January 2025 Challenge – Charjo

[charjo]

Happy Challenge weekend,

If mine doesn’t start quite as you expected just give it a minute. Very kind of Brian to provide my backing track mid January. This is based on EP 602.
Looking forward to the variety this month and all your ideas.

John

[Jennifer D]

The beginning of this could be the theme tune to a TV show! You certainly pack loads in there! Sounds really good!

[ranja]

Great work, John.
Your phrasing and dynamics are spot on.
Ron

[JoeD1]

Nice! Loved the way you interspersed them within all those licks and EP602.

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

[AndréM]

Ok I feel better now not following the brief, you bad boy.
Very soulful John.
I wish I will play like you when I get old.

AndréM

AndréM

[Bill]

Sounds awesome John! Really nice Strat tone. I like how you used the harmonized lead part to contrast with the single note parts. It all came together nicely. 🎸

[James B]

Really enjoyed your take on this one, John. Very creative use of the harmonized sixths mixed in with your other phrasing. Love your tone and clean expressive picking.

James

[Martin W]

Great stuff John , impressive how you mix those harmonies in with the lead lines
Sounds very cohesive throughout.

Martin

[donmati]

Super pro, the sound, the melody and the compulsory exercise that just happens. The harmonized 6ths fit naturally into your piece. Great demonstration and super pleasant to listen to

[Michael L]

Beautiful John! Really well phrased and perfectly blended tone. Oh, 6th… I almost forgot… you nailed those too. I’m glad I’m not the only one who deviated from strings 2 & 4… I didn’t get that as a limitation of the challenge, just as a way to learn about 6ths. Oh, well, music is music on any strings.

[Paul S.]

You killed this., Maybe about 10 percent of it met the brief of the month, but the whole thing was masterful and professional grade. It gives me something in the electric realm to aspire to.

[charjo]

Hey Paul, thanks but give me at least 30%. The whole second chorus was harmonized sixths!
John

[Alan L]

I’ve been kind of obsessed with 602, playing it daily since I learned it. Your version is STUNNING. Everything here fits together so well. Seamless! The licks around 2:00- 2:20 particularly grabbed my attention. Gold star from me! ⭐️

And please share your signal chain. Loving the tone, and trying to get my strat in that ballpark. Thx!

[charjo]

Thanks very much, Alan.
The tone is through a version 2 Katana, Artist version. Will the signal chain be meaningful for you? It was the clean channel, vintage cabinet, warm overdrive, light compression, spring reverb and a bit of slap back delay in the Tone Central software. I used a Shure 57 mic into my Focusrite Scarlett. Position 2 on the strat.
If you want to talk Katana tone you can PM me.
John

[Alan L]

That is very helpful thanks. Mostly interested in the OD and position switch, and the delay + reverb is probably what I’m hearing too. I don’t have a katana but I’m familiar, I have a Blackstar that functions similarly, and I can do a lot with my positive grid. Thanks again! 🙂

[Catherine Arsenault]

Omg that was tremendous fantastic, loved this wow!!!!!

[sunjamr]

Very cool, John. The tone was awesome, as was the playing. Like you, I cheated a bit on the dyads by playing them on strings 2 & 4, then on strings 1 & 3.

Sunjamr Steve

[JoLa]

Performances like this leave me speechless… Nothing less is expected of you by now, John, but man, you just nail the feel and the tone each and every time. The subtle changes in tone depending on the position on the fretboard are so delightful, and so strat-y. And btw, it all sounded like a well known song to me, can’t put my finger on it… maybe Daughters by John Mayer?

🎸JoLa

[Dieter]

Just perfect – playing and sound.

Dieter

[Mark T]

Nice groove going there, John – and the addition of other (shall we call them ‘ghost’) strings 😂, well we can turn a blind eye to that 🤣🤣 👍🎶😎

[Werner]

Well, your playinghg is a class of its own. Great submission , serene melody and that guitar sounds awesome and your vibrato!!! Wow. Thank you

Werner

[Mike W]

Sensational playing John – I was entranced even before the double stops started.

[Serena C]

Your submissions are always so inspiring John! I’m going back to EP602 again after this!

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)

[Manfred M]

I loved to hear the lead lines of EP602 in the beginning, which I also play with much fun (I would have even more fun if it sounded like yours).
But then comes the real highlight, your wonderful harmony lead lines, which I just enjoyed. To melt away, John.

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

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

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Reuben B]

What a great rendition of this lesson Charjo. I love what you’ve done with it. Great adaptation to this challenge and you made it completely your own. I enjoyed it!

[Tremelow]

Yet another masterpiece from Mr. Charjo “Slowhand” 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed it, John, I was captivated from the first moment.

[Bob Utberg]

Smooth and played like a pro John! Great as always. Love the single lead lines and the double stops used back to back! The next Challenge from Brian??? Solo only one string!!!

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[Juxi]

It does not get better than that! Just- WOW. Masterclass! Thanks for sharing, John.👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

Bluesige Grüße
Juxi

[Denise]

Wonderfully played and improvised, although not all played on strings 2 and 4.
But it’s playey soo well it doesn’t matter.
Great tone!!!!
Denise

PS: I want a Strat 😥

More Blues!

[Pap]

Nice job with this submission John. You are ready for the big stage. Its incredible that you are on this website. Happy New Year. Pap

[charjo]

Hey Pap,
I’m here learning and trying to put it together like all of us. AM’s like home, where I did all my basic learning. Plus, I learn and get inspired by the other members.
John

[John H]

John-
OMG, I can explain everything. I might try and give you a call. Otherwise just send you a PM. In the meantime, this is fantastic. I don’t like when people say “it sounds like….” . Gonna go against my better judgement and say the single note parts are very Claptonesque. The rest is just brilliant. Very soulful and thoughtful. Be in touch real soon.

John

[Author]

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