Bengaluru-based bass player joins Sinusoidal Music for a conversation about her musical journey.
From discovering the bass in her mid-twenties to working with A.R. Rahman and exploring Carnatic music, Shalini Mohan discusses the realities of session work, her approach to discipline, her recent Yamaha endorsement, and the projects she plans to pursue next.
Shalini’s musical foundation began at Bishop Cotton’s, where she joined a choir at age ten. After many years when she was working at Wipro, she discovered the bass almost accidentally. A guitar player’s departure caused a band reshuffle, and Shalini happened to find herself playing bass.
“So when that first hit, I was like, fuck yes.”
The basslines by Keith Peters on A.R. Rahman’s compositions for Thiruda Thiruda influenced her playing. A few years after that she met Peters through Vasundhara Das and eventually performed with Rahman himself.
Shalini also recollects how her cousin Kaushik’s sudden unfortunate demise pushed her to reconsider her corporate career. She left her IT job in 2012 after preparing financially for full-time music.
Carnatic Music, Rhythm, and New Musical Directions
While funk, Motown, and groove-driven music have shaped much of Shalini’s playing, her recent work has drawn her closer to Indian classical traditions.
In 2023, she started learning to read and write Tamil, which was an experience that coincided with opportunities to work with Sean Roldan, A.R. Rahman, and Carnatic vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan.
She explains how she maps Carnatic compositions onto her Western theoretical knowledge while respecting traditional musical structures.
”When you hit something that is built naturally, which is not digitized and processed, it is the raw sound that comes from earth.”
Shalini also discusses Samyukth, her Carnatic ensemble that combines traditional instruments with acoustic guitar and bass. She also previews a personal project exploring the relationship between yoga, energy, and bass frequencies.
Discipline, Session Work, and the Yamaha Connection
For Shalini, musical development remains her primary professional goal. She explains why she chose session work over depending entirely on a band.
“For me, personal development with music was goal number one.”
She discusses financial planning, the seasonal nature of live performances, and the importance of meeting a recording session’s demands regardless of personal emotions.
Her recent Yamaha Music India endorsement marks another career milestone. During the interview, she demonstrates the Yamaha BB734 and TRBX605 bass guitars, comparing their tonal characteristics, versatility, and suitability for different musical settings.
The discussion extends into physics, spirituality, the relationship between musicians and their instruments, and her preference for instrumental music. It concludes with a listening session featuring tracks that prompt Shalini’s spontaneous reactions.
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