Week 1 - A New Hope 🌟

Hello tonebuddies! 🎶

A long time ago, in a practice room far, far away... you picked up a piece. You were excited. You cracked it open, worked through the first page, maybe the second — and then something happened. Life struck back. A new piece caught your eye. The fingering felt impossible. The score quietly migrated to the bottom of a stack where it's been sitting ever since. 🎸

This May, we're bringing back the Unfinished Business Challenge — and we're kicking things off on May the 4th, because what better day to summon the Force and finally finish what you started? Every guitarist has an abandoned piece (or three). This is your chance to rescue one from the Sarlacc pit of your music folder and bring it home.

This challenge is open to all levels. Whether you left off at bar 8 or bar 80, whether it's a Bach fugue or a beginner study that got away — if there's a piece waiting for its return, it belongs here.


🌟 The Challenge

Revisit a composition you started but never finished — and this time, see it through. It might be:

  • 🎯 A piece you abandoned because it felt too hard
  • 🎯 Something you got halfway through before a new obsession took over
  • 🎯 A passage or section you never quite nailed
  • 🎯 A piece you learned years ago but never polished or performed

Share the story of why it got left behind and what it means to finally complete it. That's half the magic of this challenge.


📅 Challenge Dates

Start: May 4
End: June 12
Watch Party: June 12


🎥 How to Participate

  1. Pick your piece – Choose the piece (or section) that's been haunting you. The one you've been avoiding. That's the one.
  2. Share your goal – Post in the forum thread and tell us what you're finishing and why it got abandoned in the first place.
  3. Post your progress – Share updates along the way — rough takes, slow-tempo run-throughs, the gnarly passage you finally cracked.
  4. Engage with your fellow rebels – Cheer each other on, leave constructive feedback, and celebrate every piece that makes it across the finish line.

Bonus points: Share a recording of your favorite performance of the piece you're revisiting — the version that first made you fall in love with it.


🎬 Watch Party — June 12

The Watch Party on June 12 will feature recorded submissions from everyone who completed their Unfinished Business. Make sure to submit your final performance videos so we can celebrate your finished piece together! 🎉


💡 Need a Little Help from a Jedi Master?

If the reason you left the piece unfinished is still giving you trouble, tonebase is full of lessons, masterclasses, and courses from world-class guitarists ready to help you through the tricky parts. Search for the piece, the composer, or the technique — chances are, there's a Master ready to help.


May the 4th be with you, tonebuddies. Let's finish what we started. 🎸⚔️

271 replies

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    • Jonathan_Lozoya
    • 4 days ago
    • Reported - view

    I love it! Great topic. I will look for Pavana from Francisco Tarrega.

    • Dale_Needles
    • 3 days ago
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    For the Unfinished Business Challenge, my goal is to complete the final five Microestudios No. 16-20 by Abel Carlevaro.  The 20 Microestudios were published in the 1990s and are an excellent set of compositions that both challenge the player musically and technically.  As many of you know, I have been working on a project over the past five years to learn and record as many of Carlevaro's 70 plus solo compositions as I can. To date, I have worked on approximately 50 of his compositions.  When these five Microestudios are completed, I will have approximately 15 more compositions to go.  Here is Microestudio No. 16. 

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Great submission Dale, you're almost done with the full set of Microestudios! That's amazing how much you've worked on and shared with us in the last years, what's the next one after these studies? 👌💪

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

      Great job, Dale. This is a very interesting study. It packs a lot into 42".

      • joosje
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       this is again a very nice and exciting study. Really well played. Thank you for sharing the whole set of micro studies with us.

      • Dale_Needles
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

         Thanks. These studies are indeed very interesting both musically and technically. The last three are particularly difficult so let's see how I will proceed. As for what I will work on after the Microestudios, it may depend on the next Challenge or not. 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 17 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Great work, Dale. Your dedication to Carlevaro's work is unmatched and so admirable. I'm cheering you on to finish the rest of the 15!

