Let's start at the beginning — how did the guitar first come into your life, and what pulled you toward it over any other instrument?
It was introduced to me through a video game called 'Frets on Fire' and later on 'Guitar Hero'. It was the first time when I saw Steve Vai's live performance on YouTube when I was 14 years old. His showmanship and the way he played the guitar drew me towards this instrument, and later on I discovered various amazing guitar players.
Do you remember the first moment the guitar truly clicked for you — a riff, a song, or a feeling where you thought 'this is it, this is what I want to do'?
I came across “One” by Metallica through Guitar Hero and got completely hooked on the song. Before I even bought my first guitar, I was already looking online for tabs and tutorial videos, trying to figure out how I would play it.
Eventually, my mom bought me my first guitar. The funny thing was, I had absolutely zero knowledge of how a guitar worked. I picked it up, followed the tabs, and thought, “Wait… this doesn’t sound anything like the song!” Haha. I had no idea the guitar was completely out of tune.
Then, luckily, YouTube recommended a video on how to tune a guitar, and that’s when I learned that I could actually turn the tuning pegs and change the pitch of the strings. I tuned it, went back to the tabs, and suddenly I was actually playing “One.”
I still remember the excitement and the thrill of hearing those notes come out of the guitar and realizing, I can actually do this. That moment completely changed things for me. From there, I just kept wanting to learn more, and the guitar eventually became much more than just an instrument I picked up—it became the main way I express myself musically.
Was there a teacher, mentor, or fellow musician who shaped how you play? Tell us about them and what they passed on to you.
For a long time, my only teacher was YouTube. I was completely self-taught growing up. Every song I learned, every technique I picked up, and even a lot of the fundamentals came from watching YouTube videos and trying to figure things out on my own.
I was always curious and would constantly go down these rabbit holes of discovering new players, techniques, and styles, and then trying to recreate them myself.
It was only later, when I decided that I wanted to pursue music as a career, that I felt I needed to understand the language behind everything I was already playing. That's when I went to The True School of Music in Mumbai, where I studied music theory, improvisation, ear training, and performance.
So there was this interesting transition from being completely self-taught through YouTube to actually studying music formally. I think having both experiences has really shaped me as a musician.
Bands like CHON, Animals as Leaders, and Jakub Zytecki clearly run through your playing. What is it about instrumental prog and math rock that speaks to you the way lyrics never could?
I think what really drew me to instrumental prog and math rock is that it gives me the freedom to communicate an emotion without having to tell the listener exactly what that emotion is.
With lyrics, there’s obviously a huge amount of power in storytelling and words, but sometimes words can also define an emotion too specifically. With instrumental music, I feel like the listener gets to bring their own meaning to it. A melody can mean something completely different to two different people, and I really love that.
At the same time, I’ve always been fascinated by the technical side of guitar. Bands like CHON, Jakub Zytecki, and Animals as Leaders showed me that you could have incredibly complex rhythms, unusual chord voicings, tapping, hybrid picking, and all these technically demanding elements, but still make the music feel beautiful and emotional. It doesn't have to be technical just for the sake of being technical.
That balance is probably what speaks to me the most—the ability to be rhythmically and harmonically adventurous while still having melody and emotion at the center. I think that’s also what I try to bring into Sei-Hek. I want the music to be something you can appreciate as a musician, but also something you can simply feel and connect with even if you don't play an instrument.
Your winning playthrough of 'Leap of Faith' is stunning. What was it like to record that performance?
'Leap of Faith' was the very first single for your own project, Sei Hek. Walk us through how this piece came together — what were you trying to say with it?
Leap of Faith expresses the continuity of one's existence, searching for the morality of life in seeking the ultimate goal, and the need for serenity in our minds through the course of the journey. But then, the road is never easy. Life transitions from the pleasant to the harsh, and along the way, we start to lose hope. The small section in the song where the instrument 'Pena' comes in defines the upliftment of our will to go on, to go for the extra mile. The heavy distorted parts towards the end signify how a broken person rises from being beaten down, confident to tackle what might seem impossible. Sometimes, we need a leap of faith and let go.
What's the guitar you reach for most often, and what makes it yours?
Tell us about this guitar — what makes it yours, and how does its tone shape the way you write and play?
This guitar is a .strandberg*, and it’s become a really important part of how I play. What immediately attracted me to it was how different it felt from a traditional guitar. The headless design, the balance, the lightweight body, and especially the EndurNeck make it feel like the guitar is almost built around the way I play rather than me having to adapt to it.
A lot of my playing involves tapping, wide stretches, fast legato passages, and a lot of movement across the neck, so having an instrument that feels comfortable and balanced really matters to me. It allows me to focus less on the physical side of playing and more on the music.
Tonally, I really like the HSS configuration, with the 4th and 2nd position pickups being one of my most used settings. The Strat-like sounds combined with the modern elements really make this guitar my first choice.
You chose the name 'Sei Hek' — a Manipuri word for the melody and rhythm of a composition. What does carrying that piece of your heritage into your music mean to you?
For me, “Sei Hek” is a way of keeping a connection to where I come from. It’s a Manipuri word that refers to the melody and rhythm of a composition, so it felt very fitting for a band that is built around instrumental music.
Growing up in Manipur and eventually moving to Mumbai, music has always been a big part of how I’ve understood and expressed myself. So having a name from my own language felt like a small but meaningful way of carrying that identity with me, especially as the music itself has influences that come from all over the world.
Take us inside that moment on stage — where was it, and what did it feel like to play that night?
This photo was taken when Sei-Hek opened for Animals as Leaders on their Parrhesia India Tour 2024 at NESCO Center in Mumbai. Honestly, getting the opportunity to open for one of my biggest influences was absolutely surreal.
At the same time, it was incredibly nerve-racking. I remember being very aware of the fact that I was about to play on the same stage as a band whose music had such a huge influence on me as a guitarist and musician.
But once we got on stage, all of that nervousness turned into excitement. Being able to share that stage and play our music to that audience was something I had never imagined would happen when I first discovered Animals as Leaders.
Looking back, it’s definitely one of the happiest and most memorable moments of my life.
What's happening in that section you love to play, and why does it never get old for you?
This is a cover I did of “Bubble Dream” by CHON. It was actually the first song I heard from CHON, and I immediately loved the way they use hybrid picking and harmonics so tastefully.
I’ve always enjoyed playing this section because it’s not only musical and fun, but also technically challenging. It’s one of those pieces that helps you develop your technique while still sounding really beautiful.
Tell us a little about this idea you're working on — where do you feel it's heading?
'Someday, somewhere' was written after returning to Imphal for a performance nearly two years after relocating to Mumbai. The experience brought back memories of home and the realization of how much had changed. The song reflects the feeling of being caught between where you belong and where opportunities take you, holding onto the hope that someday, somewhere, those two paths will finally meet.
As a runner-up in the WallMag Guitar Player Awards 2026, what's the one thing you most hope people feel when they hear your guitar?
More than anything, I want people to feel something. Whether it’s excitement, nostalgia, peace, or curiosity, I want my guitar to communicate an emotion without needing words. Technique is important to me, but ultimately, it’s just a tool to express what I feel.
Contact and Follow
Email: douku95@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khuraijamsanjeet?igsh=cGU0b3U4ZHFxbTkz&utm_source=qr
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@seihek3796?si=0xSPsY29ZIUelptl
