Otherworldly Sounds

Forging a multiverse of unique soundscapes where the focus is not on any one element but on the individualistic artistry of the compositions.

All celestial keyboard recordings for the forthcoming intergalactic album have been completed. The sonic landscapes are brimming with an out-of-this-world conglomeration of sounds. These textures are unlike any found on previous releases — they are majestic, evoke a sense of futurism, are highly dynamic, and extraordinarily unique.

Every part in each song was performed in real time, with no trace of programming to be found across the celestial compendium. For this monumental album, two Studiologic keyboards served as the primary instruments of creation: the SL-161 synth-weighted keyboard and the SL88 fully-weighted keyboard, both instrumental in crafting these otherworldly sonic landscapes.

Nearly every starlit song on this luminous album was initiated and written entirely on a keyboard. Each piece came together rapidly, and all were composed during the same period, resulting in a cohesive sound throughout the album. Once I discovered the seed idea for a song, I stayed focused on that piece until it was completely crystallized. This process took between two and seven rotations of the earth for each of the many songs.

The essence of each song on this album transcends any singular element, converging instead on the unique artistry within each composition, weaving a cosmic tapestry of sonic wonders that resonates across intergalactic worlds, both near and far, illuminating them through the vast expanse of the multiverse.

Cosmic Creations

An interstellar quest for musical excellence while exploring the unknown with a fresh means of expression that epitomizes human emotion.

My ultimate and most cherished form of artistic expression is creative writing, unbound by any single instrument. What I treasure most is the thrill of a new idea — one that reflects the vast cosmos of an innovative vision. Not intended for just one instrument, but for the entire constellation of reverberating starlight, shining in harmony to form the galactic whole.

It’s all about the writing. A creator does not need to be a virtuoso to craft an extraordinary song. In fact, it often seems the opposite. What makes a song truly stellar is subjective. From my perspective, a great song is like a celestial body — memorable and relatable, orbiting around a core message that stirs the emotions. It contains harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic elements that align like stars in a constellation, features performances that are as authentic as the glow of a distant galaxy, and is structured with recurring patterns that echo through the listener’s memory. Most importantly, it resonates on a deep, universal level, connecting with others like the pull of gravity.

As a child with a vivid and overactive imagination, my ideas were like distant galaxies — filled with eccentric oddities, such as irregular meters, unusual chords, chromatic harmonies, and a constellation of other neoteric elements. The unconventional seemed to orbit naturally around my psyche.

The "BELLAS" moniker, known for weaving soundscapes that transcend the ordinary, has always been a beacon of unique composition. On this forthcoming esoteric, extraterrestrial album of immense proportions, that signature style is amplified — layering harmonies like stardust, creating rhythms that pulse like distant galaxies, and shaping melodies that orbit with a gravitational pull all their own. Every track is a celestial entity, reflecting the vast and intricate artistry that epitomizes the essence of my artistry, blending the profound with the otherworldly.

A Galactic Odyssey

Guided by laser-focused beacons of light, and after many exploratory missions, I have unearthed sonic discoveries that are illuminating the path to my celestial destination.

In the vast expanse of the cosmos, I find myself adrift on a journey through sound, tethered not to the stars of quick acclaim, but to the deeper currents that pull me toward unseen realms. Each note I touch is like a distant planet, unexplored and awaiting the shape of its orbit. I move deliberately, knowing the space between the stars is just as vital as the light they cast.

The recordings I prepare are no meteoric rush to be seen, no comet blazing across the sky for a fleeting moment of attention. Instead, they are like constellations forming slowly, piece by piece, each song a celestial body in the sky of something greater. The gravity of my own intention holds me to this course.

There is no need for the telescope of others' validation. I am not a star that burns for the gaze of those far below. The work itself is my galaxy, a boundless and expanding frontier where creation and discovery meet at the edge of the unknown. In this boundless universe, the journey defines the destination. I am both the navigator and the voyager, mapping a cosmos that stretches beyond the borders of expectation. This is my quest, not for admiration, but for fulfillment — where every song is a nebula, and I, an eternal explorer of its mysteries.

On this galactic-sized album, no single star outshines the others; instead, the focus is on the constellation as a whole. Each song is a solar system of its own, where rhythm, melody, harmony, and silence orbit in perfect balance, contributing equally to the gravitational pull of the work. It is not about isolating a single element, but about the way they all come together — intertwining like the strands of a nebula, forming something greater than the sum of its parts. Every note, every pulse, is vital to the universe that I have composed, an intricate tapestry where nothing stands alone, yet everything shines.

Playing Fountains

Musical Artist George Bellas is featured on the track "Dynasties" from the album Playing Fountains by Ferrigno & Leal.

In July 2023, Bellas recorded guitar and keyboards for the song “Dynasties”, part of the album Playing Fountains by Marco Ferrigno and Javier Leal. The album was released worldwide on September 16, 2024, across all major streaming platforms.

For this recording, Bellas used his beloved Candy Apple Red ’57 reissue Stratocaster, paired with a 1976 Marshall 50-watt Plexi amp and a TS-9 Tubescreamer. This is a rare guest appearance for Bellas, as he is not doing guest appearances at this stage in order to focus all his efforts on creative writing, musical training, and recording.

Playing Fountains

Released: September 16, 2024

Symphony of the Stars

In the light of the sun and glow of the stars, I journey to a place so immensely far. I travel along on the arrow of time, with a sound that is so remarkably mine. For it is there that awaits my lifelong goal, a treasure trove from the deep cave of my soul.

After countless rotations of deliberate training spanning over two thousand solar cycles, I sense that I am approaching the final cosmic chapter of this monumental journey — a voyage of creation, conditioning, and recording that stands light-years apart from any other I have ever embarked on. This stellar project is extraordinarily unique and destined to be the crowning achievement in the galaxy of my creative endeavors.

The ideation and writing phase of this colossal musical opus was a supernova of inspiration, exploding with an output of galactic proportions. The distinct style unearthed during this cosmic process also birthed another album, a celestial sequel that will shine brightly in the universe of my outlandish oeuvre.

The recording process for this celestial collection of cosmic music has been a truly electrifying experience. Bringing a grandiose vision from the depths of the universe into reality and hearing that cosmic dream resonate across the stars has been immensely fulfilling. I ardently await hearing how the next and final phase of recordings will propel this metagalactic album to the outer reaches of my creative cosmos.

Training my visionary artistry and rehearsing current material will continue to be my primary mission, alongside audio experiments conducted within my creative nebula in the weeks ahead, as I strive to develop the sonic tapestry of tone that best suits this constellation of sound.

Journey Beyond Boundaries

My current trajectory is a journey beyond boundaries that will expand my musical universe and diversify my creative skills.

Passionate motivation behind operating toward expanding my musical abilities remains at the forefront of my objectives. I plan to soon challenge my skills even further by powering onto a phase of training that is even more strenuous and vigorous than the current regimen I have been so diligently focused on. Being content with my skill set is not an option. Each amount of growth I experience facilitates an increased diversity in imaginative creativity.

While the exploratory and developmental stage is undoubtedly the most exciting phase of the inventive creation process, it is very inspiring to know that the ever-increasing proficiency of both old and newly acquired skills will elevate my cosmic creativity to the outer reaches of my present boundaries.

Striving for excellence has been, and continues to be, a lifelong fervent pursuit of mine. To this very star-illuminated day, it continues to be the driving force behind each deliberate course of action that I choose to take. Like an ominous ray of light magnificently shining down from the sky, I relentlessly forge ahead in the quest of expanding my abilities, effervescently embracing each new challenge and chasing my celestial vision.

During my steadfast star trekking through the filaments of space, I continue to monitor my progress, which will be the determining factor for when I will embark on the final stage of recording — a stage that will be no less than a meteor shower of expression. If I can shine a beacon of joyful positivity on as many people as possible within the human race before I depart this world, my mission will be accomplished.

Celestial Sound Shaping

Traveling through a shimmering time tunnel, I work toward an augmented skill set that facilitates a more robust range of expression.

While sailing through time aboard my interplanetary voyager, there have been countless zeptoseconds of this past solar cycle that were devoted to a variety of diligent musical training. As each new luminary cycle passes, I continue to feel a notable increase in strength, stamina, and agility, along with a favorable shift in sonic hues.

Training to become masterful requires motivation, discipline, consistency, and a relentless, passionate pursuit of excellence. Not a day goes by that I do not put my very all into pushing the expansion of my abilities. Knowing what I will be able to incorporate into imaginative creations from an increased skill set is electrifying. It is the sparkling light at the end of my interstellar time tunnel.

Oftentimes, while rehearsing songs for the upcoming cosmic album, I have to exercise restraint from exploring and writing new material. As inspiring as it is to perform through songs that are currently in production and explore the finer subtitles of their performances, the gratification of hearing something created out of nothingness and the freshness that it offers is invigorating beyond words. For the first time, I hear something that is unmistakably unique that has never been heard before. Preparing and recording parts is undeniably exciting, but the ingenious writing process might just be my most cherished stage of the entire creation process.

Evaluating my growth as I proceed through intensive training and song rehearsing continues to be my guiding illumination as to when I will embark on the final stage of recording for this metagalactic album of immense proportions.

Destination Star City

Traveling toward the largest star cluster of songs ever evolved in my chamber of creations while discovering hidden gems of expression.

Hundreds of solar cycles ago, in a single photon-bombarded neurotransmission, I had an astronomical vision. Like a primordial atom, that inspired figment exploded into a vast genesis of sound, with a seemingly infinite expansion of intergalactic ideas. Soon after, I found myself amid a swirling cloud of musical stardust that rapidly coalesced into a sonic tapestry of individual star-speckled songs. Now, I am stationed atop a dazzling cluster of creations for the largest body of work I’ve ever imagined.

My current interstellar mission is to train my musical skills to gain higher levels of expression while also rehearsing songs for the upcoming album. I plan to stay on this course until I feel ready to capture the performances. I am feeling stronger and more comfortable in the execution of all song parts. Each dawn, shortly after the morning star breaches the horizon, I am in my cave of creations rehearsing the treasure trove of songs I have encapsulated into the upcoming galactic-sized album.

Repeating oneself over and over is akin to a star burning its hydrogen over eons – it repeats the same chemical reactions until it burns out. The flickering sparkle of a newborn star is how I wanted to approach this album – with brilliant energy giving birth to an enormous amount of extraordinarily novel ideas. Reusing familiar abstractions is easy and yields a fast process. However, it is nowhere near as gratifying or exciting as transubstantiating and exploring new ideas while occasionally discovering something extraordinary.

My psyche has always had a propensity for divergent thinking, which, along my astral journey, has facilitated the forging of large catalogs of distinctly unique-sounding art. But this upcoming album stands out exceptionally from all of those previous sonic inventions.

Navigating the Starlight

Under a starlit tapestry of brilliance within my cave of creation, I diligently prepare for the most extraordinary journey I’ll have ever embarked on.

During my recent travels through the infinite expanse of the universe, I devoted substantial time to fortifying my musical skills and rehearsing for the magnificent star-cluster of songs in the album I've created. The rehearsals have been ignited and fueled by intensely passionate emotion during each part of every preparatory performance. I look forward to capturing moments in time of that passion in dazzling cascades of expression within brilliantly prismatic interlaced frequencies that I've crafted.

My unwavering commitment to striving for personal growth is an ethic I’ve long carried throughout my life and is an ideology I continue to live by upon waking to each new rising star on the horizon. That steadfast dedication, coupled with an overactive imagination, has resulted in a momentous and perpetual creative outpour that is a stupendous challenge to keep up with. It remains the inexpungible conundrum of my life.

It’s not notoriety, a treasure trove of gold, or even prestige that fuels my relentless ambition. Nor are they even minuscule desires. Rather, it’s the incessant craving to explore and create, to pour out creation as if it’s tightly interwoven with and dependent upon the life-force within my animated carbon container.

Like a spectacular display of newborn stars glimmering in the infinite sky, I plan to usher in the largest phase of this celestial production in the near future. The timing will be determined by my progression and readiness. I feel the emotional intensity brimming inside my very core, eagerly awaiting to give birth to the stellar nursery of songs incubating in my starlit chamber of creations.

Exploring the Musical Cosmos

An interplanetary voyage through an infinite spectacle of imaginative sound-shaping discoveries.

During the recent photon-scattering solar cycles, while rehearsing for future recordings for the galactic-sized album I’ve been immersed in and continuing to diligently train my musical abilities, I revisited a different album than the one I’ve been recording tracks for and remodeled some of the celestial keyboard ingredients.

This other album is radically different in style, completely written, and already has tracks recorded for every song. While both albums posses a futuristic sound, the one I revisited is significantly more out of this world. It is unequivocally unique and stands far apart from all other albums that I have stockpiled, especially in the extraordinarily idiosyncratic harmonic and rhythmic concepts that are exploited throughout the album.

Creating is the absolute most fulfilling aspect of my illuminated cosmic existence. At times, it feels as though it transcends every other performance-centered facet of my artistry, even though the musical performances, in part, contribute to that visionary creative whole that I so passionately treasure.

My overactive imagination, fueled by an always-on divergent-thinking mindset, never ceases to inspire and excite my creativity. Oftentimes, I have to remind myself to refrain from writing in order to maintain hyper-focus on current productions. Exploring and developing novel ideas is just so stimulating and enticing. I was brought into this captivating world for it.

Galactic Pioneering

Discovering a unique celestial sound that majestically echoes across the starlit tapestry of the mysterious and expansive universe.

While exploring beyond my limits with perpetual musical training, I've uncovered new worlds of artistry that will expand my ability to materialize unique amalgamations of sound into existence. Recently, my emphasis has been on preparing for upcoming recordings. I have dedicated ample time to practicing various parts and refining the subtleties of my performances. As part of the preparation process, I’ve also been reorganizing drives that are nearing capacity to make room for the next phase of recording, which will require a substantial amount of space.

The astronomical album I’ve been crafting possesses a cosmic sound entirely its own. It diverges from my past releases and the interplanetary catalog of other albums awaiting further production. Across many eons of innumerable projects, I’ve successfully forged a distinct sonic identity, and this forthcoming transcendental work is no exception — it stands out with an exceptionally unique style.

Each of the seven albums that are awaiting further production exhibit an individual sound, with some embracing heavy late-romantic influences and others leaning heavily into an unforeseen dimension, evident in their harmonic, rhythmic, textural, and structural elements. Without divulging too much, I will state that the upcoming album is a dimensional leap toward the futuristic while also being mellifluous.

Next lunar cycle I begin rehearsing for the most massive phase of recording yet while continuing to forge ahead through unchartered realms of sound and imagination.

In Loving Memory of Vitalij Kuprij

I am forever grateful for having had the opportunity to create some timeless music with such an incredibly talented and kindhearted human being. It was truly an honor. I’ll miss you VK.

I remember back in 1996 when Vitalij and myself were out in California recording separate albums for Mike Varney at Shrapnel Records. Vitalij would call me while he was at Prairie Sun Studios recording for his band and I was at James Murphy’s studio recording keyboard overdubs for my debut album.

During the several phone conversations we had during this period, Vitalij was asking me about recording something together in the future. Soon after the albums we were working on individually were completed, he was at my studio in Chicago and we were recording his solo album “Extreme Measures”. Every time we recorded together there was this incredibly electrifying, synergistic chemistry.

Vitalij was an exceptionally gifted musician. His legacy is forever immortalized in all the remarkable beauty he has shared with this world. Rest in peaceful harmony my friend.

Vitalij Kuprij recording "Extreme Measures".

Interplanetary Voyage in Sound

The gravity of my passion is unrelenting. And with it, I look forward to hearing what it brings as the year expands before us.

At the outset of this new cosmic cycle, I’ve dedicated most of my time to musical training, momentarily stepping away from the star cluster of songs for the out-of-this-world album in which I’ve been deeply immersed. I find it beneficial and incredibly refreshing to take a short break after a substantial production phase, allowing me to regain a fresh perspective and renewed vigor for the songs.

To this day, I’ve consistently dedicated myself to attaining the skill level I envision through training. Throughout my upbringing, extensive and demanding training sessions were a fundamental part of my interstellar journey. Even now, each musical aspiration beyond my comfort zone demands disciplined effort to transform vision into reality.

Embarking on a new voyage around our central star is an electrifying time of dreaming and discovery. The interstellar compass guiding me toward the completion of my album is a long star-guided path like no other I’ve traversed before. It’s not a warp-speed race to the end. I see the journey to the destination as a vital part of the process — one to be fully embraced and cherished, just as much as the goal itself.

Stellar wishes to all the people of earth in the year ahead.

Star Orbit Complete

Starry-eyed reflections on the recent voyage around our star and completion of another cosmic cycle.

Musical Training

It has been a stellar year of musical training, with substantial growth to show for it. Unwavering commitment to intense training was exercised every day this past year while striving to push and expand my skill set. This has been, and continues to be, a perpetual effort to foster growth of my individualistic artistry in order to maximize my potential. Repeating oneself over and over in various incarnations isn't gratifying to me. To boldly go where one has not gone before is immensely more exciting and fulfilling.

Exploring Tone

Thrilling discoveries were made this year when exploring lead guitar tone. Many experiments were done with microphone placement, Tubescreamer settings, choice of amps, amp settings, guitars, picks, and myriad combinations of all aforementioned gear. While my lead guitar tone has always been smooth, the current tone, while similar, has a sweetness to it that I don’t hear on previous albums. The playing, too, of course, is by and large a contributing factor in the silkiness of that tone.

Meticulous Planning

Prior to recording melodic guitar for the astronomical album I've been immersed in, I've spent significant time brainstorming and planning a copious amount of ideas and variations that are then slated to be recorded. Additionally, during the recording process, some material is spontaneously created by improvising right there in the moment. I sometimes surprise myself with the improvised lines, especially after having brainstormed a plethora of ideas and meticulously planned all of the variations, counter lines, and motifs that I deliberately intended to record.

