April 2026 Challenge Response – Bill R

[Bill]

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.

[Michael Krailo]

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

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

[Michael L]

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.

[Pap]

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

[Mark T]

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 👍🎶😎

[Bill]

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.

[JoeD1]

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

[Bill]

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

[John H]

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

John

[Guido]

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

[sciencefiction]

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

[Richard G]

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

Richard

[Gary W]

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

[AndréM]

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

AndréM

AndréM

[Alan L]

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

[Manfred M]

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 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

[Tremelow]

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.

[Andy N]

“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.

[Raffaele S]

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

[sunjamr]

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

Sunjamr Steve

[charjo]

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

[Werner]

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

[Carpa]

What a beautiful happy song, thanks for the music 👌

[JoLa]

Well, Bill – you didn’t waste even half a second, the music started the moment I clicked Play 😅 A fantastic hook, definitely a whistler, and I liked the recurring variations of it.

I love the challenges where everyone brings their own flavor to the task and we even get to expect certain flavors from certain players. You definitely have that old school swing in you, and I loved the happy swinging of the Hot Buns here! 😃👌

🎸JoLa

[Jonathan Amos]

More than a hook, it’s all there, a very snappy sounding little melody, well worth developing into something greater.

Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

[Dieter]

Wonderful swing feeling and great playing.

Dieter

[Laurel C]

Bill. You have created a little masterpiece. It sounds a classic to the ears, just repeat everything again, add some words to ‘Hot Buns’ and it would be a great for sing-a-longs.

[snakechisler]

a really good piece and well played the rhythm was hypnotic with a simple melody over the top

[Ben C]

This is great fun to watch.

Out of interest, what video editing software do you use?

[Bill]

Hey Ben – Thanks! Just iMovie

[Author]

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