Chanced upon Jon Limjap’s Gary Granada airs complaint vs. GMA Kapuso, the New Media way (after reading Jon’s Twitter message), and listened to the 14:28 audiocast.
Learned a few things about composing songs, musical theory, and the basic elements of musical composition.
3:58 – The first element is Tone. For example, the alphabet song uses Do – Do – Sol – Sol – La – La – Sol.
If another alphabet song which uses the Sol – La – Ti – Do – Ti – La – Sol, Gary Granada says that is not an entirely original creation, because it just rode on the first melody. I did not formally take up music, so I was surprised to hear that those two different melodies are actually similar.
Anyway, I’ll just wait for the experts to voice their opinions on the two compositions.
It was eye-opening (or should I say ear-opening?) to hear about the “valor of the notes” (4:41), which refers to the timing of the different notes, and also the concept of “harmonic logic” (5:15), or how chords transition or change from one to the other.
At the 5:58 point, Gary Granada sings the melody of the final and approved GMA Kapuso version, while playing Gary’s composition in the background.
Now in case SoundCloud.com has bandwidth issues, try this (courtesy of THEgoodgirlblog):
You can hear the two songs superimposed on each other using the flash audio player below. The song of Gary Granada is sung by a young child, while the song aired by GMA is song by the adult:
Gary Granada dishes out biting commentary in both English and Tagalog. In between explanations of math, probability and statistics, he even occasionally cracks some jokes that his many fans know him for.
And as Jon Limjap pointed out, Gary makes skillful use of Web 2.0 and an audiocast to increase the impact of his message. Check out the Gary Granada Twitter messages.
I wonder when we’ll get to hear the side of GMA Kapuso on this matter.
UPDATE: RP bloggers pick up on Gary Granada’s complaint — “Filipino bloggers are now picking up Filipino songwriter Gary Granada’s recorded complaint against GMA Kapuso Foundation, which he accuses of allegedly using his study without his permission.”
UPDATE #2: Saw part of GMA’s statement in ReynaElena.com:
We have called the attention of the composer about Mr. Granada’s complaint. It should be noted that GMA or its employees did not compose the music but engaged a professional composer to do so. The composer denies Mr. Granada’s claim,”
GMA Kapuso Foundation executive vice president Mel Tiangco said in the statement.
So, does this mean the professional composer did not hear the study of Gary Granada before he/she composed the final and approved version? I wish the statement were clearer.
I mean, something along the lines of: “I did not see nor hear the version composed by Mr. Gary Granada. Any near similarity is purely coincidental.”
(Besides, who’s the professional composer anyway?)
Or better yet, why doesn’t GMA unequivocally state that they did not send a copy of Gary Granada’s study to the professional composer? I mean, they’ve made their point clear regarding the lyrics, right? What about the melody?
Anyway, if you come across such a clear statement from GMA (regarding the melody and Gary’s study), please share with us the link, ok? Thanks!
UPDATE #3: GMA Network and Gary Granada issue new statements over jingle controversy:
(GMA): If Mr. Granada himself had earlier noted no similarity between what he and the other composer wrote, he has no basis accusing GMA of infringement for its use or of taking advantage of his work. Like Mr. Granada, GMA also saw no similarity between the two musical compositions.
Let’s wait for Gary Granada’s response to that point…
UPDATE #4: Lesaca to GMA 7: Name second composer
Granada claimed the network used the musical structure of his study to come up with the final, broadcasted version of the jingle. He also claimed that the edited lyrics in the jingle were his revisions to an original copy GMA Network presented to him.
He emphasized that GMA should not have used any of his revisions and the musical structure he created in his study because the network had rejected it.
But, in a statement, GMA Network said the unnamed second composer, whom the network hired to complete final version, denied using Granada’s study. Granada had begged off from the project after the network rejected his work.
I wonder if the “revisions” include the modifications in the lyrics. Anyway, as far as the musical composition is concerned, the unnamed composer has denied using Granada’s study. Hmmm… there seems to be a lot of things left unsaid. Anyway, more info will most likely appear in the coming days or weeks…
UPDATE #5: GARY GRANADA: OTHER COMPOSER NOT THE ISSUE
Again and again, my claim is: GMA Network took advantage of the study I made in producing the jingle they aired. If that is not clear enough, let me itemize it:
ONE: GMA Network allowed the composer of Procter & Gamble’s 3pid Handog Edukasyon jingle access to the lyrics as set to music by Gary Granada.
TWO: And quite possibly, GMA Network allowed the composer of Procter & Gamble’s 3pid Handog Edukasyon jingle access to the recording of the study made by Gary Granada.
And so, in the spirit of honesty and social accountability, and to facilitate an intelligent discourse, I challenge GMA Network to a “walang kinikilingan, walang pinoprotektahan” public forum concerning my claim, and request the Philippine Daily Inquirer to organize one to be moderated by the University of the Philippines.
Okay, so it’s pretty clear what Gary Granada wants…
