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May 2025 Challenge Response – James B

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › May 2025 Challenge Response – James B

  • This topic has 22 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 1 day, 3 hours ago by Mark T.
Viewing 22 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • June 7, 2025 at 11:11 am #395161
      James B
      Participant

        Nothing but triads!
        One thing I’ve learned from Brian’s lessons is that you can make a lot of music with triads and extensions. I’m more comfortable using the caged chord shapes than I am with the scale patterns. In ML111, Brian put together a chord arrangement with a lead using nothing but triads. I took his arrangement, added a chorus from a song called “Carrying Your Love With Me”, and started layering in different voicing’s of triads. You can make a lot of music with nothing but triads.

      • June 7, 2025 at 11:22 am #395163
        JoLa
        Participant

          My goodness, James, you are just a true master of turning Brian’s lessons into real songs! You must have a whole encyclopedia of songs in your head, it is truly amazing how you connect them so well!

          And the triads! A whole lotta music can be made with just triads, you’re 100% right and of course, you gave us a beautiful example! Great performance as always!

          🎸JoLa

        • June 7, 2025 at 11:46 am #395176
          Bill
          Participant

            Sweet tune James! A couple of us making some nice music with triads this month 😉
            Such useful building blocks and the melody is often right there in the triad too. Interesting we both arranged another song into an AM lesson. Nice work!

          • June 7, 2025 at 12:05 pm #395183
            JoeD1
            Participant

              Awesome song.
              Awesome vocals.
              Awesome submission.
              Awesome.

              Joe

              The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
              Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
              --Graeme Edge

            • June 7, 2025 at 12:33 pm #395190
              AndréM
              Participant

                I can’ imagine my good friend James doing a song without his warm vocal, love it Mr. B.
                You accomplished your mission with the triads.
                Very well done bro.

                AndréM

                AndréM

              • June 7, 2025 at 12:47 pm #395195
                Jennifer D
                Participant

                  Wow you’ve sold it to me! Triads are the way forward.
                  Beautiful performance all round!

                • June 7, 2025 at 12:56 pm #395198
                  KT
                  Participant

                    Absolutely great presentation
                    I will pay to attend a gig like that
                    I will definitely explore triads
                    KT

                  • June 7, 2025 at 3:50 pm #395214
                    John H
                    Participant

                      James
                      Nicely composed and performed. I think your triad solo really demonstrates the value and importance of utilizing triads up and down the neck. I gotta admit, you are inspiring me to take a gander and taking the dive into the world of triads. Thanks for sharing.

                      John

                    • June 7, 2025 at 4:08 pm #395220
                      sunjamr
                      Participant

                        That’s one of your best, James. Well played & sung!

                        Sunjamr Steve

                      • June 7, 2025 at 4:41 pm #395228
                        Juxi
                        Participant

                          I love your voice, your playing and – of course – your triads 😊, James.

                          Bluesige Grüße
                          Juxi

                        • June 8, 2025 at 2:07 am #395291
                          Martin W
                          Participant

                            Yep I agree James , using triads is a game changer, your creativity is second to none
                            Turning that lesson into a song .
                            Beautifully played and sung .

                            Martin

                          • June 8, 2025 at 4:04 am #395332
                            Laurel C
                            Moderator

                              James you bring the lessons alive when you add your voice to song. The beauty in triads. Our treat for the month. Thanks for sharing your talent.

                            • June 8, 2025 at 4:25 am #395344
                              Dieter
                              Participant

                                Wonderful interplay and presentation.

                                Dieter

                              • June 8, 2025 at 6:04 am #395375
                                Alan L
                                Participant

                                  Great as always James! You are right, you can get a lot out of those triads 👍

                                • June 8, 2025 at 7:04 am #395395
                                  charjo
                                  Moderator

                                    James, I think you’re demonstrating what all the pros do. Probably because you’re pretty much a pro yourself.
                                    John

                                  • June 8, 2025 at 7:49 am #395424
                                    Manfred M
                                    Participant

                                      James, you really are a master at turning Brian’s lessons into songs. I also love this ML and play it with great pleasure. But you make it perfect with your singing. A great pleasure!

                                      Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
                                      The next Meetup will probably take place in July/August 2025

                                      There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum in good time.

                                      I look forward to meet you.
                                      Manfred

                                    • June 8, 2025 at 8:22 am #395432
                                      Denise
                                      Participant

                                        You and Brian are great composers and complement each other wonderfully😃.
                                        I love how you combined Brian’s lesson with triads and the song.
                                        Sounding great!
                                        Denise

                                        More Blues!

                                      • June 8, 2025 at 9:11 am #395438
                                        Richard G
                                        Participant

                                          James, you never cease to amaze me on how you can create something so musically brilliant from something else totally unrelated and boy, you do it so well.

                                          Richard

                                        • June 8, 2025 at 5:13 pm #395528
                                          Pap
                                          Participant

                                            James, another brilliant performance here. I like the layering…its like putting together some basic rhythm and melody on top and then your voice to come up with something that sounds like a great band that’s played together for a long time. Nice job James!

                                          • June 8, 2025 at 7:37 pm #395569
                                            Bob Utberg
                                            Participant

                                              Really dig the hybrid picking on the electric James. Another professional performance. Nicely done!

                                              Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

                                            • June 8, 2025 at 7:40 pm #395570
                                              Michael L
                                              Participant

                                                Hi James, wonderful combination of a lesson with a great old tune. You have such a knack for it. I think triads are becoming a theme for this month. I enjoyed this a lot.

                                              • June 8, 2025 at 9:53 pm #395582
                                                Alan O
                                                Participant

                                                  Hi James, that was a pro performance! I think playing triads along with the chord changes is key to making music sound more interesting.

                                                  Alan

                                                • June 9, 2025 at 4:28 am #395604
                                                  Mark T
                                                  Participant

                                                    Traids seem to be the most common theme of this month’s submission, and understandably so, James – our playing wouldn’t be so fluid and interesting without them! Again, another fine performance from you – always enjoyable. – Mark 👍🎶😎

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