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September 2026 Challenge Response – Mark T

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › September 2026 Challenge Response – Mark T

  • This topic has 24 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 11 hours, 20 minutes ago by Michael L.
Viewing 24 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • October 16, 2026 at 1:01 am #424499
      Mark T
      Participant

        Dear AMers – for this “Set a Mood” challenge, I decided to go for: Sad, or at least Melancholic.

        To try achieving this, I primarily used descending, minor chords and Bass notes; with the lead playing simple, cascading, low-end melodies.

        Have I achieved this mood – what do you think? My wife thinks it’s rather pretty 🤔, which was not the intention 😂😂.

        I look forward to a wealth of moods to experience from you this month 🤓🤓🤣🤣

        Best wishes – Mark 👍🎶😎❤️

      • October 16, 2026 at 5:32 am #424512
        Alan L
        Participant

          Sounds cool Mark. Sad, and even a bit… disorienting? Reminds me of Yes. 😁

        • October 16, 2026 at 8:04 am #424538
          Werner
          Participant

            Great job, Mark. Your track doesn’t sound sad to me; instead, it reminds me of the psychedelic sounds we used to hear back in the days.

            Thank you

            Werner

          • October 16, 2026 at 8:40 am #424547
            JoeD1
            Participant

              I hear sad and melancholy vibes Mark. Well done mate!

              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

            • October 16, 2026 at 9:31 am #424575
              Martin W
              Participant

                Hi Mark , the way you’ve coloured this with the chosen chords , I can definitely hear a sad sound but also a slightly mysterious feeling to it .
                Well played.

                Martin

              • October 16, 2026 at 10:07 am #424582
                James B
                Participant

                  Great tune, Mark. Loved your bass line. Nice and tight with both guitars through some tricky timing. As per Martin, I’d call it, “ mysteriously sad”.

                  James

                • October 16, 2026 at 10:15 am #424584
                  AndréM
                  Participant

                    Mark I agree with your wife so its”pretty sad”.
                    But it also has something mysterious.

                    AndréM

                    AndréM

                  • October 16, 2026 at 10:37 am #424592
                    Dieter
                    Participant

                      Very atmospheric; it sounds really impressive.

                      Dieter

                    • October 16, 2026 at 1:55 pm #424652
                      Mike W
                      Participant

                        I thought it quite sad, but now others have mentioned it, it does sound mysterious. You’ve made a good production out of the piece – I’m always impressed by multi-instrumental submissions.

                      • October 17, 2026 at 1:21 am #424703
                        Laurel C
                        Moderator

                          Yeah it was nice sad, and with intrigue. A nicely put together musical production. It was even better on a 2nd listen as to really appreciate the input of the three instruments.

                        • October 17, 2026 at 2:45 am #424715
                          Richard G
                          Participant

                            Well composed and played Mark, I agree with the above, a sad melody with a twinge of melancholy however, it fitted this month’s criteria exactly.

                            Richard

                          • October 17, 2026 at 5:22 am #424761
                            wannaplayblues
                            Participant

                              Great submission!

                              Excellent work!

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

                            • October 17, 2026 at 6:53 am #424792
                              Don Patton jr
                              Participant

                                Hi Mark,
                                A laid back sort of vibe …maybe a little melancholy tone to your composition. Played well , nice submission 👍🎶🎵

                                Don P

                              • October 17, 2026 at 10:34 am #424845
                                Michael Krailo
                                Participant

                                  That had a slow jazz vibe to it. Nice composition.

                                  Root note patterns >>> CAGED shapes >>> TRIAD'S. Just put in the work and watch your guitar skills soar.

                                • October 17, 2026 at 11:00 am #424849
                                  Manfred M
                                  Participant

                                    It might be melancholic, but with a touch of hope for getting into something better, Mark. Nice jazzy vibe!

