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First, a big congratulations to Jola for 100 challenge submissions!! This is a great achievement on this guitar learning journey. Jola, you’re an inspiration for all of us.
For this month I tried a number of Brian’s lessons, but ended up with my own composition in the key of D. Major one, four, and five chords, but with a few twists thrown in. Enjoy!
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You’ve come up with a really beautiful composition, Michael, and arranged it beautifully as well. And your playing really makes it shine even more.
Great jazzy vibe!Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be on February 28, 2026For more information click here
I look forward to meet you.
Manfred -
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Wow, Michael, you really had a go at it, swept the fretboard pretty well, it looked like you knew exactly (I know that you DID know) what you were playing and why 🙂 Quite amazing composition, I can only imagine the thoughtful work that went into this. Funny, it reminded me that I also considered coming up with my own composition for this challenge in D, and actually, had something going on but at the same time continued to practice Brian’s lessons – just in case 😉 Your Taylor sounded as lovely as always, love watching your subs! And thank you for the congrats on mine, you must be not too far behind…!
🎸JoLa
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Very nice composition Michael! I’ve really enjoyed the twists 🙂 very original! well done!
If I wasn't making mistakes I wouldn't be the kind of player I want to be. Perfection is dangerous.
It's all about taking risks, sometimes you get to some place, sometimes you get to a different place. (Brian May) -
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Michael, I’d love to have your play by play of all the theoretical knowledge that went into creating your composition. Beautifully performed as well.
John-
Hi John, thanks! Without going too deep, it starting with the thought of doing something interesting with the chord progression. That led me to explore secondary dominant’s, II – Vs, VI II V’s, etc. I love a surprise secondary dominant to twist the ear before resolving back into key. A fair amount of thought went into making those major or minor or dominant and how they flowed. A lot of half-step approaches to chords, bass runs into chords, and some arpeggio work. That A chord fill in the A section is a chromatic slide from flat7 to root on the B string, jump to the 9th, then drop an octave to the root and come up the arpeggio. I’ve heard this called a ‘pivot arpeggio’ when you start high and drop into the lower octave. I ended up with a lot of harmonized 3rds… that walk up from the G-shaped D to the E-shape on strings 2 & 3 was the inspiration there, and I took that idea to the IV chord on strings 1 & 2. The intro (playing around over an A7) and outro (major II, V aug, I) always come last.
I wasn’t thinking about the theory too much, but I know it informed what I saw as options, and it certainly helped fill some gaps as the thing took shape. These almost write themselves sometimes (slowly and laboriously). The A aug in the outro was a happy accident… oops, hit one string too many… oh, hey, that’s an aug chord! Let’s use that.
In the end it’s about 90% of Brian’s teaching and 10% chord melody and arpeggio ideas I’ve studies elsewhere. Amazing that Brian does this every week. I need the full month to even get close.
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