An album of this magnitude requires a great deal of planning. This has been achieved by creating and maintaining a comprehensive set of lists with thoroughly detailed tasks and sub-tasks of what will be recorded and where the parts will be placed, along with extensive song-specific note taking. This has all been accompanied by recording the ideas on a portable recording device to hear and evaluate how the parts sound while exploring the articulation subtleties of the performance.

Creation of a Lifetime

During the spring of this past cosmic cycle, bass guitar was recorded for the upcoming colossal album. After the bass guitar recordings were completed, from July and through the end of December, lead guitar has been the focus of recording. I am very pleased with how all of the elements are coming together. Imaginatively fusing frequencies and timbres into a permanent state of time is the breath of my existence.

This forthcoming album is absolutely the largest undertaking of my life. I consider everything I have previously done a mere stepping stone to reach this point of fully exploiting my potential and crafting what I consider to be the pinnacle of my creativity. While large sections of instruments have already been recorded for this album, there is still a considerable ways to go before completion. This artistic endeavor is a monumental task of epic proportions and continues to be the most fulfilling experience I have ever had creating an album.

Stellar Nursery of Songs

In shaping this upcoming album, my method has involved brainstorming a plethora of ideas and recording well beyond what may ultimately be utilized. This approach ensures a thorough exploration of possibilities and aims to avoid missing hidden gems.

The expressive capabilities of electric guitar are vast. It offers such a unique and awe-inspiring assortment of ways for expression that are unavailable on other instruments. While creative writing is, and always has been, the cornerstone of my lifelong passion, guitar is a rich and integral part of that imaginative universe because of its ability to contribute unparalleled expression.

In recent weeks, while continuing to record expressive lines for my stellar nursery of songs, I have gone back and recorded additional melodic guitar for songs that have already been recorded. After completing the lead guitar recordings for all songs, I plan to meticulously scour each song and look for opportune locations that could utilize extra flourishes, embellishments, and variations. This is in direct relation to the philosophy I have adopted for this entire monumental album — leave nothing unexplored. The results have been well worth the extra effort.

I am very happy with the tone, execution, and uniqueness of the expressive guitar lines that have been captured so far. They are silky-smooth, filled with great conviction and idiosyncratic performance subtleties, and are strikingly unique. I wound up using the beastly 100 watt Plexi Superlead for all the rhythm guitar parts, and the sweet-sounding 50 watt Plexi for most all of the lead guitar lines. No pedals were used for the rhythm parts, the guitar went straight into the 100 watt Plexi. A Tubescreamer is being used into the 50 watt Plexi for the lead lines.

In the cosmic studio of my musical odyssey, where the guitar becomes the vessel navigating melodies, the galaxy of songs for this upcoming album are now shaping into their celestial forms. This is a thrilling time of star-bursting accomplishment; the compositions orbit in their full realization, the majority of parts are recorded, and the pieces have emerged like stars in the cosmic tapestry of the universe.

Realm of Enchanted Melodies

Amid cosmic sacrifices, celestial challenges, and relentless hours of labor, I find myself passionately navigating a course through a starlit path leading to my astronomical ambition.

Capturing Magical Guitar

In the realm of melodic guitar embellishments, motifs, and ornamental parts for the forthcoming album, I've been meticulously recording anywhere between four and twelve variations. I'll record each of those variations three to four times in order to have the option of later choosing the take with the most favorable nuances. This is a laborious task given the vast number of songs being recorded.

After the recordings for a song are complete, sometimes just a few hours later on the same day, or the following morning with fresh ears, I'll sift through and audition all of the newly-recorded parts, while labeling favorites and forging them into the arrangement in the process. This stage goes by surprisingly fast, and the resulting arrangement of new parts elevates the song to an excitingly new previously unheard level.

Plotting the Journey

Prior to recording, on a different day, using a plethora of critical thinking, I'll plan out what types of parts should go where and then brainstorm ideas while examining the relationship between the harmony and other existing melodic lines in the material, making sure that they all fuse well together. This is an exciting time of discovery, as it allows my divergent thinking mind to run free and exhaustively explore a myriad of ideas and variations. There's always that hidden gem right around the corner of the mind.

Within the cosmic tapestry of my musical odyssey, a handful of melodious lines await their celestial unveiling. These remaining astral compositions, brimming with intense passion, are set to be completely woven into existence during the final month of this stellar cycle.

Vibrating Strings of Stardust

The graceful lead lines being recorded for the upcoming album are superbly melodic, elegantly crafted, and artistically exquisite.

Stellar Phrasing

In the vast cosmic symphony of sound, I'm discovering pure bliss in uniquely-crafted modest selections of notes played with mesmerizing emotion, far more than proficiently executed but impassive meteor showers of mechanics. While there is certainly a place for lead lines that encompass both slow and fast phrasing, a seasoned balance is, from my celestial perspective, the most captivating. This holds particularly true when the instrument being played is mastered at such a high level that it seamlessly extends one's innate means of expression.

At a later stage in one's artistic development, and once the intricacies of physical mechanics are honed to a fine art, it could be the essence of maturity that kindles the longing to center on unadulterated expression, liberating oneself from the enticement of sheer speed. Crafting phrasing that is both distinctively recognizable and unmistakably unique to the individual may prove to be a more challenging endeavor than simply executing fast lines.

Lead guitar that is beautifully melodic and brimming with rich expression holds a truly captivating allure, far outshining a mere deluge of rapid notes.

There is a solar system of songs remaining from this forthcoming galactic album that are awaiting the recording of principal guitar parts. It is my ongoing goal to capture fervent guitar phrases that evoke a sense of wonder and transcendence, akin to the spellbinding effect of gazing into the infinite ocean of glimmering stars: melodious lines that are enchanting and truly extraordinary in their nuance-adorned content and execution.

Lyrical Guitar Under Magnificent Stars

Where soaring melodic lines and genuine feel reign supreme.

Over the past thirty cosmic cycles, my focus has been centered on capturing exquisite guitar parts for the upcoming galactic album. The central star of this sonic voyage is a beloved Candy Apple Red, Fender '57 Reissue Stratocaster, adorned with small vintage frets and very high action. In my hands, it plays so well and sounds silky smooth.

I conducted many lead guitar tone experiments over the course of this past summer. This exciting tonal adventure entailed exploring a myriad of various amp and Tube Screamer combinations, along with their respective settings. And now, for the first time in epochs, I'm recording with different Tube Screamer settings. Additionally, like a telescope peering into the vast cosmos, I've repositioned the microphone to new coordinates on the speaker grill. The resulting tone is fluid, punchy, and crystal-clear.

I love all types of stellar guitar tones, but I've always gravitated towards a low-gain tone. A low-gain tone is highly revealing, which facilitates hearing all of the subtle nuances in a performance with immaculate detail. It also allows the pure tone of the guitar and amp to shine through.

The two amps being used for lead guitar tracks are a "1959 100 watt Plexi Superlead" and a "1986 50 watt Plexi". At this point, I've been using the 50 watt Plexi for the bulk of the lead guitar parts, as this amp has more compression and harmonics that I'm really enjoying for the parts being recorded. The guitar, amp, Tube Screamer, and the way that the parts themselves are played, all coalesce into a celestial sound that sings in a way that is truly majestic and velvety.

Exploring a Universe of Sound

To harvest frequencies emanating from an endless star lit sea of vibrations and imaginatively bring them to order within the space-time continuum is the very essence of my being.

Galaxies of Songs

After completing the bass tracks for the forthcoming album, a much-needed break was taken from the galaxy of songs that I’ve been immersed in. During that hiatus, I revisited some of the other albums that I’m currently sitting on. It was exhilarating to hear such a diverse collection of music. Each of those albums are so vastly different from one another. In fact, it was so refreshing to hear that part of me felt the urge to dive in and work on the production for those albums.

Cosmic Guitar Tone

Throughout this past month, I also conducted extensive guitar tone experiments by re-visiting different combinations of guitars, amps, pickups, Tube Screamers, gain settings, and microphone placements. It’s all too easy to continue using the same old tone that one becomes accustomed to. But wow, allowing yourself the liberty of exploring new tonal territory can sure be exciting and very inspiring, especially when discovering a cool, new ubertone.

Limitless Expansion

I began a new musical training regime earlier this year. At first, it was quite challenging to keep up, so I continued my previous regime from the previous year while simultaneously easing into the new workout. And now, I am not only comfortable with the new program, but I feel a significant difference in strength and agility.

I don't think I'll ever be content with my abilities — as there will always be something of interest outside my comfort zone that I'll want to pursue in order to expand my creative potential. For the artist in me, it has always been about how I can broaden my abilities and incorporate that into imaginative creativity.

Intergalactic Thunder

All bass guitar and bass synth recordings have been completed for the forthcoming cosmic album.

I am ecstatic with how all of the bass recordings turned out and how they have elevated the stellar nursery of songs to an entirely new, unforeseen celestial level. The bass tone is thunderous, and the parts are sitting really well within the context of the arrangements. I have painstakingly sifted through the astronomical array of variations and auditioned all of the recorded bass parts, choosing what I preferred at the time of listening. However, when it comes time to mix, I may decide to exchange some variations for others during that stage, which will, of course, be highly dependent on how everything is coalescing.

Within the rough mixes that have developed during the galactic recording process, I’ve added EQ to the bass MIC and DI tracks independently from one another on some of the songs. For other songs, I’m EQ-ing them together on a Buss. Some typical frequencies I target for bass tend to be:

Bass Frequency Targets

• HPF at 80Hz
• Boost between 80Hz - 100Hz
• Attenuate between 300Hz - 500Hz
• Boost around 1.5kHz and 3kHz
• LPF between 7kHz - 8kHz

Demoitis is a real phenomenon that I experience with every album. I become so attached to the rough mixes that have developed during the writing and recording stages that I end up contemplating whether or not I should reset all the channels and start fresh for mixing. For all previous albums that I’ve done, I have always reset all faders and started from the ground up, beginning with the kick, snare, and bass, and then moving on to keyboards and other elements. I still have a long interplanetary voyage of training and recording to venture through before I reach the final frontier of mixing, so only the arrow of time will tell what I decide to do regarding that process.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be reviewing everything I've recorded so far. This is such a massive undertaking that after I finish reviewing the songs, I'll be taking a short listening break in order to gain a rejuvenated perspective for when I embark on the next stage.

Stellar Waves of Bass

Driven, focused, and determined to accomplish the most ambitious goal of my life, I forge ahead one celestial wave at a time.

Disturbing air particles by means of compression and rarefaction to propagate sound has been a lifelong endeavor, and during this past month, those air particles endured a pummeling from a barrage of massive low-frequency wavelengths.

Recording of bass guitar tracks for the forthcoming astronomical album is close to completion. There are six songs remaining to be recorded. Those remaining songs already have scratch bass tracks that were originally recorded with a Fender P-Bass months ago, which will all be re-recorded with a Musicman Stingray in the coming weeks.

The surplus of extra tracks resulting from recording numerous permutations for the various song sections is enormous. This is unequivocally the largest body of music that I’ll have ever created. In addition to the magnitude of this album, the size of each project file is also exceptionally large, due to the excess amount of variations.

The day after capturing the propagation of galactic sound waves, I wake up and methodically sift through and audition each of the recorded parts. While recording, I meticulously label and color code every region, which makes auditioning quick and effortless even with the sheer number of recorded parts. Hearing everything come to fruition from my imagination to creation is one the most fulfilling experiences of my existence.

None of the albums that I’ve ever created have been considered ordinary, and this upcoming out of this world album will be no exception while also being very distinct from any of those previous releases. The forthcoming album's structure is highly atypical, defying conventions in a radical and extreme way.

Astronomical Waves of Sound

The metagalactic bass tone being recorded is elevating the forthcoming album to a level that is wildly surpassing my expectations.

This past month was spent diligently focused on recording bass guitar tracks for the forthcoming album. There are a substantial amount of songs, and for each song I am recording anywhere between four and twelve variations of bass for certain sections of the song. This is not my ordinary workflow. Typically, I record only the part the way that it was originally written. For this album though, just as I did for the electric rhythm guitar parts, I am going the extra lightyear and recording a copious amount of variations in order to give me a vast universe of options when it comes time to mix. Currently, about seventy-seven percent of the bass guitar tracks have been completed.

It never ceases to amaze me hearing songs evolve as new tracks are recorded. For this gargantuan album, all bass parts were written and originally recorded with synth bass (not a sampled bass VI). I absolutely love synth bass and was concerned about losing the unique texture that the synth contributes when replacing it with bass guitar. But, lo and behold, the bass guitar is forcefully catapulting these songs out of the stratosphere.

During the mixing stage I may experiment with alternating or blending the synth bass and bass guitar. If I use the bass synth at all, in order to avoid any phase cancellation issues, I would most likely use a hi-pass filter set to around 200 - 300 Hz on the synth just to get the out-of-this-world texture and blend that with the low-end of the bass guitar, or vice versa.

The bass guitar tone that I'm getting with the Stingray and SVT is nothing short of astronomical, and it pokes through every mix exceptionally well. When compared to the scratch tracks that were recorded with the Fender P/J Bass, I'm overwhelmingly preferring the tone of the Stingray through the SVT and find that it cuts through these mixes more effectively than the P-Bass, and with minimal processing. I anticipate being done with all of the bass recording early next month.

Thunderous Bass Guitar

Capturing planet-shaking bass tones for the recording of a lifetime.

The main bass guitar being used for recording of the forthcoming album is a Musicman Stingray outfitted with active EQ. I've also recorded some scratch tracks using a Fender Precision bass loaded with passive P-Bass and J-Bass pickups. The P-Bass has this honky midrange tone that I just love and helps it sit really well in the mix, with minimal processing, but I am leaning towards the more modern tone of the Stingray for the bulk, if not all, of the tracks.

The amp being used for the recordings is an Ampeg SVT Classic. This amp is nothing short of a beast meant to ruthlessly pound the air. I’m running a DI out of the amp plus miking an SVT-610HLF cabinet with a Sennheiser MD 421 and then mixing the two inputs to achieve a throaty, thunderous growl. This growling and ferocious tone is elevating the songs to an entirely new level. For this album, all of the bass parts were written long before ever picking up a bass. But now, being totally inspired with bass in hand, several variations of the parts are being recorded that will allow additional creative options during mixing.

After much exploration, I recently discovered the SansAmp Bass Driver DI and the amazing bass tones this technology can create. I am still experimenting and analyzing the differences between my favored pure SVT tone and the SansAmp-type tones. While I am nothing short of being totally blown away by the SansAmp, I am not sure at this stage that I'll be incorporating it into the recordings for this album. If I were only going direct, I would surely use the SansAmp RBI.

Signal Chain for Recording

• Musicman Stingray Bass Guitar
• Fender Precision Bass Guitar
• Mogami Instrument Cable
• Ampeg SVT Classic 300 Watt Amp
• Mogami Speaker Cable
• Ampeg SVT 610HLF Cabinet
• Sennheiser MD421 microphone
• Mogami Microphone Cable
• Direct Out From the SVT
• Mogami Microphone Cable
• Focusrite ISA Mic Preamp
• Apogee Rosetta 800 Converters
• RME RayDAT Audio Interface
• Mac Pro

The first bass guitar I ever owned was an SG style bass during my preteens. I remember thinking how big, bold, and so cool this instrument was. In later years, I discovered synth bass and the wide array of tones it is capable of producing that aren't possible on a bass guitar, and I don’t mean simply sub-bass drones, but a diverse assortment of humongous, fat sounds. My all-time favorite bass tones come from a Fender P-Bass, Fender Jazz Bass, Musicman Stingray, and a multitude of out-of-this-world synth bass sounds. I love them all!

Creative Ingenuity

It's not about the guitar — it's all about the creative ingenuity in the writing.

In an era where many are occupied with seeking attention, validation, over-consumption, and monetary gain, I find it imperative to ignore the emptiness of all that in order to work towards something truly extraordinary and fulfilling. The following factors are what I consider helpful in fostering distinctive creative ingenuity.

Fostering Creative Ingenuity

• Exercise Divergent Thinking
• Cultivate Abstract Reasoning
• Defy Conventions
• Don’t Imitate
• Be Absolutely Fearless
• Be Bold
• Strive for Profound Uniqueness
• Dismiss Herd Mentality
• Brainstorm Radical Ideas
• Visualize Novel Associations
• Possess Strong Technical Skills

As a young child with a vivid imagination, the ideas I dreamed up were filled with eccentric oddities such as uncommon meters, irregular rhythms, unusual harmony, chromatic connections, and a slew of other neoteric elements. The unconventional seemed to come naturally for me.

In my early youth, while riding in my father’s car with the radio playing, I would count prime-numbered groupings over the common time material I was hearing. It was exciting to hear the polymetric effect and how it would eventually recalibrate when I arrived back on beat one at the same time as the music that was playing. I had no idea what it was, but it ignited my curiosity that has lasted a lifetime. Odd meters, polyrhythms, and metric modulations were cool. Common time wasn't as intriguing and didn't come as naturally for me.

While highly subjective, some instrumentalists, along with their fans, tend to rate inventiveness based on techniques that a player uses in their playing, such as tapping, sweep picking, economy picking, slapping, using a bow upside down, playing with a butter knife, and so on. While this is valid to a certain extent, it doesn't pertain to the level of creative ingenuity present within the composition itself in which those techniques are employed.

How fast someone can play or how high someone can sing are totally insignificant. It is the ingenuity, uniqueness, message, and emotive performances within the music that matter most.

A high level of proficiency on any given instrument is, of course, important and desirable, and it's certainly awe-inspiring to listen to within the context of a well-crafted composition, but it is not required to produce a profoundly creative work. All too often, musicians who do develop their physical skills to a high level have neglected to develop their compositional skill set to the same level as they have achieved on their primary instrument.

