🎶 Latin American Music Challenge | Week 4

Welcome to our tonebase Guitar Community Challenge! For the next few weeks, we’ll be diving into the vibrant world of Latin American music, exploring rhythms, colors, and styles that have inspired guitarists around the globe.

This is your chance to work on masterpieces and hidden gems by some of the most iconic composers:

  • Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil) – lush, virtuosic preludes and études

  • Agustín Barrios Mangoré (Paraguay) – romantic, poetic works full of soul

  • Abel Carlevaro (Uruguay) – brilliant studies and innovative techniques

  • Leo Brouwer (Cuba) – modern masterpieces mixing folklore and avant-garde

  • Manuel M. Ponce – sonatas, and romantic masterpieces

  • Antonio Lauro – famous Venezuelan Waltzes

  • Atahualpa Yupanqui – folk-rooted pieces

  • Jorge Morel – virtuosic concert works and arrangements

  • …and many more treasures from across Latin America!


How it Works

  1. Pick your piece(s) – anything from the Latin American repertoire that excites you.

  2. Introduce yourself – share what you’ll be working on and why.

  3. Post updates – you can share progress videos, practice tips, or reflections.

  4. Support others – comment, encourage, and learn together.


📅 When?

  1. Start: September 29th

  2. End: October 30th

  3. Watch Party: October 30th 🎉


Why Join?

✅ Discover new repertoire
✅ Build consistency in practice
✅ Get feedback from peers
✅ Celebrate Latin American music with the community


💡 Whether you’re tackling a full Villa-Lobos Étude, polishing a Barrios gem, or exploring a short Brouwer piece, this challenge is for everyone — from curious beginners to advanced players.

👉 Jump in by introducing yourself below and telling us what you’ll be working on!

Let’s bring the sounds of Latin America to life together. 💃🎶 

91 replies

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    • Amateur with too little time and bingeplayer with sore arms and fingers
    • Lars_KjollerHansen
    • 2 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Misionera (Bustamente/arr J Morel)- Brouwer Trilogy from live in Lukowski 1971 ( Guajira Criolla -Cancion de Cuna-Danza Caracteristica.

    Have been away first two weeks of October of all places Asturias (which is a misleading title for that piece you know— 2026 project I guess) .Guess I told Dale I might throw in Misonera which I presented unfinished in a challenge some years ago. Have not played in since. Just retired after 41 years as a doctor with night and weekend calls— so more time to practice than before. 
    Here is status after a week - including now a sore right thumb MCP joint. First shot in the morning with iPhone after 15 min warm up. It does not get worse so it is ideal to record yourself that way to show all your weak spots to work more on. I decided to supplement Misonera that is fast and includes tremolo with the more feel good slow Cancion de Cuna and suddenly I started on the whole Brouwer Trilogy from live at Lukowski 1971. Ambitiuos , but it has been on my list to do one day, so this was the occasion.  Danza Caracterstica does not go well, I seem to stumble dyscoordinated over that pavement all the time,  but that’s I after 7min 30 s so few will probably note😉

    But remember the original concept for monthly changes was to present works in progress..- And as I wrote earlier one months is too short for me also in my new retried status—  and as Lukasz Kuropaczewski told me: You don’t want to live in  house build in one months — or three

    I like to have pieces som much in the pocket that I can play them after a half bottle of wine ( at least) because that is the situation where I get my performances

    Dear

                   
    Really enjoyed your efforts and playing and not least the joy you have playing music

    Lars

      • Ron.3
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       I'm sitting here catching up with all the replies first thing in the morning - my fingers don't work well 1st thing so I'm really impressed with your early morning concert! Well played and thank you Lars! Enjoy your extra time to play in retirement!

      • Palmer
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

      Beautiful mini concert! 

      • Dale_Needles
      • 14 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Impressive progress in such a short span of time.  Looking forward to seeing what you can do with all that time coming with retirement.  

      • Amateur with too little time and bingeplayer with sore arms and fingers
      • Lars_KjollerHansen
      • 8 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you. And I enjoyed my tour to San Sebastián, Haro and the very beautiful Ribadesella and surroundings. Thank you for your thoughts to my retirement. I am really looking forward to more time with the guitar although I can feel that I should take care with my hands.

      I really enjoy and admire your Carlevaro journey. Bravo

    • Palmer
    • Yesterday
    • Reported - view

    Here is my recording of Recuerdos by Eduardo Diaz. I need to apply myself to learning to record as the quality here is poor. Still needs polish anyway.

      • Barney
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       Nice playing Palmer of this beautiful Recuerdos!  Thanks for sharing it!!

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       Beautifully played, Palmer. Your phrasing and tone are very good. Thanks for sharing.

      Your recording sounded very good - maybe recorded slightly loud. However, take my observations with a grain of salt. 

      oh yes, and I would suggest allowing the last note to breathe a little.

      • Ron.3
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

      Well played Palmer - such a beautiful piece!

      • Palmer
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Barney!

      • Palmer
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Jack! I appreciate your observations. I'm new to recording myself.

      • Palmer
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Ron!

      • Steve_Price
      • 20 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       I really enjoyed listening to this one and loved your phrasing. I didn't know anything about the piece or the composer, so this was a nice find for me. Well done. 

      • Palmer
      • 19 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Steve! I just discovered Eduardo Diaz this year. There are few more of his pieces that I'd like to learn.

      • Eric
      • 18 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      That's so beautiful!

      • Palmer
      • 17 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Eric!

      • matt.1
      • 16 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       I haven't heard this before, thanks for sharing it! Sounds great!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 14 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Well done.  You have a very nice and sweet tone that fits this music perfectly.  Keep up the good work on this and definitely a piece to keep in your repertoire.

      • Retired
      • Andre_Bernier
      • 13 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       So beautiful Palmer. Great music. Well done.

      For recording, Martin had a 2 weeks intensive on this subject. All the info, and material is still available. This was a great and eye opening 2 weeks intensive.

       

      https://guitar-community.tonebase.co/category/improve-your-recording-skills

      • Amateur with too little time and bingeplayer with sore arms and fingers
      • Lars_KjollerHansen
      • 8 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you. Very well played. Also don’t know this piece or composer, but sounds like more “modern”  South American ( Argentinian) and with the fluidity you play it seems idiomatic to the guitar

      • Palmer
      • 2 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Matt!

      • Palmer
      • 2 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Dale! 

      • Palmer
      • 2 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Andre! Yes, I need to watch this and get the right equipment. I can see what a difference it will make by how good many of these recordings are. 

      • Palmer
      • 2 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Lars! He is from Mexico, but not sure he lives there currently. I happened upon him on Youtube where Irina Kulikova has a recording of this. Then I found a number of other pieces by him as well. He has his own videos and even records this on an electric classical guitar, a Godin, or something like it.

    • Palmer
    • Yesterday
    • Reported - view

    I've been catching up with everyone's recordings! Beautiful!! I'm getting some great ideas for new pieces to play.

    • Barney
    • Yesterday
    • Reported - view

    I've always enjoyed listening to this  Ponce piece in performances and recordings but have not learned it until now. 

Content aside

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