AM Member Challenge Response – February 2021

[Mike W]

Good day to everyone – hope you’re all keeping safe and well.
The lesson that encouraged me to join AM was EP 173. I came across it on YouTube when I’d got to the point where I just kept playing the same bits and pieces over and over, inevitably morphing into a 12 bar boogie. I was immediately attracted to EP173 because it was described in the title as ‘Slow’ and then in the text as ‘Easy’.
That was a couple of years ago and then last year I checked out the Forum and found the Challenges – didn’t know they existed until then. Since then my partner has been guaranteed a brand new earworm every month !
My plan was to play the first verse, then try a bit of an improvisation over the second verse. I’d been trying various bits of improv but wasn’t happy with it. I was trying a recording (one of many) and made a mistake on the first verse, but carried on and played off the cuff for the second, finishing off with the original verse and outro which I wrote. To my surprise, the improv sounded ok-ish, so I sliced off the duff first verse and ended up with this.
Hope you like it – here’s the link

Keep safe, Mike

[JohnStrat]

Mike,
Those slow and easy descriptions are subject to the eye of the beholder or so I think from time to time. its often surprisingly tricky in one part or another, all those lovely dreamy tones. I think you are doing it just right keep at it all the nuances Brian puts in are a tough act to follow in this one and you’ve got it right in range.
JohnStrat

[Mike W]

John, Thanks for your kind words, Mike

[Mark T]

Sweet, sweet tone and playing there, Mike – well done my friend! Slow and easy does it, every time – until of course, Brian adds in some fast twiddly bits (technical term) 🙂 Best wishes and stay safe!

[Mike W]

Thank you, Mark, your comments are appreciated, Mike

[Garry]

Kudos for adding the improvising Mike. It’s something most of us are aspiring to and your lead fitted well over Brian’s backing track. Very melodic with some beautiful bends and harmonised duplets. All the best!

[Mike W]

Many thanks Garry, I appreciate your comments, Mike

[John H]

Great job on this Mike… Nicely played. Very melodic and pretty.

John H.

[Mike W]

Many thanks John, Mike

[Roger]

Ya done good. Great tone

[Mike W]

Thanks Roger, Mike

[Phil B]

This brings back a lot of memories to me Mike. I was part of a band called The Miserable Old Gits and we used to jam together every week and recorded half a dozen albums over 3 or 4 years. When I first heard this song I had to write words to it. It sounded quite a sad melody so I called it Sad Song and the lyrics really were sad. You played that beautifully and the improv was great.

[Mike W]

Phil, thanks for your kind comments. Yes, it is a bitter sweet sort of melody – Brian is so skilled at writing such wonderful music, Mike

[Mike D]

Very melodic and smooth! Very easy to listen to. Great job!

Live on planet Earth ? You got the blues.

[Mike W]

Many thanks, Mike Mike

[James B]

Another great lesson played very well Mike. I remember this one. Very melodic.

James

[Mike W]

Many thanks James, I appreciate your comments, Mike

[Alan K]

Some sweet improv over this piece Mike. Nice melodic groove you have going on.

[Mike W]

Thank you Alan, I’m glad you liked it, Mike

[Dieter]

Very nice playing.

Dieter

[Mike W]

Thanks Dieter, Mike

[John B]

That was really nice. Kind of a dreamy tone. Great playing. Lovely ending also.

[Mike W]

Thanks John, I appreciate your kind words, Mike

[JFL]

I like that the video started with your own part. I was enjoying it and then when Brians lesson started I immediately recognized it. Well played Mike!

JFL

[Mike W]

Thanks J – I think I was lucky on many scores there – I don’t think I’ve done such a successful ad lib over a whole song and it come out sounding ok, Mike

[Martin W]

Hi Mike , nice to see you started with your own ideas which blended seamlessly with the lesson , your bends and timing were spot on . Well played .

Martin

[Mike W]

Thanks Martin, I was lucky that it worked out ok with the improv section. It’s a lesson that I really enjoy playing – probably because of the bends, Mike

[Andy N]

That was a very cool improv Mike, you developed ideas throughout and kept it interesting. Liked how you hit the chord tones to mark out the changes too. Very stylish and a lovely bell tone to the strat.

[Mike W]

Thanks Andy glad you liked it. Some of Brian’s influence seems to have rubbed off on me, at last. The tone came from the neck PU and Clean Electric Guitar setting on a THR5 amp, Mike

[AndréM]

Yep i remember this one.
Excellent rendition.
Well done.

AndréM

AndréM

[Mike W]

Many thanks Andre – Mike

[JoLa]

Very nice and clean playing, Mike! I like your steady tempo (metronome helps, another reminder I should use that!) and the dreamy tone. Really well done, I would have never guessed the troubles you described, it sounded all perfect to me 🙂

🎸JoLa

[Mike W]

Thanks Jola, I appreciate your comments, Mike

[Bill H]

you created an atmospheric feel…really well done…great submission Andy

[Mike W]

Many thanks, Bill, Mike

[Bill H]

Mike sorry about wrong name that melody obviously had a real effect on Me…..

