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December 2025 Challenge Quist EP444 Mix

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › December 2025 Challenge Quist EP444 Mix

  • This topic has 29 replies, 25 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 4 weeks ago by Richard G.
Viewing 28 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • January 10, 2026 at 11:30 am #406899
      Michael Krailo
      Participant

        This didn’t take much time to get the track down, but took a lot longer to figure out how to record/mix/and upload my first sound file using my new home studio equipment. I’m very impressed with all the technology that I have missed out for all these years. It’s only going to get better from here.

        So this one is EP444 and I only spend just enough time to get a decent recording that I could live with. It’s not perfect, but it gave me something to work with my first mixdown project. It’s so much better sounding than straight out of the phone. Let me know what you think. I’ll get to doing the video’s later on. Enjoy.

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

      • January 10, 2026 at 12:03 pm #406910
        James B
        Participant

          A fine start to recording yourself, Michael. Your playing is excellent with great timing and expressive phrases. I would bring the guitar up front just a little more in the mix. Isn’t it amazing what we can do in our studio or spare bedroom at home with an interface and a DAW.

          James

        • January 10, 2026 at 12:21 pm #406917
          charjo
          Moderator

            Great licks and you followed the chords so tastefully. Great bends and vibrato. Recording acoustic guitar is a whole other art form.
            Well done Michael.
            I used the same track so it’s great to hear another interpretation. I’m still trying to resolve my video editor issue before I can post.
            John

          • January 10, 2026 at 12:33 pm #406921
            Guido
            Participant

              A great lesson and you did it absolutely justice with a great rendition! I loved especially your own composition/improvisation in the second part, very well crafted with very nice melodic leads and beautiful and masterful bends and vibratos on your acoustic (and we all know how difficult they are on the acoustic but you did a brilliant job)!

              Guido

            • January 10, 2026 at 12:52 pm #406930
              Michael Krailo
              Participant

                Why oh why are we not allowed to edit the original post? I was going to update the link, but there is no option to edit anything???

                Anyways, here is the remixed file. James was right, the guitar sat a little too low in the mix so I just redownloaded the new file for everyone.

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

                • January 10, 2026 at 8:24 pm #407008
                  Alan L
                  Participant

                    Edit option is on a timer, it disappears after some time

                • January 10, 2026 at 1:48 pm #406942
                  AndréM
                  Participant

                    Michael very good.
                    Not an easy one, there are a few fast licks in there.
                    Very nice improv.
                    I wanted to do this one but I couldn’t get it up to speed.
                    I was almost there but not enough time.
                    Well done.

                    AndréM

                    AndréM

                  • January 10, 2026 at 8:25 pm #407009
                    Alan L
                    Participant

                      This sounds fabulous! Guitar really shines, very well played. Articulate and soulful

                    • January 10, 2026 at 11:55 pm #407037
                      Dieter
                      Participant

                        Excellent playing and sound!

                        Dieter

                      • January 11, 2026 at 1:29 am #407052
                        hardenheavy
                        Participant

                          One of the few acoustic submissions in the challenge. It’s a welcome change, especially when played well.

                          Good work!

                          Cheers,
                          Henh

                          Trust the process.

                        • January 11, 2026 at 2:44 am #407069
                          Manfred M
                          Participant

                            I have done the same EP and I know that it‘s not so easy. But you have done a great job with it, Michael. Especially your improvisation shows your musicality and gives the track your personal twist. Thanks for the better mix. It was worth it.

                            Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
                            The next Meetup will be on February 28, 2026

                            For more information click here

                            I look forward to meet you.
                            Manfred

                          • January 11, 2026 at 4:07 am #407086
                            Jonathan Amos
                            Participant

                              Recording quality and playing both top notch.

                              Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

                            • January 11, 2026 at 7:04 am #407145
                              JoeD1
                              Participant

                                The link for the first take is broken so I couldn’t compare them but this sounded very good to me. Excellent playing and tone. Great recording.

                                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

                              • January 11, 2026 at 7:18 am #407155
                                Mark T
                                Participant

                                  Wonderful chilled blues, Michael – beautifully played. Nicely done 👍🎶😎

                                • January 11, 2026 at 7:44 am #407174
                                  Bill
                                  Participant

                                    Nice acoustic playing on this slow blues. I like the timing on some of those faster runs, good stuff!

                                  • January 11, 2026 at 8:43 am #407202
                                    Tremelow
                                    Participant

                                      Hey Michael, this sounds really good! the guitar sits spot on in the mix and your playing is absolutely fabulous. Doing this bends and hammer-ons / pull-offs so cleanly throughout the whole song is quite a feat. I’m looking forward to future postings from you.

                                    • January 11, 2026 at 8:50 am #407206
                                      Lights
                                      Participant

                                        Very Nice Michael!
                                        Fortunately I can’t open your first post so the second file is quit perfect. Guitar sounds sweet as well. Your own stuff is as beautiful as well.
                                        Lights.