We are all capable of creating truly remarkable things. Every one of us possesses a unique viewpoint of the world that is built upon our individual experiences, and therein lies the means to create something totally unique and all our own, if we allow ourselves that liberty and avoid copying others. If ingenuity is the goal, learning from others and having vast knowledge can be a means of understanding what has been done in order to explore what has not.

Tapping into one's imagination to discover an extraordinarily unique idea, while simultaneously having the ability to channel it through creativity, requires highly-developed divergent thinking, strong technical skills, and the fearless will to explore beyond the ordinary. Creating music that defies convention is absolutely one of the most exhilarating and gratifying aspects of my existence.

Ambulate novam viam ad explorandum ignotum.

Discovering New Musical Worlds

Album production downtime leads to a creative writing outpour.

A short holiday recess was taken from the intense focus on the album that I’ve been working so diligently on. This pause lead to a creative writing outburst; it also helped me gain a fresh perspective on the songs that I’ve been absorbed in. Taking a break from hearing the same songs over and over is very refreshing and highly beneficial when returning to those same songs. In my experience, production decisions tend to be much better when listening with well-rested ears.

Writing in the downtime of a production is remarkably exhilarating. During that brief hiatus, a handful of songs were written and put towards another future album. Residing in the folder for that other future album are twenty-five completed songs, not parts, but entire arrangements. Without fail, as soon as I sit down at the keyboard with a clear mind, ideas tend to flow out of me effortlessly. Exploring and hearing something extemporaneously come to life from nonexistence is highly electrifying and absolutely the most fulfilling part of my music creation process.

When writing, I stay focused until the entire song is written, opposed to accumulating a collection of unrelated fragments that might coalesce at a later time. I find that fabricating a new part with the intention of fusing it with the previous part produces a more cohesive flow. Oftentimes, I have to tell myself to cease writing in order to complete the production of other albums. This overjoy from writing is how I rack up seven completed, unreleased albums. Composing music, to me, is like discovering new worlds that have never been seen or heard before.

Navigatio in aeternum per astra.

Reflecting on the Year

It’s been another successful orbit around our star with a substantial amount of training, recording and creativity to show for it.

Inner Ideals

Unpretentiously, each of my days has been centered around the pursuit of excellence while cultivating my capacity for self-reliant creativity. My life's ambition has never been about the quest for luxurious comfort, approval, or praise. My ambition has always been driven by the aspiration to develop my individualistic artistry to the highest level of mastery that I can achieve in order to create without bounds. That is the motivational force that passionately propels me through each and every day. This past year most certainly exemplifies that ideology.

Training

Within an hour of waking in the early morning I begin working towards personal growth by training my musical abilities. I train for 1-3 hours before breakfast and exercising. After which, depending on what is planned for the day, I will train for another 1-3 hours either in the afternoon or evening. I haven't missed a single day. My passion is intense and my drive unrelenting. I have no appetite for escapism that is so prevalent in our current world culture. I view any amount of time squandered on social media or other outlets as irreplaceable time that is better utilized on personal growth, creating, or accomplishing a goal.

Creating

The creation process is my absolute favorite aspect of artistry. I have always thrived on innovative ideas and completely dismissed the ordinary and any type of imitation. The music I created this year is a prime example of that disposition. While much of this past year was committed to advancing production of a forthcoming album, I still managed to write a new album. Much of that writing was balanced with other obligations in the early morning hours, such as training, reviewing freshly recorded tracks, and examining or modifying my extensive lists of objectives.

Recording

A considerable portion of 2022 was dedicated to recording instruments for the gargantuan assemblage of songs that will be part of the forthcoming album. The Bellas moniker has always been synonymous with expecting the unexpected. This album will elevate that association to an entirely new level.

Futurum Exspectat.

Diving into the Deep

One amazing part of this past month was getting to know the highly coveted Fairchild 670 compressor and the magical Pultec EQ's.

This past month was largely spent on sifting through all of the electric rhythm guitar parts that have been recorded for the forthcoming album, along with further organization of tracks and regions, working on the arrangements of the songs, grouping and bussing of tracks, and trying some rough-mixing tweaks such as exploring level adjustments, panning, EQ, and compression. A few touch-ups were also recorded. Nonetheless, the main area of focus was on getting creative with the arrangements in an effort to retain listening interest and increase excitement throughout the songs.

One amazing part of this past month was getting to know the highly coveted Fairchild 670 compressor and the magical Pultec EQ's. I absolutely love that compressor and those EQ's. The Fairchild is so smooth and has such an exquisite character, and the Pultec in how it can add sheen without harshness and thump without mud is extraordinary.

While recording I always meticulously label and organize tracks and regions in a way that allows me to quickly identify the abundance of optional performances I have available. However, after opening each song and checking the organization and labeling, there were some tracks that needed better management. All regions are now color-coded, labeled, and grouped according to the instrument and variation type.

Explorandum Aeternitatis.

As I went through each song I also prepared tracks for the deep low-end of the bass guitar. While doing so, I added a “fold-to-mono” plug-in on the master stereo output, turned the master volume way down, and then checked the overall balance of the tracks. Checking and adjusting levels in mono at a low volume is a favorite method of mine to check balances. After checking in mono at a low volume, and then flipping back to stereo at normal listening volume, the effect is huge and epic!

Recording of bass guitar begins in December. While there are a lot of songs to record, this stage should go by faster than the electric rhythm guitar recordings.

Recording Progress

One passionately triumphant step at a time within my creative cave is leading me to the achievement of what is surely the most fulfilling and ambitious goal of my lifetime.

The recording of all rhythm guitar for the forthcoming album is officially complete. After much painstaking evaluating and tone chasing, I can say with much enthusiasm that I am very satisfied with the results. The rhythm guitar parts have the purest sounding amp tone I've ever recorded. This was accomplished by running the guitars straight into a stock 100 Watt non-master volume 1959 Plexi Superlead amp. That amp is like the holy grail of sublime guitar tone.

This album has been and continues to be a massive undertaking. The process of recording rhythm guitars entailed recording each part twice with one guitar and then the same parts twice again with another guitar. Additionally, many sections of the songs had four to ten variations that were also recorded twice with one guitar and then twice again with another guitar. The amount of songs that were recorded is staggering. This is by far the most tracks that I've ever recorded for any album in my life.

Explorarent astra in aeternum.

The next recording stage will be devoted entirely to the low-end of the songs. This will include a bass guitar along with other unique instruments for low frequencies. All of the bass parts have been written and are just waiting to be recorded. The bass guitar amp that I’ll be using is an Ampeg SVT Classic 300 Watt tube head running into an Ampeg 6x10 cabinet. I’ll be using a Sennheiser MD421 microphone for the cabinet and also taking a direct line out of the amp, both of which will run into an ISA mic preamp. The bass guitar that will be used is a Musicman Stingray. An assortment of unconventional bass sounds will also be used in conjunction with the bass guitar.

The Quest for Uber Guitar Tone

I have done more experimenting with guitar tone on this forthcoming album than any other album I’ve ever done.

The recording of all textural rhythm guitar for the forthcoming album is finally nearing an end point. Initially, I thought that I would just go through the process of recording each song and come to a definitive ending point once I finished the last song, but that wasn’t the case. For this colossal mound of material, after the songs were what I thought complete, I went back and added numerous variations for assorted song sections and also re-recorded existing parts with a different guitar or amp setting just to hear the tonal differences. There are a lot of tracks to choose from and I am very happy with how they are sounding, especially after recording the additional takes.

Aztec Gold '57 AVRI Strat

I absolutely love the pure sound of vintage single coil pickups. They can sound so big and bold for certain parts. However, after recording a single-coil-equipped strat through the Plexi Superlead (set to low gain) and later evaluating those tracks with fresh ears, some of the parts sounded just a tad bit harsh, while that same tone fit other sections like a well-worn glove. The parts that sounded strident were re-recorded. I'd much rather get the tone right at the source than use EQ in post. For this album, the guitar was plugged straight into the amp for all tracks except for one section of a song where a clean-boost pedal was used.

This is the first album I'll have done that features the 100 watt 1959 Plexi Superlead exclusively for rhythm guitar parts.

The Superlead is a bright amp and vintage single coil pickups can also be quite bright, particularly the bridge pickup. These two elements together, in certain instances, and especially when the amp is set to a low gain "crunchy" setting, can sound thin and sharp. When the amp is pushed harder the single coil bridge tone becomes smoother sounding, due to the compression and treble roll-off that occurs at higher gain settings.

Being that I've used a Plexi 1987 MKII for decades, getting to really know the Plexi 1959 Superlead has been nothing short of a deep learning experience. Needless to say, the Superlead is nothing short of a beast.

There are several other songs that were originally recorded with vintage single coil pickups that I want to go back and record using a beefier sounding pickup set. The advantage I gain by doing this is, I'll have the options during mixing to blend the bright single coil tracks with the newly recorded tracks, use one or the other, or mix and match. Although this has been an arduous task to record so many tracks using different guitars, pickups, amp settings, and microphone placements, I'm glad that I did, as the results are proving to be well worth the effort.

Extensive Exploration

My road to discovery includes extensive exploring and fully exhausting the myriad of possibilities that can emerge from a single seed of an idea.

Most of the past month was spent on evaluating previously recorded rhythm guitar parts and re-recording some of those parts. For this album, unlike previous albums, I am fully exhausting the possible variations for each and every part to find that hidden gem. While some guitar parts were added to previously recorded songs after discovering new variation possibilities, other rhythm guitar parts were re-recorded as an exploratory effort in order to hear the tonal differences from using a different guitar or amp setting. This laborious approach has resulted in a plethora of tracks. However, I would rather have numerous extra tracks recorded to have those options available during mixing than to otherwise never know the difference.

Signal Chain for Recording

• Vintage '57 Reissue Stratocaster
• Marshall 1959 Plexi Superlead
• Celestion 75 Watt Speakers
• Sure SM57 Microphone
• Focusite Red Series Mic Pre
• Apogee Rosetta 800 Converters
• RME RayDAT Audio Interface
• Mac Pro

So far, the primary guitars used for recording the rhythm guitar tracks have been an Aztec Gold Fender '57 AVRI Stratocaster and a Daphne Blue Fender '57 AVRI Stratocaster, plus a Vintage White Fender '57 AVRI Stratocaster for a couple of songs. Out of incessant curiosity, I tried re-recording a song with my beloved Candy Apple Red Fender '57 AVRI Stratocaster and was totally blown away by the tone. I actually paused for a moment and said, "Wow!". After hearing the result of the Candy Apple Red Strat I went back and re-recorded a few other songs using that guitar. The Candy Apple Red Strat was used extensively on my first couple of albums.

Primary Recording Guitars for Rhythm Parts

My primary recording guitars are equipped and setup a bit differently from each other. The Aztec Gold Strat is totally stock. Other Strats have a graphite bridge and plastic nut or both a graphite bridge and graphite nut. Those subtle mod's alter the tone considerably. Most of the Strat's have vintage frets and moderately high action. I am a fan of all fret sizes and see advantages in each of them. The Candy Apple Red Strat has ridiculously high action and sounds so fat and snappy. The Aztec Gold Strat has vintage '57/'62 single-coil pickups, which are low-output, bright and shimmery, and cut through a mix like a razor blade without any post-processing EQ. The Candy Apple Red Strat has noiseless Dimarzio pickups that sound rich and totally chunky. All of these different configurations offer a variety of tone and are conducive to different playing approaches. I love the sound and feel of them all.

Otherworldly Guitars

Electric rhythm guitar parts for the forthcoming album were recorded with an Aztec Gold '57 Reissue Strat and a Daphne Blue '57 Reissue Strat.

The recording of all electric rhythm guitar parts for the forthcoming album is very close to being complete. The final few tracks along with recording over some previously recorded scratch tracks will be completed in early August, at which point the next recording stage will begin. Many scratch tracks were recorded early on when exploring tone with various amp settings, microphone positions, and guitars.

The majority of songs were recorded with an Aztec Gold '57 reissue Stratocaster loaded with vintage single coil pickups running straight into the top input of Loudness 1 set to 4 of a stock 1959 Plexi Superlead amp. When a darker texture was better suited for the song, a Daphne Blue '57 reissue Stratocaster loaded with stacked humbucker pickups running through the top input of Loudness 1 of the same 1959 Plexi Superlead amp was used.

Previous albums maintained a consistent guitar tone throughout the album, whereas this album will have a variety of guitar tones from song to song.

For some songs the Loudness control of the 1959 Plexi Superlead amp was set to 6 or 8 when more gain was desired. But my overall favorite tone is the Superlead set to 4 paired with vintage 57/62 single coil pickups, which produces a big, bold, dynamically responsive tone that easily cuts through the mix. Within these rough mixes, other than low and high pass filtering, the single coils poke through without any EQ processing, whereas the fat-sounding humbuckers tend to require some gentle low-mid cuts to sit well around the other instruments. We'll see if that holds true for the final mixes.

Materializing out of this world textural guitar parts.

Recording Progress

Hearing an imaginative idea come to fruition is one the most fulfilling aspects of my existence.

At this stage, and with much more to go, I have recorded way more rhythm guitar tracks for each song than I will actually use during the mixing stage. The recording philosophy and approach I've taken for this upcoming album is: Record more parts than necessary and have the option to choose from a diverse assortment of variations during mixing than not have those multiple choices available. It makes the process even more exciting knowing that I can mold the song to an even greater extent at a later stage.

I absolutely love the sound of stock Fender vintage single coil pickups in my '57 reissue strats. They are the lowest output pickup you can get and have an incredibly clean and revealing character that allow the tone of the guitar to shine through, which makes every nuance of the performance incredibly articulate. Pairing a strat outfitted with vintage single coil pickups with a crunchy 100 watt Superlead Plexi is big, bold, and pure tonal bliss to these ears. This huge tone is perfect for the rhythm guitar tracks being recorded, they sit so well in the mix and just pop.

Left to right: 50 watt 1987 Plexi, JCM800, JCM900, 100 watt Superlead Plexi

The tone recipe that I am enjoying the most out of the 1959 Plexi Superlead is: '57 reissue Strat runs into the top input of channel one, with the volume of channel one set to 4, volume of channel two set to zero, the entire tone stack set to 12 O'Clock, no channel jump, and then running into two 4x12 cabinets loaded with 75 watt Celestions. For some songs I set the volume to 6, 7, or 8 when extra grit is needed. For pristine lead tones, with the same aforementioned amp settings, a clean boost with a custom Tubescreamer sends this amp into ultra fluid territory.

Clean and Powerful Tone

Exploring soaring guitar tones with clean and powerful sounding amplification that sits well within a mix has been this month's focus.

After much experimentation, I’m preferring a much cleaner rhythm guitar tone on most all of the songs for this upcoming album. The 1959 Plexi Super Lead amp that I've been auditioning for songs on this upcoming album is clean and extremely powerful sounding when pushed to the point of breakup with no pedals. It is an amazingly dynamic tone that responds really well to varying degrees of pick velocity. The upward trend amongst many players has been to use a highly saturated rhythm guitar tone. I am headed in the opposite direction.

I've been using and recording with a 1987X Plexi 50 Watt amp loaded with 6550 tubes for decades and very much love the sound of that amp; it has low headroom and lots of compression making it ideal for super-smooth lead guitar. The 1959SLP 100 Watt Superlead, on the other hand, has a substantial amount of headroom making it well suited for a clean and powerful rhythm guitar sound and glassy lead tones. This will be the first album that I've ever recorded that features this amp. The 1959SLP can be an overly bright amp, especially when paired with a Strat loaded with vintage single-coil pickups, but I'm having great success with placing an SM57 or MD421 on axis between the dust cap and edge of the speaker to gently roll off some of the excessive high-end.

Recordings of another instrument for all songs of the massive album that is currently in production have been completed.

I've conducted many test recordings recently while experimenting with various microphone placements and gain levels on the 1959SLP. My go-to mic position for the 1987X has always been on-axis with the outer edge of the microphone right on the outside edge of the dust cap and right on the grill. For the 1959SLP, moving the mic slightly towards the outer edge of the speaker and back from the grill about 1-2 inches sounds really good to me, with less proximity effect and a reduction in some harsh high-end. The seemingly infinite tonal variations from microphone placement possibilities can be paralyzing, but I'm very pleased with the tones I've committed to thus far.

For this album I'll be positioning the mic on a per song basis for the tone that allows the guitar to sit the best within each particular mix. This is a different approach than the set and forget method that I am more accustomed to.

Recording an Album

This upcoming album is the largest body of music that I’ll have ever released and truly believe it to be the pinnacle of my career.

One Step at a Time

All recording of two more instruments has been completed for the forthcoming gargantuan album that is currently in production. The textures and writing are refreshingly unlike anything I’ve ever published. Envisioning something remarkably unique and then hearing it all come together is incredibly electrifying.

• Fresh Soundscape and Textures
• Unparalleled Writing Style
• Largest Single Body of Music
• Diverse Instrumentation
• Modern and Refreshingly Unique

During the writing and exploring stages there are intense brainstorming periods where meticulous goal-oriented lists are created and then revisited daily to reassess and potentially modify or add ideas. That same painstakingly organized process is used just prior to the recording stage in which the instrumentation is explored (and occasionally the arrangement), and then once thoroughly evaluated I confidently commit and record those ideas. Careful consideration and much experimentation is being given to microphone type, microphone placement, and instrument choice in order to achieve high-quality satisfactory tone and pristine sonic detail.

Being a highly individualistic artist that is not reliant on others typically requires a longer amount of time to complete a project of this magnitude, especially considering the three to four hours a day that are devoted to deliberate training for ongoing personal growth. Although, for me, not having any other person’s input yields a much more satisfying piece of art that is pure and unvarnished by external contributions.

George's 100W Plexi Superlead dimed and jumped.