[WBlues]

Oh yes, I can remember that lesson. Good to accompany. Good work.

Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.

Wilfried

[Mike W]

Thank you wilfried, Mike

[Dave K]

Nicely done, Mike! Your soulful playing and great strat tone made for a real nice listen. Thanks for sharing!

[Mike W]

Thanks for your kind words, Dave, Mike

[sunjamr]

Your playing sounded great, Mike. But I couldn’t hear the backing track very well. Maybe crank it up a little louder next time.

Sunjamr Steve

[Mike W]

Thanks Steve. Unfortunately my recording system is very basic, so getting the balance right is sometimes a problem. If I have spare time I have to decide whether to investigate Audacity properly or play guitar – you can guess which wins. Sooner or later priority will change and I’ll have to get it sorted, Mike

[Bob Utberg]

Nice Mike! Loved the Big Hall echo tone. Sounded really good. Bob

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[Mike W]

Thanks Bob, glad you liked it, Mike

[Vincent K]

Good performance Mike. Smooth and soulfull

🎸 Vincent 🎶 🇳🇱

[Mike W]

Thanks Vincent, glad you liked it, Mike

[David H]

Great story and great playing, so glad you shared.

[Mike W]

David, thanks for your kind words, Mike

[David B]

Hola Mike.

Well played good picking and bendings too.
My only suggestion would be to improve a bit the mix (the background volume is really low).

nice ending btw!
hasta pronto
David B

[Mike W]

David, thanks for your kind words. My recording system is laughably primitive and so I do get problems with balance on occasions. I keep putting off addressing the problem – I’d rather be playing, Mike

[David K]

Beautiful playing Mike! So smooth and relaxing. I feel your pain on recording, and I see how it would be especially frustrating when the improv ends up being magic!

[Mike W]

David, Thanks for your kind words, Mike

[DaveW]

Well played. Your bends in the middle were spot on. I enjoyed listening to you play.

DaveW

[Mike W]

Thank you Dave, glad you enjoyed it, Mike

[sciencefiction]

Hi Mike–That sounded great! I don’t know this piece, but that improv (?) starting around 0:57 blended right in and continued that soulful, mellow vibe you had going. Perfect with my second cuppa Joe this Monday morning. Very nice playing throughout.
Larry

[Mike W]

Kind words indeed, Larry, glad you liked it, Mike

[snakechisler]

really great performance well done

Thanks for posting

[Mike W]

Thabk you,I appreciate your kind comments, Mike

[Billy]

Yep, great performance Mike

..Billy..

[Mike W]

Thank you Billy,

Mike

[Pap]

Mike, nicely played. I like that you used a backing track and metronome. Cheers! Pap

[Mike W]

Thanks Pap. Somebody else mentioned a metronome – it must have been on the backing track – I wasn’t using a separate one, Mike

[Scott M]

Beautifully played Mike, improv flowed seamlessly, really well done!

Scott

[Mike W]

Thank you Scott,

Mike

[Phil67]

Your solo is wonderful, you completely catch the spirit of the song. Felicitation.

Where does the white go when snow melts?

[Mike W]

Kind words, Phil. Thank you, Mike

[Chris]

Really nice performance.

Christophe

[Mike W]

Thanks Chris,

Mike

[Hide (ひで）]

You created a very laid back, relaxed atmosphere there. Felt like looking at ’50s American country scene! Very nice playing.

Hidetada Shimizu

[Mike W]

Thanks Hide. I appreciate your comments, Mike

[Rollover33]

No no, played like that and with your beautiful impro… it’s not easy !!! Really nice, really musician’s work ! Bravo, see you soon here

[Mike W]

Guy, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you, Mike

[Canada Moose]

nice and easy, smooth flowing, very pleasant; nice focus on melodic phrases, expressive bends, very cool tone. This is one of my favourite lessons because there’s so much space to breathe and let the melody shine, and you did that really well. Well played. Congrats.

[Mike W]

Thanks Roger, I appreciate your comments. You’re right about the space – there are a lot of rests. This makes it quite forgiving when I let my timing wander, which I frequently do, Mike

[charjo]

Mike,
Your intro was very melodic and lead nicely into Brian’s version, which you played very sweetly.
John

[Mike W]

Thanks John, I appreciate your comments, Mike

[Sebastian]

Hey Mike,

I like your playing! You’ve played the lesson very good, with clean tones, but you’ve also managed to compose your own melody lines. Very creative and I also realy like the sound of your recording. Always looking forward to your next submission.

Sebastian

[Mike W]

That’s very kind Sebastien, thank you, Mike

[Tom D]

Hi Mike: I like it a lot! Very clean and melodic sound with notes that flow so nicely. Nice ending. Cheers, Tom

[Mike W]

Thank you Tom, I appreciate your comments, MIke

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