May 2025 Challenge Martin W

[Martin W]

Hi folks , my submission for this month, A breakthrough moment….. there has been many . Using triads ,CAGED concepts etc , last months challenge setting a limitation was enlightening, but when I think back a defining moment for me was learning EP 244 hybrid picking, I first played this five years ago , and at the time I was so intent on getting the technique down I kinda learnt it “ parrot fashion” and didn’t take much notice of the structure.
I decided to give it a revisit, this time paying attention in class ! And probably played it at a slower tempo with a bit more detail .
I also added a short section on the end , using arpeggios.
I find myself using this style a lot , so it’s kinda stuck .
Look forward to listening to everyone’s lightbulb moments.

Cheers martin .

[KT]

Hi Martin
Enjoyed your music. It have a country music feel to it and kind remind me of Johnny Cash guitar licks. Well done and great submission.

KT

[AndréM]

Awesome playing Martin.
Your hybrid is excellent.
Great tone from TL.

AndréM

AndréM

[Alan L]

Really well played. I love that technique, really gives you freedom to play stand alone pieces, adding melody and improv to a solid rhythm part.

[Michael L]

Gosh, Martin, your playing is so smooth and musical! I think you’re growing each month and just getting better and better. I’ll have to look up that lesson… I’ve not come across it yet, but it seems very worthy of some time.

[James B]

Well played, Martin. I remember this lesson. In the style of Ry Cooder and Sonny Landreth. Love the break from the shuffle when you hit the single note lick up the neck.

James

[JoeD1]

Beautiful playing Martin…I really enjoyed it! Nice ending!

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]

Wow, that’s some smooth picking and a great choice of music. Like Country Surf Rockabilly. Gonna have to study this one!

[Richard G]

I love that lesson Martin and you played it so well, with plenty of grit ‘n grunge.

Richard

[sunjamr]

Good one, Martin – you have a really good grip on that hybrid picking (pun intended). Lucky for me, I don’t need to do hybrid picking very often, because my thumbnail is actually quite strong and functions well as a pick. When I do need to use it, is for songs that require a very fast link to be inserted here and there. Fingerpickers can’t play licks anywhere near as fast as a pick player can. So hybrid picking in a song allows you to do some fingerstyle, then switch to pure picking for those fast licks.

Sunjamr Steve

[JoLa]

Oh my, you nailed this, Martin! Fantastic playing and tone, loved it!

🎸JoLa

[Wayne Nunez]

Man that was nice, very well played love the triads and the turn around at the end!

[Laurel C]

Oh yeah, it still sounded fast even though with a different approach of slower tempo and more detail. Great sound and flawless picking. It pays to revisit lessons as your experience shows. You have nailed the hybrid picking. Inspirational.

[Jennifer D]

That was a very good showcase of hybrid picking Martin, very rhythmic, I like it!

[charjo]

Wow, Martin, you’ve become really adept with your hybrid picking style. That tone with the muting and reverb was killer.
John

[Manfred M]

Wow, Martin, that sounded so good. I loved how you worked out the bass and the melody lines so clearly with your picking. A pleasure to listen to and definitely a great skill to develop.

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

[Gary W]

Very cool playing Martin & i’m loving those chimey tones. Great stuff.

Gary

[Denise]

Great playing and hybrid picking, Martin !! Oh, I love that country-rockabilly Blues.
Nice turnaround at the end. Love the tone. So fluently played.

PS: I miss the South West. We might need to go again next year!

Denise

More Blues!

[Paul S.]

Nice! You do with hybrid picking what Doc Watson does without a pick. He just uses his thumb.
I’ve tried hybrid picking before and can do it on double stops pretty easily, but you take it to another level, playing a bass line and a melody. Plus you pick with more fingers than I do. So now I have a new thing to try and a new standard to meet.

[Catherine Arsenault]

That was awesome playing !!!!!

[Pap]

Martin, your work has really paid off. I am going to go check that lesson out. I like that you didn’t seem to miss a not and your timing was consistent…great groove! Well done. Pap

[Mark T]

Great performance, Martin – this really demonstrated the worth of hybrid picking. So much would be difficult (if not impossible) to play without it. – Mark 👍🎶😎

[Dieter]

Excellent groovy hybrid picking.

Dieter

[Serena C]

hey Martin, this is an inspiring choice for this submission, and very well played!

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)

[John H]

Martin
My foot was a stompin’ right off the bat. Great tone. You sure can fingerpick and do that twangy thing.
It’s really neat that you got to revisit a lesson you previously learned and could apply some ‘aha’ to it. Well done my friend.

John

[Bob Utberg]

So cool to see many of our Am peeps digging into triads and CAGED. Nicely done Martin. Smooth and played like a pro

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[Reuben B]

Great groovy rhythm Martin, with some country twang in there. Masterclass demonstration of hybrid picking. I enjoyed listening to that.

[Author]

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