Next week begins test recordings of electric rhythm guitar to find the preferred microphone(s), mic combinations, mic placement, mic preamp, guitar amp, amp settings and guitars. This will be an ongoing exploratory process to find the tone best suited for each song. Up for consideration is a 1959SLP, 1987X, and a JCM800. I'm leaning towards having the 1959SLP do the bulk of the work.

Training, Writing, and Recording

Releasing new albums that reuse typical underlying principles and ideas would be easy and yield a quick turnaround time, yet it would be nowhere near as satisfying as exploring and discovering new ideas. As my father once said to me, "Enjoy the path that takes you to your goals."

Since the beginning of the new year I've continued with the same musical training, writing, and recording regimen as the previous year while also augmenting the musical training. And, as usual, I always give way to creative writing no matter what is in the production pipeline. Most recently, two new futuristic songs were composed for one of seven albums that are currently in production. For me, creating music that is fresh and inventive is one of the most fulfilling aspects of the human experience.

I have been working diligently on expanding my skill set to allow me to accomplish what I want to do on this upcoming release. Each album that I’ve ever written has had challenges requiring a considerable amount of training to perform the parts at the level envisioned. As an INTJ Sigma personality type, in order to maximize my potential, I constantly strive to push beyond current limits by persistently working towards personal growth while pursuing new and unused ideas along with ignoring all conventions and societal expectations.

Searching for and discovering unfamiliar sounds and ideas is always far more exhilarating than reusing material.

Contrary to a validation-seeking world where so many rush to share whatever they have to offer, I prefer to pace myself during the thorough exploration, imaginative creation, and meticulous development of my albums while relishing in enthusiastic joy during every stage of the systematic and methodical process. Releasing new albums that reuse typical underlying principles and ideas would be easy and yield a quick turnaround time, yet it would be nowhere near as satisfying as exploring and discovering new ideas. As my father once said to me, "Enjoy the path that takes you to your goals."

March has been a very productive month of recording. I am extremely happy with the tone of the recorded instruments and how everything is coming together. It is an exciting period in which initial ideas come to fruition with all elements now working together synergistically and hearing the resultant soundscape for the first time.

Recording with an AKG C451 microphone and foot stand.

Peace and Diplomacy

There is no room for war on the planet we all share and call home.

I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in what has turned into unnecessary bloodshed in the fight for democratic freedom and independence. War is not the answer. Thousands of innocent people will needlessly be killed and devastating destruction left in the aftermath. Peaceful diplomatic solutions should be the way forward.

Individualistic Artistry

One needs to follow a path that others don't take in order to discover something that others don't have.

Imitative vs Innovative

No matter what may inspire an artist, it is unnecessary to copy the works or style of others on any level. A genuinely original artist doesn't steal ideas, they innovate and boldly explore the radical. As a true individualistic artist, learning about another artist's style and the attributes that characterize their art should be a lesson on what not to do in order to achieve innovation.

As a creator, ask yourself, "What elements do I predominantly use that are commonalities with another artist?" If the answer is a multitude of components, that is likely an indication that you are not embracing your true individualistic artistry. Some go as far as to imitate the fashion style of another artist — or adopt the stylistic traits of a genre — and totally forgo their own sense of individuality. This is a recipe for not achieving one's true individualistic potential. That's not to say there isn't inherent value in learning from exceptional art created by other artists. The problem arises when that inspirational art becomes a catalyst for your own creations in which you deliberately copy ideas in subtle or blatant ways for lack of your own ingenuity.

Be absolutely fearless. Be bold. Explore what you've never explored before and give something to humanity that they don't already have.

In an age where many are obsessively consumed with what others are doing, it's all too easy for one to disregard the opportunity to go beyond herd mentality where individualistic ingenuity awaits. Follow no one, because it's the path that others don't take where you'll discover something that others don't have.

Respectively, some musical artists possess a high ability on their instrument but lack an inventive composing prowess. That may be a result of overly focusing on the mechanics of an instrument and neglecting to balance that with the ongoing exploratory pursuit and development of creative writing. An instrumental display of technical virtuosity shouldn't take precedence over highly creative writing. The writing should be equally compelling and absolutely unique to the artist.

An effective approach that will foster the development of exceptional uniqueness is to let what you learn from inspirational art serve as a realization of what that artist did so that you may create using all that they did not do.

"To me, no one instrument is the central focus, it’s all about the creative writing."

Orbiting Our Star

Wishing everyone a healthy and joyous time with each new day in the year ahead of us. Embarking on a new voyage around our star is an exciting occasion. This is a ripe time to plan new goals, seize opportunities, create new memories, work towards personal growth, and sculpt a life that you envision while orbiting around the sun. Rise up, dream big, and reach for everything that you can imagine.

Enjoy the 67,000 mile-per-hour journey.

Reflections of the Year

"To get something you never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done."

Personal Growth and Imaginative Creativity

This past year was spent largely on learning, exploring, training, creating, and recording, with a significant amount of that time dedicated to well-organized deliberate training. The daily regimen consisted of waking up every day at 6AM and diligently training for two hours before diet and exercise. After eating and exercising, at least four to six additional hours per day were spent on training and striving for personal growth. After sufficient training, writing and recording were the focus for the remainder of the day, along with helping others.

Stardate MMXXI

• Learning
• Training
• Exploring
• Creating
• Recording

The constant pursuit of personal growth has always been a driving force behind my work ethic, it is how I am wired. Regurgitating the same material in different forms is not, and never has been, satisfying for me. I need to learn, explore, discover, and continuously develop myself in order to accomplish what it is that I want to do, and the past year successfully reflects that intensely driven passion.

Avoiding Stagnation

Staying true to oneself does not mean one has to continue doing the same thing monotonously throughout various iterations. Staying true to oneself means allowing oneself to grow by learning, exploring, and developing oneself in new found ways in order to reach one's true potential and avoid stagnation while remaining genuine to one's passion. Each new day is an opportunity for exploration and development. Why squander it on repeating yourself?

"Train yourself in such a way that it enables you to do something extraordinary and is unquestionably unique to you."

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a healthy and peaceful holiday season. Whether you celebrate the holidays with family or friends, or you are alone, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you.

Approaches to Composing

There are a variety of approaches to initiating the composing process. The following methods are a select few favorites.

Melody

This may involve song melodies, motives, themes, chant melodies, virtuosic melodies, palindromes, or any combination thereof. When writing the melody first for a vocal line, it may pose a challenge to fit preexisting lyrics to the structure of the melody. However, once the rhythmic motion and phrasing of the melody are established, newly-written lyrics specifically for the melody may unfold quite easily. One benefit of initiating the melody first, is that it offers the composer the joyous exploration of harmonization in a myriad of ways. Thematic development of an initial motive throughout the piece usually stems from a melody first approach, as do polyphonic textures. When initiating a composition with a melody, several factors should be considered, such as interval emphasis, range, the curve, harmonic implications, unity, rhythmic motion, and beat placement within the measure, of which all contribute to the character of the melody.

Harmony

Writing a chord progression first is a common approach to writing contemporary songs. The composer may have specific harmonic classes or schemes that they want to incorporate, such as quartel, quintel, secundal or other non-tertian harmony (e.g., Viennese Trichord); mediant related cycles; cadential formulas; modulatory devices; interval-set derivatives; harmonic planing, etc. This approach has the luxurious benefit of being able to work, re-work, and develop a melody to a high degree over the foundational harmony which can result in a melody that is immensely pleasing and memorable. This method may begin with a chord progression, or by simply choosing a chord or chord type that acts as a catalyst to an entire piece or section, such as a Pyramid Chord and the myriad of possible orchestration and harmonic derivatives it offers.

Rhythm

The rhythm and drum beats may be written for an entire section, song, or complete album before any notes are imagined. The entire album Planetary Alignment was conceived using this method. With this approach, the meters, note divisions and specific percussion instrument assignments are all determined and written for the drum set before anything else. The generated rhythmic ideas may of course also be implemented by assigning them to any instrument. To initiate this process, it is useful to brainstorm a large amount of rhythmic patterns that involve a variety of mathematical principles using meters, subdivisions, phrase lengths, or poly-metrical part distribution.

Ostinato

Starting a musical piece with an interesting ostinato performed by any instrument offers the composer a lot of freedom to explore various harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic ideas around the ostinato. A steady-moving ostinato figure is an effective way to perpetuate momentum within a section. While not always the case, ostinato figures that use a minimal amount of intervals (e.g., only root, 5th and octave) may allow greater flexibility when determining the harmonic basis. Very intriguing polymetrical effects can be achieved with ostinato's by overlaying duplicate figures and varying one figure with subtractive or additive values.

Lyrics

When lyrics are written first the story unfolds as it's written. This tends to yield a clear and concise storyline. The disadvantage with this approach is that often times it will present a challenge when attaching the lyrics to a melody and compromises may need to be made in order to accommodate the melody or lyric. If the melody will not be changed, the solution may lie in simply using melisma's. If the lyrics are wordier than the amount of notes in the melody, a reworking of the lyrics by removing non-essential words will be required, or allowing more than one syllable on a note, which changes the melodic rhythm and may not be desirable. One distinct advantage of writing lyrics first, is that it allows the writer an opportunity to express in a language that delivers a clear message that the general populous may be able to relate to. Music alone has the power to evoke emotions, but lyrics have the advantage of being specific in meaning, whether literal or figurative.

Concept

This approach involves the overall idea or plot being conceptualized first, and lyrics or music style written around that concept. The overall idea may be conceived without specific lyrics or musical ideas. In an instrumental context, song titles in combination with the musical style can successfully contribute to conveying the concept while leaving room for the listener's imagination and their own interpretation. This approach offers a vast amount of fictional and non-fictional possibilities that should be thoroughly exhausted to avoid cliches. Let your imagination thrive and wander anywhere it wants to go. From the eccentric to the overused, ideas may center around any type of concept, such as string theory, origins of the universe, creation of life, challenges and triumphs, fluorescent carbon creatures on a distant planet that are building a Dyson sphere, or as cliche as a love story about two human beings. Conceptualizing is usually a precursor to lyrical content that evolves into a detailed storyline. However, lyrics can also be a precursor that develop into an overall album concept whether initially intentional or not.

Mathematical

Number schemes and sequences — arithmetic, geometric, or special types — such as tetrahedral numbers; square numbers; triangular numbers; prime numbers; the Fibonacci series; arrays of converging and diverging meters or note-value divisions; arrays of expanding and contracting divisions; along with an unlimited amount of number patterns found everywhere you look, are an exciting means of generating ideas. Once numeric sequences have been determined, rhythms may then be constructed by distributing and applying the number patterns to (1) a steady stream of note values with appropriately placed accent points, (2) subdivisions that include appropriately placed rests that reinforce or further divide the groupings, or (3) sustained note values that equate to the sum of the subdivisions. This method has a high probability of yielding exceptionally unique results, especially when combined with non-tertian harmony.

Composer George Bellas

Closing Thoughts

There should never be a time when a composer is without ideas. They are infinite and at one's disposal anytime, anywhere. It is one's limitless imagination that will take them to newly discovered and unexplored places that yield inventive new music if they allow themselves that liberty. Don't restrict your full potential by limiting yourself to reusing the same principles, methods, or ideas over and over. Explore, discover, and create something fresh that only you could've imagined.

Creative Writing

New compositions showcasing the diversity of George's writing are available for listening in the compositions section of this website. The following are three composition highlights.

What I See In You

This composition is for two guitars, soprano, and string orchestra. It is based on a poly-metrical interplay between the two guitars and an ethereal melody sung by the soprano and later supported by the string orchestra. The tone of the piece is delicate and somber and is a sonic portrait of seeing and reflecting upon the inner beauty of someone you love.

Wonder In Awe

This composition is for piano, strings, harp, guitar, flute, French horn, and glockenspiel. The piece begins with the piano introducing the main theme and then undulating strings entering during the second phrase. The following section contains an uplifting theme played by the French horns. The mood is tranquil and one of being in wondrous awe.

Broken Spirit

This composition is for contrabass, cellos and soprano. The piece begins with a slow crescendo on a deep low drone before the emotionally-moving melody is introduced by the soprano and cello’s. The attempted feeling being conveyed is one of which that someone's spirit has been utterly broken and is in deep despair.

Rest in Peace My Friend

Yesterday I lost a lifelong friend and someone who was a major part of my musical endeavors for many years. It is with great sadness to express the passing of my dear friend Mike McCarron.

Teens with Big Dreams

I met Mike when I was 14 years old and we spent countless hours together working on music. He was a tremendous talent and an exceptional human being who was caring, compassionate and someone who everybody liked. Mike performed drums on my debut album "Turn of the Millennium" but contributed much more to my musical journey than just that performance. We share a large backlog of recordings and live performances that extend way back to our early teenage years.

This is the guy that suggested when I was an early teen to get a metronome and work on my timing. And I did. This is the guy that as I advanced my skills and presented music of increasingly greater difficulty said I was the twitch in his eye. I heard that quite often actually. However, despite the ever-growing catalog of challenging music that I would present to him, he was always there working through it with me. Mike was very genuine and had a big heart and a personality that one couldn't help but get along with. I will always cherish those times we shared together, enjoying what we were both so passionate about and deeply committed to.

Losing a friend or family member really accentuates the realization of what things are truly important and most valuable in life. It makes all materialistic aspects of life seem totally insignificant.

My deepest heartfelt condolences are with his immediate family during this difficult time. Today I celebrate the life of a wonderful human being that I will forever be thankful for being a part of. Rest in peace, Mike.

Mountains of Material

I am sitting on gargantuan mountains of material that tower over an endless flowing sea of notes where imagination meets creativity.

Unparalleled Writing

The writing of all this new material is extraordinarily strong and undoubtedly the pinnacle of my career. It is so well defined and unlike anything out there. The material is profoundly unique, and without question a style that is all mine. At this juncture it is my goal to stay alive long enough to release all of the material I have accumulated. It is a lot. Currently I have seven complete albums that I plan on publishing.

I look forward to bringing all this material to the ears of the world. It is an extremely exciting time for me to see the material evolve into a finished form from my initial vision, which is the most exciting stimuli of my existence.

I could hire others to work on various aspects of the production process for these albums in order to get done faster. But I will not do that. Handing my creativity over to someone else who will make decisions that contribute to the end result is not an option.

Modern Ingenuity

While the album I am working towards releasing is tonal, it is not steeped it neoclassicism. It is modern and inventively fresh sounding with textures unheard of on my previous albums. The term "Expect the Unexpected" has become synonymous with the Bellas moniker, and this upcoming album that is rich in modernism will further cement that reputation.

Individualism

I have been asked in interviews if I don't like playing with other musicians because I do everything when creating my albums. It is not at all about budget or not liking playing with other musicians. Rather, it is all about not wanting someone else to contribute and thus alter my creative vision. Each part of the creative process is extremely fulfilling and brings me immense joy. Why would I want someone else to take that from me?

I can't even fathom the absurd notion of the esteemed artist Pablo Picasso asking somebody else to contribute creative choices to his paintings. That is preposterous. It was purely his own imaginative creativity from start to finish, as this material is mine.

Score Excerpt Available

A score excerpt to the composition "Supersymmetry" by George Bellas is now available. Supersymmetry is the tenth song on the 2008 album Planetary Alignment by George Bellas.

SONG ANALYSIS

"Supersymmetry" begins with an introduction in 62/16 that is subdivided into groups of the Fibonacci Number Series within C Enigmatic. Section A is in 34/16 and based on harmonic structures within C Enigmatic. Section B is in mode three of C Enigmatic and is based on the Triangular Number sequence: 21/16, 15/16, 10/16, 6/16, 3/16, 1/16 which then mirrors itself in retrograde, resulting in a time-signature palindrome.

Section C is in 30/16 and based on the 7-tone scale: C, C#, D#, E, F#, A, Bb. The middle Episode that starts at measure 60 uses the tetrahedral number sequence: 1/8, 4/8, 10/8, 20/8 for the meters and bitonal major chords for the harmonic structure. After the tetrahedral number sequence, there is one measure of 4/4 that leads into the re-transition for the recapitulation. The recapitulation is not notated.

The Coda begins at measure 119 in 35/16 and concludes with a final cadence in 3/4 that uses a tritone to equally divide the 12-tone chromatic scale creating an elegant symmetry that ends the song.

This song's concept was inspired by the mathematical symmetry relating to bosons and fermions. Also known as an attempt of a Unified Field Theory using acceleration in place of gravity. Force = Mass multiplied by Acceleration (F=MA).

The album Planetary Alignment is available on CD, by Digital Download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

STUDIO REPORT

CREATIVE OUTPOUR

The past month has been dedicated to writing. Production for the currently planned colossal release was put on pause to focus on the outpour of fresh ideas. This approach has the benefit of being able to go back to a production with a fresh perspective and renewed vigor. After writing twelve new songs within the past month, production will resume in August for the album that is next in line to be released. A considerable amount of time will be needed to complete the production as this is an enormous body of music that stands aside from what is considered the norm in regard to an album.

IDEAS FOR NEW IDEAS

1. Think of new imaginative ways to use tonal-center modulatory devices
2. Brainstorm a variety of unconventional harmonic schemes
3. Brainstorm a variety of metric modulation formulas from various note values
4. Modify existing forms to suite your needs
5. Create atypical textural soundscapes

Ignore what all others are doing along with societal expectancies and focus on something remarkable that only you could’ve created.

IMAGINATIVE CREATIVITY

CREATIVE WRITING INSIGHTS

Guitar has never been the primary focus for me when creating. It is the idea, untethered to any instrument, that permeates at the heart of my creativity. Usually, creative writing begins either purely in my imagination or at the keyboard, rarely is it with a guitar. It's usually long after the foundational writing has been completed do I even consider the role of the guitar within the song.

Dating back to my debut album "Turn of the Millennium", I clearly remember loving so much the diversity of all the sounds within the writing and that I didn’t want to oversaturate that soundscape with guitar. Likewise, every album since then it has been the same reluctance to overdoing it with guitar. Having the focus on any one instrument for a prolonged period becomes tiresome. What captivates me the most is a high level of uniqueness in the creative writing, not any one instrument or the skill or techniques used of said instrument. It’s all in the writing.

