November 2025 Christmas Challenge – Manfred M

[Manfred M]

Hey my AM friends,

I had a bit of a hard time getting this one right. It just didn’t sound the way I wanted it to, and I even scrapped a finished video and started over.

But let’s start at the beginning: I just couldn’t decide which Christmas songs to tackle, and finally settled on two:
One is “O Tannenbaum” (O Christmas Tree). Every child in Germany knows this one. I play it in an arrangement I found on “Six String Fingerpicking.”
For the second one, I chose Brian’s arrangement of “Little Town Of Bethlehem” EP 597.
Both pieces are in C major, so I think they go together quite well.
I play them both in Fingerstyle on my Larrivee

So I hope I was able to come up with a reasonably listenable version that you‘ll enjoy a little.
In any case, I’m looking forward to all your Christmas songs this month.

Best wishes to you all and have a great Christmas season!
Manfred

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be at the beginning of next year 2026

A detailed announcement will be posted here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Jonathan Amos]

How do you get such a rich, warm recording? Brian’s arrangement is excellent and I certainly enjoyed your rendition, perfectly listenable.

Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

[Manfred M]

I’m glad the sound quality I achieved gets so much recognition, Jonathan. I haven’t done anything fancy. I just recorded my Larrivee with the Rode NT1 condenser into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. I just use GarageBand as my DAW. I turn a few knobs until I think it sounds good.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be at the beginning of next year 2026

A detailed announcement will be posted here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[charjo]

Congrats, Manfred, that was lovely. As discussed in our Zoom, many of us had a late start on getting this together. I’m still trying to get mine under my fingers. Congratulations, also, on your very long, consistent streak of challenge submissions.
John

[Guido]

Two great arrangements, beautifully played on your acoustic with a very nice, rich and warm tone! Lovely submission, enjoyed to listen to it, Manfred!

Guido

[AndréM]

Perfectly played finger style.
Great choice of songs.
Greta tone from your Larrivee.

Merry Christmas

AndréM

AndréM

[sunjamr]

Totally flawless, Manfred. Great recording quality. I fully expected you to break into a blues version toward the end.

Sunjamr Steve

[JoeD1]

Nice job Manfred. They were both very enjoyable to listen to! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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

[Werner]

A very good contribution, Manfred. The two songs you chose are very well suited for the guitar, and of course, they are played brilliantly. And as others have already written— great recording, it’s amazing how you got the sound just right.

Dir und Deinen Lieben eine besinnliche Adventszeit.

Werner

[Reuben B]

Perfectly done Manfred, great use of double stops on the first song. The second song have the melody comes out of the chords. Great fingerpicking on both of those. !

[Juxi]

No need to shy away from us at the end, Manfred. 😉
That was very well done! And – as our friends stated above – the recording quality and the tone very exceptionally good!
Da kamen sehr weihnachtliche Gefühle auf. Gut gemacht, da bist Du bestens für Heilig Abend vorbereitet. 👍🏽

Bluesige Grüße
Juxi

[JoLa]

You are right – when you can’t decide which one – play them both seems like a solution 😉 The two arrangements fit together very nicely! Also very nice recordings, Manfred – the tone and clarity were superb. I don’t believe I have ever seen you play a Larrivee, is it new to you?

🎸JoLa

[Manfred M]

Nope, no new guitar since 2021, Jola. You certainly have seen and heard my Larrivee before. I used it in several challenges. But in 2026 there will be a new guitar. I am determined, but I don’t know which one yet.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be at the beginning of next year 2026

A detailed announcement will be posted here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Alan L]

Nice clean playing, those arrangements sound great. Fantastic tone, you are really making that thing sing!

[Andy N]

I know you said you weren’t happy with the first recording but you must be with these final two. Such a rich deep tone but with all the highs still crystal clear and both recordings. A lot of that has to do with how you played them of course which was terrific on both, clean and precise. Beautiful arrangements and I particularly love these slow paced Traditional Christmas songs as they impart such meaning and character,

[John H]

Manfred,
This sounds magnificent! The recording quality on the 2nd piece just grabs my soul. Well played and presented. Thank you and have a blessed holiday season.

JH

[Tremelow]

Congratulations on this submission, Manfred, it sounds increadible! Your picking is flawless and you make the Larivee shine shine shine. What’s your secret to that tone??

Merry Christmas!

[Manfred M]

No secret, Kevin, only the luck of an amateur.

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be at the beginning of next year 2026

A detailed announcement will be posted here in the forum in good time.

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Denise]

First I must say that your guitar sounds so great and the recording quality is excellent!
Very nice arrangement and playing of these two Christmas songs.
Of course I know “Oh Tannenbaum” and it sounds so much better played on the guitar than with singing!
Very well and clean played!
Happy Christmas to you and your family.
Denise

More Blues!

[Dieter]

Very interesting version.

Dieter

[Martin W]

Nice choice of Xmas tunes Manfred , you play them so well finger style , just the right tempo as well .
Superb sound from your acoustic, the recording came through brilliantly, I think you’ve found the secret sauce for a top notch recording.
Happy festive season to you

Martin

[Alan O]

Manfred, both of those sounded beautiful! You should get extra credit for doing two! Love your guitar. I’ve had my eye on Larivee’s for a few years. I’m convinced there is one in my future.

Alan

[James B]

Loved them both, Manfred. Your guitar sounds amazing.
Merry Christmas 🎄

James

[Richard G]

I didn’t enjoy it a ‘little’ Manfred, I enjoyed your Christmas songs a ‘lot’. Both songs beautifully played with a gorgeous natural tone from your Larrivee.

Merry Christmas Manfred, and many thanks for organising the Zoom Meetings again this year.🎄

Richard

[Paul S.]

That guitar makes such beautiful sound, it would be hard to play anything that sounds bad.
Your versions of these were both terrific, even if you don’t think so,.

Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks for your work in coordinating our meetups.

[Author]

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