October 2025 Challenge Response – Michael L

[Michael L]

I looked at tracks from a lot of lessons this month, mainly from my Favorites list that I put there way back when. I settled on EP308 which is a jazzy minor blues and because of the chord progression (alternating Dm, G7) it is fits D Dorian perfectly. I used the D Dorian scale (same notes as C Major) in the G-shape and the D Minor Pentatonic scale box 4. I worked with a sequence of one octave arpeggios (Am7, Em7, and Dm7) to fill out the alternate sections and create some interesting lines.

Looking back at the challenge instruction, I missed the part about only using major/minor pentatonic scales. Oh, well. Let’s make some music!

[Jennifer D]

I think I might have also mi- read the challenge instruction but yours sounds absolutely beautiful!!!

[John H]

Well done Michael. This fits so nicely, love the arpeggios and how you outline the chords. Very pleasing to the ears too. The repeating lick at 1:59-2:06 beautifully added flare and class. A great listen!

John

[JoeD1]

With playing this beautiful you are excused from not sticking to Pentatonic!

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]

Nice jazzy feel.
Love it.
Well done.

AndréM

AndréM

[Bill]

Hey Michael, very classy and easy on the ears. Some really nice ideas throughout, especially like the descending patterns towards the end.
I too mis-understood the pentatonic parameter…oh well, music made!

[JoLa]

Loved the sound of that, Michael! A great track choice to start with and the Dorian additions added a nice dark-ish character. I think as long as you stayed within the same fretboard area, your challenge qualifies 🙂 It’s hard to resist sprinkling in some character, to the pentatonics, and you did it so well! The laid back soloing had a nice soothing JJ Cale-style effect, one of my favorites!

🎸JoLa

[Martin W]

Hi Michael, nice choice of backing track lends it self for some tasteful lead playing,
Really like the Dorian sound , that run at 0.54 sounds so good I can see why you repeated it several times . I think straying slightly from the pentatonics opens up for some more discovery which is a good thing .

Martin

[James B]

Classy guitar picking, Michael. Really a cool vibe throughout this piece. Loved it.

James

[Manfred M]

I like that dreamy jazzy sound, Michael. And just because you play this so well, you’re forgiven for not quite meeting the challenge requirements. The main thing is to make it sound beautiful. And you do!

Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be on February 28, 2026

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I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Alan L]

Really nice use of that scale, and you developed the arc of the solo well.

[Dieter]

Fine jazzy playing.

Dieter

[Denise]

Classy jazzy-blues playing over that wonderful track. Who cares about the limitations.
I love these arpeggios and that super sophisticated run starting 0:36.
I like how you repeated the theme.
That was sounding so good.
Well done.
Denise

More Blues!

[David H]

Oh what a lovely cool relaxing vibe. Great notes and timing of them. And the chord at the :42 mark was the cat’s meow! Your most creative submission yet (in my humble opinion).

[Catherine Arsenault]

Michael loved it really nice smooth runs !!!

[Guido]

Lovely piece of music, enjoyed very much to listen to it! Excellent and melodic phrasing in only one position. I think your challenge perfectly qualifies and the use of the dorian scale in only one position was excellent. The sound and tone of your acoustic (and your touch) is just perfect for this music. In my opinion one of your best submissions.

Guido

[charjo]

Beautiful sound, Michael, and I love how you put your love of theory to good use. That cascading, descending motif was gorgeous. Was that a Dmin7 arpeggio or a dorian run? Actually, I should know this; A minor notes from a D root should be the dorian mode. Makes me want to pick up my guitar and follow you.
I wouldn’t worry about the rules too much. I think the challenges should be used to work on something we think will expand our skills.
John

[Michael L]

Hi John, thanks! It’s actually a combination of descending single octave arpeggios. Top down: Dm7, Am7, pentatonic notes (because the B in the Em7 arpeggio didn’t fit the chord), then the lower Am7 and popping up to the D note to finish. I really like the descending arpeggios as they’re not quite as obvious as ascending.

I recently came across a tip that the 3 minor arpeggios of the key can work over any chord in the key, giving extended color tones (think upper structures). The suggestion was to use single octave versions and sequence them to create lines. Instead of thinking in terms of modes or scales, it’s taking the small minor arpeggios as building blocks. I started experimenting with that, and it worked well over this track. I did a similar combination of Dm7 and Am7 with the line at 1:33, with interesting result.

[Andy N]

You always pay a lot of attention to the details in your note selection in these challenges and I always enjoy your submissions for that reason. Echoing John, the descending sequence of arpeggios was sublime but there was also plenty to enjoy elsewhere with the gentle jazzy lines you created.
Top notch!!
And I similarly misread the rules but figured by the time you have a few chords in a progression all the notes feature in some pentatonic somewhere 😀

[Tremelow]

That’s a beautiful piece of music you have created here, Michael. A good proof of how worthwhile it is to explore modes. I particularly like Dorian.

[Jonathan Amos]

I’m not a fan of a lot of jazz but the kind of jazz you play is quite acceptable! I like melodies and this piece is very melodious and very well played.

Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

[Reuben B]

I love your melodic choices Michael. This is an interesting and challenging backing track, but you played lead well over it. I really like that run near / after the 1-minute mark. Very jazzy sounding (I have to replay it to figure out what you were playing). Did I also hear some diminished scale in there? Overall, great submission, I enjoyed it!

[Michael L]

Thanks Reuben! No intentional diminished scale in this one. I was focused on the minor arpeggios of the key (Am7, Em7, and Dm7) and playing them in sequence. That may have created some dim sounds, but not intentionally.

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