Obsessions with how high a singer can sing, how fast a guitarist can play, and how complex a drummer can pound their drums are all trivial absurdities when it comes to profoundly unique creativity and are no way a means to properly assess one's creative abilities. My viewpoint is one of which that sees the uniqueness and quality of the creative writing as the quintessential defining feature of an artist, not a technical aspect of an individual instrument.

Another challenge I contend with regularly is having to choose between the overwhelming excitement of writing with fresh and inventive ideas, or working on the production of existing material intended for publishing. It is the creative writing process that has always been most fulfilling. And at times, when inspiration is high and unique ideas are flowing effortlessly, the choice is unequivocally clear; envision something extraordinary and then ambitiously work to bring that vision to life.

Some artists spend a considerable amount of time developing their physical skills on an instrument but lack a high level of creativity, possibly due to inherent traits or simply neglecting that area of the mind. It is one's imagination that will allow extraordinary creativity that is profoundly unique and undeniably individualistic, not necessarily one's command of an instrument. A high level of proficiency on an instrument is of course relevant and desirable, but not at the expense of extraordinary creativity.

FOSTERING INNOVATIVE CREATIVITY

1. Exercise your divergent thinking skills
2. Focus on interactive learning instead of rote learning
3. Daydream and Brainstorm
4. Dedicate time for solitary reflection
5. Break stylistic boundaries
6. Never be concerned with what others think
7. Explore and discover new elements to use
8. Allow yourself to thoroughly develop ideas through refinement
9. Don't be trapped by relying on your main instrument
10. Use your imagination, not familiar elements on an instrument
11. Never be content
12. Be daring and fearless when trying radically different ideas
13. Don't try to fit in - stand out
14. Don't let others influence your ideas
15. Strive to innovate, not imitate
16. Follow no one

It is my life goal to reach the highest level of creativity that I can possibly achieve. The human body has limits, the imagination does not.

Stagnant Artists

STAGNATION

Many artists tend to stagnate and become complacent with the type of art they create. Life is about ongoing change, personal growth, new discoveries, and constant learning. Becoming stagnant isn't an option for the ever-growing individualist and doesn't have to be for anybody.

WAYS TO PREVENT ARTISTIC STAGNATION

1. Do something you have never done.
2. Explore radically different ideas.
3. Avoid reusing concepts and materials.
4. Ignore everybody.
5. Don't succumb to societal expectancies.
6. Don't be concerned about what others think.
7. Dedicate time for introspection.
8. Dedicate time for critical thinking.
9. Reconnect to your child-like curiosity.
10. Explore different methods of creating.
11. Rid thoughts of self-doubt.
12. Liberate yourself from herd mentality.
13. Train harder than ever before.
14. Don't follow, lead yourself.

Those are mantras I have embraced my entire life and they work exceptionally well in crafting extraordinary art. When an artist becomes stagnant it prevents them from reaching their true potential. Be bold, be brave, evolve and go forth to create something unlike anything you've previously created.

Individualistic Artistry

SELF RELIANCE

The perception of what a musical band consists of is so deeply ingrained through social conditioning that the majority blindly accept it and do as others. I'd rather work with robots that perform precisely as instructed without interpretation than humans who inevitably impart their signature sound on an individual's creativity.

Much of the music we hear from bands and solo artists is a collaborative-based product resulting from collective ideas and performances. We are not hearing the true artistry of what each contributor is capable of, rather each member is reliant on one another to achieve the end sonic result.

In other art forms, such as painting, drawing, book writing, sculpting, etc., the end result is something that had been produced by a single artist, unless an editor or some external source had an influence.

Did another person help Picasso paint his paintings, deciding which colors to use and determining brush strokes, or actually applying the paint to the canvas? No. Picasso's painting's were created by only him and are a true representation of his individualistic artistry.

But with music, there is typically a socially-accepted long chain of individuals imparting their sonic stamp on the end result, such as the composer, co-writers, multiple performers, recording engineers, producers, mix engineers, mastering engineers, and at times, executive influences from record labels.

Where are all the true individualistic artists in music? The majority of those potentially independent thinkers are trapped within a herd mentality following everybody else without even realizing it.

Free yourself from external influence and the reliance on others and walk an evolutionary path to create something only you could've created.

Studio Update

RECORDING

It has been another stellar month of creating, training, refining, and recording. To this day, it still amazes me how easily one's frame of mind can affect a performance or creative writing. To get into the elusive 'zone' that seems to transcend above a certain level of consciousness is sometimes hit or miss and other times an easy feat. I firmly believe it is within that zone in which authentic creativity and golden performances can happen that wouldn't have occurred if one were merely on autopilot.

AUTHENTICITY

Remarkable originality tends to be more difficult to achieve when surrounded by what is commonplace, which is highly evident in herd behavior. The mind needs to be severed from the herd and be liberated from the restrictive nature of one's current abilities and knowledge and allowed to roam free in order to come upon something extraordinary. To discover something strikingly new, and be truly authentic, one must venture an unfamiliar path. We all have the opportunity to free ourselves from the comfortable confines of redundant repetition, and instead challenge ourselves with the difficult task of discovering and glorifying the imaginative individualist within each of us.

UNBOUNDED CREATIVITY

An artist being inspired by someone else's work is often a catalyst for their own creation process, which typically results in some sort of similarity with the source of inspiration. That approach to creativity does not foster inventiveness, rather it is premised upon refinement and characterized by differentiating subtleties in the mind of the creator. It is through exhaustive exploration and the refinement of discoveries within those explorations that will sometimes yield unexpected and compelling results. Step outside your comfort zone and realize your true potential by engaging in creativity that is transformative.

No one other than you can see your innermost creative vision, encapsulate it as an idea and imaginatively bring it to fruition while experiencing the bliss of genuine individualistic expression.

Studio Update

RECORDING

The new year is off to a great and productive start in regard to working towards the completion of new album releases. So far, much of each week has included fourteen hour days that consisted of musical training, refining song parts, and recording scratch takes while exploring subtle performance differences in the parts.

ALBUM STYLES

The terms "style" and "genre", in some sense, imply having similar attributes to something else and are a means of classification based on comparisons. This identification process immediately strips some level of perceived ingenuity from that which is being classified.

Such labeling systems can be inadequate when trying to describe artistic material that doesn't easily fit within a given category, and consequently, said material may be inappropriately categorized using unfitting standardized labels. Labeling a profoundly unique piece of music automatically devalues its originality by classifying it as being similar to something else. Artists themselves, whether knowingly or not, are prone to stylistic entrapment. This typically occurs due to pressure from external sources, such as record labels, editors, and fan expectancies. For these upcoming albums I prefer to humbly describe them as simply fresh and inventive that don't intentionally conform to any given genre.

UNBOUNDED CREATIVITY

Drawing from predecessors, contemporaries, or simply continuing to reuse previous material, can be unsatisfying and mundane for a divergent thinker when creating. On the contrary, the immense joy experienced in exploring different sounds and assembling extraordinary ideas in new exciting ways is the most exhilarating and fulfilling creative experience in my life.

Some individuals may not have the desire to stand out or the ambition to create using truly unique ideas that are not a derivative of anything they have been inspired by intellectually, auditorily, or visually. Mimicking in various stylistic ways can be due to: subconscious conditioning by association; an attempt to fit in and be accepted within a particular group; an educational process to gain an understanding of certain characteristics; an evolutionary step; and of course, it may be merely liking something and blatantly copying.

In the pursuit of authenticity, following a herd mentality is pointless, and in fact, a complete and utter hindrance in discovering and expressing with one's true identity. We are all genuinely unique and possess the potential to create something so uncommon that it defies association. Be undeterred from social norms, trends, criticism, opinions, or other's expectations, and create with an unbounded and exploratory mindset to discover something remarkable that only you could've created.

Studio Update

RECORDING

Recording recommences this week for one of two upcoming albums. After recording was temporarily put on hold in favor of a strong effort to work on skills, and to also wait for new equipment to arrive, recording is now scheduled for the next several months. All music is completely written for both albums, and many instrument parts have already been recorded, but the following elements to be recorded will have the most profound impact on the overall sound.

ALBUM STYLES

The two albums that are currently in production are both highly progressive yet drastically different. Both albums are monumental in content but significantly different in the proportions of their presentations. The writing is highly exploratory in nature for both albums, but one album in particular is most certainly more extreme, given the sheer outlandishness of the writing. To say it is futuristic would be an understatement.

DIVERGENT THINKING

It is clear that many people are conditioned to expect various aspects of music to be a certain way. There are expectancies on many levels in music that are all based on what has come to be accepted as the norm. That bounded mindset will always yield familiar sounding results to some degree. To liberate oneself from that trap and instead have the courage and willingness to explore the unknown will sometimes yield very favorable unexpected results. It is that divergent mindset that I have always embraced during the creation process and it is what makes creativity all the more exciting.

Reflections of the Year

The majority of this past year was dedicated to intense musical training. Recording for two upcoming albums was temporarily put on hold due to unexpected delays in shipping of equipment that was to be used for the productions, along with the unrelenting desire to further develop my skills. Despite the unprecedented circumstances of this past year, much was accomplished in regard to preparation for the completion of two upcoming albums. Since the initial lockdowns, each day has consisted of musical training beginning at 7:00 a.m. and continuing throughout the day and well into the evening. A large portion of that regime consisted of pushing beyond my current abilities through hours upon hours of diligent training, and then working through and refining parts that are to be recorded. Being faced with adversity has been an opportunity to become stronger, better, and more capable.

One of the greatest and most exciting aspects of my musical journey, aside from the creative process, has been the challenges I create for myself by exploring radically new ideas and then overcoming those challenges by pushing my abilities beyond what I have previously accomplished. When I was a young child, my father once told me to enjoy the path that takes you to your goal no matter how difficult and daunting it may be, because once that goal is achieved, the entire process starts all over again. So, dream big, push hard, and never ever stop.

Thank you to everyone who has written to me this past year wondering about release dates for my upcoming albums. And another tremendous thanks to all of my students that tirelessly strive to hone their skills. You are all greatly appreciated. - George Bellas

LIBERTY FOR ALL

People of the United States

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

1. Vote for leadership that won't gravely damage America’s role as a world leader.
2. ​Vote for leadership that is fit to lead during a national crisis.
3. ​Vote for leadership that respects science and heeds the advice of experts.
4. Vote for leadership that won't solicit foreign influence and undermine confidence in our elections.
5. Vote for leadership that won't align with dictators and fail to stand up for American values.
6. Vote for leadership that won't disparage our armed forces, intelligence agencies, and diplomats.
7. Vote for leadership that won't undermine the rule of law.
8. Vote for leadership that won't dishonor the office of the presidency.
9. Vote for leadership that won't divide our nation and preach a dark and pessimistic view of America.
10. Vote for leadership that won't attack and vilifie immigrants in our country.
11. Vote for leadership that won't imperil America’s security by mismanaging the national security team.
12. Vote for leadership that governs the United States with dignity and prioritizes the well-being of all citizens.

VOTE BIDEN HARRIS 2020

R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen

"I clearly remember hearing Van Halen's debut album when I was a child and having my mind completely blown away at what I was hearing come out of those stereo speakers. It is with deep sadness to hear that one of the most influential guitarist's of all time is no longer with us. My sincere condolences to his family. Thank you Eddie for your amazing gift that touched the lives of so many. You will be forever missed."

United States of America

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

VOTE BY MAIL - VOTE IN PERSON

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT

VOTE BIDEN HARRIS

The United States of America is in dire need of competent leadership that prioritizes the well being of its citizens and upholds our democracy. On November 3rd, 2020 vote Biden / Harris.

UNITED WE STAND

VOTE BIDEN HARRIS 2020

BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT

Training and Recording

Hours of intense musical training and meticulous recording are going on everyday this summer at Bellas Music Studio for two upcoming albums. A massive amount of fresh and inventive music that has been written is in full production with recording taking place for both albums simultaneously.

"The essence of creativity is not driven by imitation, rather it is the fearless and exploratory mindset seeking new discoveries that has the potential to result in innovation." - George Bellas

Expect the Unexpected

George Bellas wearing a full face respirator mask.

DO YOUR PART

Together we can defeat this global health crisis and get back to what we all long for, a sense of normalcy. Every individual must do their part in order to achieve that auspicious goal. Let's work through this together by remaining vigilant and we will prevail.

Wear a Mask

When wearing a mask be sure that it completely covers your mouth and nose. Not wearing a mask properly drastically reduces its effectiveness in preventing the transmission of disease.

Social Distance

Maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet from people not in your household. Reports indicate that virus contaminated respiratory droplets can travel greater distances when expelled with force, such as when singing, coughing, sneezing, or playing a woodwind or brass instrument.

Avoid Crowds

Being in a crowd increases the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. Avoid unnecessary gatherings in order to reduce transmission.

Sanitize

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer that contains a minimum of 60% alcohol. Sanitize frequently used surfaces.

Let's Win This Together

Peace and Global Solidarity

"As a single species sharing the only planet we currently know of that is suited for our survival, and during an unprecedented global crisis of extraordinary proportions, humanity should take this opportunity to unite and put aside our individual differences despite one's gender, skin color, religion, or personal preferences and embrace one another with compassion, kindness, and respect while collectively working our way towards a better and more peaceful flourishing world." – George Bellas

Our Future Depends Upon Each Other

New Album Update

Drum production for one of two albums that are currently in development will begin in the summer of 2020. One of the albums utilizes highly advanced rhythmic techniques not found on any other George Bellas album to date. Instruments used are not that of a typical ensemble format so commonly used in this day and age of musical mimicry. The soundscape of the album is brimming with post-modern instrumentation that lends itself to a future-forward sonority. Both fresh and inventive, these albums capture the very essence of George's highly unique and ever-evolving creative writing style.

Expect the Unexpected

COVID-19 Protective Measures

Effective immediately: All Crash Courses are suspended indefinitely in an effort to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to ensure the safety of students.

A Crash Course consists of 7 days of multiple hour music classes held at a private studio with Composer George Bellas as your music instructor. Classes focus on a concentrated amount of material within just one week. This program is designed for international music students that would like to study in person with George Bellas but are located outside of Illinois in the United States region or are located in foreign countries.

Live Online Lessons continue to be available and are a viable solution for international music students who are interested in studying music composition with George Bellas. More information about Live Online Lessons is available here: Live Online Lessons

Upcoming Albums

Recording of initial acoustic guitar tracks for one of the albums currently in production will commence in the following weeks after the current production stage is complete. The upcoming guitar tracks to be recorded will be performed on a Taylor Grand Auditorium built with exotic Hawaiian Koa wood and strung with Elixir Nanoweb phosphor strings. The tone of the instrument, due to the Koa wood, is crystal clear, extremely warm, and has amazing note separation.

The Grand Auditorium will be recorded using an AKG C451B microphone and an AKG C414XLII microphone running into a Focusrite ISA preamp followed by Apogee converters.

Upcoming Albums

Production for two upcoming albums is currently in progress. Keyboard parts, drum rhythms, and guitar rhythms have all been recorded. Both albums are massive works in a highly progressive style. To state that the albums are unique sounding would be a tremendous understatement as both bodies of work have an unmistakably distinct George Bellas sound. These albums aren't about any one instrument, they are about creative composition on a grand scale.

Don't even think you know what to expect. Be prepared to hear something you have never before heard. Details regarding release dates and album content will be available in the future.

Profoundly Creative Music is Coming.

Music for the Decade Ahead

This has been an extraordinary music making millennium so far with nineteen album releases that include solo albums, band albums, and guest appearances on a variety of albums. In the brand new decade ahead my greatest achievements and most monumental works will be released over the next several years. I look forward to bringing you all fresh and inventive new music throughout the 2020's. An enormous thanks to fans and music students around the planet.

- George Bellas

Holiday Music Now Available

Celebrate this holiday season with Christmas music arranged and performed by George Bellas. These are classic Christmas carols arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios.

Happy Holidays!

Halloween Lesson Discount

Study music composition in an environment that fosters creativity while increasing your understanding of writing techniques that have been used for centuries by classical composers along with uncommon modern principles found in progressive and modern film music.

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson! The more you book in advance the more you save. Reserve your time now.

SAVE $99!

Offer expires November 30, 2019

George's Tone Revealed

After numerous requests, George reveals how he gets his preferred guitar tone. Details regarding amp models and amp settings are now available.

George uses a variety of guitar amp models from different eras and are all setup independently from one another with unique settings and tubes. Each of these amps have been used on George's albums throughout his recording career. Read more about George's tone...

Score Excerpt Available

A score excerpt to the composition "Mysterious Light" by George Bellas is now available. Mysterious Light is the seventh composition on the 2010 album “The Dawn of Time" by George Bellas. This piece is characterized by symmetrical metric concepts, modern harmony, and outlandish melodic content.

The Introduction of Mysterious Light begins with interplaying alternating meters where the first measure’s meter (The Leader) increases its numerator by a factor of one every other measure while the following meter, beginning at measure two (The Follower), decreases it’s numerator by a factor of one every other measure until the leading meter arrives at 7/16 and the pattern is terminated. Continue reading...

The album The Dawn of Time is available on CD, Digital Download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Live Online Lessons

Increase your skills with composition and guitar performance classes conducted by George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

SAVE $99!

Offer ends August 31, 2019

Live Online Lessons

Increase your skills with composition and guitar performance classes conducted by George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

SAVE $99!

Offer ends July 7, 2019

Online Music Classes

Live Online Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist, orchestrator, and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

Score Excerpt Available

A lead guitar score to the composition "Gravitons" by George Bellas is now available. Gravitons is the eighth composition on the 2008 album “Planetary Alignment" by George Bellas. Numerous modern compositional devices were used throughout this composition, including odd-meters, non-tertian harmony, bitonal harmony, highly syncopated rhythms, and more.

