🎶 Latin American Music Challenge | Week 1

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martin.3
updated 2 wk ago
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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

Pick your piece(s) – anything from the Latin American repertoire that excites you.
Introduce yourself – share what you’ll be working on and why.
Post updates – you can share progress videos, practice tips, or reflections.
Support others – comment, encourage, and learn together.

📅 When?

Start: September 29th
End: October 30th
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. 💃🎶

- Steve_Price
- 10 days ago
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Here are numbers 2 and 4 from Manuel Ponce's Preludios Cortos, written for Juanita Chávez, the daughter of the composer and student of Ponce, Carlos Chávez. This and his Variations on a Theme of Cabezón, were the last pieces he wrote for guitar.

In number 4, the repeated open A is key, but I'm having trouble striking it cleanly, so if anyone has any tips on how to not have a preparatory sound, I'd appreciate it.
- Steve_Price
  
  10 days ago
  
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  I was actually working on 6 when I got this, and I plan to post all of them at some point for this.
- Dale_Needles
  
  10 days ago
  
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  Thanks for the info on the Cabezon variations. I vaguely remember reading something like that when I worked on these variations several years ago and even posted the entire piece on one of the early Challenges. It is a very playable piece and highly recommend it.
- Barney
  
  10 days ago
  
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  Great, Steve! I look forward to hearing them when you're ready.
- Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
  
  9 days ago
  
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  very well played, Steve. Nice and clear tone and articulation and the sound quality is great.
- Steve_Price
  
  9 days ago
  
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  Thanks, Nijwm! I appreciate it.
- Steve_Price
  
  9 days ago
  
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  Wow. I'll have to check it out.
- Ron.3
  
  9 days ago
  
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  Well played Steve. I'm not familiar with these pieces - look forward to hearing the others
- joosje
  
  9 days ago
  
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  very nice playing. Beautiful sound too. More to come?
- BLaflamme
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Nicely played Steve, great to have you play them for the challenge!
- Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
  
  Ariel.1
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Hi Steve! Well done!! Believe it or not, I had never heard about this preludios cortos (Preludios Fáciles in Alcazar's version)... they are in the Book with the complete guitar work by ponce but I had never taken the trouble to read them... silly me.
  
  I have a comment to make about left hand fingerings, specially in n°4. I noticed your vibrato and enjoyed it a lot, I think some of the fingerings do not facilitate that. Are they original or oyurs or edited?
  
  Regarding the repeated thumb, there are a few things that could be said, but complex to say in words... mostly what I'd try is trying to think of the repeated notes as increments and bounces of the same impulse, towards the middle of the second beat and third beat, like a counterpoit to the melody...
  
  Two exercises come to mind. First play the A both in 6th and 5th alternating to listen to the result of the 6 As completely legato and then try to play just in 5th trying to make it sound as alike as posible. Second, try playing slowly and repeatedly the 5th open string and watch closely the vibration of the string. Try to strike with the thumb as fast and lightly as possible looking for the vibration of the string to be seen as much continuos as possible.
  
  Let me know what you think!!
  
  Kuddos!!
- Steve_Price
  
  6 days ago
  
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  Thanks, Joosje. There are 6 in the set, and I'm hoping to get them all down.
- Steve_Price
  
  6 days ago
  
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  Thanks a lot for the tips for the thumb, Ariel. As far as the fingerings, the editions I have mostly keep it in first position, which makes sense considering the intent, but I reworked them a bit. It didn't sound right having the high point of the piece played on open strings. Thanks again.
- JUAN_ALONSO
- 9 days ago
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Hello to all, long time since i don´t potst ....Great to have a Latin American challenge...I´ll participate ...maybe with some Barrios or Villa lobos piece ....I´m thinking about some part of the Catedral or some prelude from Villa lobos...I´ll review some of my scores and find out what can I prepare.....Greetings
- Civil law notary with a passion for music
- Bart_Versteeg
- 8 days ago
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OK guys, as promised to Blaise, here is a little Eduardo Diaz. For me, this piece has a lot of good memories attached to it. I hope you enjoy it.
- Retired
  
  Andre_Bernier
  
  8 days ago
  
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  Very beautiful Bart. Bravo👍
- Ron.3
  
  8 days ago
  
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  Such a lovely piece and beautifully played Bart. Thank you for sharing.
- Barney
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Beautifully played Bart! Excellent dynamics and color. I wasn't familiar with this piece, so thanks for sharing it.
- BLaflamme
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Promise kept and a lovely version, bravo! 👌💪
- Civil law notary with a passion for music
- Bart_Versteeg
- 8 days ago
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And another one. Two pieces from the Suite Argentina by Adrien Politi.
- Retired
  
  Andre_Bernier
  
  8 days ago
  
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  Great music Bart. Well done.👍
- Ron.3
  
  8 days ago
  
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  Another great performance, thanks Bart!
- Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
  
  Ariel.1
  
  7 days ago
  
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  nice suond and feeling! I didn't know these pieces... thanks for bringing up to attention. Is the composer from Argentina living abroad? I don't know the name... and it doesn't sound as from my parts...
- Civil law notary with a passion for music
  
  Bart_Versteeg
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Thank you for your kind words.
  
  Adrien Politi
  
  Born in 1957 in Argentina, Adrien Politi studies at the University of Rosario, between 1976 and 1983.
  Until 1986, he is guitar teacher, choirmaster and he plays in various chamber music groups. Moved to France this same year, he discovers the tango (!) and the composition in Paris.
  Adrien Politi write for the guitar and some other musical ensemble, pedagogical works or concert pieces.
  Since 1989, he teaches the guitar at the Chatillon Conservatory.
- Steve_Price
  
  6 days ago
  
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  Both of your submissions were excellent, Bart. I really enjoyed them. Really nice sound, too.
- Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
  
  Ariel.1
  
  6 days ago
  
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  very interesting! Thanks for the data!!