Week 4 - Return of the Finisher 🏆

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. 🎸⚔️

77 replies

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

    Bogdanovic Monk-A-Ning update

    This is closer to the correct tempo, at least for me. I don't know why but the head of this work refuses to be recorded without mistakes even though my countless run-thrus seem to have little problem. The 'Solo' section always has a few bloopers but this time they are fairly reasonable.

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • 3 wk ago
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       Guess I'll have to sell my classical guitar and get a "STELLA!,,,"

      • Retired
      • Jack_Stewart
      • 3 wk ago
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      Thanks Joosje.

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      • Jack_Stewart
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks Dale. I think Bogdanovic did a great capturing Monk's spirit in this piece.

      Have fun at the concert - hope the mix is better than at St Marks.

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

      Thanks Ron

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

       Thanks Steve. I tried to find a YT of the Giant Steps you mentioned by didn't come across Leo Traeger. However I did find a video of Lucas Brar playing a pretty amazing arrangement with a rapid walking bass.

      • Steve_Price
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I guess he's only on Instagram. He said he wanted to create the most diabolical version he could come up with. I don't think you need an account for this link. 

      https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYz5PB_AXkk/

      • Amateur guitarist/lutenist
      • David_Krupka
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Brilliant, Jack - I knew you could be counted on you for a zinger!

      • Retired
      • Jim_king
      • 3 wk ago
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       Great work Jack, the piece is coming together well.  Found myself humming along with your playing, which means I'm enjoying it a lot.

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

       Thanks Jim. I would sing along with the piece but my dogs always start howling.

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

       👍👍 Well done💪

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I remember when you posted it in another challenge and I went straight to buy it on Oz, I very like the groove you put in!

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

    Update: Fantasia Gerhard, Gavotte Bach.

    Made my self a deadline before end week 4.
    First take with all you get or don’t with that .

    Old JS were put in the “bach”ground and I have prioritized Fantasia - but took a take of the Gavotte nevertheless. I will get it this year. 
    In the final weeks I will only prioritize Fantasia

    Fantasia is not easy . the outer parts you really have to control tone color and dynamics and also try to keep some pulse. The middle part is in addition to the many chord shifts and speed  also diifucult to have good dynamics and melodic lines I the various layers.

    I play on my self built flamenco guitar ( note my name on the label inside) and it may not be the most appropriate guitar for the pieces. But I love it.

    I spend a month with a luthier in Spain and then 6 weeks at home French polishing. 
    The connection where I am now is not good and upload time  loooong.

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

       Very long and challenging piece. Well done. Playing on your own build guitar should be very satisfying. Bravo 👍🙂

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

       Great work, Lars. Both of those pieces are really challenging, but you have a solid grasp of both. It is great to hear your progress on the Gerhard. You are doing great on the middle section. Looking forward to your future posts on this piece.

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

       I forgot to compliment you on building your own guitar. That is really impressive and it sounds great.

      You mentioned that you worked with a luthier for a month.  Was that he program the the luthier offered or did you just arrange that on your own. Also, did you have previous woodworking experience?

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

       By chance I saw someone had build their own guitar with a luthier in Spain Stephen Hill, his courses was filled up for years then I found Pablo Requena. Living by the beach in  a small village in Andalucia, actually the community where Pepe Romeros father Celedonio grew up, and building my own guitar was an extraordinary experience which I highly can recommend.  I had no experience with woodwork. But the teacher is really good and patient- he has build more than 200 guitars with amateurs and the guitar is mostly build by the use of chisels, rasps, Japanese knives - e.g the bridge and the neck, heel and headstock.… and thank you for your attention and always kind remarks.

      I do follow and enjoy your progress with Monk- remember it from previous challenge- As non native English speaker remarks just does not come or flow so easy.

      Thank you , Lars 

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Nice progress on the Gerhard Fantasia. Looking forward to the next rendition. 

      • Retired
      • Jim_king
      • 3 wk ago
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       Well done Lars.  And congratulations on building your own guitar.  It sounds great.  

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

       thank you

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

      thank you

      • BLaflamme
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       The Gerhard Fantasia is new to me and it already sounds fantastic, thank you for the discovery, I can't wait to hear what will be your last version!

    • Eric
    • 3 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Standchen May 30

    Another week of practice, but I cannot really hear any difference.

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

       More reverb added😉. You have a real good tone and it sounds really  great. although something happens around 2.45.… and again what a great tone on that cheap guitar with old strings. 
      The tuners on my homebuild guitar are 300 €  in list price

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

       Another excellent recording, Eric. I can't say I hear any difference with the previous posting but that is because they are both so good. Great job with this beautiful piece.

      • Dale_Needles
      • 3 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Another very nice post. Beautiful tone and musicality. My one humble suggestion is to watch the left hand squeaks. I think once you have it memorized, it will be easy to focus on these types of nuanced details.

Content aside

  • 3 wk agoLast active
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