                                    Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom.
                                    The next Meetup will take place on October 31

                                    For more information click here

                                    I look forward to meet you.
                                    Manfred

                                  • October 17, 2026 at 2:42 pm #424911
                                    JoLa
                                    Participant

                                      That was very intriguing, Mark! I would say it was melancholic in a very modern or psychedelic kind of way, it would play really well in an avant-garde movie scene. You may have composing talents you have never explored yet! Very well done and presented original!

                                      🎸JoLa

                                    • October 17, 2026 at 4:18 pm #424927
                                      Juxi
                                      Participant

                                        Well, let’s face it, Mark: your wife is right – as always. This was pretty pretty. 😊

                                        But perhaps, your wife and I just share the same sentiment- we just cannot be sad when we see you playing guitar. 😊👋🏽

                                        Bluesige Grüße
                                        Juxi

                                      • October 18, 2026 at 4:03 am #424978
                                        Denise
                                        Participant

                                          To me it was not sad, rather unpredictable and mysterious. I like your bass lines and that low melody going on.
                                          It reminded me a bit of the early Genesis sound, which I loved very much when I was a teenager, and I still do.
                                          Great tone…and I love that gold color of your Tele.

                                          More Blues!

                                        • October 18, 2026 at 7:28 am #425030
                                          charjo
                                          Moderator

                                            I agree with Alan, it had a sadness but also a bit disorientation or confusion with the unexpected but very cool notes that actually followd the progression very well. Kudos for always putting the band together.
                                            John

                                          • October 18, 2026 at 9:35 am #425067
                                            John H
                                            Participant

                                              Mark
                                              Thoughtful and unpredictable. Very cool. Your bass playing really enhances the guitar work, which adds a nice layer of sophistication. Fun stuff. Job well done.

                                              John

                                            • October 18, 2026 at 12:47 pm #425129
                                              Wayne Nunez
                                              Participant

                                                I think it sounds very cool, nice job mark!

                                              • October 18, 2026 at 3:22 pm #425213
                                                Andy N
                                                Participant

                                                  You’ve split opinion with this Mark! One thing we can agree on is that it’s an interesting, original and engaging composition that demands your attention and you’ve played it superbly. I guess the mood is then up to the interpretation of the listener? For me, it did have a sad undertone but reminded me more of happy days in the seventies listening to Yes and other prog rockers as you didn’t know where it was going to go. Good company to be among I reckon 👏

                                                • October 18, 2026 at 8:47 pm #425262
                                                  sciencefiction
                                                  Participant

                                                    Man, this was cool! I would call it sad, but also mysterious and complex. Truly original and unique. Otherworldly and disorienting also comes to mind. Also reminds of something you might encounter in classical music. I think you should title the Moodscape in Key?

                                                  • October 19, 2026 at 2:30 am #425279
                                                    Mark T
                                                    Participant

                                                      Thank you all 👍♥️ as always! Your friendly comments are really appreciated! 😎

                                                      As Andy pointed out, it seems to have stirred a variety of emotions and opinions, but that’s okay – it was all done with kindness, which is what matters and is no more than we’d expect from AMers 👏👏

                                                      Mysterious, unpredictable, avant-garde theme tune, Genesis, Yes – 😲😲 – I’ll take all of that 🤓🤓👍👍! To be linked – in even a tiny way – with the likes of Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett Peter Banks, Steve Howe 😲😲. Although I’ve seen Genesis a few times, including in the days of Peter Gabriel, I regret never getting to see the classic line-up of Yes; the closest I ever got was seeing Alan White (Drummer) in a Jazz-Fusion band.

                                                      Anyway, thank you all again for listening and commenting. – Mark 👍🎶😎 ♥️

                                                    • October 19, 2026 at 10:39 am #425339
                                                      Michael L
                                                      Participant

                                                        Hi Mark, I always love original compositions from AMers. Well done! I felt a lot of tension in the descending patterns and some of the dissonant lead lines. At one point I think I heard a more major, uplifting melody over the tense chords which was an intriguing mix. Fun stuff!

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