July 2021 Challenge Response – Tom D

[Tom D]

This focuses on EP-139, Solo Jazz – Creating a Melody with Chords. It’s very cool and instructive both in learning the music and how to play it.

Brian is the best at describing the light bulb opportunities, so I encourage checking out his great lesson. I tried to contribute some elements to the piece in this post and chose a fingerstyle guitar arrangement as that’s all I had on vacation at the beach!

My breakthrough advice is Sesame Street simple and useful for me. Commit to 3 measurable goals – that work for you – in each of the areas below:

1 – Learning: continual improvement by gaining new knowledge
2 – Playing: play regularly and listen and think
3 – Performing: perform regularly with other others and / or with recording

Thanks for listening and for your comments. I look forward to checking out your posts.

Cheers, Tom

[Juxi]

Awesome, Tom. That was really great. The next thing I will do today – after going to the baker and buying breakfast for my family 😊 – is learning EP 139. You played that wonderfully smooth. Great picking.
I also agree to your Sesame Street simple advice! Each of the three points is equally important – what I previously missed was point three, so again a Hurray for the challenges 😊. Here we also have point 1: listen to others and learn from them … Thanks for sharing.

Bluesige Grüße
Juxi

[Juxi]

I just listened to EP 139 … man, you did raise this lesson up to the next level. Wow!

Bluesige Grüße
Juxi

[Dieter]

Excellent jazzy example.

Dieter

[Sumanto Banerjee]

Wow, wow Tom. I have become a big fan of your playing. This is awesome, I wish I can use chords like that some day. And thanks for the guitar advices, will follow them.

Storming Heaven's Gate

[Garry]

Tom, a beautiful version of this lesson. Played at a very high standard, technically and musically. Definitely agree with you re: your 3 points although at the moment No. 3 is the Showcases, Challenges and Collaborations with other AM Members! Strange Days Indeed (now that’s a great lyric for a song😉). Thanks for sharing your advice and talent. All the best!

[Mark T]

Classy performance, Tom, and agree with your three goals! 👍😎

[Siegfried M]

Beautifully played, at real high level, respect!

[Mike W]

Tom, that was superb. I am really quite envious – I’ve been trying to play that lesson for at least 3 years – but I’m nowhere as near as fluent as your performance, and I’m playing the standard version, without your embellishments. That was a real masterclass.

[Dave K]

Incredible, Tom. That was pro level playing and I love that you added a little bluesy lick in there as well. So good!

[James B]

Wow, Tom! This is so nice. A classy lesson to begin with and you embellished it beautifully. Such a great tone and relaxed delivery. Bravo!

James

[Jay Guitarman]

Hi Tom, unbelievable, how good you play! I liked the entire playing from beginning to the end…! It seems so effortless, but as you said, this only works according to your sesame street concept…! Beautiful!

[Phil B]

Tom, I just have to agree with all of the above. Like Juxi, I went back to listen to the original lesson intro and you have certainly made this piece your own. A testament to the regular practice that you advocate.

[Tim Read]

Playing is so smooth and makes you dream of being somewhere warm sunny and chilled. Agree with you learning points too, wise words…thanks!

TimR

[Denise]

This lesson is one of my first submissions, because I liked that jazzy tune (but it was too tough for me).
Your fingerstyle playing is top! I hear a bit of a bossa nova rhythm in your version.
Man, your improv sounds awsome. Such good phrasing, rhythm and clean playing.
Very well done, bravo. Thanks for reminding me of the 3 important advices.
Denise

More Blues!

[Vincent K]

Hi Tom

That sounded amazing

Jazzy from the first note

Great rythm

Excellent fingerpicking

🎸 Vincent 🎶 🇳🇱

[JFL]

Great advice Tom, and beautiful playing. Brian’s jazz lessons are always filled to the brim with attainable concepts that can really elevate a persons playing and understanding. You have demonstrated this with impressive results.

JFL

[AndréM]

Awesome performance Tom.
You took Brian’ version and made yours.
Great sound and finger picking.