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

       Thanks for sharing. These pieces from Carlevaro are so interesting. Well done

      • Ron.3
      • 10 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Great work Dale - you make it look so easy!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 8 hrs ago
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         Thanks! Yes, these Microestudios are really interesting, although some can be very challenging.  If you are ever interested in trying some of Carlevaro's music, the first set of five Microestudios are a good choice. Carlevaro also wrote several short studies that he calls "Estudios Pequenos" which can be found in the Carlevaro Online Biblioteca. 

      • Reinhard
      • 5 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

        you are a great Ambassador for Carlevaro. Thanks to you i bought the german translation of his escuela de la guitarra. 

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

       I would be interested to begin working on some of Carlevaro work but, I am a bit lost in all the material on the online Bibilioteca. Could you post for me or other beginners like me , the link of some easy pieces at my level that I could potentially try to learn

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       I am currently traveling until Thursday but will send you a list of pieces and a link where you can find them. Also, if you give me your email, I will email you a couple of pieces.

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, what a great compliment.  Feel free to reach out with any questions. 

      • Retired
      • Andre_Bernier
      • 2 hrs ago
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      Thanks a lot Dale. My email is [email protected]

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

    Well, well..  Unfinished business could be an endless recital..

    I m a little ambivalent about the pressure of these challenges .. but this pressure may give me the opportunity to reconnect with this Bach Gavotte I never really got through it in the challenge 3 years  ago and haven’t played it since .

    For 2023 In a new year Martins newyear resolution post I wrote I might go got Gerhards fantasia .. and now I will finally go for it .. it really contrasts with Bach. I have primarily concentrated on getting the notes right .. rhythm sure need some consideration.….
    .. Yes , I memorize pieces fast around 2% in ..both good and bad .. I am a bad sight reader.. also hate to wear glasses when I play

    There are so many elegant videos up already..so a little embarrassing with these early takes .. runthrus ..but isn’t. that really the true deal with the challenges. 
    ‘I hope.. and there is a chance .. with 5 more weeks that I will improve.. if I can keep away from pieces that I would rather play.!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

        Great choice with the Roberto Gerhard Fantasia. This will be quite the undertaking and I am looking foward to following your progress. 

      • Amateur with too little time and bingeplayer with sore arms and fingers
      • Lars_KjollerHansen
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       yes it is somewhat in the style of the Carlevaro pieces. Now I just hope to master it as well as your excellence in Carlevaros music

      • joosje
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       yes, as  said, great choice. And a true adventure. Will be inspiring to follow. You made a great start. The allegro part is quite demanding. You have a good technique and energy to attack this intriguing piece.

      In September I started working on Gerhard, but couldn’t follow up. So, maybe next year’s unfinished business challenge…

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

       Great selections, Lars. You have an impressive command on these pieces  already. I'm really looking forward to following your progress. The Bach Gavotte is always a great piece and it is really nice to see the Gerhard Fantasia.

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

       I actually had decided to leave the middle part/page for next month. It is somewhat demanding because of the speed, but much easier in terms of rhythm and expression.

      it sounds really interesting and envying? with the guitar retreat and your study/exams.

      that piece and performance you were inspired to by Thomas Viloteau was so emotional I really liked it. - and that Passacaille I am sure you will pass.

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

       enjoyed your Gilardino and definitely noted your progress. Also a modern advanced piece. Very well done - or does that sentence scratch the ears of a former chef.?

      Excited to hear what you come upon next always exciting choices. I would love to hear En Los Trigales! If I had it to the level you had I would keep it in my repertoire 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 17 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       You've made a great start with what looks like a very challenging piece. I'm not familiar with this one. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to more from you.👏

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

      Welcome back Lars, Well done so far. Just memorising this piece is already a challenge. 

      • BLaflamme
      • 10 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Great to see you back Lars, I didn't know this Fantasia by Gerhard, a very beautiful work that already sounds very good under your fingers, I'm curious to see where it will take you by the end of these weeks! 💪

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