(G10) - The Pillars of Contemporary Philippine Music + Producing the Contemporary Anthem !!

The 3 Groups of Contemporary Philippine Music

1.) Traditional Composers

2.) New Music Composers

3.) Song Composers/Hitmakers

Traditional Composers

They used Western classical forms (Symphony/Concerto) with Filipino folk themes.

The 4 Traditional Composers

1.) Lucio San Pedro

2.) Antonio Molina

3.) Rodolfo Cornejo

4.) Hilarion Rubio

Lucio San Pedro

He is the "Romantic Nationalist" who wrote the lullaby "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan".

Antonio Molina

He is the "Claude Debussy of the Philippines" who composed the violin piece "Hatinggabi".

Rodolfo Cornejo

He is the "Piano Virtuoso" known for his extemporaneous (improvised) performances.

Hilarion Rubio

He is the "Maestro of the Brass Band" who wrote the folk inspired "Bulaklaken".

New Music Composers

They were "Rebels" who experimented with indigenous sounds and avant-garde styles.

The 4 New Music Composers

1.) Jose M. Maceda

2.) Lucrecia R. Kasilag

3.) Jeremiah A. Dadap

4.) Ramon P. Santos

Jose M. Maceda

He is the "Sound Pioneer" who used 100 cassette recorders for his work "Cassettes 100", and "Udlot-udlot" with 800 performers.

Lucrecia R. Kasilag

She is the "Fusion Queen" who mixed Western orchestras with Indigenous Gongs.

Jeremiah A. Dadap

He is the "Rondalla Advocate" who brought Filipino string music to Carnegie Hall.

Ramon P. Santos

He is the "Spatial Composer" who used the physical environment to shape his music.

Song Composers/Hitmakers

They are the "Hitmakers" of Philippine Movies, Radio, and OPM.

The 4 Song Composers/Hitmakers

1.) Constancio de Guzman

2.) Levi Celerio

3.) Mike Velarde

4.) George Canseco

Constancio de Guzman

He is the "Patriot" who composed the iconic protest song Bayan Ko.

Levi Celerio

He is the "Guinness Record Holder" who wrote 4,000 songs and played music with a leaf.

Mike Velarde

He is the "Movie Master" who created the global hit "Dahil sa Iyo".

George Canseco

He is the "Ultimate Hitmaker" who wrote the biggest Filipino movie theme songs.

The 5 Characteristics of Contemporary Philippine Music

1.) Melodic Flow

2.) Lyrics

3.) Sound Palette

4.) Structural Patterns

5.) Hook

Melodic Flow

They are smooth, emotional melodies inspired by the Kundiman or Harana tradition.

Lyrics

They focus on direct storytelling focused on a central theme (e.g., Graduation/Convocation).

Sound Palette

It is a hybrid mix of "warm" acoustic instruments (guitar/piano), electric instruments, and modern digital beats.

Structural Patterns

They follow the standard Verse-Chorus-Bridge format.

Hook

It is a chorus designed for the community to sing together, representing the Bayanihan spirit.

The 3 Paths of Music

1.) Live band

2.) Digital Producer

3.) AI Collaborator

The 4 Steps of the Hybrid Workflow

1.) Generate a Reference

2.) Analyze & Simplify

3.) Humanize (Recording)

4.) Live Layering

The 6 Parts of the OPM Timeline

1.) 1970s: The Manila Sound

2.) 1980s: Social Relevance

3.) 1990s: The Band/Rap Explosion

4.) 2000s: The Genre Era

5.) 2010s: The Indie Expansion

6.) 2020s: The Global Era and AI Music

1970s: The Manila Sound

It is fun, danceable, and commercially successful

(Ex: VST & Company, Hotdog)

1980s: Social Relevance

It is heartfelt, acoustic-driven, and poetic.

(Ex: APO Hiking Society, Freddie Aguilar, Constancio de Guzman)

1990s: The Band/Rap Explosion

It is the era of "Pinoy Rock and Hip-Hop".

(Ex: Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Francis M., Andrew E., Parokya ni Edgar, The Youth)

2000s: The Genre Era

It is where OPM mastered every style imaginable, from Reggae and Emo to Pop-Punk and Nu Metal.

(Ex: Urbandub Slapshock, Brownman Revival)

2010s: The Indie Expansion

It is where the independent artists used digital home-studios and synthesizers to create a unique, poetic, and sophisticated sound.

(Ex: Up Dharma Down, Autotelic, Pedicab)

2020s: The Global Era and AI Music

It is where the high-production P-Pop and Retro-Revival artists use global standards to reach the international stage via streaming, and it is the birth of AI music.

(Ex: SB19, Bini, IV of Spades, Ben and Ben, Hawak mo ang Beat by DJ Mogo)