Ganns wins at Kerygma Songwriting (Praise & Worship) Contest
Category: Music

Hi all!

I'm really very excited to tell you all that two of my original songs, Magpasalamat and Superblessed, finished in the Top 10 of the national praise and worship songwriting competition here known as the Kerygma Songwriting Contest.

Magpasalamat was chosen as one of the top three songs overall, while Superblessed was elected to be the title of the commemorative CD!

God is good all the time, no?

Happy holidays to all of you, and I pray superblessings upon you in 2008!

12:17 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

You just never know where your music will play
Category: Music

Mabuhay from Manila!

I received a nice email from a lady in Germany who said she first heard my music on a German podcast.

!

What are the odds a Filipino-Christian musician will find an audience in Germany, of all places? Slimmer than this Filipino-Christian musician, I'll tell you that.

Regardless, I thank whichever German podcaster chose to play "Heaven and Earth." The track has now been played  - through podcasts, of course - in the United States, the Philippines, Japan, and now, Germany.

I hope my music continues to bless you as much as you've blessed me. Thanks for the support.

10:32 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Welcome to friends of Bene Diction & Dan Johnson

Welcome to all y'all who visit me today from links posted by my good Christian blogger friends Bene Diction and Dan Johnson. My sincerest thanks to both of you; I'm truly honored and humbled.

To all those who are visiting for the first time, I'm a Filipino-Christian songwriter who's posting his material up here for y'll to use as you see fit. If you'd like to use these in your churches or youth groups, I'll be more than happy to send you lyrics and chord sheets.

If you're thinking of leaving a message for me, please feel free to do so. I'm no Chris Tomlin, Mark Schultz, or Michael W. Smith. It is my dream, though, to make songs that tell of God's goodness, so if any of you out there who've listened to the tracks think that I've accomplished that or am on my way to doing so, you would be blessing me immensely with your encouragement.

All I offer to you today is a heart out of which music and melodies come in gratitude for God's goodness. If you can send other people to this website as well, through blog links, WOM, bulletins... I would be immensely honored.

I'm not after any kind of stardom. [Believe me, I'm waaaaay too old for that.] I would just like the opportunity for my original music to be heard, and perhaps have it play a role in leading someone to a closer relationship with Christ, or touch a person to do better for Jesus, or even just to while away the time. Just your being here today is blessing enough for me.

Meanwhile, thank you for passing by. I bless you in the name of Jesus, from Whom all good things come. I claim victory for you in the name of the Christ, and pray we meet again.

Be superblessed in all you do,

ganns

2:40 AM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

Download "Heaven and Earth" for your churches & small groups

Heaven and Earth is a worship track I wrote after one particularly grueling choir practice session at my local church. While it was exhausting, it was pure joy to listen to the sound of voices coming together in glorious harmony, singing praises to Christ. I just had this image of us, God's children, voices mingling with all the angels in Heaven, and the words came out first.

"Let heaven and earth sing You glory and praise
Let heaven and earth all their voices now raise
Let the mountains resound
Let the rivers rejoice
Hallelujah Hallelujah!"

I recorded this particular version of Heaven and Earth at SoundWeavers in Makati City, laying just one simple piano track over a simple vocal. I don't have that great a singing voice, and I acknowledge the occasional flat note on this track, but, as with 99% of my original praise and worship songs, it is my intention for the melody and lyrics to glorify God.

So, if after listening to Heaven and Earth, you would like to use it in your local church or youth group, or would like to re-record Heaven and Earth, please email me at gannsdeen at yahoo dot com or superblessed at gmail dot com so I can send you lyrics and chords. While I keep copyright, I waive all royalties and encourage you to take the track and fly with it.

May God be glorified in everything you do. Be superblessed!

3:38 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Pinoy Dream Academy - give me a song title

I learned over the KATHA Yahoogroups that Pinoy Dream Academy is looking for song submissions. Sixteen songs - in the vein, I imagine, of A Moment Like This, Believe, and Inside Your Heaven, among other American Idol I-will-survive-and-triumph-over-adversity tracks - will be chosen, and each composer gets P100,000.00.

Wow. I want in on that action.

And heres a chance for you to get in on that action, too! LOL Give me a song title that I can use for my entry to the Pinoy Dream Academy songwriting competition. Ill use the song title I like best, and will give the person who suggested it P3,000 if the song (with your title!) makes it into the finals.

8:45 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Back into the studio
Current mood: excited

Im headed into the studio again tomorrow to lay the instrumental tracks to three original worship songs (Incomparable, Heaven and Earth, and I Desire) and two praise songs (So Good and Testify).

Im particularly excited for the praise songs, because Ive been playing with a Darkchild feel to the tracks, taking inspiration from Mary Mary (He Said), Brandy (What About Love?) and Michael Jackson (You Rock My World). At the same time, Im a little inspired by some of the old school dance/hiphop sound of Soulshock & Karlin (Mary Mary, CeCe Peniston) and Warryn Campbell, so this should be an interesting project.

If we want to reach out to the youth of the nation, we need to work with their music, and lets face it, I stand a better chance of touching someones heart with some hot hiphop/R&B jams than my current, admittedly stodgy Michael W. Smith/Mark Schultz A/C creations so far.

Is the music keepin it real? I dont know. Is the praise real? Fo sho.

6:30 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Back into the studio
Category: Music

Last night, I began the first of what hopefully will be three nights of recording to produce another series of demos. Having been out of the studio for more than a year, I must admit I was a little rusty, and the first song I elected to record, It's Not Easy, a secular track about trying to move on after a breakup, was probably not the best lead-off choice. I had a hard time with the low key, and the tempo I chose was a little too slow for the vision I had for the track. Whatever southern-rock ideas I had for It's Not Easy, a la Train, Daniel Powter, or Hootie and the Blowfish, disappeared in a hodgepodge of what I can only describe as second-rate Backstreet Boys.

Let's face it, I don't have a growly man-voice, and I don't think I ever will. LOL

Maybe it's just me, but I find it getting more difficult to write 'regular' songs now. I certainly hope it isn't an indication of anything snooty, but praise and worship songs just come out of me so much easier. The track list I determined over the course of last week for recording shows this: I have only two 'regular' songs in the list, compared to five worship tracks.

1. It's Not Easy [secular]
2. Incomparable [worship]
3. Heaven and earth [worship]
4. I Rely on You [worship]
5. I Desire [worship]
6. My Heart Will Trust [worship]
7. Chasing Stars [secular]

The men of Sound Weavers, the new digital recording studio I discovered in Makati City, made it really comfortable and easy to record, though. I love this studio. Hopefully, within the next two weeks, I'll have something new up. Meanwhile, keep posted and thanks for your love and friendship. God superbless you,

ganns

4:58 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Gig sked

I'm finally getting around to posting my gig sked. Will keep y'all updated.

2:13 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Praise God! 3 more songs taken!

Praise the Lord God Almighty! I got off the phone yesterday with a record producer with ties to some of the more popular acoustic artists now, and I give thanks because he told me at least 3 more songs in the sampler are up his alley.

That's a total of four songs! Praise God!

9:51 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Come listen to Ganns' podcast

I've set up a podcast called Superblessed Podcast! If you've time, please do give it a listen. :)

10:12 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment