Participate in the January 2017 Member Challenge – Open Challenge

[Bryce-AKguitar]

Hi Active Melody Community!

Please watch the video above and read instructions below carefully as things have changed a little for this month’s challenge.

Pick any Active Melody lesson that you have not previously recorded or learned.

YOU PICK THE LESSON!!!

**If you need assistance with how to record yourself and post to the forum see this post and/or private message me and I will be happy to help you out.**

https://www.activemelody.com/forums/topic/how-to-record-yourself-with-better-audio-and-with-a-jam-track/”

_______________

GOALS FOR MEMBER CHALLENGE:

1. All Playing Levels: Learn a lesson you haven’t yet and have fun!
2. Participation Goal: 20 Active Melody Member Participant Videos/MP3 posted.

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GROUND RULES FOR PARTICIPATION:

1. Pick the lesson you want to do as soon as possible. This can be from the Beginner’s course, Hendrix course, or any other Active Melody lesson.
2. Reply to this post with the lesson “EP” number or Pre “EP” title and commit yourself to submitting it by the deadline.
3. Post your Youtube, Vimeo, or Soundcloud links of you playing your selected lesson anytime between Friday, January 27th to Sunday, January 29th. (i.e. The last weekend of January.) Please do not submit earlier. I think it is fun to see everyone’s posts at once.

4. Submit individually in the “Showcase Your Playing” forum. Title your posts “January 2017 Open Challenge Response – [Your AM Screen Name]”

5. If you submit more than one video for the challenge. Please indicate which video you want in the consolidated post. Bryce will pick his favorite if one is not indicated. ☺

6. Have fun and don’t be intimidated by these challenges!!! Use these challenges to help you set goals and complete them by a deadline. You can also use this as an opportunity to chat with your fellow Active Melody members and share tips or tricks on this challenge that you think are useful.

7. In my opinion, it is better to show progress versus perfection with these challenges. So if you are a beginner and can only play the first couple of measures. That is completely ok. If you play two more measures of the next challenge piece than you did the previous one, you are on track to getting better. This is what these challenges are about…you learning guitar and getting better. Remember we are all here to support you no matter what your current playing level is.

I look forward to seeing everyone’s posts! Happy Picking!

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[Bryce-AKguitar]

I’m doing EP183!

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[Billy]

Time I was getting my playing in to gear and being positive about which style I prefer to be playing..
So, for the 1st challenge of 2017 I am going to be doing EP041 which is a slow ballad in the style of B.B. King..

..Billy..

[charjo]

I am going to revisit EP 135 Mick Taylor lead. I could never quite get this up to tempo and speed is one of my goals this year. It will also give me a chance to use my new Christmas distortion pedals and add some really obnoxious overdrive to the Les Paul I don’t play much.
John

[kubrider]

I’m going to have a go at Ep096, I’ve been looking to tackle this for awhile.
Rob

[JohnStrat]

I had just started on 183 so i will go with that Like Bryce, its such a great tune.
JohnStrat

[Bill M]

Ill do EP074

[charjo]

@billy51754yahoo-com, EP 074 is one of my favourites, it opened my eyes to the concept of mixing major and minor pentatonic in licks. Some great licks in that one that I mean to go back to and try to incorporate into my playing.
John

[gquellet]

Can’t wait to hear it.

[Chris T]

It’s 169 or 183 for me, both are part finished/started, so maybe I’ll get both done in the month.

[Debra]

Bryce, great timing with an open selection!
I have wanted to do EP085, a drop D tune for a while now. It will be a good challenge for me!
Cheers, Debra

[Havasumark]

It’s been a while since I participated in a challenge. To bring in the New Year on the good note!!! I’m going to give
EP074 a run… It’s been on my list for a while now…

Mark

[gquellet]

Now your talking ! A CREAM lesson is on my agenda

[Don D.]

I’ve got a head start on EP182, blues with a tempo change; it’s the one Brian was nice enough to name “Don’s Blues” when I was asking about it on YouTube. It’s such a cool tune, the time shift has been difficult but I’ll get it. I’d made some noises about having it ready before I went back to work tomorrow, but a few more weeks could only help.

Don D.

[Jeff Y]

I’ll be searching “Clapton” in the lesson search field, then let it take shape from there from lessons revealed

This is going to be fun month of study

[Mark O]

Man, there are so many I’d love to do… Normally I’d look for something where I can create and put my own spin on the backing track but I know free time is going to be scarce in January. Instead, I’m going to go with the “less is more” theory and go with EP139. I hope I can do it justice…

[barry]

Happy New Year Everyone!Im going for tbe Delta blues Acoustic styles and see what i can come up with should be fun!also im Looking at Bryces Recording Video Tutorial so I can sync the Audio. that will be a first for me
Happy Picking
Barry

[Martin G]

I will take the easier road this month and go with EP 184……S L O W minor key blues in A….with improvs of course…I never tire of that particular groove and chord progression.

