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July 2026 Challenge – Michael Krailo

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › July 2026 Challenge – Michael Krailo

  • This topic has 21 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 4 hours, 6 minutes ago by Michael L.
Viewing 21 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • August 15, 2026 at 8:42 pm #421018
      Michael Krailo
      Participant

        I may have gone into another world with this one. I was completely absorbed by the track and it really spoke to me. I hope you like it. The video editing took longer than laying down the track. I got this one on the very first take.

        Had to reupload, due to an editing error in the video. I doubt anyone seen the original one I posted as it’s getting kind of late. You’ll see this in the morning.

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

        • This topic was modified 2 days, 3 hours ago by Michael Krailo.
        • This topic was modified 2 days, 2 hours ago by Michael Krailo.
      • August 16, 2026 at 5:35 am #421058
        Bill
        Participant

          That’s heavy! Good rocking lead playing. I liked those harmonics and tremolo at 1:15. Space was used well and needed to give those ripping distorted lines time to settle. Nice one!

        • August 16, 2026 at 5:45 am #421067
          Mike W
          Participant

            I can understand you getting lost in the track – it’s really quite hypnotic. Great playing – great submission.

          • August 16, 2026 at 6:01 am #421075
            Martin W
            Participant

              That’s a great track to play over, I can see how you got totally immersed in it
              Superb phrasing letting those notes hang , and still create space .
              I reckon that was 5 minutes of magic ! Gotta be your best to date .

              Martin

            • August 16, 2026 at 6:12 am #421078
              Ben C
              Participant

                Absolutely brilliant. Your use of harmonics and tremolo has me mesmerized again! This was a top tier submission. Nicely done, Michael.

                PS whenever I see you play it makes me want to buy a strat!!

              • August 16, 2026 at 6:40 am #421085
                Wayne Nunez
                Participant

                  Very powerful, heavy, and moving, great use of space has a nice Top Gun feel to it,well played Micheal!

                • August 16, 2026 at 6:44 am #421087
                  charjo
                  Moderator

                    Fuzz and E minor pentatonic makes me feel like a kid again😊. What did you use for the fuzz tone? The bends up in box 1 really soared.
                    Lots of cool ideas in here, Michael, but the one that really caught my ear was between 1:25 and 1:34 where you seemed to hit a few harmonics within the lick and add the whammy and went right back into your motif. Awesome👍.You need to write that one down for posterity.
                    John

                  • August 16, 2026 at 6:53 am #421092
                    Richard G
                    Participant

                      Rock solid Michael, a good variety of contrasting licks gave the heavy style, momentum.

                      Richard

                    • August 16, 2026 at 7:26 am #421101
                      Manfred M
                      Participant

                        Great rock performance, Michael.
                        And the guitar tone fits like a glove. Yeah, you’re really in the zone there. You can hear and see it.

                        Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom.
                        The next Meetup will take place in October

                        There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum a few weeks before.

                        I look forward to meet you.
                        Manfred

                      • August 16, 2026 at 7:49 am #421105
                        Michael Krailo
                        Participant
                          charjo wrote:

                          Fuzz and E minor pentatonic makes me feel like a kid again😊. What did you use for the fuzz tone? The bends up in box 1 really soared.
                          Lots of cool ideas in here, Michael, but the one that really caught my ear was between 1:25 and 1:34 where you seemed to hit a few harmonics within the lick and add the whammy and went right back into your motif. Awesome👍.You need to write that one down for posterity.
                          John

                          I wanted something heavier this time, so I just perused through the presets in my favorite plugin (NDSP Morgan Amp Suite). There is a preset in there called Doomish Riff. The effects pedal mainly responsible for the tone was Morgan’s OD2 pedal with the bass tone turned up past half way and the treble at mid position. Lot of gain on the 50W amp and a noise gate to tame the inevitable noise at rest.

                          That particular harmonic was a happy accident, although I did have a set plan for use of harmonics to create space (3:25 to 3:35 area).

                          I have been playing around with 10th’s lately, so part of the rhythm incorporates a D to E slide using 10th intervals and I thought it fit perfectly. The whole hook theme was simply a slide from D to E throughout the whole piece.

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

                          • This reply was modified 1 day, 16 hours ago by Michael Krailo.
                        • August 16, 2026 at 8:42 am #421118
                          sciencefiction
                          Participant

                            You went ballistic on this one. Great fuzz, psychedelic tone on this. Reminded me of Jeff Beck/Yardbirds Happening Ten Years Time Ago. Way to nail it!
                            Larry

                          • August 16, 2026 at 8:55 am #421125
                            wannaplayblues
                            Participant

                              Wow – amazing stuff!

                              "I hear you talkin' son, but you 'aint sayin' nothin'" - Will McFarlane quoting Muddy Waters hearing a really fast guitar player

                            • August 16, 2026 at 10:44 am #421143
                              Alan O
                              Participant

                                Dude, that was rockin’!! Great use of space and that whammy bar. Cool video too.

                                Alan

                              • August 16, 2026 at 1:43 pm #421164
                                JoeD1
                                Participant

                                  You crushed it Mike.

                                  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

                                • August 16, 2026 at 1:43 pm #421165
                                  AndréM
                                  Participant

                                    Michael the first photo before starting the song, is that you?
                                    Love your heavy vibe with the mix of the passing jets.
                                    You went on all out with the Morgan sound.
                                    Sounded to me like a mix of Robin Trower and Link Ray.
                                    Good stuff man, more is required.

                                    AndréM

                                    AndréM

                                  • August 16, 2026 at 2:03 pm #421174
                                    Michael Krailo
                                    Participant
                                      AndréM wrote:

                                      Michael the first photo before starting the song, is that you?
                                      Love your heavy vibe with the mix of the passing jets.
                                      You went on all out with the Morgan sound.
                                      Sounded to me like a mix of Robin Trower and Link Ray.
                                      Good stuff man, more is required.

                                      AndréM

                                      No, not me in any photos. I wanted some of our local jet footage from Shaw AFB, but was hard to find good pics or video.

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

                                    • August 16, 2026 at 2:57 pm #421182
                                      Andy N
                                      Participant

                                        Rocking in Michael. The TopGun boys would be strutting their (right) stuff to this one.
                                        Love the heavy, grungy fuzz tone too. It sounds just right.

                                      • August 16, 2026 at 8:44 pm #421214
                                        Catherine Arsenault
                                        Participant

                                          You’re rocking Michael !!!! Awesome playing!!

                                        • August 17, 2026 at 5:13 am #421256
                                          Dieter
                                          Participant

                                            The Best in Hot Rock.

                                            Dieter

                                          • August 17, 2026 at 10:32 am #421278
                                            James B
                                            Participant

                                              Great job all around, Michael. Loved your rocking solo with harmonics and whammy bar. Once you’re in a groove like that it’s hard to stop.

                                              James

                                            • August 17, 2026 at 3:21 pm #421301
                                              John H
                                              Participant

                                                Great job Michael-very gritty yet refined. You really make that guitar scream and eek out some great sounds. Tres bon!

                                                John

                                              • August 17, 2026 at 7:59 pm #421328
                                                Michael L
                                                Participant

                                                  Nice Michael, getting creative with the music and the video! Great driving tone and powerful lines. Lots of heavy energy here.

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