EPIC PROPORTIONS TOUR

The Epic Proportions Tour… Are there any opportunities left for unsigned bands?… Today’s music scene is inundated by an abundance of new bands and artists desperately trying to carve out a niche for themselves.  Inexpensive home recording studios have helped level the playing field, but sadly, much of the content is suffering.  And with music piracy still striking fear on the high seas, most record labels and management teams have retreated into their shells, only signing proven bands, who have gotten famous on youtube, or already gained a following through extensive touring.  The problem is that touring is expensive and difficult.  Most bands out there are losing money on the road and hoping to regain it in the long run, and it seems like the music industry is turning a blind eye to these small, hardworking, up-and-coming bands, in favor of American Idol winners, pop icons, or resurrecting old fossils. We here at Bass Musicians Magazine have found one company who doesn’t look the other way:

The Epic Proportions Tour, created by singer/songwriter/VH1 Classic reality cast member Gabe Kubanda and former artist manager Peter Sotos, provides a way for unsigned bands to make money while touring the country, playing at military bases and colleges, as well as providing high school students with free concerts, and helping out local and national charities. This is accomplished through the use of alternative fuels, unconventional bookings, and lots of quick thinking and improvisation. The tour is also being filmed for a reality show/rockumentary about life on the road, with exclusive footage of what really happens behind the scenes and off-stage.

“We get to choose bands that not only are creating great music, but who really show a hard work ethic, and perseverance”, says Gabe Kubanda, who’s own musical path was turned around less than 2 years ago, as his old band fell apart, and he was left wondering how to move forward.  At a chance indie record label meeting, he met Peter Sotos, who just so happened to have a tour bus and lots of nationwide booking experience, and who needed a band and a plan to move ahead.  “We started thinking of why so many bands fail, and why so many bands can’t make it out of their garage, and how to turn that problem around”.

The Epic Proportions Tour chooses young and amazing bands, which do not have a nationwide draw. This means that these young bands can live out their dream by playing in front of thousands of kids and building a larger fan base. They do this traveling all over the country so the band really gets to go on an amazing road trip, see the country, and build their touring resume.

This year the bands on EPT have played some amazing gigs:

-       12,000 people at Fort Bliss sharing a huge stage with Sick Puppies

-       4,000 people at Edwards Airforce Base for July 4^th

-       4,000 Kids at North Hollywood High School

-       Shows at SXSW, CMJ, and other festivals.

The Epic Proportions Tour is able to let bands share their music while getting paid, and keeping 100% of their merchandising sales, as they tour the country gaining new fans. They provide the concerts, the tour bus, the gas, and the hotel rooms, and the band just needs to work hard on tour, and kick ass on stage.  It’s an amazing opportunity for unsigned bands.

They are getting a lot of industry press right now. Line 6 recently wrote a huge article about them and they just met with Kevin Lyman of the Warped Tour. This is definitely a company which has new and creative thinking and is a must to be checked out by any band looking to make a career for themselves, in this tough music business.

Visit facebook.com/epicproportionstour to download a free song from each band on the current tour and to find out where they are headed next!

For more information visit The Epic Proportions Tour at epicproportionstour.com

Rico Belled - five of eight - Bass Transcription

RICO BELLED’s XR7 – Five of Eight Bass Transcription 

 Grammy nominated bass player for the contemporary jazz band ‘Rippingtons’. For the last 20 years he is based in Los Angeles CA and he has worked with artists in many genres, ranging from Lisa Minelli and Melissa Etheridge to Eric Marienthal and Steve Lukather. A talented and versatile multi instrumentalist, Rico Belled has just released his follow-up to “The pursuit of Comfort” called XR7, on the 9^th of May 2012. The album features 10 remarkably prevailing compositions, which serve as a reverence to his much-loved 1973 Mercury Cougar XR7. The album features musical voyages in several different styles from Funk to electronic however; the characteristics, vocabulary and freedom of Jazz is the heart and soul of the album.

“I think it’s important to bring a little fun and playfulness back to the genre. Jazz is about experimentation and freedom and as people get spoon fed more and more perfect and overproduced music, I have a feeling they will get more interested in the unpredictability of jazz” – Rico Belled (all about jazz)

It is essential to mention that Rico enlisted a who’s who of Los Angeles session musicians, who masterfully blended real musicianship skills, time, improvisation and “feeling” with the most modern technology additions and computer programming, always under Rico’s production and guidance. The result is exceptional, inimitable and I personally believe it should be in the essential 2012 listening lists for every musician as well as every bass player.

