard and brilliant things will happen but for me it was never like that, I just worked and worked, you’ve just got to have the conviction to keep going when it all just seems like it’s gotten wrong. Basically, it takes a lot of skill but it’s honed over years of practicing but it also takes a lot of hard work and I think if you have skills and hard work in equal measure then that’s the way to make it happen.