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Bach Cello suite in G maj


SteveO
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After getting a bit frustrated with trying to read a bad photocopy of the above I decided to scan it into Sibelius to get a clean copy. Whilst I was at it I rearranged it to make it playable on a 4-string bass and dropped in some fingerings for the first section.

Also is a tab version for the non-music readers out there. The piece is a great way of practicing scale patterns without it being boring, and lets face it Bach was the master of walking bass lines.

Enjoy :)

Edited by SteveO
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[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='448727' date='Mar 29 2009, 04:44 PM']I think it's fingerings- 1234= fingers on your fretting hand, 0= open string. Judging from the open notes it looks like it's the OP's bass fingerings.[/quote]

Spot on.

I've only done it where I there are tricky position shifts. Mainly because I have a bad memory and only remember to change position when i get knotted fingers half way through the bar.

Feel free to ignore them, they're not essential.

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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='449066' date='Mar 29 2009, 11:49 PM']Nice to see it being played in the original cello key. Most of the double bass versions are transposed into C for suite I.[/quote]

:) Surely not?

I was tempted to transpose but for 2 reasons: Firstly there were only 6 notes lower than an E, and it wasn't hard to chose suitable alternatives to keep in the feel of the part, and secondly I *hate* it when people transpose music. Even a semitone higher or lower can make a piece just sound wrong. Transposing from G to C is a crime that should be punishable by death. (IMO etc. etc.)

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[quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='449469' date='Mar 30 2009, 03:00 PM']SteveO,

Any chance you can upload the Sibelius version too?

Cheers,
Pete.[/quote]

Added to the OP.

Edit: Ooops, no it's not. The computer says that I'm 'not allowed to add this type of file' :)

Edited by SteveO
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I've been working on this for a few weeks now,I came by it in a book with a cd that I got from Chappells.



J.S.BACH FOR BASS
Josquin des Pres

It also contains other Suites,Partita and Sonatas.
Quite a bit to work through.

ISBN 978-078662843-8
Published by Mel Bay

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[quote name='bilbo230763' post='449858' date='Mar 30 2009, 08:18 PM']Good work, SteveO, although I would recommend people look at other Bach pieces - this one has been played to death by players the world over :rolleyes:[/quote]

Fair enough but for someone like me who knows little theory, can't sight read and is trying for the first time to learn a little classical on the bass, it's an enormous help that I am familiar with the piece so I can hear in my head how it should sound.

Thanks a million SteveO, I am having a good time learning this :)

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[quote name='bilbo230763' post='449858' date='Mar 30 2009, 09:18 PM']Good work, SteveO, although I would recommend people look at other Bach pieces - this one has been played to death by players the world over :rolleyes:[/quote]

Oooh agreed, It is one of those 'Stairway to heaven' type pieces, but I have a real soft spot for Bach, especially his solo Violin and Cello pieces, and these do translate quite well to the Bass. Considering the time it took to do it (about an hour) I think i'll look at adding a few more soon. Anyway the aim is to take the boredom out of doing scale excersises. :)

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  • 1 year later...
  • 2 weeks later...

One of the few pieces I got to a decent standard on the cello, but have never learned on the bass. I'd imagine some of the fingerings are a bit of a stretch!

My favourite suite I think is 5, it's so dark. Might need a five string for that one though.

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Just chipping in to say I love this piece too!

[stealth bragging alert]: I learn it in a about a fortnight, so my playing can't be as bad as I thought, based on some of the comments here (I've only been playing bass since Xmas... after a 15+ year hiatus from being in bands as a teenager!) ;-)

Makes for a great finger 'warm-up' and for me, it's become the basis of me learning notation.

Big up the Bach!

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[quote name='Bilbo' post='1155233' date='Mar 9 2011, 01:06 PM']Anyone bowing this?[/quote]


Have done [not of late]....and its not easy to get a nice flow to it.
If you are not careful it will sound like you are sawing down a tree.
I have a part with some good bow markings somewhere - i will see if i can find it.



Garry

Edited by lowdown
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