SteveO Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 (edited) 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 March 30, 2009 by SteveO Quote
~tl Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Cheers! I've been meaning to brush up on my reading and this seems a good way to do it! Quote
ZMech Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Pretty good, shall definitely have a go at that. One thing I can't work out is what the numbers are over the notes, such as on line 39. My guess is it's some cello thing i'm unaware of. Quote
velvetkevorkian Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 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
SteveO Posted March 29, 2009 Author Posted March 29, 2009 [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. Quote
OutToPlayJazz Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 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
SteveO Posted March 29, 2009 Author Posted March 29, 2009 [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.) Quote
Adrenochrome Posted March 29, 2009 Posted March 29, 2009 Big thanks for this. I actually attacked this a year or so ago by reading from a copy of the handwritten score. I really struggled with the reading AND working out the fingerings/positions etc. I shall have another go using this Quote
Thunderthumbs Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 SteveO, Any chance you can upload the Sibelius version too? Cheers, Pete. Quote
51m0n Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 But it IS playable on a 4 string bass in G. As long as you play it in the correct (ie cello) octave and have 24 frets.... No need to change a single note. It is pretty tricky though! Quote
thisnameistaken Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 That's the first thing I learned when I decided to teach myself to read. I think it took me about two months... Quote
SteveO Posted March 30, 2009 Author Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) [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 March 30, 2009 by SteveO Quote
pjbass Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 Thanks for posting this - i'm working my way through it Quote
tarcher Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 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 Quote
Bilbo Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 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 Quote
xilddx Posted March 30, 2009 Posted March 30, 2009 [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 [/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 Quote
SteveO Posted March 30, 2009 Author Posted March 30, 2009 [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 [/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. Quote
Mike Posted April 3, 2009 Posted April 3, 2009 Thanks Steve, now a constant feature on my music stand for warmup and sightreading - cheers! Quote
Pentode Posted April 5, 2009 Posted April 5, 2009 I love tackling Bach - great for really improving your playing! If the man himself was alive today, he'd def' play bass (tho' he might want to ditch the dodgy wig on stage ). Quote
CrackerJackLee Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 [quote name='Pentode' post='454633' date='Apr 5 2009, 07:13 AM']If the man (Bach) himself was alive today, he'd def' play bass.[/quote] Amen! Most of his music just pours on the bass... Quote
keeptrying Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks, I don't mind playing scales, but this is good fun and makes the likes of me more open to classical pieces. Well done Quote
Wil Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 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. Quote
Skol303 Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 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! Quote
lowdown Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) [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 March 9, 2011 by lowdown Quote
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