AndréM

AndréM

[Tony (Antone) S]

Okay Love that arrangements Great playing

[Marie Jarreau]

Tom,
Your beautiful jazzy guitar piece just took me straight out to a cozy seat and the shade of a warm patio, with the sun gently setting in the distance taking ALL my worries to the other side of the world!

What a treat!

“Laissez les bon temps rouler“
Marie Jarreau

[sunjamr]

Great jazz comping, Tom. Classical composers would call that “Theme and Variation”. I like that you took it a bit in the direction of bossa nova. Well played!

Sunjamr Steve

[Mike D]

Very melodic playing …well done sir!

Live on planet Earth ? You got the blues.

[Alan K]

Fantastic rendition of this lesson Tom. You have great style and technique.

[Martin W]

Hi Tom , your three simple elements great advice, nice work with EP139 and changing it up to a wonderful finger style arrangement and making it your own , top notch I could listen to that all day .

Martin

[John H]

Tom
What an excellent choice… this was flawlessly played. I don’t know how anyone could play this better. You are a great player. Thanks for sharing such an uplifting piece.

John H.

[Rafa]

wow Tom D, awesome performance and arrangement, I really loved it. I am taking note to check that EP-139.
Thank you so much for sharig Tom.

[Bob Utberg]

Great choice Tom and wonderful goals! Playing and making music with others is the pinnacle of music. Sure, we play by ourselves a lot. That precious time with other musicians is priceless! Your rendition of this great lesson is professionally played! Great job. Bob

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[Manfred M]

I will look for this lesson, Tom. Playing melody with chords is also very interesting to me. But wow, i like your playing very much, it sounds so relaxed and easy und listining to you brings me in such a good mood. Thanks, enjoyed it very much.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will probably take place in July/August 2025

There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Livio M]

Hi Tom

A great application of the lesson, played with taste mastered
expressive and effortless. Bravo I liked it a lot

Livio

[Andy N]

Tom that was awe inspiring. It just flowed and sounded superb! You not only mastered the lesson but took it to another place entirely. Its just the kind of thing I was attempting with my own submission. I’ve made a note to got back to this lesson and have another shot at it. One of my not exactly breakthroughs, but realisations, is that if something isn’t working for you then maybe you’re not at that point in your journey so leave it for later. EP139 was one of those moments when I first tried it but, I think the time is right now. Thanks for the inspiration!

[snakechisler]

beautifully played a real treat on the ears

Enjoyed it very much will look up the lesson

[Laurel C]

Beautiful and articulate playing. Poetry in motion to watch as you manoeuvre around the fretboard with ease. Top level delivery.

[JoLa]

I absolutely love this kind of playing, Tom! So smooth and articulate and simply beautiful! Now I want to check that lesson out and see how you added to it.
Great advice points, too – I also tried to do #3 lately 🙂

🎸JoLa

[Don Patton jr]

Tom
I think you hit that composition out of the ball park, so to speak. Your clarity and accuracy in play was perfect!
Some great tips to follow in our guitar journey as well…really enjoyed it 👍

Don P

Don P

[Michael L]

Ah, man, Tom. That was just wonderful! Multiple listenings are a must. You’ve taken EP139 to whole new level. Kudos!

[charjo]

Tom,
I don’t think I’ve heard you play before. Now I have to go back and see what I’ve been missing. Beautifully done.
John

[Wim]

Tom,

You made a great fingerstyle arrangement of this lesson and played it perfectly.
Thanks for sharing.

Wim.

Wim

[Phil67]

Beautiful melody
Choice of chords sounds smoothly, that’s really a great submission.
Bravo.

Where does the white go when snow melts?

[DaveW]

Excellent playing and those are some great goals to share.

DaveW

[FergalT]

Excellent Tom, really enjoyed that

[Pap]

Wow Tom, that is some fantastic upgrades on the original lesson. You are really good. Nice work and I like your three points of advice for playing. Cheers to you! Pap

[Enrico]

This is beautiful Tom! Just landed here thanks to https://www.activemelody.com/forums/topic/november-2021-challenge-response-michael-l/ !

[Valérie]

your playing is incredible, you are a professional musician aren’t you?
it’s so rhythmically in place and there is such a groove!
that’s wonderful.
Valérie

Valérie Martin

[Author]

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