Week 2 - Into the Dojo 🥋

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. 🎸⚔️

190 replies

null
    • Retired
    • Andre_Bernier
    • 7 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Ok, my turn after all these great posting. 

    I have been working for few weeks (I am much slower than Eric) on something that is way out of my league (Villa-Lobos Prelude no.1) but using the new track on Tonebase. I have to say that with the help of  's instruction in the track, I am able to very slowly progress in the piece. 

    This recording is today's practice of the bar 1-12. Still need much work but it is progressing.

      • Steve_Price
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       That's an excellent start on this, Andre. Looking forward to your progress through this. 

      • joosje
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       good work, Andre. Keep going. This piece will accompany you on your guitar journey for a long time. It’s not an easy piece, there’s so much going on. Enjoy and keep us posted.

      • Eric
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Good work, Andre. This is such a great piece, and it will please any kind of audience. Back in college, this was my “go to” piece when someone asked me to play something. You don’t even have to play the whole thing, and people will still like it.

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

             

      Thanks all for your good words and comments. I definitively like the piece and the track is a great tool for me to learn it. Just take few minutes to check the track; it is well done. 

      I hope we will see more of them in the future

      • Debbie
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       that’s a great start, Andre. With slow deliberate practice and proper guidance so much can be achieved.

      • Civil law notary with a passion for music
      • Bart_Versteeg
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       very good start . Just take your time for this piece. You have to grow into it. This prelude gives you the opportunity to explore musicality.

    • Robert_Love
    • 6 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello. I am new to Tonebase and working on Evocation for the challenge. Here is a practice video. Much work to do get smooth and feel more musical. Any comments appreciated.

    https://youtu.be/W_jEeeHmhUk

      • Retired
      • Jim_king
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Robert, nicely done.  You sound like you are well on your way to getting it smoother and more musical.

      • Steve_Price
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Welcome, Robert. This is sounding good already, so I look forward to seeing how it comes along. 

      • Ron.3
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       welcome Robert. This is a lovely piece and you’ve made a great start. Look forward to following your progress 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Welcome Robert. You've started very well. Eager to see your progress in the coming weeks.

      • Eric
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Beautiful, and welcome Robert! You are managing those chord changes very well. There are a few spots where the legato in the melody is lost, mostly at the end of a few phrases. That’s understandable, of course, with the way each phrase ends with a new chord change.

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

      Really nicely done, Robert. You have very effectively captured its gentle, plaintive mood. Glad to have you join us.

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

       Very nice piece and a great perforrmance. Bravo 👍

      • Robert_Love
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       I am looking forward to your live performance. Great job. 

Content aside

  • 2 Likes
  • 5 days agoLast active
  • 190Replies
  • 210Views
  • 16 Following