The album is also really bass focused – ranging from Groovy slap bass (Hooka), to hip odd-time grooves such as five of eight, which is transcribed below.

Featured on the album are: Jeff Kashiwa, Eric MArienthal, Scheila Gonzalez (Zappa plays Zappa), Chris Coleman, Jonathan Dresel, Dave Karasony, Ronnie Gutierrez, Brad Rabuchin, Stan Sergeant , Randy Ladas, Andy Langham, Bill Heller, Rodney Lee, Kataisse Buckingham, Sean Erick.

I hope you enjoy the “Five of Eight” transcription. Have fun!

View Five Of Eight Bass Transcription(For educational purposes only. Transcribed by Andreas Farmakalidis using Sibelius)

For more information please visit:

ricobelled.com

rippingtons.com

To buy the Album please visit Ricos official website or through Amazon.com

Bass Transcription - The Beatles , Come Together

Bass Transcription – The Beatles, Come Together by Andreas Farmakalidis…  This month I am transcribing a great tune from the Beatles, Come Together. Everyone knows this track! If you don’t know who the Beatles are, firstly, I forgive you. Secondly, the history of rock forgives you. Lastly, here is their legendary status in a nutshell: In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth, and along the way, The Beatles.

The song is the opening track on the album “Abbey Road”. The song’s history began when Lennon was inspired by Timothy Leary’s campaign for Governor of California titled “Come together, join the party” against Ronald Reagan, which promptly ended when Leary was sent to prison for possession of marijuana. George Martin produced the song and it is ranked byRolling Stone Magazine as the #202 of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

This classic 1960s rock anthem with deep bluesy style was unlike any other song of its time in that it was constructed entirely of verse/refrains. There is no chorus and only one short guitar solo, acting as a bridge part to interrupt the radical song structure. For the first eight bars, the tonic note D is repeated, eventually moving to the V chord and then to the IV chord. It then moves to the VI minor chord, which is a progression rarely used back then. The refrain in actuality is three bars long, because the melody keeps going after the last A chord and comes to rest on the D chord after that. It is also important to mention the introduction of F# in the melody with a B minor triad. The tonic is held for four bars between each verse and is the same as the contents of the introduction.

I hope you enjoy this classic Bass Part!

www.andreas-bass.com

Website

Hi all,

Hi all,

I am just letting you know that i've been staring the computer screen for the past 2 weeks , while i've been designing  my new website http://www.andreas-bass.com/

Check it out. Hope you all like it!

ETHAN FARMER BY ANDREAS FARMAKALIDIS

Ethan Farmer byAndreas Farmakalidis –Bass Musician MagazineFebruary 2012 Issue… Andreas Farmakalidis is Having, Wine and Strings, with Ethan Farmer aka ebassman…
The idea of an instrumental album from one of LA’s A-list session musicians that is chock full of ‘lead’ bass and ‘backing’ bass might, at first, sound a bit daunting to some listeners. On the contrary, considering that said bassist is Ethan Farmer – who has played with everyone from Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Patti Labelle and many, many more – that solo album is starting to sound a bit more tuneful. When people just let it happen and do what’s natural, and do what they are used to doing onstage, the writing process would be so much easier! Ethan Farmer is currently planning live dates for 2012 including a Wine & Strings solo tour and further roadwork with New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys.

As with all good stories, its best to start from the beginning, when and what first drew you to music as well as the bass guitar?

My Family had a gospel Quartet group, and I had to play bass with them when I was about 6yrs old, once my father – who was then the bass player, left the group. I did not start liking music until I was half way thru high school and started understanding that girls liked it and I could make money.

Chicago has a very reputable live scene. How did the Illinois music scene in general – usually known for its unique musical culture – influence your music and your career?

It made me who I am as a musician, learning all styles from jazz to blues to gospel and rock! You can listen and see bands play all these styles in clubs, and once I loved music I wanted to play it all with every band and every musician, so I had to learn it all!

Tell me about your latest recording project “Wine and Strings”. How did this project come about?

