It’s amazing what you created just using those three things. It sounded great David.
You looked to be really enjoying it and totally lost in it as well.
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@roger_holland it is good advice, Roger, but maybe it is like that old story about how people often miss opportunities that come knocking at their door … cause when you open the door the opportunity is dressed in overalls, safety helmet and heavy boots, looking suspiciously like hard work. Learning licks that way is the way to go. Whether learning licks is the way to go is more questionable, or at least how you identify licks to learn. Learning solos is another good way to learn licks and feel which you can then make your own.
@TheMadman_tobyjenner Toby, I hope the wife is feeling much better and despite being poorly you could still enjoy the 65th. Definitely a priority over producing a good old noodle recording for us to enjoy.
@Rossco01 thanks Jason. Not so convinced by ‘looking cool’ but definitely fun and an approach that creates a different experience. Maybe one of Toby’s BTs will be suitable for some more gritty tones from the overdrive.
@SgtColon thanks Stefan. It was a lot of fun and encourages trying to be a bit more expressive
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“Alle werkelijke leven is ontmoeting.” (nl)
“All real life is an encounter.”
…Martin Buber
Although I don’t know whether this translation is 100% correct, but with all real life means all living, … always and everywhere…
Learning guitar and everything that comes with it is quite a-liv(f)e 
Greetings,…
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Managed to crank one out over one of those BTs I shared about 11pm but this numpty didn’t run anything through the Loudness Meter. End result way too hot and distorted and that was just the BT. 
Been at the (Acoustic) Solo Blues again today and an old toon from '64 that’s an OM possible. All being well it will be a Dusty Bin session this evening.
I though that last bit might need explaining. Thx regards the missus.
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@TheMadman_tobyjenner That’s the first thing that came to my mind when I read the title… hey David’s doing some TV show theme tunes
@DavidP As the saying goes “less is more”. With just 3 fretted notes, 2 chord backing, and one bend you produced a great loodle. A very enjoyable listen and something that I should think about when I get to the stage of learning bends.
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OK so hopefully some of you will have seen Mr Preece’s 3-2-1 Loodle post recently and the practice of focused improvisation using only 3 notes, 2 chords and 1 bend. Well this is my attempt.
There has been a sidebar, off piste chat, between @stitch @DavidP @sairfingers and myself for a number of months now (to be honest I can’t remember when it started) but it was around the time David and Gordon started some Blues Impro. Rick had helped me no end over the years, so the idea was to pass on my some of my limited experience while drawing down on Rick’s expertise of many decades ! There has been a few projects and challenges borne of those first discussions and this is the latest gauntlet that Rick thrown at our feet. Naturally we rose to the occasion.
Like David, I have included a link to the Active Melody video Rick shared with us, in case anyone else fancies a nibble. As David said you are limited to just 3 fretted notes and 1 bend, using a backing track with just 2 chords. I have added a fretboard diagram showing the positions used in this exercise, which like David is over a A minor Backing Track but I have shown the notes as intervals, so you could move this to a different key (eg drop 2 frets and use a G minor BT). The bent note is the 4th interval, in this case D bending a full tone to the 5th interval E.
So the initial exercise is to improvise in the position shown above but then move around the neck using different scale patterns, once you get used to the constraints of the exercise.
With my moto of why reinvent the wheel, I popped over to YouTube and got hold of 6 backing tracks, with just Am and D7 (or subtle derivatives). Chopped them up into suitable lengths, from 11 minute jams to AOVYP friendly.
So here is The Madmans’ SoulFunk Boogie in A minor (A 3 2 1 Production)
Comments, feedback, critique most welcome. If anyone else is interested in trying this and would like some ready made backing tracks (BPM 96 to 120) I can share them from my Cloud.
Cheers
Toby
Original Backing Track Courtesy of BassLog Soul/Funk Backing Track Am7/D7 - YouTube
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Good job Toby phrasing was good and in time with the music. Full bends where good, specially the first one where you held it for a second then brought it down smooth. Prebends where good.
Try some Trills (hammer-on pull-offs without picking the string), they are mellower and would fit well with the laid back vibe you got going on.
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Thank you Rick appreciate the feedback.
Will be trying this on the other BTs with different styles and tempos. My trills always seem a little weak, hence picking the first note in those repeated hammers (or were they pull offs ? I was swapping on alternate recordings before I saved the last take !) . Something to work on or up the gain. What I think has improved, I hope, is less intrusive string noise ringing out. Still feel I need to work on overall muting but it seems a lot better than it was. Going to retry this BT with the 10th fret root (B) combined with 14th fret (G). Same octave root but a more challenging shape higher up the neck, maybe different fingering across G n B.