                                      • January 11, 2026 at 10:10 am #407263
                                        Mike W
                                        Participant

                                          Nice submission Michael – lots to like here.

                                        • January 11, 2026 at 10:33 am #407275
                                          Martin W
                                          Participant

                                            Nice work , I did listen to the first recording when it was posted , and agreed with James comment, the lead was a bit quiet , but the second one is a much better mix
                                            Making that guitar more prominent.
                                            Your own improv fits in seamlessly to the same theme as the original.

                                            Martin

                                          • January 11, 2026 at 5:41 pm #407369
                                            Michael Krailo
                                            Participant

                                              Thanks for all the nice comments. I’m kind of excited to have the ability to have the home studio equipment now to capture some of the effort. I should have done this years ago.

                                              Spent 4 hours working on the new lesson Brian posted on Friday. It’s a really fun one to improvise on. But I’m tapped out for the night.

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

                                            • January 11, 2026 at 6:11 pm #407372
                                              JoLa
                                              Participant

                                                Oh man, that was beautiful from the the first note to the last! I gotta say I liked your improvised part even more than Brian’s lesson. I don’t know how you managed to bend the strings so well on your acoustic, your attack was very confident, I have a feeling you have years of well seasoned experience 😉

                                                Glad you got into recording gear, I’ll be looking forward to your future posts, Michael!

                                                🎸JoLa

                                              • January 11, 2026 at 7:07 pm #407387
                                                Michael Krailo
                                                Participant

                                                  Jola, it just takes a little determination on those bends. I probably couldn’t duplicate the improve, it will sound different every time. I just happened to record a good run run through.

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

                                                • January 12, 2026 at 5:29 am #407437
                                                  Laurel C
                                                  Moderator

                                                    This was exquisite. Takes a lot of endurance to sustain an arrangement of this quality. Hope to see the Home Studio Equipment featured in a future video.

                                                  • January 12, 2026 at 9:36 am #407464
                                                    Andy N
                                                    Participant

                                                      Great rendition Michael the lesson material was excellent but your later improv stayed true to feel while taking us to different places.
                                                      I used the same track so it’s fascinating to hear your take on it.
                                                      The recording sounds excellent with the acoustic guitar having great presence. Not always easy to do as acoustic recording can be a challenge in itself. Interestingly the two links sounded near identical to me so maybe they both point to the same but updated Soundcloud link.
                                                      Have fun with the new gear, I must admit, I find recording half the fun!

                                                    • January 12, 2026 at 3:15 pm #407501
                                                      Serena C
                                                      Participant

                                                        I like this brilliant sound for this EP Michael, it gives a different flavour… it is so fascinating hearing like a tone can make the difference. And it’s also so well played, congrats!

                                                        If I wasn't making mistakes I wouldn't be the kind of player I want to be. Perfection is dangerous.
                                                        It's all about taking risks, sometimes you get to some place, sometimes you get to a different place. (Brian May)

                                                      • January 12, 2026 at 4:09 pm #407508
                                                        Michael Krailo
                                                        Participant
                                                          Andy N wrote:

                                                          Great rendition Michael the lesson material was excellent but your later improv stayed true to feel while taking us to different places.
                                                          I used the same track so it’s fascinating to hear your take on it.
                                                          The recording sounds excellent with the acoustic guitar having great presence. Not always easy to do as acoustic recording can be a challenge in itself. Interestingly the two links sounded near identical to me so maybe they both point to the same but updated Soundcloud link.
                                                          Have fun with the new gear, I must admit, I find recording half the fun!

                                                          The real first post got deleted in the process of trying to update the sound cloud file and my edit button disappeared. It appears that some kind admin was able to update the first post to the new file so others didn’t have to scroll down. So those files are exactly the same, no difference. Sorry for the confusion.

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

                                                        • January 12, 2026 at 7:35 pm #407528
                                                          Michael L
                                                          Participant

                                                            Michael, so nice! Great tone from your acoustic, a good mix, and some fine picking! It all comes together into something you can be proud of. I’m hearing a nice vibrato on your notes too. Good stuff.

                                                          • January 13, 2026 at 9:46 am #407566
                                                            Matthew S
                                                            Participant

                                                              Really great playing — awesome licks, phrasing, and timing. Well done!!

                                                            • January 13, 2026 at 4:14 pm #407583
                                                              David H
                                                              Participant

                                                                Wonderful smooth picking. Welcome aboard!

                                                              • January 13, 2026 at 4:19 pm #407585
                                                                Richard G
                                                                Participant

                                                                  Really well played Michael. I thought your timing and vibrato throughout was impressive, particularly on an acoustic. Congratulations on your first recording.

                                                                  Richard

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