Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

  • Log In
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up

April 2026 Challenge Response – Bill R

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › April 2026 Challenge Response – Bill R

Tagged: #jazz, Western Swing

  • This topic has 22 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 6 hours, 21 minutes ago by Carpa.
Viewing 20 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • May 8, 2026 at 4:57 pm #414785
      Bill
      Participant

        Hey all! This was a fun one. Right after viewing Brian’s video I walked over to the guitar and this little melody just kind of came out.

        I’m using a 32 bar, AABA form, very popular in American Songbook, Swing, and older music. I’m also using a “Big II”, or a dominant two chord, you’ve heard this progression in a bunch of songs over the years.

        So here’s my little Western Swing inspired hook I’m calling “Hot Buns”.

        Glad to be back at it after missing last month and look forward to checking out everyone’s hooks.

      • May 8, 2026 at 6:05 pm #414808
        Michael Krailo
        Participant

          Wow that had a lot going on Bill. Very well constructed melody line over that progression.

          Go slow and practice correct technique, and your abilities will dramatically improve.

        • May 8, 2026 at 6:53 pm #414818
          Michael L
          Participant

            Hey Bill, I loved it! Great tune, could easily be a recognizable swing piece. Your rhythm playing is sharp too. Solid beat, some nice movement. I grinned with you at the end. Lot’s of fun.

          • May 8, 2026 at 11:37 pm #414893
            Pap
            Participant

              Nice Bill.. I like the slides, vibrato and confidence with which you play. Cheers. Pap

            • May 9, 2026 at 3:55 am #414924
              Mark T
              Participant

                Great to hear the hook in context, Bill – I’m starting to realise that I misunderstood the challenge; I thought it was just the hook that had to be 30 seconds max, not the whole submission! I liked that you included the rest of the tune. – Mark 👍🎶😎

                • May 9, 2026 at 6:35 am #414966
                  Bill
                  Participant

                    Yeah, the hook is only a couple seconds, over 8 bars, then repeat. Then a B section that is 8 bars, then back to the first 8 bar hook (with variation in this case). With that form the whole thing ends up being over :30, I guess I could play it at a higher tempo to fit, but was already around 170bpm.

                • May 9, 2026 at 5:34 am #414934
                  JoeD1
                  Participant

                    Nice swing hook Bill. I can easily whistle along with it.

                    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

                    • May 9, 2026 at 6:36 am #414967
                      Bill
                      Participant

                        Thanks Joe, I think that’s always a good takeaway from this sort of exercise: can I hum or whistle it afterwards?

                    • May 9, 2026 at 5:47 am #414938
                      John H
                      Participant

                        Bill
                        Nice and ‘swingy’… great combination of rhythm and lead. Love the hook-very prominent, catchy and memorable. Well done Bill.

                        John

                      • May 9, 2026 at 7:05 am #414978
                        Guido
                        Participant

                          Great short composition Bill! The hook in the A part is really catchy, but also the B part stands out brilliantly. At the same time a hook melody and a brilliant tune! Not to mention the very nice and flawless playing.

                          Guido

                        • May 9, 2026 at 10:28 am #415021
                          sciencefiction
                          Participant

                            Sweet, Bill! First 30 sec really pulled me in, then it took off some more after that. Great playing!
                            Larry

                          • May 9, 2026 at 10:48 am #415030
                            Richard G
                            Participant

                              Everything to like about that Hook Bill, made more appealing with the swing style you gave it, let alone the dynamic backing.

                              Richard

                            • May 9, 2026 at 11:44 am #415049
                              Gary W
                              Participant

                                Bill, you cracked this one! Love that whole thing and the hook element is perfect. A little ‘baby face’ maybe to my ear, great!

                                Gary

                              • May 9, 2026 at 12:47 pm #415085
                                AndréM
                                Participant

                                  Awesome western swing hook Bill.
                                  I love your rhythm part.
                                  I wish I could play like that.

                                  AndréM

                                  AndréM

                                • May 9, 2026 at 1:04 pm #415090
                                  Alan L
                                  Participant

                                    Awesome! Love the interplay of the 2 guitars. Sounds classic and feels like a familiar tune. Well done!

                                  • May 9, 2026 at 2:18 pm #415108
                                    Manfred M
                                    Participant

                                      Your hook is so great partly because of that perfect groove, Bill. It really sticks in your head and gets your feet moving.

                                      Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
                                      The next Meetup will be July

                                      There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum
                                      I look forward to meet you.
                                      Manfred

                                    • May 9, 2026 at 2:25 pm #415111
                                      Tremelow
                                      Participant

                                        That’s a very accomplished composition, Bill. It lifted my mood instantly, so thanks for that. Great playing on both guutars, the rhythm strumming is increadibly accurate.

                                      • May 9, 2026 at 2:31 pm #415115
                                        Andy N
                                        Participant

                                          “Hot Buns”! I just love the names jazz and swing song attract 😎
                                          That was cracking. The hook did its thing straight away and burnt its catchy, bouncy self straight into my consciousness and I could hear it reflected in the whole of the rest of the piece. Terrific playing too.

                                        • May 9, 2026 at 2:52 pm #415132
                                          Raffaele S
                                          Participant

                                            Very good Bill, very fresh and catchy melody, easy to hum….I liked it a lot

                                          • May 9, 2026 at 2:53 pm #415134
                                            sunjamr
                                            Participant

                                              Way cool! That’s already a hit song in my head.

                                              Sunjamr Steve

                                            • May 9, 2026 at 3:19 pm #415151
                                              charjo
                                              Moderator

                                                That was a lot of music packed into 54 seconds, Bill. I find myself getting more and more into strumming and progressions these days so I always love watching the strumming hand. Yours is becoming highly developed.
                                                John

                                              • May 10, 2026 at 4:07 am #415259
                                                Werner
                                                Participant

                                                  Great swing, Bill – very enjoyable listen. I liked the balance between simplicity and expression — it feels very authentic. foot tapping good. Thank you, Werner

                                                • May 10, 2026 at 4:45 am #415279
                                                  Carpa
                                                  Participant

                                                    What a beautiful happy song, thanks for the music 👌

                                                • Author
                                                  Posts
                                                Viewing 20 reply threads
                                                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
                                                Log In

                                                Search Forums

                                                Quick Links

                                                • Latest posts
                                                • Most popular posts
                                                • Posts Freshness
                                                • Posts with most replies
                                                • My active posts
                                                • All my posts
                                                • Posts with my reply

                                                Links

                                                • Blog
                                                • Resources
                                                • About
                                                • Contact
                                                • FAQ
                                                • Refunds & Cancellations
                                                • Sitemap

                                                Recent Lessons

                                                How do I jam with someone on guitar? Learn both rhythm and lead parts in this lesson – EP635

                                                Vocal Guitar Phrasing; How to play it like you would sing it. Guitar Lesson – EP634

                                                Fingerstyle Blues Ideas – Blues you can play by yourself on acoustic guitar – Guitar Lesson EP633

                                                Contact

                                                For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
                                                For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com
                                                • Facebook
                                                • Twitter
                                                • YouTube

                                                © 2026 · Active Melody. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

                                                Free Weekly Guitar Lessons

                                                Enter your email address below to have the weekly guitar lesson delivered to your email address. I take privacy very seriously and will not share your email address.

                                                • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

                                                Active MelodyLogo Header Menu
                                                • Weekly Lessons
                                                • Take The Tour
                                                • Forum
                                                • Hear From Our Members
                                                • Membership Sign Up
                                                • Log In

                                                Insert/edit link

                                                Enter the destination URL

                                                Or link to existing content

                                                  No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.