The album Planetary Alignment is available on CD, Digital Download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

COLONIZING THE STARS

The latest album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Envisioned in a time where the human species is living and breeding on new worlds throughout the universe, where entirely new languages and human form and cerebral abilities have evolved. Traveling to distant stars has been accomplished using a technology that encapsulates and transports human DNA along with eons of collective information to the outer reaches of the cosmos within light waves.

Colonizing The Stars is available on CD, digital download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Exclusive Interview for Russia

Russian editorial site Guitar.ru recently interviewed George Bellas regarding his career as a prolific composer, guitarist, and teacher. The interview was conducted in February of 2019.

Джордж Беллас – много больше, чем просто еще один парень, который умеет играть на электрогитаре очень быстро и технично. Он серьезный композитор, новатор, а также музыкальный преподаватель, который щедро делиться своими знаниями со студентами.

"George Bellas is much more than just another guy who knows how to play electric guitar very quickly and technically. He is a serious composer, innovator, and musical teacher who generously shares his knowledge with students."

Album Review

An album review by Guitar Russia of George Bellas' latest album "Colonizing the Stars" is now available. The album "Colonizing The Stars" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation. Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

"Monumental orchestral arrangements with a fascinating
interaction of guitar, keyboards and choir."

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

THANKS TO YOU ALL

With another year of creating music behind us and a new year ahead where fresh new music awaits, an enormous thank you is in order to all of you for the tremendous amount of support this past year. I look forward to exciting new music in the year ahead and beyond, along with challenging, inspiring, and pushing the intellectual, creative, and physical abilities of music students around the globe. Thank you.

Holiday Music Now Available

Celebrate this holiday season with Christmas music arranged and performed by George Bellas. These are classic Christmas carols arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios.

Happy Holidays!

COLONIZING THE STARS

The 2018 album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style composed for one guitar, orchestra, two choirs, bass guitar, and drums.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

Halloween Lesson Discount

Learn music composition in an environment that fosters creativity while increasing your understanding of writing techniques that have been used for centuries by classical composers along with uncommon modern principles found in progressive and modern film music.

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson! The more you book in advance the more you save. Reserve your time now.

SAVE $99!

Offer expires October 31st, 2018

ALBUM RELEASE OF 2018

The 2018 album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style composed for one guitar, orchestra, two choirs, bass guitar, and drums.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Colonizing The Stars is available on CD, digital download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

Online Music Classes

Live Online Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist, orchestrator, and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

New Album Out Now

The 2018 album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style composed for one guitar, orchestra, two choirs, bass guitar, and drums.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

Score Excerpt Available

The score to the composition "Existence" by George Bellas is now available. Existence is the ninth composition on the 2018 album “Colonizing The Stars” by George Bellas. Several modern compositional devices were used throughout this composition, including numerous odd-meters, non-tertian harmony, symmetrical scales and more.

The album Colonizing The Stars is available on CD, Digital Download, and through streaming services Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Google Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

Now Available On CD!

The album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas is now available on CD. The new album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Envisioned in a time where the human species is living and breeding on new worlds throughout the universe, where entirely new languages and human form and cerebral abilities have evolved. Traveling to distant stars has been accomplished using a technology that encapsulates and transports human DNA along with eons of collective information to the outer reaches of the cosmos within light waves.

Profoundly Unique • Highly Eccentric • Imaginatively Futuristic

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

NOW AVAILABLE!

Released February 22, 2018

The new album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas is now available. "Colonizing The Stars" contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Envisioned in a time where the human species is living and breeding on new worlds throughout the universe, where entirely new languages and human form and cerebral abilities have evolved. Traveling to distant stars has been accomplished using a technology that encapsulates and transports human DNA along with eons of collective information to the outer reaches of the cosmos within light waves.

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

Voyage to Triangulum

Live at Musician's Institute, Los Angeles, California

Video of the song “Voyage To Triangulum” performed by George Bellas at Uli Jon Roth's Sky Academy Concerts held at Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, California in 2007. This song later appeared on the album “THE DAWN OF TIME” as "Voyage to Triangulum".

Uli Jon Roth introduced Chicago guitar player George Bellas who performed an incredible instrumental he had written. George Bellas once again thrilled the audience with his original song "Timeless Inspiration".

Thanks to Uli Jon Roth’s band for providing the bass, drums, and keyboards.

Thanks to Videographer Cole Blackwell

Shred Guitar Instrumentals

Available Now

The album "SHRED GUITAR INSTRUMENTALS" on Shrapnel Records is available on iTunes. "SHRED GUITAR INSTRUMENTALS" contains fifteen songs by various Shrapnel Records recording artists and features the song "Fast And Furious" by George Bellas.

Published by Varney Metal Music, BMI
Copyright © 2015 Shrapnel Records. All Rights Reserved.

COLONIZING THE STARS

Available February 22, 2018

The new album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation.

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

NEW ALBUM ANNOUNCEMENT

The new album "COLONIZING THE STARS" by George Bellas will be released February 2018. "COLONIZING THE STARS" contains nine epic compositions in a futuristic style with a palette of lyrically-flowing melodies, otherworldly harmonizations, and inventive rhythms all sounding through a barrage of guitar, bass, drums, choirs, and orchestral instrumentation.

Forget everything you think a song should be.

Inspired by modern and futuristic scenarios of humankind's existence alongside artificial intelligence and the need to colonize the stars in order to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Envisioned in a time where the human species is living and breeding on new worlds throughout the universe, where entirely new languages and human form and cerebral abilities have evolved. Traveling to distant stars has been accomplished using a technology that encapsulates and transports human DNA along with eons of collective information to the outer reaches of the cosmos within light waves.

Published by Bellas Tune Factory, BMI
Copyright © 2018 George Bellas. All Rights Reserved.

"Wishing everyone around the world a healthy and happy life in the year ahead."

Gift Certificates Available

Give the gift of music lessons this holiday season with a personalized gift certificate. Simply place your order for the desired amount of lessons and request a gift certificate in the comment section when placing an order.

Have A Merry Musical Christmas!

Holiday Music for Guitar

Celebrate this holiday season with Christmas music arranged and performed by George Bellas. These are classic Christmas carols arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios. Newly added is the ability to play all songs in order as a play list.

Happy Holidays!

Halloween Lesson Discount

Learn music composition in an environment that fosters creativity while increasing your understanding of writing techniques that have been used for centuries by classical masters along with uncommon modern principles found in progressive and modern film music.

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson! The more you book in advance the more you save.

SAVE $99!

Offer expires November 30th, 2017

Student Spotlight Update

The Student Spotlight is a showcase dedicated to the devoted students who have studied music composition or guitar performance with George Bellas. This page is an effort to promote all the hard working music students that are passionate about what they do and create. Please visit the Student Spotlight and have a listen and learn about the tremendous talent from all around the world that George has been fortunate to teach.

New Podcast Interview

Andrew Catania of All That Shreds magazine recently interviewed George and discussed his career throughout the years. George shares his views on composition, guitar playing, how, when, and why he began playing guitar, along with other bits of trivia from George's illustrious 20 year career as a composer, guitar player and recording artist.

"All That Shreds catches up with the legendary guitarist George Bellas. We talk about his orchestration, creativity, his Shrapnel days, and how he makes such incredible music. Don't miss this!"

Lesson Sale Extended!

Expand your composition, orchestration, recording, and guitar skills with Live Online Lesson classes conducted by George Bellas. This program contains one of the most comprehensive set of music lessons available.

SUMMER SALE EXTENDED

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

SAVE $99!

Offer ends September 1, 2017

Live Online Lessons

Increase your skills with composition and guitar performance classes conducted by George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

Live Online Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist, orchestrator, and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

SAVE $99!

Offer ends July 5, 2017

20th Anniversary Edition

On May 20th, 1997 George Bellas emerged onto the guitar scene as Mike Varney's newly discovered guitar prodigy. The debut album "Turn Of The Millennium" by George Bellas was released May 20, 1997 on the prestigious record label Shrapnel Records that showcased exceptional guitar playing and musicianship.

To celebrate the album's 20th Anniversary, a free download pack is being made available for a limited time. The 20th Anniversary Download Pack contains the story of George Bellas before, during, and after being signed to Shrapnel Records, along with a backing track to the song "Ripped To Shreds" and the accompanying score to the main guitar line of the song.

Released May 20th, 1997

"George Bellas' debut release is an album of intensely heavy compositions with odd-time meter and neo-classical, progressive overtones. Bellas lead the way for a new breed of guitar players as he explored the outer realms of cutting-edge guitar music. This release also features Deen Castronovo on drums."

Into The Unknown Video

The following is a music video for the composition "Into The Unknown" from the album Astral Projection by George Bellas. This eccentric piece is for guitar, string orchestra, and choir and serves as the introduction to the album.

New Guitar Etude Available

A new guitar etude eBook is now available at the Bellas Music Studio webstore. This is a guitar etude entitled "Etude in C Major No.2" that is romantic in character and is based on open-spaced arpeggios and neighbor tones within a perpetual sixteenth-note line. The harmonic focus is on the supertonic with raised root and third and the submediant with raised root and third that are used as non-functional diminished chords that resolve into the inverted tonic and inverted dominant respectively.

Download Etude

Score Excerpt Available

The score to the composition "Encoded In Light" by George Bellas is now available. "Encoded In Light" is the second song on the album "Planetary Alignment" by George Bellas. This song utilizes a combination of tonal elements and atonality interspersed throughout the various sections. Several meters including 9/8, 19/16, 11/16, 37/16, and 9/16 are used along with an assortment of traditional and futuristic sounding harmony. This song was inspired by the technology of transmitting data using photons.

Available Worldwide on Lion Music

Online Music Classes

Live Online Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist, orchestrator, and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Recording
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Proper Summing
• Distribution

Downloadable Lessons Now Available

The George Bellas Instructional Series is now available for download. This is a virtual CD-ROM lesson series that contains 12 individual lessons in a variety of topics. Each lesson comes with video and audio demonstrations, video discussions, an eBook of tab, MIDI files, and an assortment of unique Jam Tracks.

This is an updated version of the original CD-ROM lesson series with a new interface and redesigned navigation system.

New Reduced Price!

Order Lessons

Holiday Music Now Available

Celebrate this holiday season with Christmas music arranged and performed by George Bellas. These are classic Christmas carols arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios.

Happy Holidays!

Disenchanted Video

From the music vault of George Bellas comes "Disenchanted", a one take improvisation over a harmonic ostinato accompaniment in minor mode. George used a daphne blue 1957 reissue Stratocaster, a tube screamer, and a 1976 Marshall MK II for the recording.

Score Excerpt Available

The score for the lead guitar line to the composition "Fast And Furious" from George's album "Mind Over Matter" is now available. This is a neoclassical composition that is chock-full of scale flourishes, arpeggio patterns, and ostinato-like figures, that all soar above an unrelenting double-bass pattern performed by Dean Castronovo on drums and Barry Sparks on bass.

Available worldwide on Shrapnel Records

Ballistic Video

The following is a short improvisation from George Bellas and Marco Minnemann. It's not a song, there's no melody and no structure... Just George Bellas and Marco Minnemann going Ballistic!

Jam Tracks Now Available

Bellas Music Studio presents high-quality Jam Tracks in 24-bit wav files. Jam Tracks are unique backing tracks to practice and improvise over. A myriad of different modes, keys, time signatures, and varying degrees of skill evel will be available. The quality of these tracks are pristine and exhibit a clear sonic spectrum for guitarists to play over.

Gravitons Video

The following is a music video for the composition "Gravitons" from the album Planetary Alignment by George Bellas. This outlandish composition features Marco Minnemann on drums and George Bellas on guitar, bass, and keyboards.

Performance Videos

The following two videos are George preparing to record the song "Into The Unknown" for the eccentric 2013 album Astral Projection. These videos were recorded just prior to recording the final takes for the album.

George preparing to record and working through "Into The Unknown" against the orchestral string tracks for the album ASTRAL PROJECTION.

Practicing parts for "Into The Unknown" without the orchestral string accompaniment. From the album ASTRAL PROJECTION.

New Store Now Open!

The brand new Bellas Music Studio is now open. Bellas Music Studio offers a variety of music education products and services that were developed by composer and international recording artist George Bellas. Products and services available include Live Online Lessons, Instructional CD-ROMs, Private Music Instruction, Crash Courses and more.

New Store Coming Soon

Bellas Music Studio is launching a new online store in May 2016. Bellas Music Studio offers a variety of music education products and services that include Live Online Video Lessons, Instructional CD-ROMs, Private Music Instruction, Crash Courses and more.

Score Excerpt Available

A score excerpt to the composition "We Are Not Alone" from George's album "The Dawn Of Time" is now available. This is a neoclassical composition that incorporates two-part counterpoint between the guitar and bass and is rich in emotionally-drenched guitar improvisation.

"One of the worlds leading and most prolific guitar virtuoso’s returns with ‘The Dawn Of Time’, an album which encompasses all the numerous elements heard throughout his solo career."

"Bellas proves again to belong to the top of the bill of composers and instrumentalists of the modern progressive rock world these days."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Live Online Lessons

Advance your skills with composition and guitar performance classes with George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

Live Online Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor.

SAVE $99!

Offer expires February 28th, 2016

Order Lessons

Score Excerpt Available

A score excerpt to the composition "Primordial Atom" from George's album "The Dawn Of Time" is now available. This is a neoclassical composition that incorporates rich harmonic language with a romantic flair.

"One of the worlds leading and most prolific guitar virtuoso’sreturns with ‘The Dawn Of Time’, an album which encompasses all the numerous elements heard throughout his solo career..."

"Bellas proves again to belong to the top of the bill of composers and instrumentalists of the modern progressive rock world these days."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Christmas Music Now Available

Christmas music performed and recorded by George Bellas is now available. These are classic holiday tunes arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios.

Happy Holidays!

Free Lesson Offer!

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson! The more you book in advance the more you save. Learn more about Live Online Lessons...

SAVE $99!

Offer expires November 30th, 2015

Live Online Video Lessons

Live Online Video Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Drum Samplers
• Shaping Dynamics
• Score Input
• Tone and Levels
• Proper Summing

Score Excerpt Available

The score to an episode section of the composition "Magnetic Anomaly" from George's album "Astral Projection" is now available. This composition uses several modern compositional devices throughout the song, including a myriad of syncopated odd-meters, poly-harmony, quartal and quintal harmony, symmetrical scales and more.

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Live Online Lessons

Increase your skills with composition and guitar performance classes conducted by George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

SAVE $99!

Sale Ends June 30, 2015

Order Lessons

Develop Your Composing Skills

Live Online Video Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist and recording artist.

No matter what continent you reside in, this is a tremendous opportunity for the musician with a desire to develop their composing and guitar skills to a profound level.

Live Online Video Lessons

A Comprehensive Music Teaching System

Score Excerpt Available

The score to the Coda section of the composition "Visiting An Alien World" from George's album "Astral Projection" is now available. This composition uses a myriad of odd time signatures that are built upon an assortment of eccentric modes, including the Enigmatic and Octatonic scales along with modes of limited transposition.

"Tons of exciting guitar work, dramatic melodies, and great interplay between the guitar and keyboard lines."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Student Spotlight Update

Additional students that have studied with George have been added to the Student Spotlight page. Information and sound clips are available that showcase the tremendous talent of these dedicated and hardworking individuals.

The musicians that are showcased are current and former students that have studied composition and/or guitar with George via Live Online Video Lessons, private lessons, The George Bellas Instructional 12-CD ROM Series, or have flown in from around the world for the Crash Course.

Have a listen to these diversely talented musicans here:

New Album Update

Out of several albums that are completely written, guitar and bass are currently being recorded for the next album that has been selected for release. Album title and other details to follow.

Eleven Compositions - Astronomical Forms - Boundless Musicality

New Year Lesson Sale

Ring in the new year with composition and guitar performance classes conducted by George Bellas. Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson!

SAVE $99!

Offer expires January 5th, 2015

Christmas Music Now Available

Christmas music performed and recorded by George Bellas is now available. These are classic holiday tunes arranged for acoustic guitar and played as duets and trios.

Happy Holidays!

Guitar Goblins and Composing Wizards Beware!

Purchase 3 months of Skype based Live Online Lessons and receive one FREE lesson! The more you book in advance the more you save. Guitar goblins and composing wizards beware!

SAVE $99!

Offer expires November 3rd, 2014

Dimensional Portal - Score Available

The score for the composition "Dimensional Portal" by George Bellas from the album "Astral Projection" is now available for download. Dimensional Portal is a futuristic progressive composition built with a variety of ultra-modern compositional devices.

"Uplifting, smart, futuristic super-shredding wave of emotions... A future Underground classic."

Available Worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Live Online Video Lessons

Maximize your potential by learning how to fully produce your music. Learn a variety of industry standard recording, mixing and mastering techniques employed by top-rated recording, mixing and mastering engineers. These classes cover all necessary music production steps from the initial recording to final distribution.

Available Topics

• Audio and MIDI Fundamentals
• Samplers, Synths & Musicians
• Recording Techniques
• Mixing Techniques
• Mastering Techniques
• Publishing Your Music
• Copyrighting Your Music
• Record Contracts
• Distribution
• Writing a Press Release

Live Online Video Lessons

A Comprehensive Music Teaching System

Live Online Video Lessons

Learn a variety of orchestration techniques that have been used throughout the centuries. From epic to intimate, the techniques presented in these classes are essential when composing pure symphonic textures or in combination with a band ensemble.

Available Topics

• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Creating a Realistic Soundstage
• Melody and Accompaniment
• Secondary Melody
• Complex Texture
• Articulations
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Rock Band and Orchestra

Live Online Video Lessons

A Comprehensive Music Teaching System

Live Online Video Lessons

Expand your knowledge and improve your performance abilities with individualized guitar classes. Composer and Guitarist George Bellas presents a myriad of unique challenges to maximize growth and elevate your skills to a new level of performance.