Marty

[Tremelow]

I already know that I won’t be able to participate in February and March, but I am craving to get back into the challenge game. I chose EP152 – Blues Boogie Rhythm Guitar Lesson . It reminds me of the Bo Diddley tune I once had huge fun with (EP086). It’s quite challenging in a number of ways, so for the time being I’ll be happy to just stay as close as possible to Brian’s original version.

[richard t]

I have resolved to post at least 10 video lessons this new year; not prolific but improvement for me.
I tried to learn EP 129 about 8 months ago and failed. I’m going to try again.

[TonyM]

going to give ep184, A minor rhthym and lead a try.

Tony Moreno

[WBlues]

I think EP184 has many ways to add something own. I try it once with a finger picking Version.

Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.

Wilfried

[konk]

I’m almost ready with lesson EP183, very nice Chicago blues; so I’ll wait to the end of the month to post it!

grtz all and a good health for 2017,
Michel

[richard t]

I need to change mine because I don’t have the gear to record using a backing track; just a cell phone. So I’ll do 121 instead of 129.

[Strykerward]

Well, 2017

It’s time… I will enter my first challenge EP169 to get a feel for my new (to me) Alvarez AP66ESB.

Cheers

Steve

[Bob S]

I started EP 129-Key to the Highway on the New Year’s day, so I’ll give that go.
Bob

[bwade913]

I’m going to do EP179 the jazz-blues lesson. I’ve been slacking off lately, not due to lack of playing time, but lack of focus. I don’t listen to a lot of jazz except to the extent that some of my favorite blues players (Derek Trucks, Robben Ford) crossover, but I’m surprised how much I’m enjoying this lesson. I’m literally tethered to my home now since I have to be on oxygen 24/7 for the next few weeks after an accident, so I should have time to get this together.

Cheers,
Bret

[sunburst]

I would like to try EP 185 and mixing what I just revisited and really enjoyed again EP 129 hope I can mix in the 1 v 1v progression,, tired now ,,time to rest,,been practicing most the day! lol

[sunjamr]

I’m in. After much thought and trepidation, I’ve decided to commit to trying to use my new looper to do something with EP045/46. It’s a repetitive two chord lesson, so it lends itself well to looping. Rather than just building a rhythm and bass track, then playing some lead along with it, my aim is to bring different loops in and out to try to make it more interesting. My head hurts from thinking about it too much already.

Sunjamr Steve

[Michael H.]

Been working on an old one, LEG005. Fast blues with some great licks. Will take some work. Fun one

[Patrick van Rijn]

I missed the last challenges, so I cannot wait to step in this month! I’ll pick a Robert Cray’ish tutorial or a jazzy tune.

Patrick

[BTGuitar]

I’ll try EP177 for my first challenge post.

BTGuitar

[Ed H]

Just started so 185 was the new one then. It’s coming but needs to get up to speed.Then I have to learn how to video

[Joey S]

Great idea. New to Active Melody. Fantastic learning environment. I assume I can take the challenge yes?? If so, then I’m gonna try and conquer EP167(version 1). Really impressed with this site and what one gets for the dollar…incredible value.

[richard t]

Great idea. New to Active Melody. Fantastic learning environment. I assume I can take the challenge yes?? If so, then I’m gonna try and conquer EP167(version 1). Really impressed with this site and what one gets for the dollar…incredible value.

Agreed and welcome to the site.

[Bryce-AKguitar]

@jstroud777icloud-com: Hey Joey! Welcome to the AM Community! Of course you can do the challenge. It is open to all members. Let me know if you have any questions or need assistance with anything.

Warm Regards,

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[Jordan Sutherland]

Time to unleash some fury! Style of Buddy Guy it is!!

[richie b]

gonna do ep178 santana

[brian-belsey]

Some ragtime blues on electric.

[Scott M]

I was asked to be part of a musical fundraiser for the local foodbank last month, ended up playing with a drummer and a fiddle player and had a whole lot of fun supporting a good cause. So I’m going to try EP154 the Gypsy Waltz.

Scott

[Hilsanders]

There are so many great lessons on my bucket list. EP092 Rock Country Lead was the lesson that convinced me to join Active Melody but I never spent a lot of time on it (I kept getting distracted with each new lesson). EP092 is my selection for the January challenge.
JohnA

[Billy]

Scott M wrote:

I was asked to be part of a musical fundraiser for the local foodbank last month, ended up playing with a drummer and a fiddle player and had a whole lot of fun supporting a good cause. So I’m going to try EP154 the Gypsy Waltz.