It’s a number of things. First, with Marcus, Stanley, and Victor making great bass records and being in control of their own careers, I admired that and thought it would be great for me to take control of my own. Second, a lot of people would see me play with a jazz artist and ask me, “Do you have an album out… and if not, you should do one.” Third, It was just time for me; I played on a lot of albums and toured with a lot of people, now it was time for me to do my own record and do my own tour!

All compositions were written by you and Dammo Farmer. Knowing that the compositional process is different from artist to artist, what has worked for you?

Eddie Brown also wrote on the record. It came pretty easy for us, Dammo is my cousin and he came up under me learning and playing bass, so he knows me really well when it comes to bass. I guess it is in our blood, we can follow each other, know each others moves and musical ear. So either he or I would start with an idea, and then join in and piece everything out really fast. It’s God!

You’ve been involved with a lot of, shall I say, cross-genre projects over the years. What keeps you on this, I’d like to say, musically progressive path?

Having the love for all kinds of music and music in general. Wanting to feel the crowd’s energy, making good money, and getting different experiences from different artists is something I look forward to.

What does the practice schedule of one so well versed in multiple genres look like these days, and out of pure curiosity, how do you go about prioritizing what to work on?

It’s really terrible, I am almost embarrassed to say that I really do not get a chance 2 practice these days, I have family, businesses, and just a lot of responsibilities, therefore my practice mainly come from playing on stage, from sound check, to the show, for me it all counts!

Any advice to other musicians/bass players?

Nowadays with how the music industry has changed, just do not play bass, be an entrepreneur. That is the only way to be financially secure, have a house, take care of your family and live comfortably.

What do you feel are the elements that keep your playing at such a musically high level?

I’m determined to be good, and I play from my heart. I am an emotional player, so what I play connects to people because it is sincere. Do not try to impress and just play what you feel. I think that takes everyone to another level!

Do you play any other instruments?

I play drums, guitar, and enough keyboards 2 produce.

What can we look forward to in 2012 that you’re involved in?  Any tours?

Well of coarse my own tour! In addition, touring with New Kids on the Block and Backstreet boys, and anyone that calls and I feel like it would b a great challenge or their music is so great that I want to be a part of.

What do you see not happening in 21st Century music that you’d like to see a lot more off?

More REAL music with BANDS, like the old days!

With the music business being (obviously in my humble opinion) not at its best, what might you suggest to an enthusiastic young player looking to make his art, his career?

The industry surely changed from when I First got in it! Do what you feel and not what other people want. That is the only way you will be happy with yourself regardless of the results! In addition, if you do what you feel, it will not be like others, and that way you keep the game interesting!

How do you achieve your heavy Fat funky tone?

It’s all in your hands mainly… everything else is the icing on the cake! You feel me!

How does it feel to be touring with some of the most famous artists?

I am definitely blessed! A lot of today’s musicians do not have the same experiences as I had because of how drastic the industry has changed. Industry should put Bands back together and making music that everyone feels, not what the record labels say is great.

What are some cool trends you see coming up in the bass world, and some you might want to see less of?

I love the light gear, amp heads and cabinets! I’m very lazy thus it makes it easier for me to play around town since I do not have to carry heavy stuff (LOL).

What is the key to stay working and getting gigs consistently in music?

Doing it because you love it, staying on top of your business, your game and having INTEGRITY, having a good personality, having a great sound, and really kicking ass on the gig!!

I heard some rumors about an extended version of the Album.

Yeah! It is true! An extended version of the album is coming out this Month (February)!

For more information on Ethan or to purchase Wine & Strings, visit: www.ethan-farmer.com

Photos by Patrick Stern

Cee Lo Green – Forget You Bass Transcription by Andreas Farmakalidis

 I am transcribing a very "fun" tune. You can say that “Forget You” combines a ’60s Motown sunny vibe with invective “Eminem style” lyrics and language. This strange combination fits the singer’s high vocals and out of the ordinary sense of humor. The twinkling piano line, the steady bass line, and solid percussion are backing Cee Lo Green, while he heatedly expresses his frustration over a failed relationship, blaming things on his inability to afford his ex-girlfriend’s material desires.

The single “Forget You”, and/or “FU”, for clean versions by American recording artist Cee Lo Green, was released on August 19, 2010 as the first single from his third studio album the Lady Killer.

It seems easy to play it, however, do not be tricked. It is quite challenging to be performed at the exact tempo, with the right sound and note fluidity, especially the bridge.

Enjoy!

Bass Solo!!!