🎶 Latin American Music Challenge | Week 3

Welcome to our tonebase Guitar Community Challenge! For the next few weeks, we’ll be diving into the vibrant world of Latin American music, exploring rhythms, colors, and styles that have inspired guitarists around the globe.

This is your chance to work on masterpieces and hidden gems by some of the most iconic composers:

  • Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil) – lush, virtuosic preludes and études

  • Agustín Barrios Mangoré (Paraguay) – romantic, poetic works full of soul

  • Abel Carlevaro (Uruguay) – brilliant studies and innovative techniques

  • Leo Brouwer (Cuba) – modern masterpieces mixing folklore and avant-garde

  • Manuel M. Ponce – sonatas, and romantic masterpieces

  • Antonio Lauro – famous Venezuelan Waltzes

  • Atahualpa Yupanqui – folk-rooted pieces

  • Jorge Morel – virtuosic concert works and arrangements

  • …and many more treasures from across Latin America!


How it Works

  1. Pick your piece(s) – anything from the Latin American repertoire that excites you.

  2. Introduce yourself – share what you’ll be working on and why.

  3. Post updates – you can share progress videos, practice tips, or reflections.

  4. Support others – comment, encourage, and learn together.


📅 When?

  1. Start: September 29th

  2. End: October 30th

  3. Watch Party: October 30th 🎉


Why Join?

✅ Discover new repertoire
✅ Build consistency in practice
✅ Get feedback from peers
✅ Celebrate Latin American music with the community


💡 Whether you’re tackling a full Villa-Lobos Étude, polishing a Barrios gem, or exploring a short Brouwer piece, this challenge is for everyone — from curious beginners to advanced players.

👉 Jump in by introducing yourself below and telling us what you’ll be working on!

Let’s bring the sounds of Latin America to life together. 💃🎶 

59 replies

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    • matt.1
    • 8 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Here's a piece from Eduardo Martin called Cancion De Junio, from his Canciones Del Calendario.  I'm getting some work done on my basement and wanted to see what it sounded like with all the smooth walls, floor and ceiling. Probably too much echo but worth a shot.

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

       What a delightful piece Matt. Great work - I didn't mind the echo!

      • matt.1
      • 8 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks Ron!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 7 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Very nice, Matt.  Reminds me a little of the Pujol piece that you posted last week with its fusion of popular and classical elements.  Also, a taste of Cuba comes through as well.  Thanks for sharing two composers that were not on my radar.  

      • Steve_Price
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Another great submission here, Matt. Well done. Hopefully, the basement work goes well, and it's a fun project, not one of those painful repairs we occasionally have to deal with. 

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

      Beautifully played, Matt. You have a real affinity for this music, it shows. 

      • Barney
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      Cool piece and nice playing, Matt!

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

       Great playing Matt. This is another beautiful piece. Thanks

      • Eric
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Beautiful, Matt! Your arpeggios are so fluid. Great decrescendo at the end. I don't know the music. Is there a piece for every month?

      • matt.1
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Nice ear Dale! Eduardo Martin is in fact cuban.

      • matt.1
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Yes, there is a piece for every month. They are all pretty good and not too difficult to play

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 3 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Wonderfully played, Matt. Those arpeggios are so resonant and beautiful.

      • joosje
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       good playing, nice and natural sound in your recording. Cool piece too. Thank you for sharing.

    • Dale_Needles
    • 7 days ago
    • Reported - view

    Here is Azul y Blanco, a milonga by Abel Carlevaro.  Azul y Blanco refers to the colors of the Uruguay flag and is the first piece of his Milonga Suite which was written in 1999.  Azul y Blanco combines elements of Uruguayan folklore and Carlevaro's modern musical language.

      • Steve_Price
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       That's impressive, Dale. Definitely modern, but still very accessible. I really only know his Microestudios and the Preludios Americanos, so it's cool to be able to check out some of his other music. Well done. 

      • Dale_Needles
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, Steve. As I have mentioned in the past Caelevaro wrote more than 60 solo guitar works.  He also wrote three Concertos for Guitar and Orchestra, a piece for guitar and string quartet, a piece for guitar and piano and a piece for guitar and guitar quartet. Quite a body of work with a style that could be very modern at times to pieces heavily influenced by Uruguayan folkloric traditions.  

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

        Amazing work, Dale.This very Carlevarian (?). Its constant shifting between folk melody and chromatic elements creates a fascinating effect. Great job.

      (I can't believe it is already week 3 and I'm still trying to find a solution for my fingernails. Aaarrrrgggh 😠).

      • Dale_Needles
      • 6 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, Jack. This Milonga Suite is a real nice suite. I have now recorded three of the four milongas of the suite with the other two posted in Carlevaro Forum. I hope to tackle the final mlilonga, Lunera, which is the most challenging, next year. Now onto a piece by Piazzolla for next week. Good luck with your nails and see you on Saturday for the Meng Su recital. 

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

       Great Dale. This music is so intriguing and interesting. Thanks for sharing

      • Eric
      • 5 days ago
      • Reported - view

      Awesome, Dale! Your mastery of these rhythms is so impressive.

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

       What a fascinating piece Dale! I love the way you play it - bravo!

      • Dale_Needles
      • 4 days ago
      • Reported - view

        Thanks, glad you all enjoyed. It is one of Carlevaro's last compositions. 

      • Nijwm_Bwiswmuthiary
      • 3 days ago
      • Reported - view

       You're the ultimate Carlevaro connoisseur, Dale. He'd be proud of you following his legacy and sharing his music. Great work👏

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 days ago
      • Reported - view

       It has been quite the journey to travel through Carlevaro's large body of works but definitely most rewarding.  Thanks for acknowledging it.  

      • joosje
      • 2 days ago
      • Reported - view

       very impressive. You make this more complex music understandable by your clear and clean playing. 

Content aside

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