Available Topics

• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Improvisation
• Articulations
• Proper Form
• Practice Regimes
• Gear and Tone
• Overcoming Plateaus
• Advanced Rhythm Guitar

Live Online Video Lessons

A Comprehensive Music Teaching System

Live Online Video Lessons

Learn to compose unique and compelling music with a system that yields results. Developed by Composer George Bellas, the system used in these courses is based on unique methods that will improve your writing abilities in various styles. Learn valuable techniques that will help you become a proficient composer.

Available Topics

• 16th Century Vocal Polyphony
• 18th Century Counterpoint
• Classical Harmony
• Melody Construction
• 20th Century Techniques
• Advanced Rhythm Concepts
• Classical Form
• Rock Band & Orchestra
• MIDI Orchestration Techniques

Live Online Video Lessons

A Comprehensive Music Teaching System

Studio Report

Lot's of new music including several brand new albums have been written since George's previous release. After reviewing and determining which album will be released next, that album will then go into the next phase of production, which includes recording drums, additional orchestration, mixing, mastering and then out for release. More details to follow...

Available Worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Visiting An Alien World - Score Available

The score for the transition into the recapitulation of "Visiting An Alien World" from the album Astral Projection is now available for download. "Visiting An Alien World" uses a myriad of modern composing devices, such as odd-meters containing highly syncopated rhythms that are weaved within creatively orchestrated outlandish atonality.

"This is extremely bombastic music that hits you over the head with idea after idea without much letup..."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Astral Projection on iTunes

George Bellas' latest album "Astral Projection is available on iTunes and other leading online music distributors. "Astral Projection" contains 70 minutes of epic progressive instrumentals packed with chaotic guitar improvisations; mind-melting rhythms; lyrical themes; and advanced explorations of modern principles that are combined with classical elements of counterpoint, harmony and form.

"Guitar witchcraft at its best and no less than extravagant instrumental rock."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Live Online Video Lessons

Live Online Video Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program presents a myriad of unique challenges that continuously strengthen and develop your skills as a composer, guitarist and recording artist.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Drum Samplers
• Shaping Dynamics
• Score Input
• Tone and Levels
• Proper Summing

Album Review at Rocktopia

A new review by Rocktopia is available for the new George Bellas album ASTRAL PROJECTION. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

"George Bellas belongs to the elite group of guitarists who truly entertain the listener with their instrumental albums. In terms of notes played on this album, this is extremely good value... 'Astral Projection' has truly set the benchmark for George Bellas albums going forward."

"Bellas has established himself with this album as a genre of his own."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Interview for Underground World Magazine

Underground World Magazine recently interviewed George Bellas to discuss the finer details about his new album "Astral Projection", including the writing and production process along with other insights into his upcoming albums.

"An exploratory soar of fantasy for the fast-fingered guitar master. “Visiting An Alien World” which gains speed and texture and then ebbs away to reveal Bellas’ talents not only as composer but also as classical arranger."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Score for "Magnetic Anomaly" Available

The score to the Coda section of "Magnetic Anomaly" from the album "Astral Projection" is now available for download. Magnetic Anomaly is one of the more eccentric songs on the album and contains a plethora of modern composing devices throughout the song.

"Technically this reaches without a doubt a supreme level... if you like guitar wizards, you certainly got to listen to this."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

High-Definition Album Art Available

High-definition album art of George Bellas' latest release "Astral Projection" is now available. If you would like a hi-resolution copy of the album cover click the link below to download. Artwork created by Andre Beckston. Released June 21st, 2013 on the Lion Music record label.

"Very inventive, well composed album by shred-meister Bellas. More than just fast shredding, he writes exciting, complex music."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Album Reviews

Several new reviews are available for the new George Bellas album ASTRAL PROJECTION. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

"George is a really talented musician who has his own style . [Astral Projection] could come together to form a modern symphony. It's tracks like "Magnetic Anomaly", the strange "Visiting an Alien World" and "Interdimensional Travel" which sounds like the soundtrack to an as yet unmade film... more than 70 minutes and my head explodes."

"Once again George Bellas proved that he is a real guitar virtuoso, a good arranger and a talented composer. With “Astral Projection” he extended his creativity adding new elements to his music. The production is excellent; the sound is clean and rich. Another decent release that could be recommended for fans of Progressive and Shred Metal."

"George Bellas's discography is enormous, both solo and in collaboration with or support from other artists. George is a versatile man. He is a guitar wizard, a multi-instrumentalist, he teaches, produces, records and performs. He composes masterpieces in different styles, from neo-romantic to (neo) classical and progressive rock..."

"The overachiever of the six strings American George Bellas is it again by offering a new album on Lion Music... the notable exception of "Interdimensional Travel" is over eleven minutes... this title is solid and sounds like a movie soundtrack . There's no denying George's talent and technical expertise with Astral Projection... it's pretty amazing."

"On Astral Projection Bellas introduces fifteen instrumental tracks. He composes everything, he arranges it, he produces, he writes all the guitar, bass guitar, drums and keyboards. The music, as usual, is very original and more than difficult, not to say "twisted", but in terms of rhythmic structures and melodies. All played with extreme virtuosity."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Album Reviews

Several new reviews are available for the new George Bellas album ASTRAL PROJECTION. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

"Bellas was signed to Shrapnel Records in the 90's and immediately became the new young god in the small community of hyper fast picking worshipers, one of the most sought after hired guns for the guitar aficionados and toward the larger audience he was one of the new in vogue hot-player..."

"Sorcerer George Bellas gives us a new wizardry craft this month with a creation called Astral Projection. Once again he put in some celestial finger flying musical transformations into this creation... We need to appreciate how creative George Bellas is handling all other melodic instruments, the orchestration etc, and still come with interesting playing."

"Bellas is quite a shredder but his music is much more focused on an epic compositional style that utilizes his technical skills for drama, not just for show... Tons of exciting guitar work, dramatic melodies and great interplay between the guitar and keyboard lines. This is extremely bombastic music that hits you over the head with idea after idea without much letup..."

"George handles the bass and keyboard duties in addition to his dazzling proficiency on the axe. The 15 tracks mix up exotic scales, eclectic rhythms, and an overall outer world feel... Do not fret guitar mavens - there are plenty of jaw dropping shred worthy sections to sink your teeth into..."

"Overall this album is an impressive body of work that begs to be listened to, but it might not be for everyone out there... If you’re looking for some new instrumental music to shred your face off with – this is a solid contender."

"Symphonic prog rock with a guitar sorcerer - GEORGE BELLAS... The extremely technical savvy, yet still highly melodic playing of Bellas, whose warm, singing lead guitar sound dominates the sound... Bellas, who delivers some technical showpieces, where one can only tremble with the ears."

"George Bellas guitar wizard presents "Astral Projection", his new album. Once again, Bellas surpasses himself and takes this album into progressive shoals, which has never before seen a mortal guitarist."

"Bellas’ guitar-playing skills are phenomenal, the album has a remarkable sense of melody and there’s a lot going on to sink one’s teeth into. Bottom line: “Astral Projection” is a fine display of music craftsmanship..."

"Astral Projection is the latest release by guitarist extraordinaire George Bellas (also handling bass and keyboards). Those familiar with Bellas’ solo work know he typically jam-packs as many twists and complexities into his compositions as humanly possible."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

New Album Release: "Astral Projection"

Released June 21st, 2013

The new album "ASTRAL PROJECTION" by George Bellas contains 70 minutes of epic progressive instrumentals packed with screaming guitar; mind-melting rhythms; lyrical themes; and advanced explorations of modern composition principles that are combined with classical elements of counterpoint, harmony and form. Unfasten your mind, here we go...

"Impressive, interesting and innovative."

"When I'm needing something mind expansive, "Astral Projection" serves its purpose."

"George really is a master composer/arranger, wow... impressive."

Available worldwide through Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Astral Projection

The new George Bellas album will be released June 21, 2013.

For more information visit Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Astral Projection

Release date for the new album Astral Projection is imminent.

Prepare for the unknown.

New Album Unveiling

The new album "ASTRAL PROJECTION" by George Bellas will be available early this summer. The album contains 15 tracks totaling 70 minutes of music. Unfasten your mind, here we go...

For more information visit Lion Music

The Progressive, Neoclassical and Hard Rock Label

Live Online Video Lessons

Live Online Video Lessons is a Skype based lesson program that offers composition, guitar, orchestration, and recording classes with composer and guitarist George Bellas as your instructor. This program contains one of the most comprehensive set of lessons available today. Each lesson is designed to efficiently work towards accomplishing the goals of the student. Live Online Video Lessons are available for computers, tablets, and cell phones.

• Music Composition
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Voice Leading
• Counterpoint
• Form

• Guitar Performance
• Techniques
• Phrasing
• Practice Regimes
• Improvisation
• Proper Form
• Articulations

• Orchestration Techniques
• Doubling
• Accompaniments
• Complex Texture
• Balance
• Dove Tailing
• Instrumentation

• Recording Tutorials
• DAW Setup
• Drum Samplers
• Shaping Dynamics
• Score Input
• Tone and Levels
• Proper Summing

Album Artwork

Artwork for the upcoming George Bellas album will be created by artist Andre Beckston, A.K.A. Monowasp. Andre's artwork appears on an assortment of Steven King books, numerous band CD's, websites, along with other various types of promotional media.

For more information on Andre Beckston's artwork please visit:

www.monowasp.com

Studio Report

Mixing for the new George Bellas album is complete. The album will be mastered during the first week of the new year and then sent out for release. The album was mixed with the dynamic range left fully intact, which came out to be on average about 10db of dynamic range.

Availability and additional details will be posted in the coming weeks.

Studio Report

Hold on tight, the earth is going to move uncontrollably today! Drummer extraordinaire Marco Minnemann will be recording drum tracks for the new George Bellas album this week. Drum recording begins today, and once the drum tracks are completed the album will be mixed and mastered and then ready for release.

Get Ready for the Unexpected!

Studio Report

Since the release of his previous album "The Dawn Of Time", George has had one of the most prolific writing periods of his career. An exciting announcement will be made in the near future regarding the initial release of the several catalogs of new music that has been recorded.

Expect the Unexpected

Updates Now Available On Twitter

Connect with George at these social media sites:

Exclusive Guitar Pro Article

In association with Arobas Music, makers of Guitar Pro software, George Bellas presents an article featuring an exclusive contrapuntal based, classical guitar etude of which is analyzed in his own words. The harmony and voice leading in this piece, along with performance notes, are all broken down and discussed in detail. All music was composed by George Bellas using Guitar Pro 6 software by Arobas Music.

Download the associated Guitar Pro file for free and read the article at the link below.

Details About The Dawn of Time

Song descriptions and other production details for the album "The Dawn of Time" are available for reading. George reveals the concepts and inspiration for each song, the equipment used for the recording, along with insight into the writing process.

Planetary Alignment Outtakes

During the recording of the album "Planetary Alignment" several short guitar intros were recorded but weren't included on the album. You can listen to some of these intros here:

Music Composition

Music compositions written in 2011 by George Bellas are now available for listening. These compositions are classical based and reveal a different side of George's composing style. The pieces available range from solo piano, brass, strings, solo violin, and larger orchestral works. This is just a small sample of what George has written this past year.

A Gift for You

Live Online Video Lessons

Now available, live online video lessons with George Bellas as your personal instructor. If you're a musician with a desire to improve your skills and become the best you can be, these lessons will help you succeed with those goals.

*** LIMITED TIME OFFER ***

Introductory Price of $299 USD

New Album by George Bellas

The Extinction Of Man

The upcoming new album by George Bellas "The Extinction Of Man" is nearing the final stages of production. Information regarding the release date will be posted as it becomes available.

Release Date TBA

The Palindrome Canons

During March of 2011 George Bellas composed a large contrapuntal project yielding 108 minutes of new music. This body of work consists of 30 Palindrome Canons in a strict 18th century counterpoint style and contains one in every key, including enharmonic keys. Each piece contains a melody that is heard forwards and backwards simultaneously. Some consider palindrome canons to be an intellectual stunt that exhibits a composers technical prowess and ingenuity, but these in particular have real musical value with engaging melodic themes.

The Palindrome Canons when released will include the accompanying scores.

Ebay Auction for Amp used on
Turn Of The Millennium

The ADA MP-1 guitar preamp that George used on his debut album "Turn Of The Millennium" is for sale on Ebay (SOLD). The preamp has been signed and dated by George and also contains pictures of the signing. Also included is the ADA MC-1 MIDI foot controller along with several custom patches programmed by George Bellas. Own a piece of guitar history today.

AUCTION ENDED

Number 1 Selling Album at Guitar Nine

"The Dawn of Time" by George Bellas was the # 1 selling album of the year in 2010 at Guitar Nine Records. During November of 2010, two other albums by George were also in the top ten selling albums, with "Step Into The Future" coming in 4th place and "Planetary Alignment" coming in 5th place. "The Dawn Of Time" was released July 16th, 2010 on Lion Music.

"The Dawn Of Time" was also the #1 selling album for the months of July, August, October and November of 2010 at Guitar Nine Records. It ranked 3rd in September and 4th in December.

No.1 Best Seller at Guitar Nine

4th Best Seller at Guitar Nine

5th Best Seller at Guitar Nine

View the top selling albums at Guitar Nine Records

Number 1 Seller at Lion Music Records

Out of more than 2000 album releases worldwide, "THE DAWN OF TIME" by George Bellas is ranked number 14 in the Progressive X Grooves top 50 albums of 2010. "THE DAWN OF TIME" was also the number 1 seller at Lion Music during the summer of 2010.

Progressive X Grooves Radio - Amsterdam, Netherlands

THE DAWN OF TIME

Released July 16th, 2010 on Lion Music

Radio Airplay in Spain

The new album by George Bellas, "The Dawn Of Time", is getting regular radio airplay across Europe. The radio station Rocktopia is airing the title track as instrumental of the week.

Tune into Rocktopia at:

90.1 FM Barcelona, Spain

88.5 FM Malaga, Spain

105.7 FM Valencia, Spain

New Interviews

Several new interviews of George Bellas are available where he discusses his albums and other insights into his career.

Metal Express Radio

"Metal Express Radio: Thank you George for taking the time to talk to MER about your latest solo album "The Dawn Of Time", and congratulations on such a masterpiece."

Ytse Jam

"With every album that nimble fingered axeman George Bellas releases, you never know what exactly to expect - his unique musical technique was in high gear for Planetary Alignment, and Step Into the Future saw him perform a whole album as one unique performance heightening the antae on prolific playing."

Power of Metal

"After picking up his first guitar at the age of 7, George Bellas practiced like mad to become what he is today – a major exponent of the neoclassical and progressive guitar genre. His playing can be heard on several solo albums of his as well as on others by Mogg/Way (UFO), Magellan, John West and Vitalij Kuprij, to name but a few."

Dutch Progressive Rock

"From the age of 7, George studied harmony, orchestration, form and advanced composition techniques after receiving his first guitar. He has always been interested in sciences and never stops to explore new paths and is constantly striving for perfection in his playing but also never ceases to enhance his knowledge on theories and composition techniques."

Neo-Romantic Album Written

George Bellas has recently composed a new album that is chock-full of epic themes, rich harmonic underpinnings, intricate rhythms and advanced forms. Recording is scheduled to commence in November 2010. Drumming legend Marco Minnemann will once again be laying down the drum tracks. Further details regarding this new album will be revealed through progress reports during the production process. Prepare for some exquisit romanticism.

Album Title & Release Date To Be Announced

Epic themes and grandiose forms packed into an 80 minute new album!

Lion Music Record Label

New Album Now Available!

"George Bellas has proven himself to be the guitar virtuoso of 2010 and despite living in a different time and playing in a different genre deserves to be remembered as we do now with the likes of Mozart, Bach, Lennon and McCartney. This is timeless music of undisputed quality making it definitive George Bellas."

Review at: Virtuosity One

The Dawn Of Time

Released July 16th, 2010 on Lion Music

New Interviews

"George Bellas is among the most consistently amazing guitarists producing envelope-pushing music today. His phrasing and technique are breathtaking, his compositions as varied and exploratory as his spirit."

"George Bellas is a true musician's musician. A prolific composer and virtuoso (in every sense of the word)... To those unfamiliar with George's work, prepare to be absolutely blown away by his technique, musicality, compositional skills and tone!"

"George Bellas is a unique figure in the world of instrumental guitar. His fusion of technical facility and compositional prowess allows him to consistently deliver fresh material that both excites and challenges his listeners."

"George Bellas - One of the worlds leading and most prolific guitar virtuoso’s returns with ‘The Dawn Of Time’, an album which encompasses all the numerous elements heard throughout his solo career to date on July 16th 2010."

Pre-Release Album Reviews

The Dawn Of Time

"George Bellas' The Dawn Of Time is sure to be a welcome release by anyone who appreciates skillfully performed music from two master musicians, which is both diverse and imaginative... So this dynamic duo is back with more first rate performances, as they do their part in keeping top notch instrumental music alive and in great shape..."

"Guitar aficionados and fiends will love the new release from George Bellas, The Dawn of Time... Bellas again mesmerizes us with his brilliant bag of guitar tricks. Virtuosity is a word not wasted on this fret wizard... "

"George Bellas can hardly be called a novice when it comes to recording albums dense with displays of neo-classical virtuosism... By and large the music in “The Dawn of Time” is stunning and certainly delivers to its expectations..."

Album Release Date Announced

The new album by George Bellas goes on sale July 16th, 2010.

An instrumental jewel by one of the most prolific composers today. The Dawn Of Time is a collection of songs that contain many aspects of George's neoclassical and progressive styles that have been displayed throughout his career. Creative writing, lyrical melodies, counterpoint, expressive phrasing, mind-blowing performances, and a flair for scientific underpinnings are all contained within this new release. Fans of George's neoclassical style will find a multitude of offernings to enjoy, as will fans of the more progressive side of George.

