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. 🎸⚔️

218 replies

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    • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Difficult to match Blaise's opening post! But I offer my humble beginning to this challenge. Recorded on my phone, back in my village with insects and the evening noises in the background. Quite a few mistakes, memory slips and string buzz. Looking forward to your valuable feedback. Thanks for watching.

      • BLaflamme
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      I was joking about the iPhone 😅, what matters is your progress and at some point find the right gear that fits your workflow, can't wait to hear your next submissions!

      • Amateur guitarist/lutenist
      • David_Krupka
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

        Question: What's the difference between a cheap Chinese phone and an iPhone? Answer: The 'Apple' logo ...

      • BLaflamme
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       😂 ... sure... for me it's more about the OS!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       😄 I wouldn't know as I haven't used an Apple phone! They're are prohibitively expensive for me.

      • Amateur guitarist/lutenist
      • David_Krupka
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       You're definitely a more sophisticated user than I am, Blaise! I use mine to make a call every now and then, and that's about it. (Of course, having one conveniently disguises the fact that at heart I'm a Luddite!)

      • Amateur guitarist/lutenist
      • David_Krupka
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       They're absurdly overpriced, imho! I refuse to 'upgrade' my old iPhone 6!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      couldn't agree more.

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      of course 😄👍

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I agree. They're on my wishlist right now. Will definitely tackle them, hopefully soon. Lately, I've been getting bogged down, trying to get a good tempo on HVL's Prelude 4 arpeggios. Maddeningly difficult to get even- sounding PIMA arpeggios with the constant chord shifts.

      Are you submitting any piece yourself, David? It'd be great to hear it.

      • BLaflamme
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I mostly never call or get a call with... it's my on-the-go hub, all sync across my devices... I can even edit my audio and videos with! 😂

      • BLaflamme
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      they're indeed overpriced! 🤯

      • Amateur guitarist/lutenist
      • David_Krupka
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I'm certainly hoping to, Nijwm! I've had a lot of difficulty with my left hand over the last few years, but I'm finally managing to play repertoire that is not too difficult. Unfortunately, I need to spend quite a lot of time now to get a piece properly under my fingers. (What used to take only a few days to learn now seems to require weeks - but at least I still enjoy practicing!)

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Sorry to hear about your left hand. It must've been frustrating. Hopefully, you get back to your best soon and play music you love. Good luck.

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

       This is very good, Nijwim. Your phrasing and tone are beautiful. Great beginning  (or as I would say if this was my recording, great final version 🙄).

      I also like the 'Film Noir' quality.

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Jack. 'Film noir quality' haha. I like your wit and humour. Actually, the background in the video was kinda messy with unpainted walls and stuff lying around. So, I turned the background into black and white.

      • mike.12
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Nice start!

      • joosje
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       that sounds already so great, Nijwm. I think you have been working quite a bit to get it to this level. Nice even tone and balance of voices. 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Joosje. Yeah, I've been working on it on and off for about 2-3 years. The main challenge for me have been some awkward fingerings and shifts, plus balancing the voices. It's been a long process but very enjoyable and rewarding.

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       thank you!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Very nicely played and love your tone on this piece. Looking forward to more.

      • Eric
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Well done, Nijwm! I can hardly believe how far you have progressed so quickly. Looking forward to more.

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 3 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, Eric. I've been learning from the best here on TB and the TB community! I'm enjoying the learning and the journey.

      • Marilyn
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Very nicely played!  I have the same piece on my music stand at the moment!  You’ve really mastered the fluidity, and your melody sings beautifully.  Bravo!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you! Are you also planning to submit this piece for the challenge? I'd love to hear it.

      • Debbie
      • Yesterday
      • Reported - view

      You are playing this so well already Nijwm. The voices are well separated, steady tempo, and a nice even flow. Keep up the great work. You’ve come so far in a short amount of time.

       

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