READ ME FIRST: Rules & FAQ for the Sergio Assad Community Challenge!
Alright, everyone! Hello and welcome to our next tonebase Community Challenge and we couldn't be more excited! Sergio Assad, one of the most accomplished guitar composers of our time gifted us with a wonderful set of exclusive compositions for tonebase! Together, we will explore his wonderful sketches in an inspiring tonebase Community Challenge
Three Weeks of New Music!
Get a head start with Sergio Assad's brand new tonebase release (←click)
Download the scores for Assad's 10 Sketches here (← click)
Watch the Kick-Off-Livestream on July 16th!
WEEK ONE: Uncharted Territory!
The What:
- We are going to explore new music composed by internationally acclaimed composer Sergio Assad!
- We will discover a wonderful set of Sketches dedicated to the core movements of your left and right hand and the development of your musicianship!
- You choose how much time you will invest , but you commit to practicing them regularly.
- A watch party featuring your submissions will take part at the end (date below!)
The When:
- Kickoff Livestream on July 16th
- Challenge Period: July 16th - August 6th
- Watch Party: TBA on tonebase LIVE
The How:
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Start by choosing one of the Sketches and commit to practice it regularly!
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After some practicing, go to our Updates thread and post about it using the template given in each thread!
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If you are comfortable with it, add a video or audio of yourself performing it. This is optional, but it will allow you to share your progress with others!
I encourage you to post updates twice a week. No daily update expectation in this challenge! If you want to post daily though, feel free!
After you post an update:
- When you feel ready, move on to the next Sketch!
- Repeat steps 1-3 from above every update of the challenge.
- There is no limit on long you can spend on each Sketch! Do whatever feels comfortable, as long as you keep practicing one of them every day.
The Why:
- Because we want to challenge ourselves to practice every day
- Because learning together is more fun than learning alone
- Because we get to share our progress with others (whether video, audio or just text)
- Because new music is wonderful and these pieces were written especially for us by none other than Sergio Assad!
- Because we want to meet our fellow tonebase community members
The Fun Part:
- At the end of our practice challenge, we will be hosting another Watch Party on tonebase LIVE! This will feature user submissions, community awards and shoutouts!
- This is planned for August 6th at 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern, 7 pm London, 8 pm CET)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Can I join the challenge if I wasn't there on July 16th?
Yes! Just make sure you keep practicing every day and updating us at least twice a week.
Do I have to go through all Sketches?
Absolutely not. You are free to go as far as you wish!
I have a question, who do I ask?
Feel free to use this thread to ask any questions you might have about this challenge! If you would prefer to ask something in a more confidential setting, please use my email: [email protected]
Can I do more than one Sketch per week and can I choose with which one I'd like to start?
Absolutely! As always, this challenge is for you - do with it what you wish. As long as you 1) practice every day; 2) keep track of your progress; 3) share your progress with others - you are fully participating! Of course I won't be mad if this is too easy for you ;)
↓ Reply with other questions below ↓
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Here it is: Sergio Assad's "10 Sketches" on tonebase!
Live now! Enjoy 10 brand new compositions from Sergio Assad composed specifically for tonebase! Each of these pieces focuses on a specific set of ideas, either musical, technical, or compositional. Throughout the series Sergio describes what he considers to be some of the building blocks of composing for the guitar. He discusses how to elaborate on ideas, and explore new sounds on the instrument, all while encouraging you to take this knowledge and apply it to your own composition. The 10 Sketches are progressive in difficulty, so no matter how advanced your playing is you'll be sure to find an exciting new piece to work on!
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BREAKING NEWS
We just got confirmation that Sergio Assad will take part in the Watch Party which is scheduled for the 5th of August! More information soon in the Live Calendar!
SO EXCITING!
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OK, I just read through all the Etudes. They are beautiful and there is something in them for everyone regardless of performance level! I liken them somewhat to Brouwer’s Etudes in that they are musically interesting and can be played as short performance pieces as well. What I really like are the options for improvisation; a topic that generally scares me. I see these as becoming part of the serious guitarist’s Etude repertoire.