Ballimaaraan is a band whose performance style is a genre in itself, and musical storytelling is key. Led by creative powerhouse Piyush Mishra, their style moves fluidly between spoken word, rock, folk and theatrical performances. For Piyush Joshi, KLANG has transformed his approach, becoming essential for every artist he works with.
For their most recent tour, The UdanKhatola Tour, he used the DiGiCo Quantum 338, with DMI-KLANG to supply immersive in-ear mixes for the band. Enjoying the latest updates, he describes the DMI-KLANG workflow as completely native to the console.
“The workflow is incredibly intuitive; everything from assigning mixes to spatial placement feels natural. Immersive panning and level controls are fully accessible from the console surface itself no need to jump between devices or software,” he explains. “For acts like Ballimaaraan, where every sonic detail matters, KLANG is more than a technical solution, it’s a creative tool. KLANG allows me to build a space for the musicians that feels alive and inspiring, not just functional. That shift, from solving problems to enhancing experiences, is what makes KLANG really special.”
The project is an homage to Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and the name comes from the street where he lived. Widely regarded as one of the language’s greatest poets, his work has informed the band’s style and performance ethos. Joshi has worked with them for the last two years, supplying mixes for the musicians and crew.
When he joined, they used standard stereo IEMs, but knowing the potential of KLANG, he brought the system on board as soon as he could. For the Udankhatola tour, that visited many Indian cities, with shows in Kolkata, Thane and Lucknow, he switched to DMI-KLANG, supplied by HiTech Audio.
“I control all monitor mixes directly from the console, so the artists don’t have to interact with their mixes during the show,” Joshi continues. “During sound check, I use the KLANG:app to move around the stage and work closely with each musician.
I think it’s a great way to get more personal with the monitoring process and ensure every artist is truly comfortable with their mix before showtime. It’s fast, reliable and enables me to make detailed adjustments on the fly, which is especially helpful during tight change-overs or quick sound checks.”
KLANG has completely transformed Joshi’s workflow, enhancing his process and delivering a much-improved experience for the musicians he works with. This is crucial for when the performances are as rich and dynamic as those given by Ballimaaraan and Piyush Mishra. The set list is full of pieces that are sonically layered and utilise multiple reverbs to add to the feel of each song. Joshi notes that, with a stereo setup, placing these reverbs was always a challenge. He often found they could mask clarity or make the monitor mixes feel cluttered. With KLANG, he can let the reverbs sit exactly where they need to in the mix, preserving emotional depth, without compromising intelligibility, something that is a huge benefit for the artist’s experience.
“KLANG handles complexity beautifully. The immersive space lets me place elements more naturally, giving each instrument room to breathe without clashing,” he continues. “Mixes are cleaner, more spacious and drastically help reduce listening fatigue for the musicians. Their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, the first thing they mentioned was how much more open and natural everything sounds. This makes it easier for each musician to focus on their own performance without getting overwhelmed. They’ve also noticed a big reduction in hearing fatigue during long sets and rehearsals, which has been a game changer. It’s definitely elevated their comfort and confidence on stage.”
Using KLANG on a tour with such complex mixes has developed Joshi’s immersive skills. He now feels much more at ease in his practice, something that has given him the confidence to try new things as he strives to support his artists in any way he can. “The KLANG team are always available for any kind of immersive help, or just bouncing off creative ideas. Their support has played a huge role in how confidently I’ve been able to deploy KLANG on demanding tours,” he finishes.
“For musicians, it’s about comfort and performance. They experience less hearing fatigue, better separation, and a much more musical listening experience on stage. For engineers it offers a massive improvement to how effectively you can create a mix, especially when under time pressure. Once you experience immersive monitoring, you don’t want to go back to stereo.”
For more details on the manufacturer, visit www.KLANG.com