The Dawn Of Time

ALBUM MUSIC VIDEOS

Available July 16, 2010
www.LionMusic.com

July is Virtuoso Guitar Month

To celebrate the release of new albums from world acclaimed guitar virtuosos George Bellas and Alex Masi on July 16th, Lion Music are celebrating "Guitar Virtuoso Month" in July 2010.

The whole of July will see exclusive interviews with guitarist's on the label's roster, special offers on releases from the Lion Music store and a whole host of other goodies.

Be sure to not miss out on the action by checking back at the Lion Music site regularly or joining the Lion Music Facebook page.

LION MUSIC WEBSITE

GEORGE BELLAS ON FACEBOOK

Turn Of The Millennium

On sale now at:
www.ShrapnelRecords.com

Signing to Shrapnel Records

Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records signed George in late 1996, and months later George's debut album "Turn Of The Millennium" was released. The album features ultra-progressive writing which contains intricate rhythms, exotic modes, lyrical melodies, over-the-top performances, and is chock full of guitar improvisation.

George Bellas' debut album was released on May 20th, 1997.

"Bellas leads the way for a new breed of guitar players as he explores the outer realms of cutting-edge guitar music."

New Album Recently Composed

Several months ago George composed a brand new album that is heavily immersed in Romanticism. The writing and scoring for all the parts were completed within a three week period. Recording for the album is scheduled to commence in early summer of 2010.

Further details will be revealed after the upcoming album "The Dawn Of Time" has been released.

George appears on the album Dragon Fire

George Bellas recently collaborated with Italian keyboard maestro Mistheria on his new album entitled "Dragon Fire". The album features several world class musicians, which include singers; John West (Artension, Royal Hunt); Mark Boals (Ring Of Fire, Yngwie Malmsteen, Uli Roth); Rob Rock (Impellitteri); Lance King (solo artist); Titta Tani (Astra); and more.

"Dragon Fire" will be released later this year on Lion Music.

For more information visit:
www.LionMusic.com

New Album Release Date

The new album by George Bellas will be released on July 16, 2010 on the Lion Music record label. This new album sees George reasserting his neoclassical stance while also intermixing more modern progressive elements. "The Dawn Of Time" contains 19 songs deeply rooted in Romanticism and Futurism with a total running time of 79:57 mins.

For more information visit:
www.LionMusic.com

New Album Coming Soon

Combining elements of Romanticism and Futurism with mind boggling drum performances by Marco Minnemann, and guitar, bass and keys performed by George Bellas, "The Dawn Of Time" is an album brimming with exceptional musicianship and ultra unique writing.

For more information visit:

New Album Now Available!

George appears on the new Shrapnel Records release "Shrapnel's Super Shredders". This is a limited edition release and features Shrapnel Records recording artists: Jason Becker, George Bellas, Marty Freidman, Paul Gilbert, Darren Householder, Greg Howe, Fabrizio Leo, Tony MacAlpine, Borislav Mitic, Vinnie Moore, Marco Rizzo, Bernd Steidl, Joey Tafolla, and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

Shrapnel's Super Shredders

On sale now at:
www.ShrapnelRecords.com

Current State of Music Piracy

An open letter was written by George Bellas to help increase awareness of music piracy. This letter is also included in a piracy awareness campaign started by Lion Music which includes several of their recording artists speaking out about the issue.

Read George's Letter:

The Current State of Music Piracy

George Appears On Hands Without Shadows

Together for the first time on record, three Shrapnel Records alumni, Vinnie Moore, George Bellas, and Michael Batio, perform on the song "Symphony Of Destruction" from the album "Hands Without Shadows" by Michael Batio. Vinnie Moore plays the 1st solo, George Bellas plays the 2nd solo, and Michael Batio takes the 3rd solo. George also composed a 3-part counterpoint section for the album which appears right before his solo.

Radio Feature Presentation

The radio station "Let There Be Rock" FM 95.2 will have a feature presentation about George Bellas and his music on September 29th, 2009. The special will feature some of George's favorite songs that were influential to him as he was growing up, and also have George comment on some of his personal favorite performances.

Live internet stream and FM broadcast available.

Click here for the internet stream...

Master Class on Composition

George Bellas will be conducting a Masterclass on "Composition Elements & Techniques" at HESSFEST 2009 on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 3:00 PM. This is a private event for select students and is not open to the public.

New Album Now Available!

George appears on the new Shrapnel Records release "This Is Shredding - Volume II". George first emerged on the scene in the mid 90's with his debut album on Shrapnel Records. His debut album paved the way for a new breed of guitar players and presented to the world his prolific and unique composing abilities. On this limited edition collector's release George finds himself next to his fellow Shrapnel alumni on an all out shred fest.

This Is Shredding

On sale now at:
www.ShrapnelRecords.com

Album Recording Complete

Recording of the new album "THE DAWN OF TIME" is complete and will be mixed in the following weeks. For the album George used an assortment of gear that includes; Strats, Les Pauls, Flying V's, a Musicman Stingray bass, a Precision bass, Marshall amps, and an Ampeg SVT Classic.

Working through keyboard parts.

Laying down the low end with a Stingray.

"The Dawn Of Time" will be released worldwide in 2010 on Lion Music.

For more information visit:

www.LionMusic.com

New Album Scheduled for Mixing

The upcoming new album "The Dawn Of Time" by George Bellas will be mixed in early August. The material on this album is a stylistically diverse collection of shorter 3-5 minute songs, some of which are complex, and others that are more traditional in a true neoclassical style. An extreme amount of attention went towards obtaining the highest quality sound for each instrument. The guitar, bass, drums and keyboards all sound awesome. And once again, Marco Minnemann recorded some absolutely phenomenal drum performances.

New Album Announcement

The Dawn Of Time

The new album "The Dawn Of Time" by George Bellas is complete and in the final stages of production. "The Dawn Of Time" is scheduled to be released in 2010. This upcoming album consists of 19 songs and is 80 minutes in length. The style of the album is a combination of Neo-Classical and Progressive.

George Bellas - Guitar, Bass & Keyboards | Marco Minnemann - Drums

"The Dawn Of Time" will be released worldwide on Lion Music.

Album Reviews

Several new reviews are available for the new George Bellas album Step Into the Future. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

Step Into The Future

On sale now at: www.LionMusic.com

"When I casually glanced at the new album on the Lion Music download center I noticed that this Bellas album only had one track available for download, and thought to myself that it must be a promo song for his upcoming album or something which is not uncommon to see in the music business. After the download started I walked away and came back several minutes later and it was still only about 10% done. "Hmm, Surely it would have been done by now. I do have broadband," I said to myself. It was then I realized that there was something special here, because after going back to look again track 1 on the disk was 75 minutes long! What could it be? Did Lion Music compress the whole album into one download for convenience? No, their other albums aren't like that. What is it then? Did George Bellas really write and record one song that's 75 minutes in length? My curiosity was piqued..."

"But an album with one 76 minute song on it means several things to me. One, that they have definitely stretched some musical boundaries, especially in the world of instrumental guitar albums. And two, that they are intellectually capable of writing such a song. He has my attention..."

"Sounds pretty intriguing, and indeed the album really is. Thankfully it is not chock full of some guy playing 64th notes and arpeggios as fast as humanly possible the whole time. There's real song structure here writing in the prog epic style, with lots of dynamics and plenty of imaginative ideas, odd time signatures, and slow and fast-paced passages. There is musical genius here, that much is clear..."

"One song – one track, no division, meant to be heard in it’s entirety – ambitious you say; well for axeman George Bellas it comes as no surprise that he can undertake this type of musical endeavor and execute it well. The stuff that he does with the six strings is nearly impossible – as if his last record (Planetary Alignment) exposed just how far he could go; well ladies and gentlemen, he takes it a step further with this seventy-five minute opus...

...it exposes not only Bellas’ abilities as one of the most innovative axemen, but also one who can clearly communicate with his instrument in way that so few shredders know how to; he knows how to make speed work to make it sound appealing to the ears instead of just playing lightning speed arpeggios for the sake of being technical. It’s only January and one of the first contenders for instrumental guitar album of the year has already arrived."

"The range of influences at play from the opening section to the last note are astronomical, and actually even include some references to composers known for writing intergalactic sounding anthems. Jazz ballad section and abrupt references to mixed meters trade places with violin-like volume wells and blurring flurries of arpeggios and speed picking. Neo-classical and world music references come in and out, occasionally resembling tribal drum choruses with otherworldly Middle Eastern thematic material from the guitars and keyboards, at others switching up between Bach preludes and Beethoven piano sonata references. At certain key points the synthesizer atmosphere conjures up images of triumphant prog. rock bands like Yes and Asia, while the thematic material within these ambient lines occasionally resembles music from the “2001, A Space Odyssey” soundtrack..."

"If 75-minute instrumentals are your thing, guitar virtuoso George Bellas has done a heckuva job catering specficially to your tastes with Step Into the Future.

What Bellas has cooked up here is a full course meal. There are countless treats for any metalhead with functional taste buds to sink his teeth into on Step Into the Future: It has great, varied beats, ever-changing moods and around three million solos on both the guitar and keyboard. No matter where one decides to take a bite--be it nine minutes in, where the action is slowed down and the solitary keyboard is accompanied by female chanting, or near the 37-minute mark, where one's mind will promptly be bent and sent into outer space--the ingredients are all quite tasty..."

"Although I would personally rate this as a bold and extremely entertaining listen, your average metal fan will probably have a little trouble getting past the time required for one complete listen. It could be called a sort of instrumental metal gnosis, only being available and understandable to those with the desire to dig deep and to ponder over things longer than your average listener. But regardless, George Bellas is one of those amazing instrumentalists that have been reminding the world that America can still produce musicians with the ability to play more than 3 or 4 lousy chords. If you’ve got the time to spend, and you are not one to be straight-jacketed by the concept of progressive music having to fit a certain stylistic template, this is something to check out..."

Now Available!

The ever prolific GEORGE BELLAS is back, less than a year on from his previous solo album ‘Planetary Alignment’ with his boldest and most progressive body of work to date in “STEP INTO THE FUTURE”. The name George Bellas is synonymous with stretching musical boundaries and human imagination with his musical compositions. This new album is ultra-modern in style and really reaches out to a futuristic sound in its compositional sense and outlook. The album ranges from the explosive to the ethereal with emotionally stirring segments. Adding to its uniqueness “STEP INTO THE FUTURE” consists of just one song that is 76 minutes in length.

An epic 76 minute song. Futuristic, Dynamic, Explosive & Ethereal

Step Into The Future

On sale now at:
www.LionMusic.com

Album Release Date Announced

The new album by George Bellas will be released on January 23, 2009. The album will be released worldwide through the Lion Music record label.

Step Into The Future

Coming in January 2009

Step Into The Future

The album "Step Into The Future" by George Bellas will be released in January 2009. This new album consists of one song that is 76 minutes in length. The album will be available worldwide on Lion Music.

For more information visit:
www.LionMusic.com

New Album Complete!

The new album "STEP INTO THE FUTURE" by George Bellas is complete and in the final stages of production. This new album is the most massive body of music that George will have ever released. It was composed in an intense frenzy of inspiration between December 9th, 2007 and January 12th, 2008. The writing process took place every single day with George frantically composing note by note with only paper and pencil. The album once again stretches the boundaries of the composer's prolific abilities and utilizes compositional elements not found on any of his other releases.

"Step Into The Future" is ultra-modern and progressive in style and very elegantly displays a vast dynamic range of sound. There are melodies on the album that are pin-drop soft, subdued and spine-shivering, and then there are moments of bombastic explosiveness that reveal an entirely different madman type character. There is a big surprise to the album that will be revealed just prior to it's release and will instantly set it apart from the current trend.

"Step Into The Future" will be released worldwide on the Lion Music record label.

Release Date - TBA

For more information visit:
www.LionMusic.com

Album Reviews

A new review by Detritusezine is available for the new George Bellas album Planetary Alignment. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

Planetary Alignment

On sale now at: www.LionMusic.com

"Maestro George Bellas departs from the neoclassical excursions he is best known for on his latest release PLANETARY ALIGNMENT, a mind-boggling exercise in advanced musical concepts that simultaneously frustrates and inspires.

Bellas is scary good, with a comprehensive knowledge of music theory making him a veritable human compendium of obscure chords, scales and rhythmic ideas, and on PLANETARY ALIGNMENT he introduces the listener to a startling array of them. Check out the drama of "New Worlds Discovered," the creatively explosive "Parallel Universe," the space trip-out "Gravitons," or the intense "Supersymmetry" for samples of George's prowess..."

Album Reviews

Several new reviews are available for the new George Bellas album Planetary Alignment. George's new album is available worldwide through Lion Music Records.

Planetary Alignment

On sale now at:
www.LionMusic.com

"Bellas has carved out a sound, technique and method of writing that is so unique is impossible for it to not attract your attention."

"With the release of “Planetary Alignment”, George Bellas has to be seen as one of the virtuoso guitarist/composer’s of his generation. The music on this release isn’t just melodic rock soloing over rock steady drumming and standard rhythms, it’s exactly the opposite and, as a result, is a totally refreshing listen. Even to my ears that like their regular dose of Satriani style playing there comes a moment when you wish someone would just be brave enough to take all those techniques they have learnt and mould it into something different. For many that would mean leaving the comfort zone and doing something that might see them fall flat on their fret boards. To be honest the ability to do that would also involve someone who is harmonically trained, someone who knows the rules and is therefore aware how to break them, that’s how music moves forward."

"It appears that guitarist George Bellas is determined to keep the electric guitar virtuoso scene alive, his last few releases have seen a steady pushing of the envelope and setting new personal standards for not only his performing skills, but an elevated standard in sophistication for compositions as well. This latest release - Planetary Alignment sees Bellas taking his compositional direction into the most progressive standards I have heard him do, while his last project - Palace Terrace offered a nice take on Neo-Classical progressive metal, what he has done with this cd is much more."

"It is without a doubt, almost a certainty, that one needs to listen to and explore the musical aspects and content of this new release many times over before one can appreciate it for what it is -- a masterpiece of individual and complex pieces of art (in the truest sense of the word). Only then will Planetary Alignment come into focus and let your mind explore the treasures found within it. This album is not for the faint of heart or the musical listener who likes to rush through an album without actually taking the time to let it speak for itself. For those who truly love the guitar sound and really appreciate virtuosos who really are just that, this is a must buy. If you aren’t in that category, you might want to listen to a friend’s copy first to see if is right for you."

"This has to be the hardest working guitarist on the planet (pun intended). Just under a year ago, he released his project Palace Terrace. Now, he’s back with a new solo offering. I have heard this man perform on many artists records as well as his own and I have to say that he has managed to outshine himself here as he has gone out to create a record that simply makes you say…WOW! I must admit that the whole neo-prog metal scene is getting quite boring now and even as much as I love Yngwie, his music is even redundant after a while. So, what must be done to keep things fresh or try to put a different spin on the scenario? Simply add attitude and intensity while you are sincere at the same time."

"Whilst “Planetary Alignment” may not be as immediately “understood” as other instrumental releases reviewed this month (Marco Sfogli, Paul Gilbert) don’t let that put you off as George is more unique and definitely has his own sound going.  Granted you can hear a little Uli Jon Roth and at times Brian May in here, but Bellas has carved out a sound, technique and method of writing that is so unique is impossible for it to not attract your attention.  Just be prepared to sit down with this album and absorb it over numerous spins.  The epic 8 minute opener “Colour By Numbers” kicks the album off in a very progressive manner and from here on it George introduced other themes, subtleties and ideas throughout the rest of the album."

New Album Now Available!

The new instrumental album by George Bellas is arguably the most progressive album yet from the world renowned guitarist and composer. Uniquely crafted, be ready to expect the unexpected.

Planetary Alignment

On sale now at:
www.LionMusic.com

New Album Now Available!

Progressive neo-classical rock from George Bellas. Palace Terrace is Bellas' first vocal project full of soaring vocals, rich harmonic passages, complex arrangements with a virtuoso symphonic approach.

Flying Through Infinity

On sale now at:
www.LionMusic.com

Album Release Date Announced

The new album by George Bellas will be released on February 15, 2008. The album will be released worldwide through the Lion Music record label.

Planetary Alignment

Album Release Date Announced

The new album by George Bellas will be released on November 16, 2007. The album will be released worldwide through the Lion Music record label.

Flying Through Infinity

Live at Sky Academy with Uli Jon Roth

George Bellas will be performing live with Uli Jon Roth, Paul Gilbert, Joe Stump, Michael Batio, Jonny Highland and Tony Franklin at the Sky Academy in Hollywood, CA., on August 24th and 25th, 2007. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Buy Tickets at Ticketmaster

Guitar Clinic at Musicians Institute

George Bellas will be conducting a Guitar Clinic and Open Counseling sessions at GIT on November 15th, 2007. Following the clinic, George will be performing a set songs from his solo albums in the main auditorium.

Musicians Institute
1655 North McCadden Place
Hollywood, California 90028

Phone (323) 860-1161

Musicians Institute Website

New Album Update

The debut album "Flying Through Infinity" by George's new prog band Palace Terrace is complete. Details regarding the relase date and other info will be revealed in the coming months.

Palace Terrace on MySpace

New Album Update

George's new instrumental album "Planetary Alignment" will be mixed, mastered and completed by July 31st. Details regarding the relase date and other info will be revealed in the coming months.

Masterclass in Spain

George's Masterclasses at the ACADEMIA DE GUITARRA located in Malaga, Spain are confirmed for the beginning of June 2007. Reserve your time for a Masterclass by calling ACADEMIA DE GUITARRA at 952-32-88-40. George will also be doing some impromptu live appearances while in Spain.

Online Since 2000

www.GeorgeBellas.com has been online and active since the year 2000.

News prior to 2007 is no longer available.