Cheers
Toby
Really enjoyed that. Nice laid back and groovy. I’d be interested in the backing tracks, hadn’t followed this thread, the active melody lesson is definitely on my to do list now. 
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That was super Toby. Really groovy and such a funky sound. You are way above my level so I can’t offer you any real feedback other than to say that it was a beautiful piece to listen to!
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Tasty, tasty, very, very tasty they’re very tasty.
I noticed some really confident and decisive moves. There were a few hesitant little moments on a few mini bends when it seemed you ckuldn’t quite decide whether to bend full or half or just a curl.
Mood music for the soul.
I suggest an extension.
4, 3, 2, 1
3 notes
2 chords
1 bend
Start the licks on beat 4.
That is a sneaky reference to comments I have made to a few folk to try to encourage exploring away from the tried, trusted and reliable ground of starting licks on beat 1.
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@tony Thanks for that Tony, definitely groovy and not my normal java but a couple of the funky BTs are fun to play with and yes there are some Blues as well. I’ll post links to my drive later today.
@Eddie_09 Cheers Eddie. Beautiful is not something I associate with my impros so I’ll put that down to the BT !! Appreciate the comments.
@Richard_close2u Mr C if only you knew ! Those hesitations were fatigue and should have been full bends ! I had lots of audio issues, with ASIO losing sight of the AI output channels and needing to reboot the PC. I ended hosting the BT in OBS then had some issues getting the levels right. What sounded good in the headphones, turned out to be too low GTR wise on the recording. So tweak record assess, wash rinse repeat. I finally got a great run, fitting all that was in my head and found the OBS recording hadn’t started ! Frustrated and weary I gave it one last shot and managed to get something in the can !
Are we heading to Manfred Mann territory ? Bend 3b to 4 as well ? Lets keep it at 321 for now but yes experimenting with the beat and when to come in will be added to future dalliances. Thank you for your ears .
Explainer for the youngsters Manfred Mann - 5 4 3 2 1 - YouTube
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Toby, that was schweeeeet playing. Loved the bends, especially when you came back down from the bend up (sorry, I don’t know the technical term). I was digging your groove man.
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Cheers Stefan appreciate you giving it a spin. I think you are referring to the pre-bend release. They probably have multiple terms you just bend before picking the string and the release to the original fretted note. Hope that helps, those wiser than I will correct me if I am wrong.
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Oh that constraint! It’s like having underwear that’s 3 sizes too small 
But it’s really amazing what you showed you could do with it. Very instructive - thanks!
I can relate to that Phil. When I first started out on the exercise I just found myself naturally going off for a walk all over the place as usual. Took a while to reign it in and stay focused but good fun and a challenge to find a lot with so little. Thanks for the listen.
Well, chapeau to the 3 musketeers (although which is d’Artagnan? 
) for sharpening their skills and sharing their adventures.
Sounded good to me Toby. Confident, smooth, nice tone, but left me wanting something a bit ‘different’ after a couple of minutes. I know that’s not the point of this exercise. Just sayin’.
Ignore Mr. Coles’ jingle reference. We all know the Branflake effect and this has nothing in common with that
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Very groovy sound, Toby 
. Thanks for giving us a taste of your current work 
.
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Very cool, very smooth, Toby.
I had been a wee bit leery (maybe a little Leary in my mind might aid imagination even if imaginary) of the more funky BTs, especially with a more up tempo ‘busy’ groove laid down by percussion. But I noticed that your jam was laid back sitting over a busier BT. So maybe I need to challenge myself to lock into a groove but not match tempo of each drum/cymbal note.
Noted the way you allowed pauses between licks/phrases … something for me to keep top of mind on the next go over one of your BTs.
Good use of pick attack to vary volume. Well done on the two phrases with the repeating hammer-on/flick-off technique just after 3’00"
I noticed only one phrase where you played R->p4. Perhaps worth exploring the roll technique to explore that further?
I also studied your bending and vibrato technique, trying to get closer to what Justin teaches which is the north star but notice when looking closely at people playing rather than teaching that it seems everybody is a little different?
Anyhow, that was great, and who knows, perhaps I’ll be serving up round 2 over the weekend.
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Very nicely done.
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