Leo Brouwer's Estudios Sencillios!

Welcome to our next Study Group — a collaborative, peer-led dive into a beautiful piece of music over the course of two weeks.

This time, we’re diving into the methodical riches of Brouwer’s Estudios Sencillos 1–10!

This is not a course or a class — it’s a space for mutual exploration, discussion, and shared progress. I’ll be learning the piece alongside you (again — it’s been a while!), and I’m excited to discover new things together.


🗓️ What to expect:
Over the next two weeks, we’ll focus on:

  • 🎯 Fingerings and technique

  • 🎯 Methodical background

  • 🎯 Interpretation and expressive choices

  • 🎯 Your own questions and perspectives!

We’ll also meet for two live Zoom sessions to share progress, chat about challenges, and nerd out over all things Brouwer.


✅ How to participate:

  1. Sign up through the Forum

  2. Grab your score of the Estudios Sencillos

  3. Introduce yourself below!

  4. Join the prompts and discussion

  5. Share your thoughts, ideas, or a clip of your playing


📅 Live Zoom Calls:


🗓️ Dates: July 28th – August 8th


📫 Sign-Up

 

425 replies

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    • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi, everybody! Last minute submission as I was feeling a bit of FOMO lol. Not the best sound quality. I wanted to upload the 1st etude as well. Unfortunately, while editing in Da Vinci, something happened and I lost the video and couldn't find it.

      • BLaflamme
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you for your kind comment and I am more than happy to know that you can find value and application in what I share. About recording, I'm very not the best to get the right take on the first try without being in the mood, to me music is a lot about mood and feelings so I need foreplay... but be careful once it starts! 😅Also I started playing Heavy Metal music by ear and only learned to read music a few years after, that's a process that takes time and practice! Keep the good work!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Ron!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Again, thanks a lot for all the encouragement and support, Blaise.

    • magmasystems
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

     And others ... One thing that I would love to see here on Tonebase is some sort of live Zoom where all of the participants in our study group are live. So far, it seems that many of the sessions here are Martin speaking/playing live, and all of us forced to interact through the chat room. So, if one of us wanted to demonstrate a technique to the others in the study group and to Martin for some advice, we just cannot do it.

    Is there any way to turn the study group sessions into something that is interactive?

      • Barney
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Marc - Are you aware that the study group and two zoom calls scheduled?

      • magmasystems
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Yep, I saw those and signed up. From all the conferences I have been on at Tonebase, I don't remember any that have been two-way interactive video. Maybe these calls are a new paradigm here? Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Yeah, as Barney said, the zoom sessions are much more interactive and we should continue this into the future. We had a couple of them recently on the Bach BWV 999 in case you missed those.

      It's just like any other zoom meeting where everyone's visible on screen and you can ask questions and share ideas. Of course, time can be a limiting factor as it's an hour long event. But it's really enjoyable and informative. Hope to see you there!

      • magmasystems
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Great to hear. I am looking forward to tomorrow.

      • BLaflamme
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Well, I remember a few years ago when it started up we did once an interactive Zoom like what you propose (I don't remember for which activity) and it was very chaotic. It is indeed great idea but hard to manage I think, even in the one where Martin is leading and we only ask questions, there's always someone not muted and lots of noise coming in from different sources... Come in tomorrow and see how it goes, Martin is always helpful and willing to try new things, bring up this idea to the table during the Zoom session?

    • Jane_Anderson
    • 4 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Here is my work in progress of Etude 8.  I've been working on the voice lines and on trying to integrate the middle section.  Another challenge has been damping the E bass notes in mm 10 and 14 -- As I play the B bass note, I use the side of my thumb to stop the E.  At least that's my plan -- I might have forgotten the first time through in m10. 😀

    I've enjoyed reading the discussions and watching the videos!

    https://youtu.be/uGPUA-TWUWo

      • Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
      • Ariel.1
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi, Jane! Nice to meet you! Nice video! I love this one. This one, #4 and #2 are my favourites, though they are not the ones I teach the most.

      This one I built a story around it, like the first part is the village close to the sea and everybody going around on their business, the second part with the arpeggio It's like a tropical storm and the a reexposure at the end is like the shadow of the village that was, under the storm, completely destroyed... 

      do you, Jane and all, imagine yourself stories to build up a clearer picture of what you want to express when you play, even if the piece is not programmatic?  

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Very well played, Jane. I especially liked the arpeggio part and that decrescendo you did towards the end of that phrase was really beautiful. Very resonant and beautiful harmonies. Thanks for sharing.

      • Steve_Price
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Really nice, Jane. I especially like the difference in feel between the A and B sections. It makes it very dramatic. Excellent work. 

      • Jane_Anderson
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

        Thank you for listening. Nice to meet you, too!

      I really like your idea of building a story around the piece.  In particular, your story for this one fits it well. It also provides a good way to perhaps treat the repeat of the beginning section differently (after the storm has passed through).  

      • Jane_Anderson
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Nijwm! I appreciate you listening and sharing your kind words.

      • Jane_Anderson
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Steve! That's helpful to know that there was a different feel between the two parts. I appreciate your comments!

      • magmasystems
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Really nice! Great tone. The complete package.

      • Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
      • Ariel.1
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       yes, that's what I think of! It always seems to me that whenever we repeat anything (being just notes, motives or whole sections) there must be (unless we are playing minimalism) some sort of development of the way it sounds. If it's a note, it must be either and intensification or a bounce back (as in an echo) and if its a section, some sort of new sence and consecuence to the fact that some water has gone under the bridge.  

      • BLaflamme
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       right, having an idea, an intention, giving a meaning to notes, phrases, sections... imagination and creativity, an important part of the process often left behind (due to lack of time or focus on mechanics). 

      • Jane_Anderson
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Marc!

      • Barney
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi Jane,  I just realized I missed your video of #8.  Playing is beautiful with nice steady rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and transitions.  For the arpeggios, have you considered reducing the volume of the accompaniment to bring out melody more?  It may give a clearer result in that section..  Thanks for sharing. 

    • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
    • 4 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Last second submission of No.1 etude. Sorry for the clumsy editing at the start of the video. Still a work in progress. I don't know if I was able to bring out the dynamic contrasts. The higher notes are kinda scratchy (will need to trim and polish the nails, I guess). the B part, middle section also needs work. 

    For fingerings, I've mostly used Brouwer's notated ones. I've tried to use LH preparation by planting fingers in advance, like 2 and 4 together. I need to be surer if I'm getting legato in the bass lines. But here it is.

    P.S.  I'm shielding my ears from the noise of the guitar so that it doesn't make me nervous while recording and not as feedback, haha.

      • Steve_Price
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Nice work, Nijwm. Good dynamics, and I really like how your bass notes sound. 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Steve. Glad you liked it.

      • Performer, Teacher @Conservatory M. de Falla and member of Nuntempe Ensamble GQ
      • Ariel.1
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi, Nijwm! Great steady flow! Nice sudden changes in dynamics! And I take it from your reference of the 4 and 2 planting together that you have seen Rene's tutorial on the Estudios sencillos. That's great, too. Let me bring up another thing that Rene says in that same video, about not protruding left hand wrist. I notice that your right hand is straight and why not try and work in the same manner with your left? I think it's got to be with the position of your guitar. Notice how your elbow is really far from your body most of the time... that must make you feel a little tired after a while. And your left hand works so much above your shoulder. If you weren't holding the guitar you'd dread staying like that for more than a few seconds, i think :-) This is something we do often: to be with the guitar for long periods in a way that we would not be for long without the guitar. It always makes me wonder.  

Content aside

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