October 2025 Challenge Response – Serena C.

[Serena C]

Hi AM friends!
I’m posting for accountability as this time too I had to do a first take submission, life isn’t allowing me much time to prepare in advance, but at the least with the challenges I can keep consistent.
There’s some out of the box notes here and there, but it’s mainly in the 5th position of the fretboard mixing the E major and minor pentatonic scales on the backing track of EP604.
Enjoy the challenge and the weekend!
Serena

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)

[JoeD1]

Very nice Serena. I wish all my 1st takes were as nice!

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 L]

Nice Serena! Really good phrasing on this one… good space to digest the lick. Wonderful energy and intensity in your playing. I enjoyed it!

[AndréM]

Very nice on a first take.
Well done.

AndréM

AndréM

[Jennifer D]

Oh yeah nice and bluesy love the double stops! Superb! More 1st takes please!

[Bill]

This challenge was a good one to nail a first take on! Took me more than I’d like to admit. Nice bluesy playing Serena.

[Martin W]

Nice groove Serena, had my foot tapping from the off , love the slides at the start
You mean business girl ! So impressive for a first take . This had a cool intensity to it
One of your best to date I think .

Martin

[James B]

Great job, Serena. Playing with confidence. A first class performance and recording.

James

[JoLa]

Serena, you just might be the master of first takes! You just went for it and did a splendid job. Seriously, if I could play like this on the first take I would call myself a guitar player. This might be your best submission yet but I do enjoy them all 😊

🎸JoLa

[John H]

Serena
This is your best submission to date. I love your dirty overdriven sound. So much attitude and confidence. Well done.

John

[Alan L]

Great first take! Really fun, energized and musical.

[Dieter]

Hot bluesy stuff.

Dieter

[Denise]

Serena, you rock!! That was a brilliant first take. Great mix of major and minor pentatonic. I like your double stops and and string attacks. You did a great job on pattern 5. I used the same pattern and found out it not the easiest pattern to play licks, especially for the minor pentatonic.
Nice gnarly tone of your guitar.
Denise

More Blues!

[Manfred M]

You are the queen of first takes, Serena. Above all, this allows your authenticity and spontaneity to shine through. But first of all, it shows your great musicality. I enjoyed it!

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

For more information click here

I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Guido]

Not an usual box for an E major blues and you played a lot of original licks and melodic phrases, with great confidence for a first take! Excellent job, Serena!

Guido

[Catherine Arsenault]

Yes Serena you rock that was awesome!!!

[Paul S.]

First take or not, you really attacked this piece! Maybe because it was your first run, it carried a lot more energy and power than some of your earlier work. And it was clean! I can hardly do a run that doesn’t have several flubs and stumbles. Your piece had enough repetition to be memorable and enough variety to stay fresh. Well done.

[Robert G G]

A friend used to tell me, “Perfect is the enemy of the good.” How you play is more important than what you play. Keep on….

Blues Bob

[Tremelow]

Congrats on a 1st take that sound like it could be my 10th. Or 20th… That was fantastic, Serena! There is so much musicality in your playing , you are really coming along.

[charjo]

Looking like a real blues player there, Serena. Your progress is on full display.
John

[Andy N]

First take! Wow! You smashed it and pattern 5 isn’t the most convenient of the shapes either. Blues with a raw power!

[Reuben B]

Awesome first take. I love the blues energy and authenticity you clearly displayed on this rendition Serena. This is how blues should be, Great submission!

[Author]

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