🎯 The Etude Challenge: Study Pieces, Serious Progress - Week 3

Attention tonebuddies! It's time to embrace the music that was literally designed to make you a better guitarist. Welcome to The Etude Challenge — four weeks dedicated to the art of the etude!

Etudes occupy a unique place in the classical guitar repertoire. They're technical workouts disguised as beautiful music — pieces that sharpen your skills while rewarding you with something genuinely worth performing. From the elegant simplicity of Carcassi and Sor to the rhythmic brilliance of Brouwer's Etudes Simples, the virtuosic fire of Villa-Lobos's 12 Études, and everything in between — there's an etude out there for every player at every level.

This challenge is your chance to pick one (or more!), commit to it, and share your journey with the community.

🎯 Whether you choose to:

  • Tackle a classic — Sor Op. 35, Carcassi Op. 60, Giuliani Op. 48
  • Go for something bold — Villa-Lobos, Barrios, or Coste
  • Explore the modern side — Brouwer, Carlevaro, or Bogdanovic
  • Revisit an old friend — Polish a piece you learned before and bring it to a new level

…this is your moment to dig in and grow. This challenge is open to all levels — whether you're working through your very first Sor etude or preparing a Villa-Lobos for the stage, you belong here.


📅 Challenge Dates

Start: February 23

End: March 20


💡 How to Participate

  1. Pick your etude – Choose one that excites you and challenges you. Not sure where to start? Ask the community for suggestions!
  2. Share your goal – Tell us what you're working on and what you want to achieve (clean run-through, memorization, performance tempo, etc.)
  3. Post your progress – Upload short clips, practice notes, or reflections as you go. We want to see the process, not just the polish.
  4. Engage – Listen to what others are working on, leave encouragement, and trade practice tips!

74 replies

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    • Reinhard
    • 3 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi, i am a bit late for this Challenge. I try to get Brouwers study No 6 a bit  smoother. Suggestions are welcome. I also work on a study by sergio assad but did not have time yet to record it. 

    https://youtu.be/frXQniAc460?is=oSqQPNr3kJ4YaPRM

      • Eric
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Nicely done, very tranquil. Maybe I would suggest exploring a wider dynamic range, and perhaps some rubato to give it a sense of phrasing.

      • Ron.3
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Great work Reinhard!

      • Reinhard
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       thank you. Great advise.  i will try to incorporate more dynamics. 

      • Retired
      • Andre_Bernier
      • 12 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Very nice Reinhard. I am not an expert but the only thing I noted was frequent buzz likely from the left hand finger positioning and some right hand finger clashing. This could probably mostly disappear by just slowing down a bit and anyway my view is that this music sounds better when slower.  

      • Debbie
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       well played. This is a great study for right hand placement. I would plant at the beginning of every sequence just to teach my fingers exactly where I want them to go and then eventually let go of the full plant and go sequential. This will eliminate the back of the nails from hitting the adjacent strings. I think that’s what this etude is supposed to teach. But overall nicely done 😊

    • BLaflamme
    • 3 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello Tonebuddies, while this is not really a «study» I think there's a lot in it that could be used for! As we were talking a lot about this prelude in previous streams and discussions, I wanted to share my version, a slower one with emphasis on the articulation of the bass line in contrast to the arpeggiated pattern. I also told  I would share it at some point, let me know what you think!

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       That's just fabulous, Blaise. I can really feel the pulse of the bass line clearly. Excellent playing.

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Nijwm, in the end that was a good technical exercise and I like the way it shapes the movement.

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       That was one of the best versions of that prelude I have heard, Blaise. Your articulations were masterful with a definite contour and phrasing. I also play this piece with articulated basses but yours are so much more expressive. I'll have to revisit mine to see if I can bring as much life and character as you have. Bravo!

      I agree that BWV 999 has a very 'study-esque quality to it.

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Brilliantly performed.  👏 

      • Eric
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Wow! Outstanding, Blaise! The articulation was executed perfectly, and so consistently.

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Jack, I remember our discussion about phrasing and articulation for this piece which were quite similar. Can't wait to hear your re-visited version!

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Dale! 🙏

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you Eric, that makes a great thumb exercise! 😅

      • Ron.3
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Fantastic performance Blaise! Certainly one of the best versions I've heard!!

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I'm glad you like it, thank you!

      • Retired
      • Andre_Bernier
      • 12 days ago
      • Reported - view

      Absolument exceptionnel Blaise. Merci pour cette performance 👍

      • BLaflamme
      • 11 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Merci André, je suis très heureux que ca te plaise, je voulais mettre à exécution les idées que j'avais partagées lors des dernières activités sur cette oeuvre.

      • Debbie
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       your playing is always spot on and inspiring Blaise. I had to play this one during  my college studies. I vowed to never do it again 😂

      • BLaflamme
      • 1 hr ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Debbie, well... I have to say that I don't plan to play this piece in concert or anything else than for technique and study. I find it a great exercise to apply the different articulations and muting to the pattern and ensure a broader uniformity to the whole, as I pointed out in the last activities on this prelude. I found it necessary to make a version with my ideas of that moment, otherwise it remains in the air and abstract!

    • michel.2
    • 3 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Très bien, Bach a joué magnifiquement dès le matin — la journée s'annonce bonne.

    Quel type de cordes sont utilisées ? Le son est superbe.

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Merci Michel, c'est un nouveau jeu à l'essaie que j'ai installé il y a 2 jours... Les Knobloch EDB, basses Erithacus et aigues Bio-Nylon, elles sont vraiment intéressantes au son et au toucher.

    • Eric
    • 3 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Sor Op 29 No 24 (Mar 13)

    Here it is again. I don't know if it is any better. It just seems to me like about the same quality, but with the mistakes in different places.

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       This is beautiful, Eric. I haven't gone back to your previous posting so I can't attest as to whether ir is an improvement, however this recording would be hard to top, I think. I don't know why but this etude passed under my radar all these years, but I now think it is a remarkable piece of music. Thanks for sharing.

      The only comment I might add is I find the coda not quite convincing. It might be the music itself (I found the Coda in McFadden's version almost comical at his tempo). I think it seems a bit disjointed, perhaps it could be played as a single long phrase. (I don't/haven't played this piece so take this with a grain of n of salt).. 

      BTW I just listened to Jefferey McFadden's recording of this study. He plays it almost twice as fast as you do. It is nice but I think Your tempo is much more expressive.

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Beautiful Eric, very well crafted and played! If I could suggest you something, I would tell you to take care of mesure 23, beat 3 and 4, you place the C in the middle voice on the beat so we hear it in advance (that breaks the surprise) and you lift your finger on the last one (for the position change) and play a B instead of a C.

Content aside

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