March 2026 challenge response

[AndréM]

Hello AM friends,

Challenge: Play a rhythm and a lead tracks

First video: remake of a composition I did in 2019 when I joined AM.
It was my first composition.
Wanted to do it for a long time.

Harmonized octaves with Strat.
Lead with my Warmoth axe
Rhythm: Taylor GS mini.
Drums: Gretch kit paned left, DW kit paned right.
Rhodes electric piano with tremolo.
Bass Godin.
Eatswest: 5 string bass, B3, pads, strings.
Done in Reaper.

Second video: Composition posted Junoe 2019, before I had my hardware upgraded.

AndréM

[Guido]

Very refined and atmospheric composition and production, mon ami! I can always hear some Gilmour’s influence in your playing.

Your remake it’s very well played and mixed and it’s nice to compare it with the first, rawer but intriguing version. Both versions are brilliant in their own way and very enjoyable to listen to!

Guido

[JoeD1]

I liked ‘em both Andrè. The new version was certainly more refined and polished but both were pro quality my friend.

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

[Michael Krailo]

Yes, I liked both versions. Anything that goes for a longer duration I give a lot of credit for and shows that a lot went into the composition. There is no way I could do that in the little time we had to prepare for this challenge.

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

[Pap]

Andre, you are a badass! This production is really fantastic…and I am speaking from a music perspective. The vid is good too but its the musical production that blows me away. You put so much into every aspect of the music…you should teach. Great job! Pap

[Mark T]

An incredible submission from you, André – really atmospheric vibe and great mix! A masterclass 👏👏 – Mark 👍🎶😎

[Wayne Nunez]

Nice job andre great playing and vibe it all goes together nicely!

[James B]

I don’t know who’s better, Andre the musician or Andre the producer? Great work my friend.

James

[charjo]

Epic production with great mixing, Andre. Was the lead mostly improvised?
John

[AndréM]

TY John for your comment.
Yes it was worked on a bit but mostly improvised.

AndréM

[sunjamr]

Wow, what a fantastic composition and arrangement! This is my favorite thing I’ve ever heard you play. And I never knew you had a Taylor GS Mini. People would pay money to listen to this one.

Sunjamr Steve

[Denise]

Great production and performance! I love all the full and deep guitar parts.
The rhythm on the Taylor GS Mini sounds so good.
Like Charjo said, it sounds very epic.
Yes that’s one of the best I heard you play here.
I enjoyed listening very much and I feel so inspired.

More Blues!

[Catherine Arsenault]

Andre you seize to amaze me!! Great job!!

[Alan L]

Great stuff. The newer version is more refined, but I like the chunky heavy guitar present in the first version. Your lead playing is always fantastic, musical and you never seem to run out of ideas!

[Manfred M]

Hi Andre, what a fantastic music production. And what a great remake of a beautiful composition. Your new version may be a bit more refined, but your musicality shines through in both versions.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be May/June
There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum
I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Jonathan Amos]

Top notch composition and production. Great idea to start with a keyboard, it rounds out the overall sound.

Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

[John H]

Well done Andre
The whole production is smashing. Gorgeous melody/motif. Your lead is tasty, timely and 80’s-esque. Love the hand off to guitar #2 at 2:54. The delay is subtle yet enveloping. FANTASTIC!

John

[Werner]

Thank you very much for this post, Andre. The 2019 track hasn’t lost any of its appeal—it’s still relevant and simply great music.

Werner

[Gary W]

Andre, this is wonderful! It transported me to a time when I was younger – I think shades of some prog rock I loved back in the day, plus some much more recent ideas. Beautifully played and produced. Nice one.

Gary

[Martin W]

Got to be your finest to date ! Both versions were fantastic but the re-worked 2nd one was subtly more refined, but the Gilmour influence is in both …….so good !

Martin

[JoLa]

Oh wow, an outstanding production, André!!! Love both versions for different reasons but this project surely deserved updating just to be heard again, so rich and powerful! The original version seemed to be more experimental and I love that, especially the Gilmour-like queasy tones similar to those in “Echoes”, how did you even do that?!? Incredible! If you put it on Spotify it will go viral just by my listens! 👌👌

🎸JoLa

[AndréM]

Thx for your comments. I am torn between the two version, but your comments reflect exactly
how I feel about it. I am not sure about Spotify and I would not know how to go about it, lol.

Thanks again.

AndréM

[snakechisler]

Really well put together piece of music

Really appreciate the effort thats gone into playing and producing the whole thing

Well done

[Raffaele S]

Well done Andre….all the various parts are well played and pleasant…..furthermore your improvements compared to 2019 are also evident….Very good

[Laurel C]

Andre, that was epic and it’s just amazing how you can produce and play these complex pieces. Listened to both and your updated one is more polished, it’s a winner. Don’t know how you come with these epic arrangements in the time we have.

[Bruce D]

Andre,
Great production all around. Somewhere in there I can hear Carlos Santana jumping in for a couple choruses. . .
Well played and produced for sure.
Nice!

Bruce

Just focus on the notes you DID get right . . . Frank Vignola

[Michael L]

Andres, a great rock ballad indeed! Very enjoyable listen and a testament to excellent playing and production.

[Dieter]

Excellent composition and playing.

Dieter

[Author]

Posts