Participate in the January 2026 Challenge

[Brian]

Hi Active Melody family!

It’s time for the January, 2026 Site Member Challenge

This month’s challenge is going to be for you to create a solo Blues composition in the key of G by starting in either the C shape or the D shape (both of which have been covered in recent MicroLessons – links below).

You can make the composition as basic or complicated as you want, just no jam track! So if you start in the C shape, you’ll be playing the G, C, and D chord in that position (that area of the fretboard), same is true for the D shape. You can also blend ideas from the C and D shape if you want, but only if you’re comfortable doing so.

If it’s too complicated trying to blend the chord and the scale to create a composition, feel free to just play the 1-4-5 chords (G, C, and D) out of that C or D position.

The D Shape Blues

The C Shape Blues

The submission date for this challenge will be Sunday, February 15 – you can start submitting Friday, February 13

**If you need assistance with how to record yourself and post to the forum see this post**

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GROUND RULES FOR PARTICIPATION:

1. Post your Youtube, Vimeo, or Soundcloud links of you playing your chosen lesson anytime between Friday, February 13, through Sunday, February 15, 10:00 pm CST. Please do not submit earlier. I think it is fun to see everyone’s posts at once.

2. Submit individually in the “Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions” forum. Title your posts “January 2026 Challenge Response – [Your AM Screen Name]”

3. Please submit only a single video or audio file for this challenge.

4. 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.

5. 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! 🙂

[Jonathan Amos]

Thanks, Brian, I’ll finally be able to sleep tonight now I know what the monthly challenge is! Been doing them pretty regularly for the last seven years, I think they are one of the best features of the channel and always give me a great sense of achievement.

Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

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