Scott

I am looking forward to hearing this Scott, I had nightmares with that song and still cant play the blasted thing…hahaha.. good luck man, and dont listen to the voices…hahahaha

..Billy..

[Bryce-AKguitar]

…still cant play the blasted thing…

@williammillar31hotmail-com: I disagree. I have heard you play and you played it well. Got to cut yourself some slack Billy. Just keep practicing and be positive and your playing will improve.

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[Billy]

Bryce-AKguitar wrote:

…still cant play the blasted thing…

@williammillar31hotmail-com: I disagree. I have heard you play and you played it well. Got to cut yourself some slack Billy. Just keep practicing and be positive and your playing will improve.

Nice of you to say Bryce but tbh after all my practise on gypsy to get to an acceptable standard im afraid i didnt keep up with running through it once or twice a week to keep my playing fluid, i shelved it instead and now find it as difficult to play when i originally attempted it, tbh i dont think i am being hard on myself, i do however think i am being honest with myself on where i am as a player.. I am progressing and cant disagree with you there, but i do have to be honest with myself or I am letting myself down, do you honestly think i am being over critical of myself?….

Billy

..Billy..

[Bryce-AKguitar]

@williammillar31hotmail-com: Billy, I feel like you are self-deprecating about your playing on the forum often. In my opinion, 90% of this guitar journey is your mindset. You got to talk about the things you can do, the things you want to do, and how you are going to get there from where you are at. Celebrate your wins and forget your losses.

I go to a local blues jam every week. There are crazy good guitar players there that can play circles around me. I screw up regularly at the jam. If I just focused on the previous two things I would never go back and try again. I would have convinced myself that I suck at guitar playing and I can’t get better. I am not saying I am still not uncomfortable at times on stage or upset when I totally screwed up. My point is: be frustrated and mad. Then, go back to the woodshed and practice to prevent whatever you screwed up from happening again. Repeat as necessary. That is how I have gotten better.

I was very proud of you when you posted your Gypsy Waltz piece. I knew you worked very hard at it and it showed.

You are a full-fledged bonafide guitar player. We ALL are here. Are we the best guitar players on the planet? No. We are all learning. Self-deprecation diminishes your value as a guitar player and as a person. Billy, I see value in your playing and you as a person. I just want you to see that too.

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[bri-uklefty]

Hi Bryce and happy birthday! Sorry for delay in responding but got a relapse with jaundice last week and back in hospital since Thursday; real bummer as we had recovered liver function and were going to start chemo this week. Arghh it was within touching distance man!
Anyway I hope to get home later this week and will get back to work on the recent Delta Blues (not so easy for me) lesson. As it will be great to eventually master this style.
Look forward to seeing the open challenge responses.
Cheers Bri

[Brendan O]

I’m going to do EP20, but with a slight twist – will be playing on electric guitar with a backing track I can download from Youtube

Just received my Yamaha THR10 amp/interface yesterday, so I’m looking forward to playing around and getting some recording done.

[Brendan O]

That should be EP28 – the SRV style track.

[Havasumark]

Brenda,

I’d be interested on hearing your comments on your new THR10 amp. I’m contemplating getting one. Actual, I do believe as you state, several members have them and would like to hear more about them.

Thanks,
Mark

[Brendan O]

Havasumark wrote:

Brenda,

I’d be interested on hearing your comments on your new THR10 amp. I’m contemplating getting one. Actual, I do believe as you state, several members have them and would like to hear more about them.

Thanks,
Mark

Hey Mark,

First impressions are great, huge variety of tones from the amp models and very easy to dial in some great sounds before ever using the software.

Looks fantastic as well!

[mcnessa]

EP140 In the style of Lonnie Johnson. A catchy tune I’ve wanted to try since I came on board.

Sweet Home Chicago

[Gary W]

Forgive me Bryce! I apparently don’t read instructions too well. I coulda and shoulda responded a few weeks ago with my commitment to this challenge. Please don’t slap my wrist too hard or call in the AM Challenge Police. I’m going to go with EP183, “Slow Blues in G.” It’s absolutely a blast to play. It sure looks like a whole lot of AM’ers have accepted this month’s challenge. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s posts.
Gary

[Bryce-AKguitar]

@gdwaldmancomcast-net: No worries Gary! I think it is a misconception on the forum that I get mad at people or something if someone does not follow these guidelines exactly because quite a few people ask for forgiveness from me if they deviate. I really am a nice guy and love this community. These challenges are for everyone. I just happen to organize them.

So no AM police, no wrist slapping, no nothing. 🙂

-Bryce
Anchorage, Alaska

[Gary W]

Bryce — haha, no I didn’t really think you actually get mad. I was just fessing up about my inability to read the rules.
Cheers!
Gary

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